Watford target younger fans with season ticket prices for 2011/12

There is an increase of between £15 and £25 for adults depending on where fans sit but the Hornets have clearly targeted the younger audience by reducing all prices for students, young adults and under-16s.

Watford also want to attract the next generation of fans and have created a new seven and under age group who can purchase a season ticket in the Family Stand for £10, which works out at 43p a game.

Watford had 10,200 season ticket holders last season but for the current campaign it dropped to 8,630.

And Michael Jones, head of business operations, said: “From our point of view we are hoping we drive up the numbers a little bit, that is the aim, or certainly retain around the level we have currently.

“It is well documented we have had a bit of a drop over the last few years for understandable reasons but on the back of what has been a very good season on the pitch and a period of stability at the club in general, I think people have generally found it a good, enjoyable year all round and we hope there will not be any reason for people not to renew.”

All under-16 prices have been reduced by at least 30 per cent. So for the youngsters sitting in the Rookery or the Lower Rous, a season-long ticket is £60, which, effectively, is £2.60 a game.

There have also been big reductions in the age groups either side of the under-16s.

Young adult and student prices have been cut by £95 in the Upper Rous and by nearly £60 in the other three areas. The £140 ticket works out at £6 a game for young adults and students.

There have also been several changes to the Family Area in the Vicarage Road Stand.

Parents of children between the ages of eight and 15 can purchase a year-long ticket for £30 and for sevens and under, it is £10 for a season. You can only qualify for this section of the ground though, if there is one full priced adult and one under-16.

The Hornets are planning to change the way they segregate the away fans from the Family Area as well. The section next to the Watford fans will become a new ‘families only’ section for visiting supporters and there will be other alterations.

Watford chairman Graham Taylor said: “We appreciate these are tough times to be finding hundreds of pounds, so we hope that the prices seem fair to you.

“If we are to continue to strive to be a ‘True Community Partner’, one of our stated aims, then we have to focus on making it even easier for families to come and enjoy the football together at Vicarage Road.

“We have thought long and hard about where cost savings can be presented, and we’ve taken the family and younger supporters route as a key focus.

“We’re aware that there are many thousands of adults and seniors out there who’ve shown us dedication and support over many, many years. We don’t take that for granted and we appreciate your loyalty, we really do.”

Two years ago Watford made reductions of between 16 and 20 per cent across the board in a bid to retain their increased supporter base.

Prices were therefore expected to increase in the coming seasons but the senior citizen ticket for the Upper Rous is the only category which is more expensive for next season compared with the 2008/09 campaign when booked online.

Prices are once again more if you do not apply online or if you apply after the ‘Early Bird deadline’, which is Saturday, May 21. There is a difference of between £5 and £20 if you purchase your tickets by phone, mail or in person rather than online.

Current holders’ seats will be held until the ‘Early Bird deadline’ when they will then be made available to others.

Those hoping to switch seats still need to renew before May 21 and then once all the applications have been processed, seat movements will take place, at a cost of £10.

New applicants can apply by phone, mail or in person, at that category’s prices, before May 21 and will then be considered after existing season ticket holders have moved seats. First-time buyers will not be able to purchase their ticket online.

The ‘75-miler’ tickets, which enables fans who live more than 75 miles away to choose which 15 games to attend, is still available.

Paying by direct debit is still possible and the club have reduced the administration charge to four per cent and will spread the payments over eight months.

Watford chief executive Julian Winter, in his covering letter to season ticket holders, said: “It is no secret that season ticket income is the largest financial contribution to the running of the club outside of player trading, so we have to finely balance our commitment to offer affordable pricing with ensuring that this income contributes to the continued development of our ambitions to be a sustainable, top 30 club in English football.”

Taylor added: “In terms of value for money, honesty and commitment, I think all Watford supporters would agree that it’s been a tremendous season’s entertainment from the playing squad, led in exemplary fashion by the football manager, Malky Mackay, and his dedicated staff.

“However not only do I understand, but I fully respect that you have your choices to make in terms of how you spend your disposable income.”

The season tickets have been announced more than a month later than previous seasons this year and Jones, who has worked for the club for more than 15 years, confirmed the on-going takeover was the primary reason.

He said: “We have new owners and they are settling in and with that, quite rightly, they want to play their part in everything we are doing.

“We put a proposal to them and have spent some time working on that but they have been in favour of the structure we have in place and it has ended up with a very attractive package, so they have bought into what we want to do.”

He continued: “The pricing structure was in place already and it has gone through a process. They haven’t tampered with it at all. This is the pricing structure we proposed and they said ‘yes’.”

Watford were short of cash at the turn of the year so they sold a percentage of their season tickets to a company called Ticketus Services 35 Limited in exchange for £1.506m.

The money, plus VAT, is secured against the sale of future tickets and will be repaid before June.

But Jones insisted the Ticketus deal did not influence the club’s decision making, saying: “The agreement with Ticketus is not related to the pricing at all.”