Source: Eurosport
Eurosport - Wed, 13 May 15:48:00 2009
A revolutionary new ticketing scheme has been introduced by a non-league football club in a bid to stave off the effects of the worldwide financial downturn.
FC United of Manchester, a club set up in 2005 by Manchester United supporters in protest at the Glazer takeover, have asked fans to decide how much they want to pay for next year's season tickets.
The move comes not only in recognition of the current economic climate, which has hit football fans hard, but also to maintain the Unibond League Premier Division club's policy of providing affordable entertainment.
The club, which is wholly owned by supporters and works as a co-operative, has been operating at a loss for the past two years but has been able to stay afloat thanks to a combination of good-sized crowds, donations and original pledges.
But with plans afoot to move out of their current rented accommodation - League Two outfit Bury's Gigg Lane - and into a stadium of their own, the club have recognised the need for increased revenue.
And given FC United's reluctance to impose across-the-board ticket price increases, the innovative new ticketing scheme, on the face of it, offers a feasible solution.
The aim is to raise £125,000 from the season ticket campaign, a figure significantly higher than revenue from last season's sales, with fans invited to pay a minimum of £90 to watch 21 league games, although £140 is suggested as a barometer of affordability.
Board member Jules Spencer told the club's website: "We believe this is unprecedented in football, a club saying to its supporters 'pay what you can afford'. Some may question whether we're being foolhardy, but why shouldn't we trust supporters?
"FC United like all clubs need to raise revenue and we will feel the pinch in the coming months just as any other club will in this economic climate. But given our philosophy of providing affordable football, we do not feel unilateral price increases are the way forward.
"So we hope the Your Season Ticket, Your Choice campaign will do two things. First, it will offer a lower season ticket price for those supporters who cannot now afford last year's price, which was around £140.
"Secondly, it means those supporters who can afford a bit more can choose to donate as much as they wish to help fund the club's operating costs.
"It is an ambitious campaign but we have raised similar amounts of money in the past so we hope we can do so again.
"This is about empowerment, of collective responsibility, of us all pulling together to ensure the club's future in a way that reflects our founding principles.
"We have been asked if we're being foolhardy but why shouldn't a football club trust its own supporters? FC United is after all a member owned club, so everyone has a vested interest in making this a success."
Since the club's inception, FC United have won three successive promotions to the Unibond Premier, where they narrowly missed out on a play-off spot in April this year.
Mike Hytner / Eurosport
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