I put in the price of my under 18s ticket, the fact i'm probably going to buy both shirts this year, a parmo in a bun and a coke at every game and a programme or two over the season. My net spend supporting Boro was £342.90
I'm sure that we all want the prices to be lower, as do I. And i'm sure the people at Boro will defend this, but the fact we are the 6th most expensive team to go and watch (with regards the cheapest adult season tickets) is shocking, considering we've finished below 7th for all seasons, bar when we DID finish 7th. But it could be worse. we could be Leeds fans. Not just because of Cellino, or because they sold nearly all their strikers, but because they're above us in that table, along with Rotherham which is surprising.
The cheapest ticket in the championship is Charlton at just £150, which is a steal if you ask me, considering their start to the season. Blackpool and Birmingham are next on the table, both around the £200 mark for the season tickets. Although, their football may make up for that low price.
The most expensive team being Norwich, who look to have refused to lower the ticket prices from last year, at £500 for their cheapest ticket price. This is about 5x the price that of the season ticket for reigning German champions and 2013 Champions League winners Bayern Munich.
If I could get one thing through the mind of Steve Gibson, it would be this (and not to appoint Gordon Strachan.) A £105 season ticket is almost unthinkable in this country, but 'Uli Hoeness' seems to understand how football should work, and how the fans more important than the money they bring in.
That said, Gibbo's hands are pretty much tied in this situation. The prices for season tickets in the Premier League are £299.00 pounds at the lowest. And it is the reigning champions Manchester City who charge this amount. (There must be something about winning the league and putting ticket prices down? Or it could just be a coincidence.) Our local rivals, The Geordies, have said "ho'way then" to low matchday ticket prices. with the price being just £15. £13 less than a matchday ticket to watch Boro from the east stand. I mean the performance is probably better, but the opposition 'keeper will be Joe Hart, rather than Paddy Kenny, so it should be a better contest (although, maybe not as funny.)
So if we do want to compete at this level, we need to spend money, as that's what the English game is based on at the moment (sadly.) And a main source of this income for us, is from the pocket of the football fan - like a tax if you will. The reasons the German giants can keep a low price for their tickets are: They are a brand in Germany, they tour the country and lower division teams will show out in their thousands to watch Robben and Lewandowski play in their ground. This is something we can't do because the people of Chichester and Alfreton aren't going to turn out in their masses to see Bradley Fewster or Lee Tomlin. Also, Bayern Munich will have millions available from the outing in the Champions League as well as the sponsorship deals they have undoubtedly signed, so they don't need to ask for so much money from their fans, where as I can safely bet that Gibson's pockets aren't exactly bulging from the Ramsdens deal, but I could be wrong.
If you guys wanna tweet me @onestevegibson and tell me what your net spend is for the Boro, i'll retweet you and also if you have any views on this money situation, because if it doesn't surprise you that you can go on the eurostar, watch the 2nd best team in Germany, Borussia Dortmund, and then return home, for the same price as the most expensive ticket at newly promtoed QPR, then I don't think anything will.
Thanks for reading, and again, #utb
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