One Royal

[Clyde1998]

Really? I had no idea - I had an away season ticket back in 06/07, thought they'd just stopped completely.

Interesting about the cost to administer and the fact they can never predict prices etc. If the league were more organised and had the inclination, they could somehow standardise prices and help drive away season tickets across the league as an organised thing

Yeah, it's still going. Works on a direct debit model, so the money exits your account when the tickets go on sale. You don't get any discount on tickets, just an automatic payment of tickets for every away game.

[Esteban]

Had a proper read through the article now, and looked at the comparison table. Very big price differences between Elite/Standard/Core.

Core appears to be just like a normal season ticket and I think I will go for that one (assuming I will renew, which I very likely will).

I was thinking of Elite before reading properly, but almost all of the benefits I personally don't need or want.

- I won't attend academy games
- cup games I will pick and choose
- special concierge - don't need
- club shirt - don't need
- discount in the ground - not really worth it as I don't really spend much there, occasional coffee but that's it
- Audio pass to games - don't need
- Video pass - don't need

I don't know why the club don't look at Away Season tickets, or something similar. I know League One is hardly going to be as sought after, but some fans would value it and we did sell out a lot of games this season.

EDIT: on a side note, I like the idea. I think this is the correct idea. It's like a modular service - you can add these bolt-ons and extras. This will also work with other initiatives the club are looking at, and also I think it will become more popular when the new fanzone thing is built this summer, or they try to incentivise fans to attend earlier, or at least in greater numbers.

All very valid points. People I've spoken to about it are either in favour or dead against it. There doesn't seem to be an inbetween.

I'm sure this is part of a much wider commercial review that will see more changes coming down the line, both for domestic and overseas/long distance fans. I'm not sure there'd have been the pushback there has been, if things were going better on the pitch, though. Can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs, I guess.

[Forty]

Have I read this correctly. The minimum commitment is 12 months, PLUS a 3 month notice period.
So it's all fine and dandy if you're going to buy a ticket every year, but if you want a one year season ticket, on One-Royal it's actually going to cost £518 (£24.58*15).

I didn't spot the raising monthly fees clauses either, but presumably if we're doing well (ie many thanks have changed!) then they could up the subscription rates after Christmas, perhaps?

[Clyde1998]

Have I read this correctly. The minimum commitment is 12 months, PLUS a 3 month notice period.
So it's all fine and dandy if you're going to buy a ticket every year, but if you want a one year season ticket, on One-Royal it's actually going to cost £518 (£24.58*15).

I didn't spot the raising monthly fees clauses either, but presumably if we're doing well (ie many thanks have changed!) then they could up the subscription rates after Christmas, perhaps?

I emailed STAR about this earlier.

It's worse than that, if I'm reading it right: you have to commit to twelve months a time. So the fifteen month period would mean committing for two years.

There's interesting legal position when it comes to this. If people aren't clear about what they're subscribing to, it could constitute a breach of English law.

[katweslowski]

As much as I am in favour of the idea of this (albeit I'll choose the option which closely resembles a "normal" season ticket), I think the 12 month thing is stupidly over-complicated.

The football season doesn't run on a 12 month period, why would they try to force that issue? It should simply be "sign up for a SEASON-long membership commitment... the contract being you can't exit as it runs until May" Simple. At the end of May, the contract/season is over and you go again.

*maybe* they could have an incentive to commit longer term, but that's probably over complicated again.

These things all cause admin, fan confusion, staff time trying to explain it, and could just lead to frustration where fans think "I dont' understand, I will just buy the tickets when I need them as there are 12,000 empty seats to choose from"

[EASTENDER MARKY]

Neil Peters due on the TTE podcast this week to discuss this.

I'm getting the word, "oxf*rd"

[Brogue]

Someone on twitter has done this

Hey #readingfc fans - here's a spreadsheet to work out whether subscription or season ticket is best for you. Copy the spreadsheet for yourself, answer questions in column H, and you'll get some idea of overall costs over the season for each subscription option in row 26!

I did this to help me, hope it helps others too Disclaimer, my sums may not add up.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... view#gid=0

[RG30]

A football club has introduced a new tiered subscription scheme for fans wanting to buy season tickets.

Reading FC's One Royal scheme allows fans to pay monthly for a season ticket with extra benefits, including member-only prize draws and exclusive experiences.

Under the new scheme, members who pay more can gain more loyalty points, which Supporters Trust At Reading (STAR) has raised concerns about.

Co-chief executive of the League One club Joe Jacobson insisted "there won't be any fans that miss out because of this".

Under the new model, season ticket prices have been frozen at the 2025/26 rates until 15 June.

The monthly subscription fee for a seat in the Upper West Stand - the highest price - is £67.74.

Different levels of membership also include perks such as discounts on food, merchandise and stadium parking.

STAR said that it was broadly supportive of what it said was an "innovative, inclusive and flexible model that provides value and added value and choice to fans"

It also welcomed the effective freeze in season ticket prices.

The fans group also said there was "a lot of new information to take in" and raised concerns about an "imbalance in the distribution" of loyalty points used to prioritise who gets tickets for high-demand matches.

"Elite members who attend every home game, but barely travel away, will have a substantial loyalty point advantage over core members who watch home games and travel away with greater regularity," it said in a statement.

"While we understand football is a business, fans who pay more and see us play less should not have such a sizable advantage over fans who pay less and see us play more.

"When affluence is rated higher than attendance, they are royalty points, not loyalty points."

Jacobson said the club wanted to ensure the scheme was implemented "with fairness" and that members "can't just buy your way to the top".

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire said similar membership schemes were "fairly common" in football clubs.

Manchester United has a similar scheme called United Membership.

"I think clubs have to balance their commitments to loyal Reading fans who do go week in and week out along with the fact that they're operating a business as well."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgz1l5mxp0o

Link to the interview https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0njsk25

[katweslowski]

Someone on twitter has done this

Hey #readingfc fans - here's a spreadsheet to work out whether subscription or season ticket is best for you. Copy the spreadsheet for yourself, answer questions in column H, and you'll get some idea of overall costs over the season for each subscription option in row 26!

I did this to help me, hope it helps others too Disclaimer, my sums may not add up.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... view#gid=0

This is the right link as the first one is HTML view only - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... id=0#gid=0

If you want to edit, you need to go to File->make a copy.

[Whore Jackie]

Ta, based on that it's 4p cheaper a year with One Royal Core. I'm gonna push the boat out and stick with the ST.

[Green]

Ah the subscription economy. Is nothing sacred? I'll be the grumpy old git telling people "in my day it was cash on the gate"

Feels like they need to be leaning more into personalised experiences, limited edition merch and other "money can't buy" things at the top tiers - otherwise it's just a discount which doesn't equate to the additional fee.

[RG30]

Money can't buy experience = car sticker

[parky]

Money can't buy experience = car sticker

But it can buy loyalty points!

[Green]

Money can't buy experience = car sticker

Anyone still driving around with one of these

[Brogue]

Money can't buy experience = car sticker

Anyone still driving around with one of these

and this

[Brogue]

its a shame the shop shut
https://www.royals.org/shop.html

[Brogue]

[Far from the royal crowds]

Have I read this correctly. The minimum commitment is 12 months, PLUS a 3 month notice period.
So it's all fine and dandy if you're going to buy a ticket every year, but if you want a one year season ticket, on One-Royal it's actually going to cost £518 (£24.58*15).

I didn't spot the raising monthly fees clauses either, but presumably if we're doing well (ie many thanks have changed!) then they could up the subscription rates after Christmas, perhaps?

Neil Peters said a few times on The Tilehurst End podcast this week that it's a minimum of 12 months, so have to have it at least 9 months before triggering the 3 month notice period to cancel at the 12 month point.

[RoyalBlue]

Based on what I've been told by some Wycombe fans, One Royal is the Wycombe subscription scheme on steroids with all of the added tiers and benefits for sale.

Apparently The Wycombe scheme just has the one level and is simply intended to allow their supporters to spread season ticket payments out over the year.

[Green]

Based on what I've been told by some Wycombe fans, One Royal is the Wycombe subscription scheme on steroids with all of the added tiers and benefits for sale.

Apparently The Wycombe scheme just has the one level and is simply intended to allow their supporters to spread season ticket payments out over the year.

No disrespect to the chairboys but doesn't really sound comparable.