How does the GRFZ work?

Whichever way it is done, the club needs to be investing in the youth. That is the future of the club, so getting them in early and hooked is the key, but it needs to be affordable & currently it isn't.
 
Loop said:
Whichever way it is done, the club needs to be investing in the youth. That is the future of the club, so getting them in early and hooked is the key, but it needs to be affordable & currently it isn't.
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See post 59 above.
Over 5100 U18 SC holders generated just over £600k in total.
On average they paid just over £4 per match inc VAT.

Kids SC’s are not the problem.
Walk ups are, including scandalous Kids walk ups.
 
Nano said:
The biggest waste of money is offering massive discounts for the over 65s. That demographic are no longer the poor demographic it used to be
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Massive MASSIVE sweeping generalisation, and .... well .... complete bollox.

Some over 65s may be better off than previous generations, but by no means a majority - chuck as many of your handpicked statistics at me as you want, and I'll throw back the thousands that I see struggling in the course of my work, and that's just in one small, relatively well off Council area (in the UK)
 
Malaguena said:
Massive MASSIVE sweeping generalisation, and .... well .... complete bollox.

Some over 65s may be better off than previous generations, but by no means a majority - chuck as many of your handpicked statistics at me as you want, and I'll throw back the thousands that I see struggling in the course of my work, and that's just in one small, relatively well off Council area (in the UK)
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Of course it's a generalisation. That's how statistics work. We don't means test fans so we are saying that OAPs are 25% poorer than working age adults but the statistics don't match. The wealthiest generation are getting a big discount that on average they don't need.

There are people struggling in every demographic and there are people that are wealthy in every demographic. On average the 65+ demographic is more wealthy than every other age group except the 55-65 age group. There are thousands of people struggling and have children that have to pay full price for them and pay for their kids. The younger generation doesn't have the benefit of buying houses like the previous generations did. The majority of young people have a negative balance in their savings. They have more debt than savings. They don't own property, they'll never have a final salary pension, might not even get a state pension until they are in their 70s, they are paying thousands for childcare etc.

Nobody is saying that every over 65 can afford to pay full price but on average they don't need subsidising. People that are 80+ probably don't have the wealth the baby boomers had so that OAP age probably should have risen with them.

1707841907112.png
Physical Wealth = Things you own (cars, house contents etc), Property = house equity, Financial = savings and investments.
 
indeedido said:
He provided all the data to support it too.

We had 19,061 SC holders exc Hospitality.
They generated £6,508,472.33 according to the club.
That is £341.45 per SC, or £14.85 per match, or £12.37 per match ex VAT.

The entire GRFZ generated £930,636.42 from 4,049 SC holders.
21% of the SC's generated 14% of the SC revenue.
In that Zone:
1616 Adults paid £469.44 each, roughly the same as in North, South and Corners.
725 U11's went Free.
169 U11's (2nd kid) paid £9,475, so £2 per match ex VAT.
791 U18's paid £34,153, so £1.56 per match ex VAT
416 U18's (2nd kid) paid £40,108, so £3.49 per match ex VAT.
18 18-21's paid £4,608, so £9.28 per match ex VAT.
264 Over 65's paid £83,408, so £11.45 per match.
50 PA's went Free.

2,101 U18's in that Zone generated £83,736.90 inc VAT.
Or on average paid £1.44 per match ex VAT.

The 288 Over 65 SC holders in the NW corner generated more than 2,101 U18's in GRFZ.
467 U18's in the West Lower generated the same revenue, whilst themselves only paying £6.22 per match ex VAT.

The GRFZ is an idiotic scheme.
The U18 pricing for EB SC's is good value.
The pricing for new SC holders is obscene.
The matchday pricing inc for Kids is a disgrace.
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This is what Steve Gibson said last season about the GRFZ -
we need families and kids in. The reason for our being is to offer safety, excitement, enjoyment and that is enhanced when it is a family unit.
The commercial department of the club backed this up by saying that the % of take up of season tickets for kids after the GRFZ is really high. ie the zone seems to hook families long term. We get fans for life from this safe and family friendly zone.
 
fmttmadmin said:
This is what Steve Gibson said last season about the GRFZ -
we need families and kids in. The reason for our being is to offer safety, excitement, enjoyment and that is enhanced when it is a family unit.
The commercial department of the club backed this up by saying that the % of take up of season tickets for kids after the GRFZ is really high. ie the zone seems to hook families long term. We get fans for life from this safe and family friendly zone.
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The kids are cheap everywhere in the stadium.
They don't have to be free in the GRFZ, as 2,101 virtually are.
It is idiotic.

The zone is sold out/hugely restricted because it is so crazily free for so many kids.
Of course people will stay hooked in because they aren't paying anything for doing so. It is a barmy claim to point at commitment.
That is why so many miss so many matches. It doesn't matter because they haven't paid anything anyway.
A kid could go and their parents pay literally nothing for them until they are 12 years of age, then pay a bag of toffees per match (£1.87) until they are 18.

The "Commercial Department"?.. don't make me laugh.
It is so stupid a scheme only MFC could come with it.

The 2,101 U18's in the GRFZ generated £83,736.90 inc VAT last season.
We had 5,131 U18 SC holders in total.
The 3,030 outside GRFZ paid £523,725.24 inc VAT.
I don't think they get a bad deal as Ive gone on about, but seriously
is it only the kids inside GRFZ that offer the club hope?
God help us
 
indeedido said:
The kids are cheap everywhere in the stadium.
They don't have to be free in the GRFZ, as 2,101 virtually are.
It is idiotic.

The zone is sold out/hugely restricted because it is so crazily free for so many kids.
Of course people will stay hooked in because they aren't paying anything for doing so. It is a barmy claim to point at commitment.
That is why so many miss so many matches. It doesn't matter because they haven't paid anything anyway.
A kid could go and their parents pay literally nothing for them until they are 12 years of age, then pay a bag of toffees per match (£1.87) until they are 18.

The "Commercial Department"?.. don't make me laugh.
It is so stupid a scheme only MFC could come with it.

The 2,101 U18's in the GRFZ generated £83,736.90 inc VAT last season.
We had 5,131 U18 SC holders in total.
The 3,030 outside GRFZ paid £523,725.24 inc VAT.
I don't think they get a bad deal as Ive gone on about, but seriously
is it only the kids inside GRFZ that offer the club hope?
God help us
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No, I mean that the figures show that they remain season ticket holders after GRFZ - the area has been there for long enough now that many kids have graduated, if you see what I mean, to other areas of the ground. Have you looked behind the scenes in there? It is very different to the rest of the stadium. As well as being painted by and for kids. They have different food etc and have special game areas, activities and themed days - events etc start a couple of hours before kick off. It is in some ways a model for how the Riverside matchday experience could be expanded for those that want it pre-match and after-match.
 
fmttmadmin said:
No, I mean that the figures show that they remain season ticket holders after GRFZ - the area has been there for long enough now that many kids have graduated, if you see what I mean, to other areas of the ground. Have you looked behind the scenes in there? It is very different to the rest of the stadium. As well as being painted by and for kids. They have different food etc and have special game areas, activities and themed days - events etc start a couple of hours before kick off. It is in some ways a model for how the Riverside matchday experience could be expanded for those that want it pre-match and after-match.
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I'm not knocking you Rob. If it seems that way then I genuinely apologise.
But Gibson uses you, whether you realise it or not.

The zoning of a stadium to provide a child friendly environment/experience is fine. The pricing policy that accompanies it has trapped the club and is bizarre.

Gibson does what he wants.
He has paid heavily for the consequences, financially.
His decisions are so bad, so often, I can't feel sorry for him.
But he only has people near him who don't dare disagree.
 
I think the GRFZ is a great idea in theory but it should be limited to kids who have to be accompanied by an adult. They should pay a small amount and have a minimum required ticket use in the terms to keep their seat for the following season.

Anyone who ages out to be able to go without adults could be seated together in a specific block elsewhere. They can then move on to wherever they want a year or two later. That would give the older kids people their own age to sit with and generate an atmosphere with in quieter stands and free up plenty of seats in the GRFZ for the next generation of fans. It may need some people to move but we did it for the Red Faction so why not designate a block for unaccompanied kids? If not a designated block then at least they would alter the age demographic in whichever section of the ground needs it.

Lastly as has already been pointed out, walk ups particularly for kids need to be drastically reduced. Many people just don’t bother going because of this.
 
breakthewallsdown said:
GRFZ is nowhere near sold out, the row I’m on in empty nearly every week, even Sunderland.

I just rang up last year and asked for 2 season tickets and got them straight away, no waiting list or anything.
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I was going to say the same - I have never heard of a season ticket waiting list @ MFC in the family zone and its never been mentioned on here to my knowledge until this week.

On the ticket plan the are is blanked out, because of the special conditions.

Adult and child ST for £510 is reasonable value (£22.17 per game) next season.

Matchday tickets though I believe are £42 this season for adult and child in the family zone which is quite expensive, but still cheaper than other parts of the stadium.

When I was child at Ayresome I often had to pay adult price say 90p for East End seats in 1974 which is probably around £18 in today's money, so Adult and child was £36. The only areas I remember with child prices were boys end enclosure in the top of the North East corner and Holgate.

Under 16s are not allowed to attend on their own, because of modern child protection stuff that didn't exist in the 1970s.
 
Robbieboro said:
Just seen on Twitter someone said there husband rang up to enquire about the GRFZ but were told it's sold out, however they could be put on a waiting list. But they would need to pay now! Therefore paying for seats they are not guaranteed.

Surely there has been some wires crossed! Or it's more inept work from the club or someone working in the ticket office
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Is this for a ST when they were/are available?

How do you know the writer is telling the truth? i.e loves spreading negative news etc
 
The Foundation and Education centre at MFC do give out some free tickets to children for meeting targets. The staff visits schools and school children come in to do projects linked in with academic and vocational work. There are also football skills sessions and the half time pens.

My gut feeling is MFC do quite well bringing in new young supporters.

Its not just about child ticket prices.
 
Nano said:
Of course it's a generalisation. That's how statistics work. We don't means test fans so we are saying that OAPs are 25% poorer than working age adults but the statistics don't match. The wealthiest generation are getting a big discount that on average they don't need.

There are people struggling in every demographic and there are people that are wealthy in every demographic. On average the 65+ demographic is more wealthy than every other age group except the 55-65 age group. There are thousands of people struggling and have children that have to pay full price for them and pay for their kids. The younger generation doesn't have the benefit of buying houses like the previous generations did. The majority of young people have a negative balance in their savings. They have more debt than savings. They don't own property, they'll never have a final salary pension, might not even get a state pension until they are in their 70s, they are paying thousands for childcare etc.

Nobody is saying that every over 65 can afford to pay full price but on average they don't need subsidising. People that are 80+ probably don't have the wealth the baby boomers had so that OAP age probably should have risen with them.

View attachment 71892
Physical Wealth = Things you own (cars, house contents etc), Property = house equity, Financial = savings and investments.
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I am with you on this, but income would be more relevant. I seem to remember seeing a figure of £30k a year for over 65s which will shock some on here. Quite a few now are have form of private pension income say from ICI or British Steel on Teesside or public sector job.
 
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