The UAFC

Fitzgerald Fitzpatrick all the same to me

Sure Patrick fits Gerald, and Gerald fits Patrick anyway

Red Hand Hero wrote:

Rooster wrote:Well put Cascade in the main but I do feel that an increase of 25% on the cheap seats/standing spots would not lead to a corresponding drop in numbers therefore it would be a net gain, in fact after a bit of grumbling the numbers would probably be very similar. The new stand seats though do not need an increase as they are quite probably pitched a bit on the high side to start with.
Those of us who were in Bath last weekend paid the same to sit in the open as we would to sit in the stand in Ravenhill and those in the end sections actually paid more, now that would not have been a pleasant experience if it had been dumping rain as it was the day previous.

Quite Rooster, i believe economists might call it an inelastic response, where's NeilF when you need him. Its a discussion some of us have had before (perhaps TG could take youngys advice and read some effing posts ) that UR's ticket pricing is more than reasonable in comparison to GP clubs and our own southern cousins. Think I posted a like for like ticket list earlier on this season in a similar debate. I'd say the onus, in this regard, should be on UR to come out and say it like it is i.e. you've had a cushy pricing structure for a number of years, we're at risk of falling behind Leinster/Munster and its still not as if you'll be being charged an arm and a leg for the tickets anyway. I think most UR supporters would suck it up, especially if they thought it was going to be of a direct benefit to the team. They've stuck by the team through thick and thin over the past couple of seasons so forking out a little bit extra to actually see a team winning and playing some decent rugby isn't that big an ask.

Veering dangerously off-topic re. our latest Big Joe.

With reference to price elasticity, maybe it depends on how UR tickets are defined: is it a good/service that is a necessity like food or water or is it less important for your existence? Most on here i would assume see it as a necessity and would therefore keep paying even if the price was doubled so the UR tickets would be inelastic to price change. As for the general paying public, I would imagine Rooster is correct and people wouldn't grumble about a 25% increase in price.

As regards to comparing pricing of tickets with Leinster or Munster, the figures would have to take into account the higher salaries and presumably the higher disposable income available to folk down south, even though they have a higher cost of living and the bottom has fallen out of their economy and a good proportion of young people are saddled with debt. Additionally, perhaps the weakening of Sterling over the last while has also made Ravenhill prices seem cheaper too when compared with southern provinces. Apologies if this has already been stated in earlier thread on comparison of ticket prices RHH talked about above.

I'm sure UR have a team of economists working on what levels to set next season prices at right now.

Ardglass2 wrote:I think the key difference between TH and FH is you cant put an IQ Tight Head in if he is not ready to play at this level.
You can gamble at 10 but not at 3.

Also, and I specualte, we have O'Gara, Sexton, Humphrey, Keatley and O'Connor and the IRFU want to ensure these guys get plenty of game time.

At TH we have a problem; Munster can correctly claim Hayes/Buckley/Archer are Irish.
Leinster and Ulster have foreigners on the books at top wages in that position.

Maybe next year we will be forced to play Ross and Fitzgerald respectively and we will also try and persuade Andress to come home.
That would be interesting.

AG2
Point taken on TH not being ready would be a gamble, i guess you meant in terms of safety for player and effectiveness?

I'd like to see Irish props getting more game time, we all know it's the only way they can develop.

I just see this issue as a pointer towards the contrast between the interests of provinces to win week in week out for ultimate financial gain and glory (by bringing in top outside talent in critical positions) and the long term goals and ambitions of IRFU and their involvement with provincial team development.

stickinout wrote:I'm sure UR have a team of economists working on what levels to set next season prices at right now.

If so, how much is that costing?

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:

stickinout wrote:I'm sure UR have a team of economists working on what levels to set next season prices at right now.

If so, how much is that costing?

I would imagine any economist who knows their stuff could work out how much they could charge using a few calculations on the back of a fag packet. Probably take half an hour or so.

stickinout wrote:

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:

stickinout wrote:I'm sure UR have a team of economists working on what levels to set next season prices at right now.

If so, how much is that costing?

I would imagine any economist who knows their stuff could work out how much they could charge using a few calculations on the back of a fag packet. Probably take half an hour or so.

And they would say it took 2 months of in depth research and charge the equivalent of the first 2 years price increase to do it.
Economics and statistics can be screwed to suit the wanted outcome by those who are paying.

Red Hand Hero wrote:Rooster hit the nail on the head in another post. A 25% price increase in the bog-standard season tickets and match tickets would not result in a similar drop-off in attendance thus net gain

As an accountant I thought I'd stick my oar in here - Any decrease in attendance would also hit beer profits potentially more than offsetting the increase in ticket prices! I hope the UR economists factor this in.

LondonRedHand wrote:

Red Hand Hero wrote:Rooster hit the nail on the head in another post. A 25% price increase in the bog-standard season tickets and match tickets would not result in a similar drop-off in attendance thus net gain

As an accountant I thought I'd stick my oar in here - Any decrease in attendance would also hit beer profits potentially more than offsetting the increase in ticket prices! I hope the UR economists factor this in.

Beer "profits" though don't go to the Branch, they go to the franchise. UR gets paid (by Duke of York???) just for the pitch (I think).

It would only be down the line when the franchise is up for renewal that drop in profits might reflect in the selling price

Or two weeks in Millisle free with every ST!

'Northampton Town are offering fans a free week's holiday abroad if they buy a season ticket for next season.
For a cost of £199, supporters not only get to to see their team but they get a week's free self-catering accommodation in Spain, Portugal or Tenerife. '

Ball Boy wrote:Or two weeks in Millisle free with every ST!

'Northampton Town are offering fans a free week's holiday abroad if they buy a season ticket for next season.
For a cost of £199, supporters not only get to to see their team but they get a week's free self-catering accommodation in Spain, Portugal or Tenerife. '

Brilliant. They probably book the weeks holiday during the season and then resell the seats. Everyones a winner

My point re the ticket cost was --- the ticket price is going to increase anyway --- but Ulster management may think that now is not the right time

If we have two new stands and no prom ( car park and old stand side ) and standing only on the Terrace then ticket prices and income should rise

It all depends on when the carpark stand is started ---???

bogboy wrote:If we have two new stands and no prom ( car park and old stand side ) and standing only on the Terrace then ticket prices and income should rise.

This is the second time recently that you have advanced this idea BB.

Lets have some figures for the capacity of a stand to replace the original stand and the fall in capacity due to having no 'standing' promenade.

What has this got to do with Johann Muller?

Snipe Watson wrote:What has this got to do with Johann Muller?

I agree SW and was about to edit my own post to ask BB to reply on a dedicated thread.