Pompey have announced their season ticket prices for the upcoming 2013/2014 League Two season.
The announcement on the official site explains how the pricing system works but the actual prices are only displayed in pictures on a slideshow that progresses far too quickly.
So, here is a summary of the season ticket price system and all of the other deals for next season.
Adults
The base price is £360. However you can knock £20 off that price for each of these four circumstances.
- You buy your season ticket before July 15th.
- You pay for your season ticket by cash or debit card.
- You have had a season ticket for one of the previous three seasons.
- You are a single shareholder in the club.
Therefore, the cheapest an adult season ticket will be next season is £280 if you qualify for all of those circumstances.
Seniors (60+) & Young Person (17-22)
The base price is £270. However you can knock £20 off that price if you buy your season ticket before July 15th. You can also knock off a further £15 for each of these three circumstances.
- You pay for your season ticket by cash or debit card.
- You have had a season ticket for one of the previous three seasons.
- You are a single shareholder in the club.
Therefore, the cheapest a senior/young person season ticket will be next season is £205 if you qualify for all of those circumstances.
Junior (16 or under)
- The base price is £90. However you can knock £5 off that price for each of these four circumstances.
- You buy your season ticket before July 15th.
- You pay for your season ticket by cash or debit card.
- You have had a season ticket for one of the previous three seasons.
- You are a single shareholder in the club.
Therefore, the cheapest a junior season ticket will be next season is £70 if you qualify for all of those circumstances.
In addition to this pricing system, you can pay an extra £54 on top of your seaston ticket to receive every matchday programme for the home league games next season. Take away £3 from the total price for each of the four circumstances you qualify for. Therefore, you could pay £42 for all 23 match programmes next season, which works out at £1.83 per edition.
Furthermore, you can also pay an extra £90 on top of your season ticket for a meal at every home league game. Knock off £5 for each of the four circumstances you qualify for. This means you could get a pie, pint and a bag of crisps every game for a total of £70 which works out at £3.04 per game.
And finally, one of the biggest initiatives for any parents next season is if an adult, senior or young person buys a season ticket in the family section then they can take a child of 10 years or younger for free.
Personally, that last initiative is a great one for building a younger generation of fans. I know people who want to watch Pompey and take their children but have ben put off by the price. This might make them reconsider.
I am also impressed with the "early bird" part of the pricing system, taking into account anyone who has held a season ticket in the last three years.
Many fans will not have renewed in recent seasons having been disillusioned by how the club has been run and so it's good to know they haven't been penalised for staying away.
However, I do believe the base price of the tickets is fairly expensive and I do not see any casual football fans being convinced to part with £360 to watch League Two football at Fratton Park.
Some may argue that the prices are still too expensive anyway but in comparison to League Two they are around the middle range. For example, Aldershot's cheapest adult season ticket this season was £320, but all adults paid £199 for a season ticket for Bradford City.
Only time will tell how successful this pricing system is but initial signs are positive. There are still a few details to iron out (such as how existing season ticket holders will renew their seats) but season tickets are expected to go on sale from May 13th.