I think that given the small numbers of supporters with the 10 year deal the club would’ve let it slide but they’re under no obligation as it was done by a previous now defunct company.

Legally, they have no obligation. But as you say with the small number of people who have them, why would you want to upset that number of fans who are clearly amongst the most loyal there is for buying them in the first place? In my own case, what would actually happen is I would now not buy a season ticket, and also not buy merchandise or game day food and drinks because I'm not going any more. So actually the club would lose out. It would surprise me if other people didn't do the same.
Madness.

It's a calculated gamble.

On the one side, there will be those who think, "Oh well, I knew these deals are never worth the paper they're written on, cos the club invariably soon goes tits", and pays all over again.

On the other, are those who bought who were (by definition) amongst the most devoted hardcore fans, at least the ones with a grand to spare, who will suddenly feel the new owners have kicked them in the nuts, and made it clear how much they value their support (i.e. "not at all, unless you pay like everyone else"icon_wink.gif.

The reason these deals have to either be honoured, or at the very least, discuss and offer some sort of compromise, is precisely the signal the PRESENT owners are sending out to these stalwarts - and anyone else who is watching, e.g. potential stalwarts of the future. It is, to me, appalling marketing and the worst thing you can do as a club is create a disconnect with your most loyal supporters.

When you do so at the same time as offering thousands of "free" 2018 SL season tickets for those who renew this year, it looks particularly crass and ill-judged to me.

I don't care how the latter is being funded, even if you have 45 of the top payers, @ 5 years that is roughly £60k over 5 years. But they are still at Odsal spending money every week and buying merchandise. If each spends in total a sum that averages £20 per home match, then when they stop coming, you just cost yourself £50K income over the same period.

Whereas you will cost yourself a comparable sum in one season with the "free SL" deal.

It makes no sense to fsck over those people, whichever way you look at it.

It's actually a very good point. You're trying to sell people on potentially getting a free ticket next season, while at the same time shafting those who already have a ticket for this season and next. Whilst they have no obligation etc etc, it hardly sends out the "have trust in us to honour it" message does it?

Can you imagine now if the club wanted to sell multi season tickets again? Nobody who had heard about this would touch them.

A friend of mine had a multi year season ticket at Bradford City. He'd been watching them for more years than I've been alive. The new owners refused to honour them unless the ticket holders coughed up a certain amount extra (I don't think it was the full price, but they said they had to pay more). He hasn't been since, and that was quite a few years ago now. In fact, he's been lost to the sport entirely and now spends his spare time in his allotment instead.

It is a gamble. For 45 people, I would have either let it slide, or refunded them the £500 of the 2nd half of the ticket.

I can see why they've done it though. At £260 for a stand ticket, the club must be thinking "they paid £1000 and have got £1300 worth of product for it after 5 years. They're not going to demand the total £2600 for the £1000 they paid up front are they? especially when they know times are tight?"

That's a false economy though. The marketing & pr fallout, whilst not easily "cashed up" will wipe out any extra revenue the club could have squeezed out.

The point is those members have been lucky it's been honoured to date, Marc Green isn't taking that much of a gamble, a few may go off in a huff, but I suspect the majority will take it on the chin and continue supporting.

I agree, it just seems like a poor call from club when they're dealing with a relatively small but clearly very dedicated group of supporters. Surely they could of looked at offering the 10 year holders some sort of discount towards the next few years? I fully understand they have 'no obligation' but it seems short sighted stance to take. Especially since this guy has now raised the issue in LE and they have sought a public response from the club. Trust between the club and supporters isn't exactly sky high at the moment.

Agree with the general tone of comments so far.

Even Ryanair worked out that it isn't good business to "unnecessarily Pig off customers". For 45 people it's unnecessary and atrocious PR.

Give over. A few may go off in a huff? You think alienating some of your most loyal supporters is a good strategy? You think that won't make the other loyal supporters understand that they can't trust a word you say? Delusional.

If those tickets were not honoured when the first bout of admin occurred would said holders be walking away?

It isn't Marc Greens word, the fact he allowed until now is to his credit but with finances tight he is going to draw the line somewhere,

I would be more concerned with him fronting to up to HMRC and losing out then it would have been a moot point and it still may be.

I brought a 10 year ticket and was told that it would not be continued next season

whilst it has p$£^d me off i will still be supporting the club but not with another season ticket. Its pay on the gate for me when i want to go.

Have the club made any approach to the owners of the 45 10 year season tickets? Surely they have at least offered the chance for a discussion with them before taking the decision?

I still support and love the club. My dad and I had 10 year season tickets and tbh I can't see my buying one but you never know. My dad is still undecided. I don't like the way it has been handled by the club and considering I and my other half spent over £200 last season on membership and ticket costs (never mind the merchandise) they are likely to lose out now because until yesterday my other half was getting a season ticket because it seemed like a good deal when you consider I'd already paid for mine. Instead I'm likely to pay on the gate, pick and choose my games so it's not worth it for my other half to get a season ticket and he will probably choose to work on those Sundays and go to away games instead which are cheaper.

No first I knew about it was when someone told me about the letter in the paper and saw comments on facebook.

Are you saying the club haven't even contacted the people with the 10 year season tickets to inform them?

The club believe everyone was told last year when we got our annual phone call asking if we wanted to pay to be members. Neither me or my dad recall having that conversation with them, but I do remember the call abouto me paying to be a member. Marc was very kind to offer to speak to me earlier and listen to my frustrations and why I was upset by it and I totally understand the clubs reasons. Whether it is cost effective for me to get a season ticket is another matter but Marc was very honest and his reasons for this are justifiable.

I must say you are being remarkably decent about this - I think I'd have been absolutely fuming!

I was fuming and upset by it and Marc knows this. When I paid that £1,000 I didn't have the job I do now and it was a sacrifice on a lot of things and I didn't feel that was appreciated. Before I spoke to Marc I felt like we were being seen as easy targets. Having spoke to Marc (I never asked he offered to speak to me when I rung in) I now understand and appreciate Marc's point of view. I still think they could have done something else, even if it was ask us to pay £118 rather than £218. I still love the club I just need to work out if a season ticket is an option or whether I go for a flexi. If we did a 7 game season ticket I'd take that option straight away.

Wow, 45 people sent a £1000 for ten year tickets and the club have now f*cked them over, I'd be extremely peed off and wouldn't darken Odsals doors again. Those 45 would probably spend money on merchandise like shirts if they were big enough fans to stump up in the first place so regardless of Green's reason I'd say it is bad business. I really feel for those fans, I do hope nobody bought a 25 year option.

Gotta be honest, the two fans on here who have been stung with this are being a lot more decent about it than I'd be. No "gift of the gab" words from Green would have me doing anything but telling him to shove it up his backside. If I was in that situation, I wouldn't spend a single penny at the club again until the other 5 years was honoured. Perhaps that makes me a lesser fan than those who are considering still going. Or maybe I'm just too stuck on doing the right thing and standing up to those who don't.

Either way you look at it, Marc Green and the club have shafted those loyal fans. Whether his reasons were acceptable or not, they've been shafted. And I am a little embarrassed at the club doing it considering they're constantly asking us to be loyal to them.

This is so bonkers it's almost unbelievable! To shaft 45 supporters like this who were willing to commit to the club for 10 years (albeit at a good discount) is ludicrous.

It does beg the question whether next year's 5% (wow!) reduction and 2018 20%/free offers will be honoured? Great ideas, but they need to be backed up with an inherent trust factor that they'll not be cast aside if the going gets even tougher.

Bulls supporters (and visiting fans) have been subject to Super League pricing (that was a quote from the Bulls office when I questioned them) since relegation, including a ridiculous (but now thankfully defunct - hopefully) £2 hike for "game day" tickets.

All the best for 2017, but maybe the club needs to concentrate on balancing its books properly (players and coaching staff wages for instance) and make sure it prioritises payments to the likes of HMRC? Just a thought.

If folk aren't happy do what Liane did and talk to Marc Green, it's one of those situations where the Club will not comment publically but are quite prepared to talk to those with a concern on a one to one basis.
The third party outrage is looking silly as I seen haven't any one of the 45 so far come out castigating the Club, they may not be happy but I reckon if all of them talk to the Club they will understand their reasoning, though I'm sure every one on here should do anyway, the only moan is the way it's been done but that's nothing new in the Clubs dealing with supporters issues going back to 1996!

I was one of the 5year members. The last 2years were compromises, in that we could only get basic entry to the ground and had to pay extra for the benefits of 1863 membership But I thought that was reasonable.
I was informed last year that it was the final year of the deal, but in person, rather than over the phone.
I wonder what the numbers were for the 5 yr deal -100-200?
Should be a decent boost of income

The club have already commented publicly on it. And clearly one of the 45 isn't happy as he wrote to LE to state his anger and his intent to walk away from the club after 40 years. Personally I think it is shoddy treatment of those fans but ultimately it is up to them how they feel/sort it with the club. My concern was the validity of these further deals of free season tickets. A year is a short time, especially as a Bulls supporter!

The bottom line is that those 5/10 year tickets became invalid at the first administration, the fact that successive owners kept them going when they didn't have to just exacerbates it, Marc Green wasn't getting any real value for them and goodwill doesn't pay the bills especially with the Bulls finances on the usual knife edge, the fact that he hasn't walked away despite no other buyers/investors should be welcomed not go OTT about a business decision!