Express & Star

Comment: Season ticket rise a price of Wolves' success

"The price of success" is how this week's Wolves season ticket price announcement was generally received by supporters.

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Some agreed with the rise – 30 per cent in two stands (behind the goals) – as a fair cost of watching not only Premier League football this season but, Wolves hope, watching the finest gold and black team for a generation compete in it pretty damn well.

Others felt the rise to be extortionate and an example of the greed that has engulfed the sport we all love.

As always the truth probably lies somewhere in between.

As Laurie Darymple told the Express & Star this week the prices Wolves have set for next season compare favourably to when the club were last in the Premier League.

Indeed for the 2009/10 season, Wolves' first in the top flight after winning promotion under Mick McCarthy, you would be charged a whopping £595 for fans in the Billy Wright stand (£549 next season) or £493 behind the goals (£449 next season).

Kids' prices look even better today. Back in 2009/10 under-17s were charged between £178 and £297 for a season ticket. Next season that will be £150.

Judging on that comparison – or a comparison with other Premier League clubs – Wolves' prices are more than fair.

The problem is that Wolves are victims of making the current prices so low, particularly for youngsters who paid just £23 (under-12s) or £50 (under-17s) this season.

A year ago Wolves needed to draw their supporters into Molineux.

They had around 13,000 season ticket holders (a number which has now increased dramatically to 20,800) and at the time Dalrymple spoke of "encouraging more supporters to come to Molineux and give an even greater backing to the team".

They set a target of selling 16,500 tickets which, if achieved, would have led to a sizeable refund of up to £119 away from what they'd already paid.

"We believe this target is achievable if we are able to work with our existing season ticket holders in spreading the word and encouraging supporters who have stopped attending matches – or indeed those who have yet to go to a match – to come to Molineux," Dalrymple said at the time.

However a year on the climate couldn't be more different.

As Dalrymple stated this week Wolves fully expect to reach the maximum number of season ticket holders Molineux can house (around 22,000 owing to the rest being set aside for away fans, general sale tickets and corporate seats).

In that regard they could have set prices even higher and still sold the maximum tickets.

The MD said this week: "I need to report back to a board that says if I’m going to come to you for £100m or £150m for stadium redevelopment, the immediate question that comes back is ‘are you maximising your revenue streams?’.

"There has to be give and take between the fan expectation and managing realistically up the line to an executive board.

"If I was sitting there as a fan – and I’ve made this point all season that I’m not undermining for one second the level of commitment both financially and in terms of time – I’d be thinking I’m prepared to make a fair and appropriate investment into my ticket prices.

"If the last 12 months is to be continued, I think it’s extremely fair, but equally I’d be wanting an owner to make a strong commitment into taking the club forward."

Wolves also threw in a couple of sweeteners in the form of changing an expensive phoneline to a local rate, giving fans the option of selling their season ticket for a match and earn 'club cash' in return, while admin fees have also been reduced.

But while the prices are competitive for football in 2018 some fans will be hit hard in the pocket.

This correspondent has spoken to a number of supporters this week who simply cannot now afford to go next season.

They are either families, or loyal fans, who've been with the club since the League One season or back far further to the dark days of the 1980s.

While Wolves argued that the quality of football – or the quality of the 'product' – fairly dictates higher prices, some fans will say that the football on offer is irrelevant to them. Wolves is in their blood, it's a religion and they'd turn up every Saturday whether it was in League Two or the Premier League.

From Fosun's perspective – and remember these are extremely savvy business people and a very successful global investment firm – they have a business to run and revenues to maximise.

They have invested tens of millions into Wolves in just two years and in return they expect their customers to be charged extra.

As ever striking that fine balance between running a business and rewarding loyal fans is a difficult one.

In today's money-hungry business that is football, Wolves have struck that balance.

Price of success? Yes. But in a city where deprivation and unemployment are high, that success will sadly alienate some of the loyal fans who helped them achieve it.