Fan Unhappiness With Season Ticket Prices...April's AGM Comments....Club Ecstatic at Sales....and Flashback to 2005 Increases

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The various QPR messageboards are filled with heated messages about QPR's just-announced 2008-2009 season ticket prices. How representative the posts are - and what impact, if any, fan unappiness will actually have on season ticket sales remains to be seen.



Update: What was reportedly said at the AGM last month (April 14):
QPR 1st's Tracy Stent Report - Posted On QPR Fanzine
"QPR Holdings Ltd AGM ~ Members Bar, Loftus Road ~ 14th April 2008
In attendance: Alejandro Agag, Chairman of the meeting and Managing Director of QPR holdings; Gavin Taylor, chief financial officer; Gianni Paladini, Chairman of QPR FC; Ali Russell, deputy managing director; Marco Rapini, lawyer and Board member.

"The next question was one about season tickets and if there will be a differential between existing and new ones? AA said that no final decision had actually been made and then handed over to Ali Russell who said that a plan has been put together, feedback is awaited, and they have looked at a variety of schemes.
AA assured that the club are not going to go OTT, saying there will be maybe an increase in some/all, and that in the central area it will be a big increase. The rest he said is something that would be reasonable and estimated that the final prices will be known in about two weeks." QPR Fanzine

QPR1st Report of April AGM
Season Tickets
Alejandro Agag said -
- there hasn't been a final decision on season tickets.
- increases will be reasonable and not over the top.
Ali Russell said -
- that he has put a plan to the board.
- he is awaiting feedback on these proposals.
- there are a variety of schemes they're looking at.
- there will be an increase in some areas and "some big, some small".
- they expect to finalise these plans within 2 weeks.
- they appreciate that it's difficult to pay for a season ticket in "one hit".
- direct debit schemes are under consideration including one being direct debit based
and another through Zebra Finance.
- they are considering a wide variety of packages and this also includes multi-game
deals and half-season tickets.
- children's pricing and family day's are very much in the Club's thoughts.
QPR1st
The club however has a different perspective:


UPDATE: QPR OFFICIAL SITE - RECORD SALES
Season Tickets for the forthcoming 2008/09 campaign went on sale this morning - and already the Queens Park Rangers Box Office is reporting unprecedented demand as Rangers fans embrace the new era in W12. With Iain Dowie installed at the helm and no fewer than three new faces already added to the R's First Team squad ahead of next season, the feel-good factor has gripped the R's faithful, to the delight of Deputy Managing Director, Ali Russell.
"We're ecstatic with the response," he told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We are very mindful that prices have gone up in certain areas of the ground, but the reaction from the supporters has been exceptional.
"We strongly believe that the new pricing structure represents excellent value for money and is in line with most Clubs at this level." QPR


Flashback to 2005:
The last big unproar over season ticket prices was back in 2005, when the Bill Power-Mark Devlin-Gianni Paladini significantly raised season ticket prices. Fans were outraged and expressed their vociferously.


BBC - Power defends QPR price hike
Queens Park Rangers face anger from supporters over plans to increase season ticket prices by almost 50%.
Chairman Bill Power insists the massive rise is needed to avoid another financial crisis at Loftus Road.
He said: "We're doing this with a heavy heart. It's a big increase but we've done the sums and there's no other way.
"We'll use the money to carry on paying debts and try and push for promotion, which we honestly think we can achieve next season."
The Championship club must find £80,000 a month simply to keep paying off the interest on a £10m loan it took out to satisfy creditors and come out of administration in 2002.
"It's tough," Power admitted.
"We're on top of it but we need to put season ticket prices up to stay on top of it and move forward.
Mine has gone up by over £100. The cheapest kids' season ticket is £208 - you can get a cheaper one at Chelsea!
"The previous board didn't want to put prices up and then, in the middle of the season, the cash ran out and fans were putting money in buckets to keep the club afloat.
"There will be no going back to those days. We desperately need the season ticket money and promise supporters that this time it will be for the season."
But Paul Finney of the QPR Loyal Supporters Association warned: "I fear some fans just won't stand for this.
"We sold a record number of season tickets when we were in our darkest hour in the Second Division and a lot of people will feel this is a kick in the teeth.
"There's a lot of goodwill between the fans and the club that's going to be lost now.
"Many fans who've stuck by QPR through thick and thin just won't be able to afford to go.
"It just doesn't seem fair and I hope the club think again." BBC - April 2005 "Bill POwer Defends QPR Price Rice"

2005 QPR Season Ticket Prices

AGM - July 15, 2005 QPR Holdings Limited AGM report

Q&A With Chairman Bill Power Over Season Tickets


2005 Reactions -