ANDY Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Following the latest Supporters’ Steering Group convention held at Hillsborough last week, Sheffield Wednesday seek to clarify and expand upon a number of issues raised. A host of topics came to the fore at the five-hour meeting held with representatives from a broad range of Wednesdayites. Amongst many other things, general pricing was part of the conversation and this encompassed the likes of tickets, retail and corporate hospitality all the way through to player recruitment. Whilst certain matters must remain confidential for obvious reasons, the club are keen to detail where possible our policy on pricing, which works in tandem with ambitions for the immediate and long term future. The value of any product offered by any business, of course, is subjective and relative to the individual. The common denominator from Sheffield Wednesday is that we must examine every revenue stream possible if we are to achieve our goals whilst staying within the boundaries of Financial Fair Play – now known as Profitability and Sustainability. Whilst there have been certain increased costs - balanced alongside savings on innovative Season Ticket promotions - the ambitions of the Owls have been matched by a level of financial commitment from an owner never before seen at Hillsborough. Thus two successive campaigns in the Championship play-offs in 2016 and 2017 rapidly elevated the club from our position of previous years. Inevitably, this has come at a cost, with the quality of the coaching and playing staff having taken the team to uncharted territory over the past two seasons. With the constraints of FFP (P and S) hitting hard, pricing must be structured accordingly - together with our aims in mind - and supporters are assured that every penny generated is invested wholly back into the club. At the Steering Group meeting, corporate hospitality packages in particular were highlighted as having risen in cost, but it is important to consider that previously prices were not reflective of what was required for long term sustainability so making recent increases artificially high. This arm of the business yielded little profit, whilst on occasion even posting a loss after factoring in club costs accrued. This policy of low pricing was based on the rationale of unrealistic reduced revenues being more beneficial than no revenues. The business could not realistically sustain such a model so prices had to increase to help make our offerings competitive. Given the Championship is the most financially challenging division in the world, internal revenues are more important than ever in terms of contributing to the blueprint for success, without breaching EFL regulations. Currently, the club sustains significant losses each year, underpinned by the commitment of chairman Dejphon Chansiri, who told swfc.co.uk: “With any of our products - hospitality, ticketing, or retail - pricing must mirror the ambitions of our club. In Thailand I am a businessman first but at Sheffield Wednesday I think of our fans first, not business, and we have to get the balance right as we try to stay within the rules of FFP. “Of course, we can go back to lower prices and less investment in the squad but if we wish to reach the Premier League, such a model is not practical. So we must invest more than our revenues like almost every club in this division aiming for promotion. “I know that some supporters say they cannot afford some things and I understand. I would never ask a single supporter to spend even one penny on anything they cannot afford. “All I ask of everyone who can afford is to help and support as much as possible. I would love to do this by myself and not ask anything of our fans but the FFP limits mean I cannot. I do not want to disturb the regulations so I have no choice, we must support and go together. “Historically I know that shirts can be bought elsewhere for a cheaper price, but when I see our fans buying from our club I know it is because they wish to support. The same for tickets and every other area. This makes me feel good and makes me want to give everything I possibly can. “That is the spirit that we need, the togetherness we must have, and I thank every single one of our fans for giving me the heart to support our lovely club. “They are the soul of Sheffield Wednesday, which is now in my blood. I am away from my family, away from my home, giving my all and trying my best and I want our fans to say the same because we are all Sheffield Wednesday. “I hope this offers some explanation about many things as I felt it important that certain discussions in the Steering Group are communicated across the wider fan base.” 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marconi Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 S hitting hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I think our Chairman has done a fantastic job. We have come miles in the past two years. Football has changed and any club neefs a good owner to thrive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichSheffWeds Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Understand the sentiment but the corporate box pricing isn't reflecting the market price in the Championship. Others have highlighted this this in previous threads. In the free market the Chairman can charge what he likes but shouldn't be surprised when in that market there is no demand at that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 So the chairman is basically saying he would happily fund the whole lot but FFP doesn't allow fair one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradowl Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 After this I now expect that new home shirt is going to be over 50 notes maybe 60. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIGHERSTATE Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Im happy to pay for a season ticket as long as we appear to have a bright future and were financially stable...even if we dont go up..especially compared to the reckless spending of some teams in this league 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmontonowl Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I didn't know that FFP was now known as Profitability and Sustainability. Interesting turn of phrase given how football in general has gone since 1992 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EighteenSixty7 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 "I would love to do this by myself and not ask anything of our fans but the FFP limits mean I cannot." flipping love this bloke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick_Turpin Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 1 minute ago, EighteenSixty7 said: "I would love to do this by myself and not ask anything of our fans but the FFP limits mean I cannot." flipping love this bloke. Is that the line Huddersfield took? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beholder Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) Chansiri is clearly a very savvy business man. However I don't think he is a savvy football man. He has been inefficient with his spending and badly advised in my opinion. I don't know who devised the transfer policy but it's been misguided. Maybe not the individual deals and how they were conducted, but the types of players and their suitability to the team. The squad is now bloated and we have many brilliant players who have never even had a look in and others who are on the perifery. McGugan McGeady McMannaman Buckley Abdi Urby Winnal Fox Matias Joao Rhodes Over 20 million worth of talent. Wasted. Edited August 7, 2017 by Bodhidharma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaton_Swfc Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Just now, rickygoo said: Is that the line Huddersfield took? Fact is though, Hudders are a 1/100 case. Generally you have to spend to go up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiJ Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 2 minutes ago, rickygoo said: Is that the line Huddersfield took? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Hey look rickygoo doesn't like the chairman blah blah blah flipping blah. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfsmith Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 I wonder how many other owners would be so open and frank with the supporters. Not many I bet. When you compare this openness with many of the previous SWFC owners, it does bode well for the future of the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagoth66 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 How about giving us the first home game back in the Premiership free, use the card points for priority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Just now, Bodhidharma said: Chansiri is clearly a very savvy business man. However I don't think he is a savvy football man. He has been inefficient with his spending and badly advised in my opinion. I don't know who devised the transfer policy but it's been misguided. Maybe not the individual deals and how they were conducted, but the types of players and their suitability to the team. The squad is now bloated and we have many brilliant players who have never even had a look in and others who are on the perifery. McGugan McGeady McMannaman Buckley Abdi Urby Winnal Fox Matias Joao He is however a serious and sincere bloke. Its unbelievable how much he has invested in our team. He cant be expected to know football but i doubt if he makes the same mistake twice with regard to people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick_Turpin Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) 3 minutes ago, SiJ said: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Hey look rickygoo doesn't like the chairman blah blah blah flipping blah. Hey look SiJ doesn't like me blah blah. It's a statement by the chairman that some people are praising on a football forum. Am I not allowed a dissenting view? Edited August 7, 2017 by rickygoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Bach Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 3 minutes ago, Bodhidharma said: The squad is now bloated and we have many brilliant players who have never even had a look in and others who are on the perifery. McGugan McGeady McMannaman Buckley Abdi Urby Winnal Fox Matias Joao Barely any of them are brilliant. McGeady, Urby and Buckely don't even play for the club anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left-footed Filth Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) Excellent stuff. Saying all the things you'd like the chairman to say. Now DC you've put the cash in do the right thing and sack the clown who's 'coaching' the team and get someone in who is worthy of all your commitment Edited August 7, 2017 by Left-footed Filth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcoat Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Club Statement, CC signs improved five year contract extension. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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