Released by Leigh today............

"We as a Board need to balance between what is needed to achieve sustainability and the ever increasing demand to meet supporters’ expectations of affordability. We have taken the decision to publish how the ticket pricing actually works so there is no misunderstanding about the actual cost.

Last year due to the clubs needs, we increased prices to provide a secure foundation for the future.

A number of supporters were very critical of the decisions and were of the opinion that lower prices were the answer -they were wrong.

Some will say that attendances are lower is in part due to playing some games on a Friday. There was no real difference between a Sunday game and a Friday evening. There will be a natural demand to go back to a Sunday only game and certainly it would be our natural preference.

Next season we move to a 14 team competition which will start at the beginning of February until September with a full programme over the Easter weekend. Based upon our current income the team should be strengthened by increasing the squad numbers but we will be in difficulty in doing this with the current restricted income.

The Board has decided that there will be a few games on a Friday - this is in essence to allow the players some time off at the weekend during the season. It would inappropriate to expect players to play every Sunday without any free time with their families in the season. However we will not know the fixtures until later in the year.

This, our first year has shown to us the need to ensure the ticket pricing is right, fair and transparent.

Prices:
We believe that our clientele requires constant updates on what the Club receives net, when people purchase a ticket. The net receipt for tickets is as follows:

£18 Ticket Sale > -10% to LSV Co (£1.80) = £16.20 > -20% VAT (£3.24) = £12.96 > -£0.05 Ticket Cost = Net income of £12.91 to Leigh Centurions

£9 Ticket Sale > -10% to LSV Co (£0.90) = £8.10 > -20% VAT (£1.62) = £6.48 > -£0.05 Ticket Cost = Net income of £6.43 to Leigh Centurions

£10 Ticket Sale > -10% to LSV Co (£1.00) = £9.00 > -20% VAT (£1.80) = £7.20 > -£0.05 Ticket Cost = Net income of £7.15 to Leigh Centurions

The season tickets for last year covered the holder for nine home games and two Northern Rail games making a total of 11. This year, a season ticket will cover the holder for 13 home games and no Northern Rail, making a total of 13.

Last year, a season ticket for the West Stand cost £170 (£15.50 per game). The concessionary rate was £90 (£8.20 per game).

In the North Stand the season ticket cost £150 (£13.60 a game). The concessionary rate was £80 (£7.30 a game).

Our recommendations for the 2013 season are:
We will be stopping the early purchase scheme due to the adverse consequence on the club's income.

We will be increasing the age limit for concession in line with other Championship clubs to 65 should this cause financial hardship then the club will consider relaxing this to accommodate individual needs. Such applications will be addressed to the General Manager Richie Blackmore.

We will keep the prices for the West Stand at the same price £18.00

We will be increasing the concession price by £1.00 to £10.00

We will be keeping the North Stand to £16.00

However over the next 2 seasons the price difference between the West Stand and the North Stand will be phased out.

The Concession price will increase in alignment with other clubs to £12.00.

The Board must recognise the loyal support so we will be introducing during the 2015 season a loyalty discount to recognise those supports who purchase season tickets or alternatively purchase match day tickets but to achieve this we need to ensure the clubs database is accurate and details of purchases are properly recorded. This will take time to implement that is why the scheme will be launched in 2015. It is essential that all supporters’ details are accurately recorded on the clubs database.

It is expected that as we become more self sufficient, the loyalty scheme will be enhanced so that the regular supporters will receive the benefit they have helped to create.

From a financial point of view, scrapping the early booking and raising the concessionary rate should generate an extra net income of £13,800 for the year, provided the crowd numbers stay the same.

The pricing policy is aimed at sustainability with the club being able to ensure a competitive team on the field. Our ability to achieve this is also dependent upon the continued support of LSV with whom we would not be able to achieve the success we have achieved.

We must all appreciate that the success of LSV is vital to the success of the Centurions we are partners in every sense of the word.

We have to be able to demonstrate to the RFL that we have a considered and robust view when it comes to finances. The RFL’s age for concessionary tickets is 65 whereas the concessionary age for Leigh Centurions and many others is 60. At other clubs the concessionary rate is less generous than ours. Halifax’s concessionary tickets are 72% of the full value price whilst Sheffield’s are 67%, Featherstone 60% and our rate would still be very attractive at 55.5%.

Reserved Seats:
We have been approached by a small number of people over the subject. It is our view that the seats reserved for this season should be able to be reserved for the same season ticket holders for next season, if they so require it. If reserved seat holders fetch Bob, they are free to go to other parts of the stand in order to sit together.

Existing season ticket holders will be able to re-new their season ticket (and reserve their seat – either their current one or a different one) from Monday, 15th October. Season tickets will go on general sale from the 1st November.

We consider that the advantage of purchasing a season ticket against a full price ticket is that it is 15% cheaper and equivalent to two free games. It allows the season ticket holder a reserved seat for all games, including those not covered by the season ticket (Challenge Cup, etc.). It obviates the need to queue for tickets.

There are likely to be merchandise discounts in due course and it will allow the holder priority in purchasing tickets for Finals, etc. It could affect the cost of entry to under 23’s and under 18’s games if held at the LSV.

It is therefore proposed that a season ticket for 2013, in the West Stand, will cost £200, generating a saving of £34 if one was to attend at all 13 games. The average ticket cost is £15.40.

A season ticket for the North Stand will cost £180. The average ticket cost is therefore £13.85.

It is proposed that the concessionary rate for the West Stand will be £120 -an average of £9.20 per game and £110 for the North Stand - an average of £8.46 per game. (It will be noted that there is an added cost here of £1 per game.)

Family Tickets:
It is proposed that a family ticket, covering two adults and two children, Family Ticket will be £400, whereas the normal cost could be between £430 and £490.

Juniors & Students:
It is proposed that the ‘Quid for a Kid’ for under-12s should remain. Season tickets for under-12s will be £15. Season tickets do allow juniors free admission at away fixtures and the purchase of a season ticket will allow free entrance into the Junior Centurions Club. Under-12s need only give proof of their attendance at junior school at the time of purchase.

Under-16 year olds will be £5 per game or £45 for a season ticket.

Students, having given proof of full time education, will be entitled to the same rate as concessionary tickets, i.e. £10 a game or £120 seated / £110 standing season tickets.

THE LEIGH CENTURIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
12th September 2012".

Have to say a least the board are being open at what they do.
I don't agree with the Friday RL / Sunday RL line (and wonder why Saturday PM's wasn't given a odd run if the board feel Fridays and Sundays aren't ideal or they are uncertain).
The 'giving the players a weekend off' line is a really strange one (can't say I've heard of many other sports clubs doing that) but the prices seem competitive again and everyone knows exactly what it will cost.
Still going in the right direction IMO

Good on the club for getting season ticket and matchday prices sorted so early.Agree with you Jenky would have liked the the odd saturday evening kick off.

IMO one of the most professional sounding statements I've heard from the club. Might not be to everybodys taste (re Fridays etc) but they put a good argument forward for every aspect of it, so it comes across as very well thought out. Open, honest, transparent - excellent communication Leigh, well done.

I will for the second year not be buying a season ticket in line with the clubs policy of encouraging fans not to do so.
Thursday games and Holidays will mean I will miss 2-4 home games a season, I will buy on a game by game basis as now and hope we have a cash gate to save the 5p a ticket costs.
I am disappointed but not surprised by the lack of vision in making the ST's more affordable for people/families on a limited income. It will be very difficult for a family to find £40 in any given week to attend a game, but if the £400 was spread over 8 months at £50 then it would be far easier for them, and attending live is a habit that once broken is very difficult to recover.
We are not stupid, we know we need income and we know it must come from the loyal band of speccies and sponsors we have but the inbalance of Beancounters to marketeers at the top is holding us back imo

I am also wondering whether to get one this time ( had one for past few seasons ) I know the club need the income but £200 is a lot to find and with only saving £34 might not be a big enough incentive this time for me

But low on both Fridays and Sundays. This is because there is no consistency on when we play. No one other than the most ardent fan who comes on these boards has had a clue when the next home match is. You've lost 3 ST sales from me because of the decision to play on Friday nights, but I know some people prefer that, but whatever day/time you decide, you need to be consistent. People need to know without going to loads of trouble when Leigh play, and they need to get in the habit of going every other Sunday or Friday or whenever.

I hope that this is enough to entice the 350 season ticket holders we lost last season back! I don't want to be sceptical about this I know the club has to do everything it can to meet its financial commitments. However I remember last season when at a fan's forum we were told we would be playing on Sundays then just as the fixtures were to be released low and behold we were playing very few Sundays mostly Fridays.
I am sure like a lot of other loyal fans I will wait until I know how many Friday nights and Sundays we are playing before commiting to two season tickets.

I agree' it needs to be consistent, what was the result of the survey, we should of gone for all sundays imo.

Survey finishes at the end of September. Questionnaires are still available to be completed at the Market outlet.

Do you know if it has it been a good uptake in people filling these in or has the percentage of people taking part been low.

Not had an update recently, but there were almost 400 on-line at the beginning of August. Since then, presumably more have been completed on line, plus about 40 at the Halifax game. However, I think they have also been handed out via the Market stall - so there should be a good few hundred by the end of the month.

Cheers, hopefully they'll be enough of a cross span of supporters / lapsed supporters (or even potential ones !) for the club to be able to use the data to help us go forward.

The club has been very open and up front about s/t prices. They have been able to fully justify increases, but there is one anomaly, in my opinion, that a couple of us have brought to the attention of the Board.

The club is raising the age of a concession ticket, from 60 to 65, stating that it is 'in line with other Championship clubs.' Whilst the RFL ticketing policy is 65 for concessions, it remains at 60, for our closest Championship rivals, Featherstone and Halifax.

The club's current intention would mean that a 60-64 year old, who purchased a West Stand seating ticket for £90, in 2012, would have to pay £200 in 2013 - an increase of 122%! Similarly, a 60-64 year-old who paid £80 in the North Stand in 2012, would be expected to pay £180 in 2013 - an increase of 125%.

In my opinion, that sort of increase is unacceptable, but I would like to hear the views of any others in the affected age range. It could be that you feel such a price hike is not unreasonable. A solution has been suggested, that would involve phasing in that increase in concession qualifying age.

The main motive for taking the questionnaire into the Market, is to find folk who are lapsed/non-supporters, to get their views. Apparently, there have been folk, from the Pennington end, who hadn't even heard of the Sports Village! (and no, Richard Lewis does not, to the best of my knowledge, live in Pennington!)