should clubs subsidise away travel?

[monktonharp]

Interesting to read recent issues from Wolves, regarding their away midweek fixture with Leeds fc. they decided to help their away support by reducing the price to £30. Yes , £30 for a second tier midweek game! Leeds actually want £37...!!!!!! outrageous imho. I have not checked if it has already been played, as I don't follow the English game much but it is sheer greed. would our club be prepared to help out , for possible away fans to go to crucial games and back the team better than they currently do? I'd be delighted if the did, at least for certain games by reducing the costs of getting in to the game, and maybe from a more personal view helping supporters' branches who'd like to run buses but are restricted by costs when they cant fill a bus if the travel, added to the entry is enough to say to lots of fans..............naw, keep me in mind but I cant afford it this time. probably the biggest amount of our away support go by other means, car/train/national bus travel etc but......thoughts?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Whilst English game (EPL best If the world don’t ya know) gets bumper cash deals from TV where does it all go? Grassroots? Improved facilities for supporters / disabled / away games ?

[Stewboy]

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Whilst English game (EPL best If the world don’t ya know) gets bumper cash deals from TV where does it all go? Grassroots? Improves facilities for supporters / disabled / away games

Off topic a bit, but their is a tweet going round from somebody saying new bumper deal agreed with Sky, but this guys kid has had 1 or 2 matches in last 10 weeks given the state of the pitches, so to answer your point it isn't grassroots!

Clubs are now investing heavily in their own academies, however in the main this only gives access to a tiny % who are picked up by club academies from age 6 or so. The other 99.9% of kids aren't seeing any money filter down for their own local clubs pitches, local parks etc

[lucky]

In Scotland travel is generally not expensive due to the short distances involved and the ticket prices are creeping up but I can’t see clubs helping fans

[Haymaker]

The club's would "subsidise" the cost of fans going to away games by increasing home costs.

[Smartie]

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Whilst English game (EPL best If the world don’t ya know) gets bumper cash deals from TV where does it all go? Grassroots? Improved facilities for supporters / disabled / away games ?

Players and agents.

[Vini1875]

We need to be spending money on players. I know football is very expensive, but it is optional and if fans choose to go to less away games then it is not harming Hibs. We have a hard core who seem to be at most games home and away where ever we play, so cost is not an issue to them. Most of the other away fans we have, pick and choose games.

Only if the TV companies want to plough billions into our game would I divert money to things like a subsidy.

[heidtheba]

I actually think clubs should have a payment structure for young people. Kids go free and get some kids of subsidy for away games. Teens/young adults (ages to be worked out) get a big reduction in adult fares, students too, same with pensioners. Get them to become fans for life, support them through from being a child. What's the saying, "give me the child till 8..." etc. I don't know how feasible it is, I do wonder whether long-term studies have been done looking at short term financial cost v having 'life-long' fans.
I remember teaching in a school in Edinburgh where Sunderland organised someone to come up and do a really brilliant talk about 'grassroots football' and being part of the community. Loads of kids-go-free-tickets (and I think adults get a discount one - could be wrong) were given out. Most didn't go. Most of those who went only went once, but I know of one kid who went for years after and might well still do.

[hibbyfraelibby]

Subsidise fans to travel to away games is effectively subsidising the opposition.

[DarrenSQH]

Limit away prices to £20 would work the same almost.

[WhileTheChief..]

The money I spend on buying a ST is used to let some other Hibs fans travel for free to Aberdeen or wherever??? No chance.

[Billy Whizz]

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In Scotland travel is generally not expensive due to the short distances involved and the ticket prices are creeping up but I can’t see clubs helping fans

As a fan I’m more than happy to pay my way

[J-C]

For most 3pm kick offs fans have it a lot easier to arrange transfer to and from the games, the early saturday and sunday games should be looked at so fans have the opportunity to get to these games a lot easier. Making these early kick offs either local derbies or short distances should be the first thing looked at, having Aberdeen play Kilmarnock at 12.30 on the weekend is a nonsense and making fans start their travels at 7am for these games is ridiculous, at these times only buses are viable.

[iwasthere1972]

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The money I spend on buying a ST is used to let some other Hibs fans travel for free to Aberdeen or wherever??? No chance.

Maybe even extend it to a pie and pint.

[Keith_M]

Simple answer.... No.

[nellio]

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In Scotland travel is generally not expensive due to the short distances involved and the ticket prices are creeping up but I can’t see clubs helping fans

Spot on mate. Majority of games within an hour or so travel where as down south its about 6 hours to some games!!

[blackpoolhibs]

Yes please, maybe get Duane to start the bus up again.

[lyonhibs]

No.

[Baldy Foghorn]

It's a no from me

[Carheenlea]

We're fortunate that we don't have to travel very far in Scotland to get to away games, so subsidised travel is not really necessary.

[Kaff]

Don't know if possible but surely two clubs can come to a reciprocal agreement where, for instance, Killie say they'll charge a flat rate of £15 for adults if we do the same at ER? Both grounds generally have scope for plenty away fans so if attractive could cope with a boost in numbers. That would give those travelling a bit of a saving without being seen to hand over cash, although I do realise if we were selling tickets in the South to home fans for £20+ next to these £15 tickets would possibly be difficult.
Ultimately any reductions should be across the whole support Imo but just an idea

[WhileTheChief..]

At a time when HSL are trying to get folk to donate a few quid a month it seems self defeating to be offering any discounts on anything.

Imagine signing up to this only to discover that your subscription is in effect subsiding someone else’s ticket or bus fare!

[monktonharp]

So, most of our away games are within an hour's travel, yeah/ take a serious look at it. Aberdeen, Ross County, Klimarnock Maryhill, Govan, London Road GLASGOW, Dundee, Perth, Hamilton. the others, possible within an hour. that was not my point originally, and I pointed out the situation at Leeds v Wolverhampton Wanderers midweek where the Wolves board had assisted travelling fans by subsidising the match entry cost by reducing it from £37 to £30. we have had midweek games (last season) where they were classed as 'A' games and the full price was invoked for a game televised if I recall. not quite in the region of 37 quid, but dear enough at the time. my point is that if a reasonable price for a midweek game is applied , more will go to it. If the home club are not prepared to reduce the price to a decent level, would our club be prepared to encourage our fans to go in greater numbers by assisting their overall costs. this has nothing to do with whoever has a season ticket. if Arbroath fc came to ER, in a midweek League cup game and they assisted their fans by paying part of the entry fee, then f/kin good on them!!!!!! just cant see the argument of " I pay my season ticket and I don't want anyone getting any benefit unless the do the same" so there.

[Carheenlea]

I do think that visiting fans tickets should be the cheapest in the stadium. Will never happen while Rangers and Celtic sell out away allocations round the country and similarly with our own derbies.

[One Day]

no from me too

[NAE NOOKIE]

No .... money is pretty tight in the Scottish game and if clubs are going to make it cheaper for fans in any aspect it will be to reduce home prices to attract their own fans to the ground. Having said that .. I'm pretty sure if it came to it, as it has in the past, if Hibs have a make or break game to avoid relegation or qualify for Europe the club will subsidise extra buses.

[barcahibs]

Sorry but its a definite no from me.