Reading FC

Those fans who have cheered their side on to promotion this season and covered endless miles up and down the country, spending thousands of pounds in the process, shouldn’t have to pay for the privilege of a picture with the trophy
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Reading FC fans pay the true price for promotion

By Jonny Fordham
May 16, 2012

Promotion back to the Premier League is worth a cool £90million for Reading Football Club.

The financial windfalls from broadcasting rights and extra sponsorship revenues are extreme.

Royals are set for another huge pay day – and it seems they’re making the most of it by quickly turning to profit from fans on their return to the top flight.

Over the years the club have always been fair with ticket prices for supporters, however, they’ve scored a massive own goal by planning to charge their fans a whopping £15 to have their picture taken with the Championship trophy on the last weekend of this month.

I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I read this on the club website on Saturday morning.

Choking into my Cornflakes, I read on to discover that additional prints cost £7.50 – and to rub salt into the wounds of jubilant fans: “Supporters may like to note that it will not be possible to take your own pictures of the trophy, while for safety reasons it is unfortunately not possible to lift the trophy,” say the club.

“Did I just read that #readingfc are charging £15 to have your picture taken with the Championship trophy?!” – I tweeted – and the response I received from my followers was overwhelming.

Obviously the club are going to want to profit from their promotion, however, this latest initiative is taking supporters for granted.

Despite what the people holding the purse strings believe, football fans are not commodities.

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“Isn’t it a bit weird getting your photo taken with a trophy anyway? It’s not yours. You didn’t win it,” argued one supporter who missed the point.

I’m sure Royals wouldn’t have equalled their club-record of 13 away league wins in the season if it wasn’t for the army of fans following them this season.

Granted, fans could attend the promotion party to see their Royals heroes lift the Championship trophy for a £1 donation to charity, but benefitting from that financially would have caused a supporters’ revolt.

Yes, season tickets are also fairly priced, but charging excessive amounts of cash for such extras seems harsh.

Sadly, everything in football has a price these days – but it doesn’t mean that clubs should be able to get away with it.

Supporters’ Trust At Reading chairman Paula Martin agreed that the price was far too steep.

She said: “STAR is disappointed that the club are charging as much as £15 to have your picture taken with the Championship trophy, but it is an indication of what being a Premier League team will mean to supporters – a much more expensive time for all.

“We would urge the club to consider making a donation to their hospice charities from the money taken.”

STAR hit the nail right on the head.

And when the Reading Post contacted the club, they issued the following statement on the situation.

They said: “The Trophy lifting event at the Stadium was rightly free for season ticket holders, around 15,000 fans were there – those who did pay £1 saw all money go to Duchess of Kent Hospice.

“Most adult season ticket holders paid just £350 for the Premier League with our early bird offer – less than £19 per game.

“Our new prices for 2012/13 are cheaper than the last time we were in the Premier League six years ago – adults £40 less and children’s season tickets as much as £135 cheaper.

“Even at our new prices adult supporters still get close to five games out of 19 free, and children get nearly 12 matches free compared to matchday prices.

“And in terms of the trophy picture day up to 10 people can have their picture taken at one time with the trophy, take away one print on the day for £15.”

Some fair points, but it still doesn’t make charging £15 a picture-perfect scenario.

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God this article is such a waste of time yawn! Come on professional photographers are not cheap. If you want the pic then you will pay to have it taken if not you won't. Find some really interesting stories to write about Reading FC please. Finding out what is going on with the takeover is the most important thing! I too do not care about this particular issue very deeply. NOT IMPORTANT!

poru, Bournemouth
17/05/2012 at 22:44

This is a very naive article, again trying to stir up the public.

Imagine if this was free, you'd get 10K people wanting to have their picture taken. The logistics behind that would be crazy. I'm sure the few people willing to pay £15 for a professional photograph being taken will be very happy with the service.

Rants like this is why we live in a compensation culture and rant about everything that costs us money. Stop moaning and enjoy the premier league.

Chrandalf, Fareham
17/05/2012 at 17:31

I don't think anyone will pay £15.00, well anyone with a brain. As for the take over I hope the deal doesn't go through, prefer to have a prudent chairman who won't allow the club to go bust!

Tilehurst Ender, Spencers wood
17/05/2012 at 17:29

Promotion is potentially worth £90m over time, but it's paid in arrears, not as a lump sum. We don't see a penny of it now! All we've won so far is the much smaller prize money for winning the Championship (I think around £1m?)

The £90m is made up of:

* one year's Basic Award, paid every three months in arrears. Half of the UK TV and national radio money is split equally among clubs (and a percentage to relegated clubs) * one year's share of the overseas broadcasting money, again split equally and paid in arrears * one year's Facility Fees, payments made to clubs for live matches, from 1/4 of the UK broadcasting money * the Merit Award payment for finishing 18th-20th, paid at the end of the first season (probably the figure for 18th is used, which is 3x that for 20th, as the media love big numbers in headlines) * Four years of parachute payments, which decline as a percentage of the broadcast revenues over time - again, paid in arrears during the applicable seasons.

The actual amounts of broadcast and sponsorship revenue aren't known - occasionally the Premier League will publish a news release claiming some amount of money over the whole contract. As far as I can tell, the quoted £90m is a calculation from those news releases.

We have had zero cashflow from the Premier League so far since promotion and it will remain zero until some time in January when the first Basic Award and Facility Fees payments are made. The club has to raise what it can to compete to sign players, now substantially more expensive in both transfer fees and wages.

The way the money is split is defined in the Premer League Handbook (which includes all the rules and regulations), available at http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/publications.html .

CatAndHat
17/05/2012 at 13:50

It's not per person it's per photo - so if people really want a photo then go as a group. It is expensive but nobody is being forced into it, so agree with everyone in saying it is hardly newsworthy.

Smiffy, Reading
17/05/2012 at 13:38

It didn't take long for the 'we're not happy unless we've got something to moan about' brigade to crawl out of the woodwork did it?

Must have been a slow news day (again) at the Post yesterday.

Rh3, Reading
17/05/2012 at 13:31

Johnny, you really are a pleb aren't you. I know your job is to cover pages (most of it being recycled drivel off hobnob), but this is an absolute non story it's unbelievable.

Nichael Bluth
17/05/2012 at 13:21

got out of the wrong side of bed this morning Jonny ? If you want to have a rant, why not turn your attention to the PL delaying the Reading takeover and messing up our chances of decent summer signings.

Would Leigh
17/05/2012 at 12:58

It is a ripoff, I wouldnt pay it and many won't. Hardly news though.

However as Jonny is not a Reading fan yet gets into Reading games for free its all a bit mean-spirited. Focus your attentions elsewhere Jonny, like the club you support.

Bushes Bernal
17/05/2012 at 12:32

I went to the Mad Stad a few years ago for some football-sticker swapping thing and a cup trophy was there. Realising it was an opportunity to get a picture... I did! I wasn't stopped, in fact - I was encouraged by security have a picture, but couldn't lift it up of course! I think there was a £2 donation to charity or something. That was it.

Can't believe it's £15 now. Shocking.

L
17/05/2012 at 12:17

No one is holding a gun the anyones head and forcing fans to cough up £15. If you don't approve then vote with your feet and don't take part.

Nothing like getting behind your club is there Jonny. Sheesh...

Reading Headings, Reading
17/05/2012 at 12:13

Maybe everyone should of bought their season tickets before we got promoted instead of being glory hunters and waiting - your own fault people.

readingboy22
17/05/2012 at 11:42

I REALLY DONT CARE IF IM HONEST

last chance saloon
17/05/2012 at 11:41

Just state to RFC it breaches your human rights and you will get free photo's for all the family and probably a box for the season!

love buddha, Berkshire
17/05/2012 at 11:22

Don't see what all the fuss is all about. In the CG age if you really wanted to get a snap of you with the trophy you can easily photoshop it for free.