Town chief executive Simon Clegg has admitted that the club got the pricing structure wrong for the recent pre-season friendly against Wolves. Only 5,904 supporters turned up to watch the Premier League side somewhat fortuitously beat the Blues 2-1 at Portman Road.

Clegg says that the prices - £15 for adults, £10 for concessions/students and £3 for under-16s — were set at the wrong level and he will look at similar games differently in future: “It was disappointing and with the benefit of hindsight I think we got the pricing slightly wrong there.

“But I discussed it and analysed it with [Ticket Office manager] John Ford afterwards and he said that if we’d halved the price, we wouldn’t have got double the people.

“I am trying to see if there is another way we can deal with pre-season friendlies. I don’t want to get boxed into a corner, but with the benefit of hindsight, I didn’t feel that that pricing structure wasn’t the most clever.”

The chief executive says the club aren't too unhappy with season ticket numbers, which have dropped from last year’s final figure of 14,300: “I think we’re at 13,200 at the moment. We’re not particularly happy at the drop, while recognising that it’s not as bad as it could have been and as some people had predicted.

“If form continues as the season has started we’re hopeful that more people will buy season tickets at the full price or will come back on match tickets.”

Town’s matchday pricing has come in for criticism over the last couple of years and Clegg says the club did consider a reduction, but ultimately decided against it: “We gave reducing matchday prices some consideration but decided that’s not where we should go. We do recognise that our match-to-match tickets are expensive.

“What we have done is introduce the Grade D ticket price, which rather bizarrely got picked up by that BBC survey, which also said we had the most expensive cup of coffee in the land.

“It’s very easy to do surveys like that, but you’re not comparing like-for-like. The fact that ours are 12oz cups of coffee as opposed to 9oz elsewhere never gets mentioned and the devil is in the detail.

“Again, rather bizarrely, they picked up on our most expensive ticket, which is directly opposite the directors’ box, and has almost got a waiting list for it. That block is completely sold out most of the time. Conversely, they also picked up on the new D grade ticket that we’ve not yet used.

Clegg says it's not yet been decided how often the new £15 adult ticket price will be utilised: "I can’t speculate on how many games will be at that grade at the moment, if indeed we even grade any as D.

"I have to make a decision about six-to-eight weeks before a particular game in terms of the grading of that game.”

The grade D games, which are more likely to come towards the end of the season, particularly if a campaign is dead from a competitive angle, will be in addition to the annual three matches where promotions are run. In recent years season ticket holders have been able to buy additional seats for friends and family at reduced prices.

Clegg says these games and any grade D games will give new fans a chance to get a taste of watching Town: “Certainly there’s that opportunity with the promotional matches. The D grade was put in as an option that we could exercise if we found a scenario where we wanted to do that.

“I’m not committing myself to any D grade games, I was surprised that it even got picked up, but it did as a result of the BBC survey.”

Ultimately, the chief executive says only improved performances on the field will significantly increase attendances and will lead to an upturn in all areas of the club: “I’m expecting to have a good season and that will drive more people through the gates.

“Everything in football depends on success on the pitch, whether it’s the shop, whether it’s sponsorship, whether it’s advertising, whether it’s programme sales, whether it’s conferencing and banqueting, corporate hospitality, the whole lot."

Photo: Action Images

Toepunt added 14:49 - Aug 11 @1967blue Similar to my point about the beer promotion. Perhaps if you buy your hot chocolate two hours before kick off you'll get a voucher. Collect 50 vouchers, get a free bar of Fruit & Nut. That should see an increase in gates!
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brogansnose added 14:51 - Aug 11 Things need to be looked at in a different way than the club has done up to now. Surely it must be a priority to fill the ground on match days and to maximise season ticket sales and there is clearly only two ways to do this. One is by making it cheaper to buy a match day ticket or season ticket and the other is to improve the football that has currently been on offer for some time. Even if tickets are made cheaper the shortfall would be made up by increased footfall. Currently the only" benefit" that I get as a season ticket holder is that three times a year I can get cheap tickets for a handfull of mates, whats in that for me. Give me some benefits in cheaper cup tickets or reduced price beer/pies or at least offer supporters something to reward their loyalty rather than treating us a cash cow and taking advantage of us because they know that we will support our club through thick and thin. I can't believe that ME and the people that he employs can't sort out some inventive ways to up attendance and at the same time reward us mugs that have been shelling out for years.

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UsualSuspect added 14:56 - Aug 11 FFS! Clegg I totally despair at your comments sometimes, just when you feel he's beginning to get a grip and grow into the job, some serious lessons in public relations would not go a miss, I spoke with John Ford afterwards, with the benefit of hindsight blah! blah! blah! I'll give you a heads up on matchday tickets Simon, listen to the fans, no fan minds paying a reasonable amount to watch a meaningless but non the less enjoyable pre season friendly, emphasis on 'resonable'. Rant over.

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nitroblue added 15:03 - Aug 11 got it wrong for the Northampton game too didnt you????
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Marcus added 15:13 - Aug 11 Clueless. Using the example of 20,000 people paying £10 against 10,000 paying £20. For pure business reasons the latter is better for lower policing and steward costs. However the former is more likely to create an atmosphere and motivate the team. When you factor in merchandise and programme sales 20,000 becomes much less. However the atmosphere of a full stadium is priceless.

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robdaful added 15:18 - Aug 11 "John Ford afterwards and he said that if we'd halved the price, we wouldn't have got double the people." No you would have got over double the people.
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footyblue added 15:21 - Aug 11 yes and the same with the Northampton game as well hence only 9,000 there
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HARRY10 added 15:26 - Aug 11 yo Cleggy dude wake up ... ..... and measure the coffee
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ozzydog added 15:30 - Aug 11 nitroblue What`s your Alfa,before I retired and moved to N.Cyprus had a 3.O GTV with Lusso sports pack and a 1971 1750 Spider and smeghead out!
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tractorboy2434 added 16:27 - Aug 11 This bloke is a complete idiot, the prices are expensive and he has the opportunity to do something about it, but failed, as we have failed with many transfer targets, the way this club does business gives the impression that the club is stuck in a time warp, there is no sense of urgency and we are always second best to another club that gets its act together whilst we are still thinking about it. Wolves was not an attraction and therefore pricing should have £10 adults, £5 concessioon and kids free, have they got no idea about attracting customers.

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naa added 16:39 - Aug 11 Regarding season tickets: I had a 'lost in the post' incident and foolishly hadn't noticed until this week (just stupidly assumed that I could use last year's card). Anyway, point being that no-one phoned me up to find out why I wasn't renewing. I know other clubs do this. I'm sure they'd get a few extras in that way, especially if they extended the early-bird to those who were previous holders for maybe a couple of years (i.e., more likely to renew).

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runningout added 16:43 - Aug 11 Im starting to worry about Clegg... I wonder how much passion does he has for the game and our club... Dont like to blame just one, but the heart seems to be draining slowly from PR... or is it me being dramatic....
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allezlesbleus added 17:16 - Aug 11 I have a season ticket at Rennes ( who finished 5th in the French League 1 last season). Their season tickets for the equivalent of the SBR Upper cost 229 euros for an adult and only 50 euros for children. As we purchased ours before the first game of the season, we also got into the 1st Europa League match FOC. Pricing over here is much more realistic, especially for children, where they often have promotions where a childs ticket can be purchased for 4 euros, when purchasing a full price adult ticket. It is ridiculous expecting anyone to pay more than £10 for a meaningless friendly....... unless it was for something like "The Hospital Cup" against our friends from up the A140!

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strikalite added 17:19 - Aug 11 Agree with so many of these posts, surely a friendly match is a great way of attracting new support especially youngsters. We don't all live within walking distance of PR so you have to factor in travelling costs and food etc...agree with Tractorboy on pricing, £10 adults and kids free... My biggest gripe is the match day ticket prices for behind both goals, this should be no more than £25 because I'm sorry to say that even with a half decent side they'll still be thousands of nice blue empty seats because people simply won't pay that sort of hard earned money!

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ITFCFW added 17:56 - Aug 11 Northampton game overpriced as well - especially as it is the first of 3 games in 8 days - coupled with the overpriced food/drink, much of it poor quality.
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BlueVelvet added 18:31 - Aug 11 It doesn't take an over paid CEO to tell me this - its pretty obvious that you need to stack em high and sell em cheap. PR is an expensive place. I thought the C Cup price for adults was over the top as well, particularly as town didn't wnat to win it.
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Taricco_Fan added 18:58 - Aug 11 Ticket pricing at Portman Road has been a joke for some time now, and worsened in the Clegg era. Personally, I've not been to PR since December 2009. At the time it was a minimum of £50 for me and the missus to watch a game and we decided enough was enough. It's not good value to sit in a half-empty stadium with no atmosphere, watching a poor standard of football in a dull league. I could watch a top level match in France, Germany or Italy for less. It's frustrating because Ipswich is a football mad town, and there's no reason why PR couldn't be packed out with 25.000+ every week provided the ticket pricing is realistic. I fear for the future of the club if the traditional working class supporter base is being priced-out, particularly kids, which will be the fans of the future. Keep the ticket prices down and get more people through the door. Take advantage of the level of support ITFC has, but are staying away. It worked for Norwich, and look at them.

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HARRY10 added 20:19 - Aug 11 It becomes clearer by the day that still hasn't a clue about football or what motivates a fan. This was never going to be special game, there was nothing at stake and it was as much a training game as it was competitive. Low grade opponents that probably reflected the money we had on offer. My fear is that had we have been able to attract a top Premier club or a top European club Clegg would have simply cranked up the price. As said before thsi could well have been combined with a family day. Make it an 'event', an 'expereience' or call it what you want but not the best part of £50 to take your family. There are far, far better attractions for a far lower price than that figure. The club should have offered a massive discount price if booked a day or so in advance to gauge ticket sales - so as to ensure food and drink were ready. Start the day early so fans/families will buy stuff during the day. Involve everyone, get as many youngsters to Portman road as possible. This should have been a great PR exercise rather than an overpriced meaningless game. As much as it sticks in my craw the budgoes seemn to be getting it right. Higher attendances when they were in the 3rd Division and higher attendances at their two home friendlies. If we continue to squeeze our fans on the basis that we will stay come what may the club will see a slow and steady decine. We are town fans and always will be. But Clegg should be made aware that the way he is running things many will simply support the club from the armchair, not the £40 seat in a half empty stadium.

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Upbeat~ added 20:27 - Aug 11 Grumble Let people pay in installments if you want more season ticket sales Cleggster you swine! Lol-jokes, but seriously.
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Happy2bBlue added 20:33 - Aug 11 Out of touch with the man on street and knows very little about football. This blokes a waste of time.
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blueboy79 added 20:54 - Aug 11 How can 'almost got a waiting list for it' make sense surely you do or don't !!
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TractorRoyNo1 added 21:22 - Aug 11 no kidding sherlock, and with PJ saying these games are only about fitness you will never get me chucking my money away on them again
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Umros added 21:54 - Aug 11 Too right mate you did, having paid £500 for a ST I ain't paying £15 to watch a poor premiership side.............or indeed to watch our reserves against Northampton. Friendles shoud not be a cash generator, give your ST holders something back for a change.
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RomfordBlue added 23:25 - Aug 11 Another cock up then Clegg. Nothing new there then!
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ITFC_Budapest added 07:14 - Aug 13 Why do most seem to blame clegg and the club for high prices? You do realise it's players ever increasing wage demands that have made football so expensive these days don't you!
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