Speechless (well almost)
I really don’t know what to make about the ticket fiasco, other than to recognise it as a big one. I really really want to believe that everything in the QPR garden is rosy and that Dennis Wise and his mates won’t mistake ours for the BBC’s garden down the road and try to dig it up. But right now, I’m bordering between confused, worried and angry.
When the season tickets went up, I was pissed off, but could see the logic. I’m in the Upper Loft, so I had to take the brunt of the largest percentage rise, but I figured that the £400 I had paid out in 2007/8 was quite cheap for what I consider a bloody good seat; I’m just to the right of the goal and in row E, and my view of the adverts on the big screen is second to none. £600 is expensive, but compared to not watching what I hope to be an exciting season, was well worth it, even if I tend to miss 3-4 games a season due to family/holiday commitments (did I tell you I had a good seat?).
Now I’m lucky – I have a good job, I’m pretty well paid and Mrs Tonto’s income helps a bit too. The £200 extra I had to find was a little difficult, but that’s because I’ve just done up my house and over spent on that. But what seriously worries me is that these new increases will be reflected in next year’s season ticket. Yes I could probably afford it, but the value for money element has diminished even further (even though I have a good seat). If the season ticket goes up above £700, that’s it – I’m a lost customer. And they say to bring in a new customer costs 10 times more than keeping your old ones.
Sport in general has got too expensive. They were asking £75 to go to the test match this year – god knows how much that will be for the ashes next year. Tickets for Wimbledon, The Derby and the British Grand Prix can cost over £100 (hmmmm I wonder where the idea cam from). It costs £49 per month to have the Sports channels on Sky and now, thanks to the EC I have to pay an extra £7.50ish to get Setanta to watch the games I used to be able to. In the old days sport was run by rich people and enjoyed by the masses. Now only the rich can be involved at all.
I haven’t given up hope yet – maybe the owners will realise after this fiasco that the supporters are the life and soul of the club. Without us, you don’t have a club. From being saviours, the new owners are now being questioned, not just mild gripes either, but large out loud complaints. I don’t have another club to support, and the owners know that, but I do have limits, and I’m reaching mine.
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