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Episde 457: SEASON TICKETS REACTION!
982 Plays6 days ago
Southampton – Season ticket details are FINALLY here after a long wait. We go through the details, the benefits, the bolt ons, and the level 1!
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Transcript
Introduction and Updates
00:00:02
DailySaintsPod
Thank you.
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. Apologies for our absence, but sometimes schedules just don't work out, you know, but we are back and boy, are we back with some good news.
00:00:27
DailySaintsPod
But before we get to that, welcome to episode 457. My name is Greg.
00:00:32
Zak
Yeah,
00:00:33
DailySaintsPod
As always today, joined by my good friend, wonderful co-host, Zach. Mate, how are you doing?
Quality Over Frequency
00:00:40
Zak
obviously bad. Yeah, apologies for it not being quite as daily at the moment as we want to be. But also, we don't want to just put out a podcast for the sake of the podcast. Like, there's lot of football going on. We can talk about that.
00:00:53
Zak
It's not necessarily Saints news. But if if people are happy to hear from us either way, then maybe we'll have a look at a few World Cup games as well. Yeah, I'm not too bad, mate.
00:01:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, there no, you're right. Like, you know, we've we've had a busy couple of weeks and not not necessarily had time to sit down and think about what we want to talk about as much.
00:01:11
DailySaintsPod
So that's why we, you know, don't just want to sit here and waffle absolute nonsense for 20 minutes. So thought we'd, know...
00:01:19
Zak
Yeah, to be clear, it's still going to be mainly nonsense. Like, you know, at no point. And we specifically go out of our way to point out that we are not experts.
Season Fixtures and World Cup
00:01:27
DailySaintsPod
but Indeed. But look, can you believe, mate, that as soon as next Thursday going to be getting fixtures for the new season? Are you...
00:01:36
Zak
It's quite a while, isn't it, really? That's come around real quick. Then again, we're also in inside a World Cup that we thought would take ages to win. and We're now starting to get the second run of games in.
00:01:47
Zak
So, yeah, it's just bizarre, isn't it?
00:01:49
DailySaintsPod
It's flying by. It's just so much football. It is fantastic,
Season Ticket Benefits
00:01:53
DailySaintsPod
phenomenal. And amidst all of that, finally, a long wait later, we get season ticket news and information. So that's exciting, isn't it?
00:02:05
Zak
Yeah, it's only taken this taking its time and we now know why. They wanted to get all of the good news out of the way first with contract renewals, retained lists, to then a modest increase that they've tried desperately to keep under.
00:02:19
Zak
You went through it with me yesterday. we had a chat about what it, like the benefits and stuff as well? did laugh and a lot of them, I'm not going to lie, the very sort of...
00:02:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:02:29
Zak
It feels very much like a Tesco club card voucher thing, right? It's like, if you spend over £50, you'll get like £3 off. And you're like, well, that's kind of a reward, but not really why anyone would have a club card, is it?
00:02:42
Zak
But I guess that's kind of why that kind of analogy works, because the benefits aren't necessarily why you have the season ticket. It's to attend the games.
00:02:49
DailySaintsPod
No, that's it. Well, look, let's let's start there with the benefits, you're right. There were some new benefits announced with season tickets, which... they said was part of their consultation with the fan advisory board and, just stuff that they can bring in to to bring a bit of good stuff.
00:03:09
DailySaintsPod
So, uh, on top of the previously existing benefits, uh, you will also include, uh, a round of mini golf at level one on a Sunday to Friday, which is fine.
00:03:23
Zak
I think that's the bit that genuinely sent me.
00:03:25
DailySaintsPod
he it It is funny, but also in the...
00:03:27
Zak
yeah
00:03:30
DailySaintsPod
We didn't really talk about the meeting notes from the fan advisory board, but it did actively touch on in that that 70% of visitors to level one are not Saints fans, and that they are trying to...
00:03:42
Zak
Interesting how they get that metrics then. Are they, are they, because is it just a season ticket holder or are they actively asking people when they walk in are you a Saints fan? Because I don't know how many people.
00:03:53
DailySaintsPod
no idea how they gauge that whatsoever.
00:03:55
Zak
Yeah, I think, I think that's what I find fascinating because if it's based off of like, is it a season ticket? Have they been scanned with a season ticket coming in? Like I'm pretty, pretty diehard Saints fan.
00:04:02
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Or do they have, like...
00:04:04
Zak
I might be a season ticket holder, but like, you know,
00:04:06
DailySaintsPod
Or you have to, like, register with an email account to book stuff there, so I presume they can do some sort of, like, cross-referencing if if you exist in both of those databases or whatever.
00:04:18
DailySaintsPod
But, but yeah. there There was a very clear push that they want to get more Saints fans more in Level 1.
00:04:20
Zak
we We're just very beta people.
00:04:28
DailySaintsPod
Like, they're Their big aim is that hopefully on match days they can fill it up as like a pre-match experience. And I'm sure we'll get to some of that later with some of the bolt-on stuff.
00:04:40
DailySaintsPod
Because cause it's it's touched on in that. But but yeah. A free round of mini-golf at level one on a Sunday to Friday. i mean, look, it's...
00:04:51
DailySaintsPod
It's fine. It's there and it's free, right? So happy days. It it is going to cost you nothing if you have no interest in it and don't go and do it. And if you do go and do it, you've had a free round of mini golf. So good job.
00:05:05
DailySaintsPod
The next up, two five pound retail vouchers sorry two £5 vouchers for the Dell available in September and in March for youth not on a match day. So, yeah, that's good, I suppose. Again, that's the same sort of thing, right?
00:05:24
DailySaintsPod
We're trying to get more people engaged with using the facilities, i guess, with the Dell specifically not on match days, because that always seems to be full one on a match day. So it makes sense.
00:05:41
DailySaintsPod
The other new benefit are two £10 retail vouchers, which can be used on anything in store, including the replica kit, which is good because last time their retail vouchers did not include that.
00:05:52
Zak
Oh, interesting. Okay.
00:05:57
DailySaintsPod
It was very specifically on that everything except that, but... I mean, they've got to know that that's the biggest sort of draw in the store and, and all of that stuff.
00:06:13
DailySaintsPod
Uh, next on the list of new benefits. So, you know, we've got a list, which is always a good start to be fair. Uh, 25% off all activities in level one Monday to Wednesday, not including match days.
00:06:26
DailySaintsPod
So again, it's a push to get people into level one, Specifically, and presumably on their quieter days. But it's another one of those things that's harmless, right?
00:06:39
DailySaintsPod
It's there if you ever want
Price Increases and Financial Impact
00:06:41
DailySaintsPod
to use it. And if you don't want to use it, at least it's not... At least they've not upped the season tickets like £100 and added these on as like, well, that's what it's going to cost us.
00:06:48
Zak
Yeah, I think it's it it shows like a family focus as well, right? More than anything else, I think.
00:06:53
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:06:54
Zak
That's that's one of the things that I took away from it, is that it's very much sort of... you know As as like a man who is married but does not have kids, like a vast majority of these things aren't really going to be that interesting to me.
00:07:06
Zak
Maybe mini golf, something like that. pub in the afternoon and but but I think that if you've got like kids and stuff that's going to be you know something to do during the half term you know that the club very much go towards that kind of thing anyway especially with like the open training sessions and that kind of stuff so continues with the ethos of I think what they're trying to do with you know the way they treat us I guess
00:07:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:19
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. We spoke before about like how I like the concept of level one and the stuff that it is, and actually for a day out and the things you do there for these multi-entertainment facilities, it's pretty good and pretty reasonably priced. So...
00:07:44
DailySaintsPod
you know, it's it's good that that discount is there to encourage it. And also there's no downside. It's not like you're missing out by by having it. And the rather ambiguous last point is recognition for long-term season ticket holders with no real detail as to what that actually means. But
00:08:09
Zak
here is Here is a new pin badge, an updated one for 2020, 26, 2027...
00:08:09
DailySaintsPod
the it Maybe. But of course that goes on top of the other benefits. So your seat for the 23 championship games, priority access for away tickets, discounted cup tickets at a priority window,
00:08:29
DailySaintsPod
Window for no booking fees for online ticket purchases when purchasing cup matches, which I didn't even know. The ability to sell your ticket on the ticket exchange.
00:08:40
DailySaintsPod
a dedicated window for purchasing additional tickets for home league matches. Free ticket transfers when you can't make a home match. 10% off food and beverage up to 45 minutes before a match in the fan zones and the concourses.
00:08:56
DailySaintsPod
10% on the week-long soccer schools, which is something they do with the academy, which is where you can send your kids away to play football in the school holidays. 25%... don't know if we've read that one. And 10% off all food and beverage in level one.
00:09:13
DailySaintsPod
So... as well as junior season ticket holders getting entered into draws for match day mascot opportunities and free admission to under 18 and under 21 academy matches held at St. Mary's.
00:09:28
DailySaintsPod
So, you know.
00:09:29
Zak
You can really see where their focus is. It's trying to get everyone to go to...
00:09:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:09:34
Zak
Yeah, I think that the price increase isn't the worst, considering think it sucks for a lot of people that it's still an increase.
00:09:41
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:09:42
Zak
I think that... there isn't really a lot they could do if they want to stay, you know, it's it's frustrating. I think there is probably more they can do, but also they want to keep it reasonable right They want to keep within the fact that they can make costs and stuff. And I think it probably was going to be higher. And considering we're supposed to have season ticket prices a lot earlier, it feels like they've had to go away. like I don't know if any extra benefits have been cut.
00:10:10
Zak
Maybe in like long-term season ticket holder stuff. A lot of these benefits are things that will not really cost them as much. right If Noble was going to level one on a Wednesday afternoon, having people go at 10% decrease or whatever is probably...
00:10:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:10:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:10:24
Zak
Are going be a helpful thing? So, yeah.
00:10:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it's... They haven't cut any of the benefits that we had last season. But I... have noticed, can notice in that list.
00:10:36
DailySaintsPod
All of the the main ones are there. In terms of the price increase, so they, i mean, they kind of tipped her around it in their statement, to be honest. They're The go on about it being it increases on average as a renewal price for £1.23 a game for adults and 81 pence per game for under 18s. Which doesn't really like touch on the you know the actual scale of the the price increase or or what that means.
00:11:08
DailySaintsPod
as such But for me personally, me it works out as a £25 increase sat in the Northern area for me and a £9 increase for both of my kids' season tickets. Obviously at at renewal price. If you are a new season ticket holder...
00:11:30
DailySaintsPod
going to buy new season tickets this year in the same areas. In the Northern stand, it is a slight increase. It's like £55 increase, anywhere between £55 and £60 for the Northern end.
00:11:54
DailySaintsPod
And the the sort of highest raise looks to be the halfway line tickets, which have gone up about £111, which, I mean, it does sound like a lot, but I guess split over 23 matches...
00:12:14
DailySaintsPod
isn't it isn't It's it's a as minimal of an increase as we would could expect from an increase. And, you know, they've very clearly laid out in the statement why there's an increase and why they've had to increase it.
00:12:27
Zak
Yeah, they said that the average average increase, £1.23 per game for adults and 81p for under-18s.
00:12:29
DailySaintsPod
Costs go up.
00:12:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:34
Zak
And I think that realistically, that's pretty good. It would have been lovely if it wasn't an increase and it was a decrease. I just don't think that was ever going to be the reality of the situation with both us not achieving...
00:12:47
Zak
promotion which it still would have gone up probably by a lot more because of the fact that we were in Premier League so yeah I think it's taken them a while i think it's probably how do you feel you're a season ticket holder what's your actual opinion on it are you upset annoyed
00:13:04
DailySaintsPod
No, I think I'm fine with it. it's it's kind It's less of an increase than I was almost expecting. Obviously, we take into account obviously the end of the season and the way emotions were running then. I don't know if that's going to be enough to get all of the season ticket holders from last season to renew. But from my perspective...
00:13:24
DailySaintsPod
you know, we heard Alfie report in the Echo that their costs are going up around 5% per match day to to run matches next season.
00:13:28
Zak
and I hope that's good time for you.
00:13:35
DailySaintsPod
So, you know, this is an increase that is less than that. So they've clearly done what they can to to keep the prices down and get it down as low as they can.
00:13:45
DailySaintsPod
What it means for next season either way, don't know. That's another bridge to cross, but
00:13:50
Zak
So definitely, you've got to wonder, sacrifices have been made for it though, right?
00:13:51
DailySaintsPod
i think it's I think it's fine.
00:13:54
Zak
Because don't know if you saw, they've shrunk the size of the academy for the women's team and their bits and pieces.
00:13:55
DailySaintsPod
m
00:14:00
DailySaintsPod
did see that.
00:14:01
Zak
And it's kind of like, have they you don't want to say it's the same budget, but have they decreased season tickets and you know from what they wanted to do and then had to make sacrifices elsewhere?
00:14:10
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Well,
00:14:13
Zak
but
00:14:13
DailySaintsPod
I don't know if that is the case because actually a lot of that budgeting had to be cut because of the funding from the league, which reduced, this season.
00:14:24
DailySaintsPod
So I feel like that probably would have happened either way. but I have a whole host of opinions on that and, uh, the, the women's side of the club and the academies, but that is probably an episode for another day, to be honest.
00:14:40
Zak
That's fine.
00:14:41
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, it you know there is that, but I just think that they've clearly tried. There's also Bolt on sort what we've gone to. I guess actually the the thing that has...
00:14:53
DailySaintsPod
I don't think upset me, but is is probably most egregious is they've once again, because they are late putting out the, this they've effectively reduced the amount of time you have for the split payments again.
00:15:09
DailySaintsPod
So last year it was one upfront payment and then six monthly payments, whereas this year it is six payments, including your upfront payment.
00:15:20
DailySaintsPod
and And actually they've only given you eight days to activate that option. So you only have until next Thursday to to go in for this pay monthly plan, which
00:15:31
Zak
Yeah, and I think that's us less than i ideal because this is the other problem is that if you're trying incentivize, it very much feels about trying to keep season ticket holders they already have, not necessarily attract new ones because you spoke to me about it and i I was debating it this year.
00:15:34
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:15:45
Zak
But obviously we didn't really know when it was come out. It's kind of come out of the blue. I don't really can't really afford the the outlay of the entirety of the season ticket in one go. And then if not, I've got to make a really, really quick decision in a very short period of time before four payday, basically, on something that, you know, whilst is important, can I go another year without?
00:15:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:16:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:16:06
Zak
Probably. think that...
00:16:07
DailySaintsPod
Hmm. Well, yeah, from a purely personal perspective for me, it's exactly that. It's a a payment that is higher than I would have been budgeting for because, you you could not necessarily because of the increase, but by reducing a month's payment, it's obviously increased all of the monthly payments. And it has to now, but you know, I have to make that commitment, and like you say, before payday. Yeah.
00:16:33
DailySaintsPod
which is going to be a bit of a scramble. and And that's chaos that they caused by putting this information out as late as they have. you know We saw from the fan advisory board minutes that the ticket information was scheduled to come out on the 27th of May.
00:16:49
DailySaintsPod
So they have delayed this for you know whatever reason, because they were trying to reduce the price or whatever.
Digital and Payment Innovations
00:16:55
DailySaintsPod
But what they have done by doing that is create this you know very small window And I don't know how many or what percentage of our season tickets are are used on a monthly payment basis compared to people who pay outright.
00:17:13
DailySaintsPod
I don't know how many people use the auction from the cup.
00:17:14
Zak
The fact that it's an option shows you that it's taken up, right?
00:17:17
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:17:17
Zak
Like, if it if it would have just removed it if it wasn't something that people constantly did. But I think one of the things that but is surprising is, yeah, would you have preferred to have had an increase in price when they announced it initially with the option to, you know, be slightly more flexible with payment or have what you've got now?
00:17:38
Zak
That's an interesting thought.
00:17:39
DailySaintsPod
It depends on the increase in price is the problem, right?
00:17:43
Zak
It's true.
00:17:43
DailySaintsPod
I don't know, because even though the increase in price is slight overall, actually from a monthly payment perspective, now it's you know it's quite a bit higher.
00:17:54
DailySaintsPod
It's gone, I think, from you know for the four season tickets we have, I think we were paying... around 186-ish a month. And now that those payments are you know going to go up to 220 nearly. So it's it's a pretty big jump in in sort of real-time budgetary perspective, which is it's a shame. But like I say, I don't know how...
00:18:22
DailySaintsPod
many of the fans and season ticket holders that will affect, but it does affect me personally. So he's it's worth shouting about.
00:18:30
Zak
Yeah, for sure.
00:18:32
DailySaintsPod
The other stuff that came out with it is, of course, obviously all the tickets are still digital, although the digital tickets are now moving within the Saints app instead of having a separate app for it.
00:18:46
Zak
Good. Did they say that like two seasons ago?
00:18:47
DailySaintsPod
So I...
00:18:50
DailySaintsPod
They have been testing it, actually, with some like staff and fan advisory board members over the second half of last season. So it's just making sure they've got it actually working to to go live this season.
00:18:59
Zak
That's interesting.
00:19:04
DailySaintsPod
But that's that's fine. Where they send the tickets digitally doesn't bother me in the slightest. What would be a huge help for everyone, I'm sure, is the ability to add it to a Google or an Apple wallet. but who knows Who knows what that looks like going forward. The other things are the bolt-ons, which these are the these are like the optional bits that you can tack on top of your season ticket to get benefits.
00:19:36
DailySaintsPod
This was like a couple of years ago what they did in place of a lot of benefits, but... They've obviously still put some benefits in and now some of it's a bolt on. So these are quite interesting.
00:19:50
DailySaintsPod
there are four tiers of bolts on and they come in at, uh, so there's, there's silver, gold, platinum and kids. The kids one is completely new. They've never done that before.
00:20:01
DailySaintsPod
It's 95 for a silver, 275 for a gold, 595 for platinum, and 125 for a kids. But the packages get with for that cost, so for the £95 the silver, you £115 plus worth of goodies because you get £65 retail voucher, which...
00:20:29
DailySaintsPod
Last season, that voucher amount was set at exactly the cost of a replica shirt. So i would not be surprised if that's the same this year, and that is the cost of shirts this year, £65. You you also get two upgrades for a level one match day package.
00:20:49
DailySaintsPod
which I guess if you have time to book that and plan that in advance, you can extend your match day and get there early. Maybe watch one of the decent early kickoffs in there, go and do some darts or some rock climbing or something beforehand.
00:21:02
Zak
They are really pushing it, aren't they?
00:21:05
DailySaintsPod
and But that is the the silver package, right? So for your £95, you worth of goods, which is £65 in retail voucher and I have deduced, although it's not written down with some quick maths, that that should work out at about £50 worth of level 1 match day packages. If you want to splash a bit further and go for the gold, which is quite a bit more to be fair, £275 is quite the jump.
00:21:32
Zak
Yeah, it's not a little bit of money.
00:21:34
DailySaintsPod
You get £365 worth of value with that, which is the the same as the Silver. You get your level one match day packages twice and a £65 retail voucher. You also get two upgrades to hospitality vouchers for matches in the season and two vouchers for match day tours, which is interesting because that is not something I have ever...
00:21:58
DailySaintsPod
seen offered or bundled in with any of these things. So this really points to them trying to expand on their match day experiences and, you know, do all of that stuff that we've seen with with other places and go go with that sort of stuff.
00:22:19
DailySaintsPod
So... If that's what tickles fancy, fair play to you. If you are really going all out, for £595, you can get the Platinum Package, which delivers at least £750 worth of value. For that, you get two £65 retail vouchers. So presumably that could be a home kit and an away kit.
00:22:45
DailySaintsPod
You also get a framed 26, 27 shirt, worth of hospitality credit. Uh, nice and five hundred pounds worth of hospitality credit presumably that you could spread across the season. Now, i do not walk in the circles to be able to tell you what that translates to into how much hospitality that will get you. But I suspect it's a bit... Based off of the fact that you can upgrade twice on the gold package for £365, I might speculate that it's at least three and a half games worth of upgrades if you are so inclined.
00:23:25
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:23:26
Zak
Yeah. I mean, if you've got the money and it's something you want to do, anything that eventually offers a discount probably going to be beneficial.
00:23:30
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:23:34
Zak
And clearly, again, they're trying to to push these sort of sides of things because this is where going try and have to make up the money, right?
00:23:34
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. e
00:23:41
DailySaintsPod
And then the kids one, so this is a completely new package. There's £125 on top of your season ticket for worth of value. For that, you get a retail voucher.
00:23:55
DailySaintsPod
which presumably will be the cost of a children's kit is is is the one taking from it.
00:24:02
Zak
Indeed.
00:24:04
DailySaintsPod
You also get a £50 level one voucher and two match day tour vouchers. So, you know, more aimed at the the kids, obviously.
00:24:16
DailySaintsPod
can't be selling or you can drink out alcohol packages to kids. That's not good look, right? I guess is where that comes in. it's why last year when we had the option, we didn't go for any of the bolt ones because we didn't know what hospitality upgrade looked like. And if that was going to be on a match day, if the kids were even going to be allowed, and honestly wasn't really in the price range or budget anyway, but doesn't stop us looking.
00:24:37
DailySaintsPod
So yeah, they're interest interesting things, if if that's what you fancy. On top of that...
00:24:44
Zak
would you if you had the money, would you go for the kids' one for your kids? Because I know that you probably wouldn't be too bothered about the other ones. I know you've done a bit... that You did over the past, I remember, because you got you got shit shirts theory on out to the Premier League.
00:24:53
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:24:55
Zak
Because obviously...
00:24:55
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, the first year they did Boltons, we got the the silver ones because it came with some retail vouchers. the The first year it was more basic and it just came with like retail vouchers and some other bits and bobs, like a little box and stuff. And yeah, if if it was in the budget, I mean, we basically get a new kit every year anyway at some point. So it's...
00:25:18
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, but i don't I don't know. With the short turnaround and the already increase in the less monthly payments, I don't think that's the way we'll do it this year. We'll probably just end up buying the kits. But that's that's the thing that they lose out by doing that, right? Whereas if they... i presume there's a reason that they want all of the money paid up by... I think six months works out was December.
00:25:41
DailySaintsPod
But actually, they used to do it over a 10-month payment scheme.
00:25:41
Zak
Yeah, makes sense.
00:25:44
DailySaintsPod
And if they split back to that, I would... throw caution to the wind and suggest that if they were to split payments across 10 months, they would have a huge uptake on these bolt-ons because if you're already paying, what, so the ticket was, you know, if you've taken an adult and a kid, just going to do some really quick maths, it takes you to, what, for call it for an adult
00:26:15
DailySaintsPod
200 for an under 14 so you you know 700 pound best part of you're paying 70 pound a month if you split that across 10 months adding on top of that nine pound 50 and 12 pound 50 respectively for an adult silver bolt on and a kid's bolt on where you get a shirt and some other stuff thrown in People are going to be more open to it if you have that option.
00:26:41
DailySaintsPod
it's It sounds much more appealing spread across that amount. I'm sure there is a reason they do that.
00:26:45
Zak
I think, if if I remember rightly, wasn't the reason they did because people would like sign up for like a month or two and then just kind of cancel.
00:26:47
DailySaintsPod
i'm sure there's a reason they reduced it. but
00:26:53
Zak
And then what you ended up with, the logistics of it, was a problem.
00:26:53
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, well it was actually, I think, it was kind of a problem that they... I don't want to say courage, but created off their own back because when we got to the playoff finals at Wembley, they had already launched some early bird tickets for season tickets for the next year because they were moving the fans around and launching the Northern Wall.
00:27:16
DailySaintsPod
And they launched these like cheaper tickets that were still going to be price appropriate if we were in the championship. So you could get like Premier League season ticket at championship prices. But because they'd already launched that, when it got to the playoff final at Wembley, they allowed an earlier ticket window for season ticket holders from next season. And so what people what a lot of people, from what I understand it did, was...
00:27:42
DailySaintsPod
you know, commit to this monthly payment plan for season tickets. And then once they got their tickets to Wembley, stop paying it. And like that I'm sure causes them a headache, but
00:27:53
Zak
Yeah, I don't think they've got the capacity to suddenly set up a debt collection agency.
00:27:58
DailySaintsPod
no, but, but it's a shame that the other fans that do utilize those systems miss out because of that. And,
00:28:07
DailySaintsPod
it would be nice if we could see that. And I'm sure that they would see a benefit through that if they use that in a more intelligent way and more in systems.
00:28:16
Zak
I agree, but I think part of the problem was, remember rightly, you didn't have to go for any like credit checks or anything for that, right? you just
00:28:22
DailySaintsPod
Yes. Yeah. It's not like a financially kind FCA like backed agreement.
Fan Engagement Enhancements
00:28:29
DailySaintsPod
It's just a literal monthly commitment. So yeah. Yeah, I don't know how they get around it, but I just think if they could go back to offering a it split across 10 months, I think that they would see the benefit from that with specifically with these bolt-ons, because, you know, I said about it being £9.50 and £12.50 for one kid and one adult.
00:28:32
Zak
Yeah, so that's the way it's going to cause problems.
00:28:51
DailySaintsPod
But actually, if you've gone from paying over six months and it being... £220 a month and dropping it down to 10 months, all of a sudden it's £70 a month. You also might be inclined to just bump that a £59.50 a month on top of that for your platinum package, right?
00:29:10
Zak
yeah
00:29:11
DailySaintsPod
It seems like a no-brainer. And if I were the fan advisory board, I would be be making that point to them next season for sure, because that's something I could see as a benefit.
00:29:23
Zak
so overall feelings could be worse
00:29:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, look, we haven't even finished yet, mate. There's still other stuff. You could still also go for a season ticket with a Matchday Unlimited pass for level one, which you have to email them for.
00:29:38
Zak
All right.
00:29:39
DailySaintsPod
But also, yeah that's kind of on top. You buy a 10-pack of level one things, right? Yeah. You can either get a 10-pack or a seasonal option to deliver enhanced value. If you get a seasonal package, you get access to level 1 for all 23 games for the equivalent price of 16.
00:30:02
DailySaintsPod
So, again, trying to make match level 1 busier on match days as a like match day solution, which if you've got kids, maybe it's an option, right?
00:30:11
Zak
They're trying to make level one busier, aren't they?
00:30:15
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:16
Zak
It's basically what it feels like.
00:30:17
DailySaintsPod
which is Which is fine. And again, it's it's harmless in that if you want to take advantage of that, those deals are there.
00:30:20
Zak
It's all optional as well, right?
00:30:25
DailySaintsPod
And if you don't want if that's not for you and you don't want to take advantage of you, it' they're not forcing it down your throat. It's just there as an option.
00:30:32
Zak
I'd be fascinated to see the take up, like to see all the actual, you know, by the time season kicks off where people are at and how many of those tickets are sold and, you know, how many people have bought the bottoms and things.
00:30:34
DailySaintsPod
m
00:30:43
Zak
I know we didn't really do that in last year.
00:30:44
DailySaintsPod
They have also...
00:30:45
Zak
Maybe we can see if we can find the information because that's fascinating.
00:30:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, for sure. I would definitely look into that. They have also, for the 26-27 season, redesigned their seasonal hospitality offerings to give more choice, flexibility, and ways to enjoy a match day at St. Mary's.
00:31:03
DailySaintsPod
I don't know what that looks like, but you have to email them specifically to find that out. Again, I don't run in the the circles that are likely to to to know that information.
00:31:17
Zak
That's not true. You went to that one league, one cup final, playoff final at Wembley, right?
00:31:21
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, League 2 playoff final at Wembley. I went hospitality and sat. opposite the head of the EFL and had dinner. It was truly bizarre, and I was on my best behaviour, and it was not how I would describe a standard football experience.
00:31:36
Zak
yeah
00:31:37
Zak
It's ironic because one of our friends, that was his one and only football experience.
00:31:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. But yeah, it doesn't touch on any of the specifics of that other than it's more flexible. you Season ticket holders also access exclusive discounted hospitality upgrades throughout the season.
00:31:55
DailySaintsPod
Presumably when we're hosting games that are not as easy to sell to the normal crowd or a Wednesday night, right? Like who in hospitality wants to go to hospitality in a midweek game to see, i don't know,
00:32:11
DailySaintsPod
Lincoln. It's...
00:32:13
Zak
And I love how Link and the Sony become our new Rotherham before we've even, you know, played them once.
00:32:21
DailySaintsPod
Indeed. But yeah, I guess, like you say, overall vibe, I don't know. I've seen a lot of people ask him for the season ticket information before it comes out, which kind of implies to me that the demand to renew is pretty high.
00:32:34
DailySaintsPod
so
00:32:35
Zak
Yeah. I think the dust the dust has settled on Spygate a little bit now. that We've already seen in the England game, Middlesbrough fans next to Southampton fans combining to you know support England. So maybe maybe it's not going to end it all, but I think that yeah people are starting to be able to look past it a little bit more.
00:32:56
Zak
So yeah, I think when it comes to me personally, again, I'm going have to check my finances, but I'm not hugely... positive that I'm probably going to end up doing it this year, but I think that by the sounds that there's enough incentive to keep a lot of people unless they're adamant that they're not renewing because, you know,
00:33:14
DailySaintsPod
But even if we're not able to, even if it's not publicly accessible to get the statistics and information of purchases and stuff for for season tickets, there will be a very clear metric because the previous two seasons we have sold out on season tickets. So that that'll be it.
Conclusion and Listener Interaction
00:33:33
DailySaintsPod
If we sell out on season tickets three years in a row, then then they did their job well enough to do it. And if they don't,
00:33:40
Zak
Yeah.
00:33:40
DailySaintsPod
It's not going to be a surprise to anyone that that the reasons are going to be what they'll be.
00:33:41
Zak
There
00:33:44
Zak
yeah
00:33:46
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
00:33:47
Zak
cool
00:33:47
DailySaintsPod
that's That's season tickets, mate.
00:33:49
Zak
before
00:33:50
DailySaintsPod
Well, look, that's that's all we've got time for today. So let us know your thoughts in the comments, in the socials, everywhere. We're Daily Saints Pod on X, Blue Sky, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, absolutely everywhere. Hit us up and let us know. Until then, though, we will be back next week with some more good stuff.
00:34:11
DailySaintsPod
I'm sure that we're going to have loads lined up to talk about. And not least on Thursday, let's not forget, fixture day. Already, i can't wait.
00:34:20
DailySaintsPod
The football buzz is well and truly in the house, especially after sitting up and watching the England game last night. So it's just...
00:34:27
Zak
I'll see that yeah know your favorite thing, transfer rumors, where we might be getting James will prowse again. Oh, but by no I know you promised that there would be the end of the conversation, but Greg, I just don't think
00:34:34
DailySaintsPod
What a time...
00:34:39
DailySaintsPod
It's never going to end until it ends. We'll see. But look, that's it. Until then, everyone have a fantastic weekend. We will see you after it. And most importantly, come on you saints.