QPR REPORT

Thursday, September 18, 2008

 

Media Disparages QPR's Decision to Raise Ticket Prices - As Derby County Protest QPR's Decison

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The club's decision to raise ticket prices, critiqued by quite a few messageboard posters, attracts media attention (and criticism).
[See also: Official Statement Announcing Ticket Price Increases -- QPR's Ali Russell Comments QPR's Finances/Ticket Price Increases ----
Loyal Supporters Association (LSA) Statement ---- QPR Fan Reactions

UPDATED:

Daily Telegraph/The Daily Bung - Mike Norrish

The Daily Bung: Butch is back at the Bridge, while greedy QPR feel the pinch
All the news, views, gossip and rumours from the world of football you need to see you through the day, with hourly news round-ups and your chance to enter the debate, too....
So the backlash has begun over QPR's gruesomely greedy, penny-pinching, skinflint and downright wrong ticket prices.
Drawing themselves level with Mike Ashley in the Bung's new 'There's a credit crunch on, Stupid!' league table, the Rs are trying to charge Derby fans £40 for entry to Toff-tus Road.
Supposedly the world's richest club, owned by Lakshmi Mittal, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, QPR still think it's acceptable to charge Premier League prices for Championship football, even at a ground which is poor by Championship standards.
And Derby aren't having it. The midlands club have refused to accept the prices and have complained to the Football League.
Deby spokesman Matt McCann said: "We think it's too high and we don't think that's fair. We have stood our ground and QPR have exercised their right to appeal that to the Football League. We expect a decision within 24 hours but either way, we will make sure our supporters aren't the victims of this situation."
Derby, the Bung salutes you... Telegraph


- Also: The Spoiler "Money Matter$ - Derby County refuse to accept inflated ticket pricing at QPR - West Londoners vastly overestimate value of watching their team


Mirror/Ann Gripper - QPR money men are Category A clowns
“We have introduced a new three-tiered category banding structure, whereby adult matchday prices are determined by the opposition, their league position and the day of the fixture,” QPR announced on Monday.
So how QPR can justify asking fans to stump up £50 for some seats in the main stand for the Derby match later this month is a mystery.
Unbeaten in two games and finally boasting a league win under Paul Jewell, Rams fans are hoping their team has turned the corner. But whether that is really enough to rate as a Category A side – the verdict of the QPR money men – is another matter.
Equivalent seats last year cost just £22.
With the economy in meltdown and money too tight to mention – a feeling QPR fans must be all too used to from the years of uncertainty before last year’s mega-money Formula 1 takeover – this pricing policy is a real slap in the face for fans. Mirror


Mail That's rich: Mega-rich QPR anger fans with ticket price rises
For the so-called richest club on the planet, the penny-pinching at Queens Park Rangers is surprising.
After a huge rise in season-ticket prices, the club have announced a hike in matchday tickets which will see pay-on-the-day fans charged £50 for a "Category A" match.
A QPR spokesman said: 'As part of financial restructuring we need to increase our revenues. One hundred per cent of profits will be ploughed back into the club.'
But fans are not happy and there is talk of a protest at the next home game with Derby.
Despite the arrival of mega-rich owners, QPR are yet to sell out a home game this season and only 13,770 saw them beat Southampton in a ground that holds 19,100. Mail


BBC - Derby turn down QPR ticket prices
Derby County have refused to accept the prices set by QPR for the game at Loftus Road on 27 September.
The club said a pre-season price of £30 for adults and £20 for concessions had been agreed but had been sent tickets priced £10 above those amounts by QPR.
Club spokesman Matt McCann told BBC Radio Derby: "We think it's too high and we don't think that's fair.
"We have stood our ground and QPR have exercised their right to appeal that to the Football League."
A decision on the prices is expected later this week.
"One of our biggest frustrations is the inconvenience it's causing fans," added McCann.
"With going to London supporters may want to book a weekend and make an occasion of it.
"We expect a decision within 24 hours but either way, we will make sure our supporters aren't the victims of this situation."
QPR have recently restructured their ticket pricing with adult tickets ranging from £20 to £50 for league matches. BBC


Derby Evening Telegraph - League to rule on QPR ticket prices for Derby County clash
DERBY County are waiting for the Football League to rule on their row with Queens Park Rangers over ticket prices for the Championship clash at Loftus Road.
QPR want to charge visiting Rams supporters up to £40 to attend the game a week on Saturday – £10 more than originally agreed – but Derby have objected and say the price hike is unfair.
Now the dispute is in the hands of the League, who are expected to make a decision in the next 24 hours.
Clubs set their ticket prices before the start of the season and have to submit them to the League.
If a club varies the pricing, then both participating clubs have to agree to any changes.
QPR contacted Derby and said they wanted to increase the prices from £30 in the Upper Tier and £25 in the Lower Tier with the standard concessions to £40 and £30.
Derby refused to agree and QPR appealed to the League.
The Rams head of communications, Matt McCann, said: “One of our biggest frustrations is the inconvenience it is casuing the fans.
“Tickets have to be with us four weeks before the fixture so we can get them on sale and supporters can make their plans for the game but we got those tickets 12 days before the fixture.
“We need it sorting as soon as possible because we want to get the tickets on sale as quickly as possible so Derby fans can follow their team.
“We have stuck by our guns. We have been very firm on this from day one, we don’t think it is fair to increase those prices.
“Hopefully, the Football League will rule on our side. We have just got to hope commonsense prevails.”
Derby say they have a contingency plan in place if the outcome does not go their way. They want to make sure supporters are not the ‘victims’ of the situation.
QPR want to raise ticket prices not only for the Rams game but other fixtures as well. The West London club’s decision has angered their own fans and top seats for home supporters could now cost £50.
John Hemsworth, chairman of the Derby County Supporters Club’s executive committee said:
“We are very happy the club is sticking to its guns on this and, hopefully ,commonsense will prevail when the Football League makes its decision.
“The hold-up is a logistical nightmare for fans because you have to get tickets out in the post and book coaches. Normally we have away tickets two or three weeks before a game.
“Some fans cannot afford such price increases in the current economic climate. Going to QPR could cost a fan almost £100 if you take into account £40 for a ticket, £20 or more for travel and something to eat and drink.
“My main worry over all this is that if QPR get away with it, other clubs might try to do the same.”
“The prices are going up for QPR supporters as well and apparently they are not happy because they are being stung also.” The Rams

Comments:
Fair Play on Derby. This could be an opportunity to stage a protest of sorts that have been banded around various messageboards & fan sites. Whether Derby fans end up coming or not, the fans could collectively protest against the decision.
With the new found 'goodwill' factor at the R's - Rangers home games should be packed to the rafters & create the atmosphere we used to have when we were in the top flight. That includes as many clubs as possible able to fill the top & bottom tiers of the away end.
We need to understand what the Directors are doing, running as a proper business........and they did save us from extinction.........BUT that cannot lead to the loyal supporters being priced out
 
See a bandwagon, jump on it, go for a ride. This is all getting ridiculous. All this talk of 'real fans' etc. Who are these real human beings? The same ones getting ripped of at JD sports presumbably. The facts are that prices haven't gone up at the bush for years, we've nearly gone bust twice, £20 tickets still exist and that hasn't changed and most of these real people, salt of the earth n the like (if you're out there - aren't you tired of being patronised?) are not the fans who are going to be paying to sit in the fricking platinum area anyway. Please. I do not work for the club, I've been going to games since 1975 when my old man took me and I have a season ticket in the silver section in the R block. I've got 2 arms, 2 legs. I think I'm real. If we want to play in the Premiership then this is the price of progress people. LEt's get on that bandwagon instead.
 
As a Derby fan I would like to ask Mr Jamois if he believes that paying £40 or £50 pounds for a seat is realistic considering that you are not premier league opposition, your staduim and facilities do not replicate that of Arsenal's, Man utd or Wembley, every view is not totally unrestricted and the players on show are not world class. Because this is what your Club is asking of us the Derby Fans after agreeing at the start of the season 25% less than what you are now wanting to sell them for. PS if league position comes into this as has been stated we are 4th bottom so I think we can only point to a Greedy Board.
 
Jamois,

If the attendances stay as low as they are the club will make even less money than they are now. Raising prices isn't the way to increase revenue. It's the exact opposite, in fact. Economically this doesn't make sense.

Also, driving away young people, which higher prices is doing, is not a good idea. It's important for the atmosphere in the stadium and for the future of the club.

I appreciate your comments Jamois. We're all QPR supporters, the best supporters in the world. I do think we deserve better than all this.

Kind regards,
Raymond.
 
Ticket prices were suddenly raised the morning that Lehmann brothers tanked. Formula one holds its stock portfolio in Lehmann brothers
Believe heavily invested there also. Briatore and group most likeley lost a ton of money. So lets find more cash from our holdings.! So they raised our prices. I will take a sabbatical from QPR and will start supporting Kilmarnock.
 
Reg you arent quite right. Lehman bought a big chunk of
Formula one---Bernie and Briatore. however another outfit has bought out Lehmans shares (see daily Telegraph) so if their financial position is corrected will they lower seat prices to what they were? Doubtful as I believe there are still cash issues(new ones) with Fl if you read the tea leaves.
 
Once again QPR in the mix of things...Ive been a supporter for over 25 years and ive seen it all..For once I thought things would be OK. They're obviously not.
I was happier when we battling for survival, turn up watch a game and go home full of QPR pride. We're becoming what we/ve always hated.
Laughing stock is what we are. Im going to support an MLS team or the Druids of cabernacle FC.
 
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