Middlesbrough Supporters Forum statement after meeting with Steve Gibson on season card price rise

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Boro SF statement after meeting with Gibson on season card price rise

Steve Gibson met with members of the Middlesbrough Supporters Forum ahead of Saturday's win over QPR on Saturday
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Middlesbrough Supporters Forum statement after meeting with Steve Gibson on season card price rise​

Steve Gibson met with members of the Middlesbrough Supporters Forum ahead of Saturday's win over QPR on Saturday

Middlesbrough's chairman Steve Gibson

Middlesbrough's chairman Steve Gibson (Image: PA)

Middlesbrough Supporters Forum have released a statement on the club's decision to increase the price of season cards for next season, revealing that owner Steve Gibson met with them on Saturday to explain the reasons for the price rise.

Boro announced early-bird season card prices on Monday, with tickets up £30 on last season's early-bird prices. The financial demands on the club while the rate of inflation is so high as well as the need to comply with league financial fair play rules while remaining competitive are behind the increased prices.

While the Supporters Forum's statement states their opposition to the price rise, they have been able to disclose the nine-point reasons outlined by Boro owner Steve Gibson in Saturday's meeting ahead of the QPR game on why prices have gone up.

Gibson told the group prices were rising because:
  1. The current rate of inflation is above 10%
  2. Operational running costs of the football club have increased by over £1m a year, which include utility bills, business rates and staff wages. (national minimum wage/cost of living increases)
  3. Gate receipts no longer cover the running costs of the stadium.
  4. The extra revenue generated by raising ticket prices for the 2023/24 season covers less than 50% of the growing operational costs.
  5. The club has made significant gains in increasing commercial revenue, all of which is used to ensure that ticket prices remain as low as financially possible whilst trying to plug the gap between operational costs and ticket revenue.
  6. Almost 50% of tickets sold fall into the concessions category – (not a full-paying adult) which is a very high proportion compared to other clubs.
  7. The stadium (which is now over 25 years old), and training ground requires ongoing investment to maintain facilities and overall matchday experience.
  8. The football club wishes to remain financially stable and competitive whilst remaining within the financial fair play rules.
  9. The mean average per person per match going through the turnstile from season ticket sales is £12.50, net of VAT.
The MSF wrote in their statement: "We received acknowledgement from Middlesbrough Football Club of a potential price increase of 8% for the 2023/24 season. The Football club asked for our initial thoughts and views on this increase. Middlesbrough Supporters Forum are aware of how expensive attending football matches has become and have made it clear to MFC that they are disappointed in any increases in ticket prices that prevents football being affordable for all.

"Through the work Middlesbrough Supporters Forum does with MFC, local Foodbanks, MFC Foundation, Michael Carrick Foundation, and other local charities it is very much apparent how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting local people and that football is often the only escape people have from the challenges of everyday life.

"The role of Middlesbrough Supporters Forum is not to run Middlesbrough Football Club or to make announcements on their behalf. The role of MSF is to represent the views of Boro supporters, to put arguments forward and influence the decisions of the football club.

"Since first being consulted on potential price increases, members have held several in-person conversations with Neil Bausor and Steve Gibson about this, with the last meeting taking place with the Chairman in his office before the QPR game to put points forward on behalf of Boro supporters.

"MSF presented research and pricing comparisons to other clubs and had an open, honest, and frank discussion with the Chairman and his executive team about the impacts an increase would have. The chairman also presented his own facts and figures and provided context as to why a minimum price increase of 8% was required.

"Although we are against the increase in price, we do now have a greater understanding of why prices are being raised. The chairman has committed to working with Middlesbrough Supporters Forum more closely going forward and consulting with us earlier in the process.

"We already have a date in the diary with him for further discussions around this topic for future seasons as well as membership schemes. Although price increases are something that nobody wanted, we appreciate Steve Gibson taking the time to meet with us and committing to more engagement going forward."

Early-bird season cards are on sale now and will remain on sale until March 31, at which point retaining current seats won't be guaranteed for existing season card holders. Supporters who do renew will also receive 80, 75 or 70 loyalty points depending on how long they've held their season card.


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Decent_Left said:
Gate receipts no longer cover Stadium running cost?

Christ that’s grim
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Running costs inflated this year by needing a new pitch at the Riverside, two new pitches at Hurworth. Turnstiles need replacing at Riverside, seats will soon need replacing. The stadium is now over 25 years old there will be more issues coming up. Plus the same energy rises we face and inflation.
All the more reason to hope this momentum on that failing pitch continues.
 
I do wonder sometimes if we could’ve paid for a considerable chunk of the above if we hadn’t wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds - possibly more, even - on players like Luongo, Archer, Ameobi, Connolly, players who contributed little or nothing to the cause while taking Christ knows how much money out of the club. You can take it back longer if you want to as well.
 
Willow said:
I'm surprised to hear the Riverside needs a new pitch. It looks great compared to many others in the championship. Looks can be deceiving I guess.
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It happens fairly regularly anyway but it’s probably due to the concerts in the summer as much as anything else. The weight of the stage, rigging, speakers and thousands of people on the pitch must do a lot of damage to the grass and compact the soil.
 
viv_andersons_nana said:
I do wonder sometimes if we could’ve paid for a considerable chunk of the above if we hadn’t wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds - possibly more, even - on players like Luongo, Archer, Ameobi, Connolly, players who contributed little or nothing to the cause while taking Christ knows how much money out of the club. You can take it back longer if you want to as well.
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That's just a flippant comment. What do you expect us to do ? Not sign anyone, ? You know as well as I do that recruitment in football is the hardest thing to do and you can't get everything right...2 of those players have long term injuries, do you expect Steve Gibson to see into the future aswell ?
 
viv_andersons_nana said:
I do wonder sometimes if we could’ve paid for a considerable chunk of the above if we hadn’t wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds - possibly more, even - on players like Luongo, Archer, Ameobi, Connolly, players who contributed little or nothing to the cause while taking Christ knows how much money out of the club. You can take it back longer if you want to as well.
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Probably, but we still need players, some will surpass expectations (Jones/smith) other won’t.

We could also sell what we have and buy cheaper players with lower wages that would help to….. however that is not what we want as fans or what Gibson or the rest of his team are wanting to achieve.

It’s all a balance and bit of a gamble
 
Yes, recruitment with hindsight is very easy. I think it was Fergie who said if you get 7 out of 10 signings right, you're doing extremely well.

I am shocked about running costs exceeding ticket revenue. I was always aware that the energy bill for match days must be huge to start with, and has no doubt rocketed. I note it says gate receipts rather than match day revenue, so I don't think that includes intake from refreshments etc. However, I've always though fans over-estimate how much profit the club makes on these anyway. How much of your overpriced larger is actually profit at the end of the day, once purchase cost, tax, bar staff, cooling etc have been taken out?
 
Frozen Horse said:
Yes, recruitment with hindsight is very easy. I think it was Fergie who said if you get 7 out of 10 signings right, you're doing extremely well.

I am shocked about running costs exceeding ticket revenue. I was always aware that the energy bill for match days must be huge to start with, and has no doubt rocketed. I note it says gate receipts rather than match day revenue, so I don't think that includes intake from refreshments etc. However, I've always though fans over-estimate how much profit the club makes on these anyway. How much of your overpriced larger is actually profit at the end of the day, once purchase cost, tax, bar staff, cooling etc have been taken out?
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There are big cost rises happening with some of the concourse drinks etc from manufacturers - will the club pass these on?
 
The more they increase the standard prices the more tempting it'll be for people to take a chance with a concession ticket. Depends how strictly that is enforced. I used to go to games with my old mums ticket years ago on the odd occasion when I was home and no-one ever checked.
 
OAPS represent - 2 849 of the concessions.
The remainder are younger concession groups - fans of the future.
This all totals at just over 19000 total - so am supposing we have about 100 corporate. They must be regarded as a separate income item.
 
Nobby_Barnes said:
That's just a flippant comment. What do you expect us to do ? Not sign anyone, ? You know as well as I do that recruitment in football is the hardest thing to do and you can't get everything right...2 of those players have long term injuries, do you expect Steve Gibson to see into the future aswell ?
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Wow, I'm agreeing with Nobby !!!

What do you want Gibson to do VAN, only buy players with a guarantee of being successful ?
 
Nobby_Barnes said:
Interesting also to note 50% of our home support is either under 22 or over 65
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if the majority is under 22, that is good sign for the future hopefully
viv_andersons_nana said:
I do wonder sometimes if we could’ve paid for a considerable chunk of the above if we hadn’t wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds - possibly more, even - on players like Luongo, Archer, Ameobi, Connolly, players who contributed little or nothing to the cause while taking Christ knows how much money out of the club. You can take it back longer if you want to as well.
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luongo and ameobi will not have been much cost at all since they were free agents not getting clubs when we picked them up, connolly again will not of been on much either, and archer is harldy a bust of a signing unless you not watched the last handful of games he's been key in our team stepping up another gear from where carrick had already taken us.

all the money spent on the wages and transfers is outside of the ticket money, that is to pay towards to operating costs only, the short fall for transfers and wages is what gibson puts in every year, so bad business costs him not the club forcing ticket prices up.

anyone can go with hindsight and pick apart most clubs transfer dealings if you exclude everything that went well for us, and only include what has flopped lol. most of the ones you picked out were low cost to our budgets outside of the ticket sales. if the money wasn't spent on them it would of been spent on other players anyways who would of been needed to take their spots in the team. you can't and no team wins on every transfer
 
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