A response from Warwickshire CCC...
Warwickshire have issued a statement in response to members' queries about council employees being able to buy cheap tickets for the forthcoming one-day international at Edgbaston.
The council, it transpires, is just one of many local companies which the Bears have contacted in a bid to try to beef up ticket-sales for the match.
The Bears statement:
"We are running limited offers to over 100 companies that we deal with on a commercial basis all with significant numbers of staff at both a local and national level. By providing ticket offers to these organisations on selected games, the aim is to encourage new support to Edgbaston.
At present only 768 members have purchased tickets for the NatWest ODI as opposed to 22,000 for the Ashes game totalling £330,000 in members discount. We are the only ground still to offer both members discount and guest discount for the Ashes tickets. At present, we have only sold 600 Members tickets for the Twenty20 Finals match in August.
We are working hard with the ECB on these promotions for the West Indies series due to start next week.
Other offers will be sent out in due course and as part of this process members who have brought for the ODI will be receiving a letter offering them an additional ticket for the match on 26th to reward their loyalty and commitment to the Club in the next week."
Older/Newer
« Balfour-Melville leads the way | Patel, Vettori and Pierrepoint. »
5 Comments
Leave a comment
Profile
Brian Halford - Brian Halford’s look at Edgbaston.
Thanks for clearing that up. So members are being short changed again.
Shocking !
Last year we had the debacle of the £ 65 May membership that allowed people to watch 70% of the season and / or buy reduced priced Ashes Tickets at the same time as long standing members. Pandoras box opened. I wounder how many of those people rejoined? Myself - I was squeezed into buying Ashes tickets in the EH stand. Yet year after year I buy many tickets for the big games at Edgbaston. Last year I attended all 4 days of the SA test with guests and attended the ODI match that had a third of tickets unsold and ended as a debacle.
This year we have this fiasco. It was obvious it was going to be bad for all sports this year. Many will say - Pay the subs, buy some ODI tickets or pay the gas bill? Football is about to find this out with season ticket renewals. I suspect Warwickshire memberships are down. I suspected that tickets for the WI Tests and ODI's aren't flying off the shelf around the country. At Edgbaston, they still think Joe public is prepared to pay £ 55 for the WI ODI. The writing was on the wall last year when they could only sell two thirds of the tickets. £ 30 to £35 and a full ground would have been better. It would have been better if they had thought this through upfront - before flogging things off to select groups. Perhaps cricket hasn't clocked the economy? Our own CEO's first speach was that cricket supporters watched cricket on the cheap 4 years ago. In that 4 years we have seen a £ 35 Ashes ticket go to £ 65/£75 and in one year a Juniors membership increase by 125% or a family with 2 children by 50% - I repeat that was in one year. Many people spent their money on those Ashes tickets - the ODI low on their priorities list. He then wounders why less people attend and why people spend less in the ground for domestic or International cricket. He forgot that people spend a lot of money in the ground - beyound the cost of entry. Crickets administrators need to wake up and smell the coffee. Even Lords is struggling to sell Test Match tickets.
Fortunatley after last year I thought the club may pull a stunt like this - and have waited for the bargains.......... I have little confidence in CP and his SMT - less so when it comes to spending money.
Many thanks Brian esp as the statement is only available on here.
This doesnt make up for your dubious competition rules of course.
Reluctant as I am to get drawn into this debate....
I'm very concerned about about this viral pandemic that's raging... no not swine flu you fool, this one only affects cricket administrators, it's known as "foot in mouth" syndrome.
The "Bears statement" seems to make great play of the small number of tickets bought by members for the ODI and 2020 finals. Well, .... perhaps the price has something to do with that, and lower prices might see increased sales!
Keep it simple, stupid!
Try this - £ 27.50 a ticket............. says it all really. What is the benefit of membership under the current regieme?
http://www.ecb.co.uk/the-great-exhibition/watch-cricket-for-less/england-v-west-indies-ticket-offers,1833,BP.html
3rd NatWest Series one-day international, Edgbaston - May 26
Join the half-term fun at Edgbaston on Tuesday May 26 when England play the West Indies in the NatWest Series. Andrew Strauss and his team go to Birmingham for the final match in the three-game series and with the Ashes summer looming everyone will be wanting to impress.
The Great Exhibition brings you this fantastic offer to extend your Bank Holiday weekend Buy one ticket for this match at £55 for adults and £20 for kids and receive another absolutely FREE.
All the international stars of the summer will be on display and with Edgbaston famous for its electric atmosphere don’t miss the chance to enjoy a day at the cricket.
To redeem this offer call the Edgbaston Ticket Office on 0870 062 1902 and press option 1 and quote GEODI09 - and get your tickets today!
Terms & Conditions
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Tickets purchased before this date do not qualify for the offer.
This offer is valid until Friday May 15.
If a Junior ticket is purchased a free junior ticket will be offered.