Season Ticket - Renewing or Not

[Cap'n Grumpy]

For many the 10th reason is

to be able ? to complain and write shyte on this forum .

Don't need a season ticket to do that ...... but I have one anyway.

[scrum5]

For many the 10th reason is

to be able ? to complain and write shyte on this forum .

You must have a Platinum ST then

[solidarity]

Assuming that Ulster don't have a snowball's chance of winning anything this year, why renew? Why watch at all? My top ten answers, in no particular order:

To enjoy the drama of sport, played at a decent level.
To enjoy the skills of some seriously good players, both Ulster and opposition.
To enjoy a bit of crack with yer mates.
To get out and about after a week at work.
To say that, in some way or other, I'm part of the community that is represented by these guys.
To revel in the unexpected win.
To look after my own psychological wellbeing (curiously one of the things sport doesn't do is release pent up anger).
To get at least a wee bit of physical exercise.
To have something to talk about through the week
To be able to ?complain and write shyte on this forum.

No doubt there are more somewhere.

UR just took the latest chunk of cash from my bank account a day or two ago so I'm in for the next season.

Fixed

[Aird]

Agree with Solidarity and would add my own original reason for buying a season ticket in that I could no longer be bothered with the hassle of buying tickets for each match. I am prepared to miss an occaissional match and the financial penalty incurred to ensure my place at every match I want to go to. I am even part of a syndicate investing in a car parking pass for further convience having found ourselves parking further and further away from the ground.
I agree that at times the rugby can be dire but then there are times when you have to be there to appreciate the occasion in person. Some examples come to mind, like the defeats of Leicester atRavenhill, the night the crowd showed their support for Rory B when he wasnt selected for the Lions and the night that Fezz made his only too brief return against Scarlets. Or the day of the infamous Red Carding of Payne against Saracens unfortunately you cannot totally predict when these events will occur hence the need to be there with your ST.

[BR]

Solid - I have been a ST holder for a wee while now. Before that I went to all the home games (so buying a ST was just economics). It was never about only going to watch a winning team - believe me. Although during that wee relatively successful spell, I was glad a ST gave me a better chance of securing tickets for knockout phases.

But last season, it was the rugby that put me off; not the results. Our results (especially at the start of the season) were actually better than the rugby.

So I decided not to renew and return to buying on a match by match basis. Then if the shìte continued, I could leave it for a few weeks until my BP returned to an acceptable level.
So then in May I recalculate the economics and the ST still looks good value. (Of course that was based on a 22 match competitive league)

But it was actually watching the T14 that swayed it. Renewed my faith in rugby, so too speak. The suggestion that Gibbes would have at least some opportunity to transfer that style to Ravenhill, is what sealed the deal.

We have known since November that there was a fair chance we would have to dispense with the services of two dckheads. What we did not know (and still don't) is the modified league system. That is the factor which makes me wonder if my purchase was a mistake.

**Edit - I also did not know about the IRB's plans to make rucks even less competitive. That may also prove to be a factor come renewal time next year.

[solidarity]

I think there are 2 things that would stop me going to Ravers. One is if the experience became so unenjoyable that it was more like work than recreation, going because I have to rather than because I want to (although I do enjoy my work... most of the time). The quality of the rugby doesn't necessarily come into that - we've all enjoyed schools or club games with a much lower standard.. To be truthful, I'm not sure what would ruin it for me. Maybe if the game itself became too violent? I can't cope with the idea of young men doing themselves permanent physical and possibly mental damage for my entertainment.
The other thing that could drive me away is if I thought that UR no longer, in some way or other, was part of our community. I think we have to accept that we are a club now, not a province and if we ever field fifteen mercenaries, I'll be gone. Id rather have us play in a second rate Prodozen with our own guys, than sit at the top table with players who come for the cash and move on when a better offer comes along.

[jean valjean]

Pro rugby is still a baby in terms of professional sport and until it finds it feet correctly there will always be issues to iron out. I for one am glad to have the opportunity to watch some world class athletes on my doorstep. If my season ticket helps to keep that going then so be it. If numbers drift and ulster start to fall, who would be gone first out of Hendo or Logan?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Snipe Watson]

I should have stuck to my guns. But no, my dumbass, never learn optimism got the better of me again.


Like BR, I was told some time ago that things were not looking good, but again foolishly thought that with the passage of so many months, that maybe I had received duff info, alas no. That much was confirmed by the the US authorities.

[BR]

The quality of the rugby doesn't necessarily come into that - we've all enjoyed schools or club games with a much lower standard..

Lower standard players playing lower standard rugby. Don't enjoy watching potentially high standard players playing lower standard rugby.

if we ever field fifteen mercenaries,

Have we not done that or pretty damned close?

[Snipe Watson]

The quality of the rugby doesn't necessarily come into that - we've all enjoyed schools or club games with a much lower standard..

Lower standard players playing lower standard rugby. Don't enjoy watching potentially high standard players playing lower standard rugby.

I think we expect our team to be competitive.
We don't expect dysfunctional management and woefully inadequate tactics.
It is not acceptable to watch highly paid professionals making the same basic errors week after week.
My particular bugbear is the level of inconsistency from a team who can get up to play like warriors in Europe and then return to ineptitude a week later away in Italy.
Unlike some, I believe we have the players, but not the team.

[Tender]

Oh fer the love of Chris Akabusi. Some of you lot need to have a look at yerselves.
If you enjoy watching Ulster, then go and watch them. If you don't enjoy it, don't go.
You are being a total Makita if you go because of some sense of loyalty, or because yer mates go, or the most stupid reason to attend, because it's a habit.
This Group Therapy session has been well attended since April, but many of you still haven't managed to peel away your layers and get in touch with your truth. Many seem to have deeper issues, either work, or family related, which they hope to resolve by watching Ulster win a few games.
Strip away the shyte and man up.

[solidarity]

Oh fer the love of Chris Akabusi. Some of you lot need to have a look at yerselves.
If you enjoy watching Ulster, then go and watch them. If you don't enjoy it, don't go.
You are being a total Makita if you go because of some sense of loyalty, or because yer mates go, or the most stupid reason to attend, because it's a habit.
This Group Therapy session has been well attended since April, but many of you still haven't managed to peel away your layers and get in touch with your truth. Many seem to have deeper issues, either work, or family related, which they hope to resolve by watching Ulster win a few games.
Strip away the shyte and man up.

Spoken like a true neanderthal

[Tender]

I'll take Neanderthal every time, over the metrosexual, product wearing, entitled, enabled, my needs aren't fulfilled, crying kuntz who have allowed themselves to be manipulated by media to the extent they think Strictly is great TV.
Life is meaningless, so do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. You're a long time dead.

[Dave]

I'll take Neanderthal every time, over the metrosexual, product wearing, entitled, enabled, my needs aren't fulfilled, crying kuntz who have allowed themselves to be manipulated by media to the extent they think Strictly is great TV.
Life is meaningless, so do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. You're a long time dead.

Queers

[BR]

If you enjoy watching Ulster, then go and watch them. If you don't enjoy it, don't go.

Is that not exactly what people are suggesting they do?
The problem occurs when we are expected to pay for the product in advance, when many of the factors which may lead to or detract from that enjoyment are still unknown.