Season ticket renewals

[KenH]

Commendable by Rod to take some of the heat on this but an open letter/statement probably would have been more appropriate to give all fans an explanation - even if we don’t like it. I can’t get to the ground for 2pm so will have to go off what’s reported second hand.

I think this issue really needed a more professional approach from the GM and board, rather than Rod standing at the front of the bar and trying to placate people on his own.

I agree. I've always hated Rod's standard response of "come and talk to me" whenever there's any criticisms or doubts about things. It's classic "little old Morecambe" mentality. We need proper communication to the wider fan base, but that's something the club has been unbelievably poor with for years.

[Billy bodger]

Compared to some teams the new price structure will not be to bad, we have in the main been at the lower end of the pricing of season tickets, but that is immaterial, the only question that matters is the ownership and the sale of the Club going through.

We have always been cheap and the club have earned a lot of goodwill by holding prices down over the years, so we were probably due a jump upwards (particularly with all the business and economic factors involved). It’s just that the timing of it could not have been worse and there needed to be some very careful PR management by the club.

Carful PR management by the club, not really a strong point, even at Fans Forum meetings (Rod & other Board members takes questions), it’s not careful PR it is totally controlled. Stock answer it’s confidential and we cannot say more, but if you knew the half of it. They cannot see that leaves us exasperated and in the dark.

I will not be there, but if someone can ask the following:-
“Has Whittingham already agreed a budget for next year and have the season ticket prices been set to reflect the level they have been set at, to try and increase the overall budget?”

Anyone on Shrimp Voices that goes, please report back.

[KenH]

Carful PR management by the club, not really a strong point, even at Fans Forum meetings (Rod & other Board members takes questions), it’s not careful PR it is totally controlled. Stock answer it’s confidential and we cannot say more, but if you knew the half of it. They cannot see that leaves us exasperated and in the dark.

Worse than that because they DO talk to people "in the know" in their inner circle, so it becomes a classic "us and them" situation, of those close to the Board knowing things that should be confidential. The club is basically a leaky sieve when it comes to "confidential" information. Rod and Graham are unbelievably bad at keeping quiet about things that shouldn't be public knowledge and then using the "confidential" get out clause to avoid talking to people outside the inner circle.

[Billy bodger]

The proof will be in the sales and that starts today, with yesterday’s announcement f the early bird pricing now in place.

Within the group I go with there is only me up to now who has openly declared as long as Whittingham is the owner I will stop going to home games at the end of the season. So that’s 1 in 5, I will see them today and ask what they are doing, I don’t see them changing their minds, but I did, so we will see!

It’s interesting we have this smallish group of fans on here, we have the Shrimps Trust, we have Facebook pages, X(twitter) and goodness knows what other groups. You can also split the fans up into age groups where the thought process is different. So It’s so hard to gauge how well season ticket sales will go.

If Hodgie is right about the NAPM campaign, it will put a dent in the amount of early bird tickets are sold.

Today could be a dark day for the Club, losing our EFL status, will that affect the sales as well?

[P/T Indie]

This is what will be said:-

Jason doesn't take money out of the club
We need all the income we can get to run the club
Only rod and Graham have access to the bank account
A sale is closer than it's ever been and something will happen in a couple of weeks
Blah blah blah

Say it enough times in the hope they start to believe it

[redrobo]

At what point should an issue be confidential? Is it a case that EVERYTHING that goes on within the club be open and above board

[1953]

I have just looked at the prices for next season----mine has gone down from £322 to£247 (unless i have read them wrong)---how has " born again's" gone up?

[Billy bodger]

1953- your an oldie and the Club wants to keep them as they expect the 18-30 age group more likely to support NAPM campaign. Lose the oldies and the NAPM campaign will be much more significant.

Redrobbo, I will give you half, it should all be above board!

Please Everybody get behind the team today and on our last away day and on May 3rd, then make your choice what you want to do:- Carry on regardless or hopefully put some pressure on, to push the sale over the line. We are all Morecambe fans, I will continue to follow results but until we are sold I am with NAPM campaign.

[Redalert1970]

Just bought my season ticket for next season... I for one can't wait

[Hodgie1978]

I think you're looking for a reaction there John.
Absolutely nothing about this club at the moment gives you anything to get excited about.
If Jason is still here it will be just as bad.

[Andy D]

Rod Taylor did say in the downstairs bar when addressing fans about season tickets, that they got it wrong when we was L1, by being to cheap.

I see what he mean's on that note.

[Redalert1970]

Not at all Hodgie... I'm hurting right now like everyone is but we go again

I will be at Chesterfield and Harrogate games

Was just saying what I feel mate

[Valkyrie_Wings]

Rod Taylor did say in the downstairs bar when addressing fans about season tickets, that they got it wrong when we was L1, by being to cheap.

I see what he mean's on that note.

You mean having a competitive budget that Robinson used to sign dross

[Billy bodger]

I wonder if Rod will be in JB’s in the future saying we went too expensive? A few rumblings in the U65’s at what they will have to pay to watch National League.

Did Rod admit to getting other things wrong?

[marky No.1]

Quite a few in the room were happy about the concession rates and the age structure which now means they are paying less.
Sounds like they might extend the Early Bird.
1st time I've heard the G.M. speak, he came across well.

The names the host referred to the owner as made me laugh, very apt

[Redalert1970]

Can you share the names he called the owner Mark.???

[marky No.1]

Can you share the names he called the owner Mark.???

Error, no, it might get him into bother

[redrobo]

Just bought my season ticket for next season... I for one can't wait

Me too.Non of the NAPM from this old timer .

Money well spent and already looking forward to a the new
season with some new teams at the Maz

[Valkyrie_Wings]

Is this how the club and fanbase dies, infighting between themselves, pathetic honestly

[Billy bodger]

Well, we know now if the Panjab Warriors have been holding off till this moment, when it’s now been confirmed we are going down. I don’t know why the Club did not hold off 24hrs with the season ticket prices, announcing the price rise for a Club in a lower League, maybe another bad decision?

How much will our Club need to run a team in the National League? Will the Club have to be restructured. Will all the players be full time?

Remember what James Wakefield said recently, “without a change in ownership it will be another Groundhog Day. A change in League is not necessarily the end but a continuation under the same ownership is worse”.

So what’s wrong with a bit of pressure from the fans if a director is finally as honest as that.

I have said before I think that the football in the National League will not be far off what has been served up in EFL League Two the last couple of seasons, I as a fan am rightly disappointed at dropping out of the EFL, but I will come and watch it, BUT ONLY AFTER OUR CURRENT OWNER HAS FINALLY SOLD.

[vvm]

The £150 season tickets in league one weren't a terrible idea, maybe they were a bit cheap but it boosted the average attendance massively. The current prices are reasonable and realistically we always needed to get back to this sort of level, I suspect they'll still be one of the lowest priced in the national league but it was just incredibly bad timing.

[Billy bodger]

Is this how the club and fanbase dies, infighting between themselves, pathetic honestly

A change of ownership and the fan base will be at a reasonable level for a National League side, any fighting is for the Clubs survival by trying to get rid of the current owner. I would say there is only a healthy discussion on wether to continue as we are or join the NAPM campaign, I think both camps see the others camps point of view and are both Morecambe FC fans in the end.

[marky No.1]

The £150 season tickets in league one weren't a terrible idea, maybe they were a bit cheap but it boosted the average attendance massively. The current prices are reasonable and realistically we always needed to get back to this sort of level, I suspect they'll still be one of the lowest priced in the national league but it was just incredibly bad timing.

The G.M. went to great lengths to explain the pricing structure and how the costs compare to both L2 and National League tickets. We are very near to the lowest in all categories

[Billy bodger]

The £150 season tickets in league one weren't a terrible idea, maybe they were a bit cheap but it boosted the average attendance massively. The current prices are reasonable and realistically we always needed to get back to this sort of level, I suspect they'll still be one of the lowest priced in the national league but it was just incredibly bad timing.

The G.M. went to great lengths to explain the pricing structure and how the costs compare to both L2 and National League tickets. We are very near to the lowest in all categories

So all we want now is new ownership that can fund this Club properly.

[Valkyrie_Wings]

Is this how the club and fanbase dies, infighting between themselves, pathetic honestly

A change of ownership and the fan base will be at a reasonable level for a National League side, any fighting is for the Clubs survival by trying to get rid of the current owner. I would say there is only a healthy discussion on wether to continue as we are or join the NAPM campaign, I think both camps see the others camps point of view and are both Morecambe FC fans in the end.

Yes but goading each other is not the ideal place right about now, this time should be about uniting and not dividing, i know both sides are trying to help the club but i see infighting like this consistently.