Topic: Fan's Sponsor

[CraigDS]

I had this idea a little while ago, but with all the negativity going round I didn't bother posting it up, but seems we've had a good win and a few days before the next game I guess now is a good a time as any.

We all know ticket prices are an issue, and I think it's agreed by most that this is more something which will need to change league wide from the powers that be at the top rather than individual clubs doing it on their own. So it got me thinking of ways to subsidise ticket prices until that day happens, so the fans benefit and the club doesn't lose out on any income, and I thought of a Fan's Sponsor.

We have sponsors for everything now, paying ridiculous amounts of money to be things like the official coffee supplier (Dunkin Donuts apparently pay £11m per year for that privilege). So why couldn't the club/SOS/fans find a Fan's Sponsor which pays a similar amount? The amount of goodwill that sponsor would get from the fans would be pretty huge, and the most the club would have to offer is a little access like they already give to the other sponsors, maybe some advertising on printed tickets, inside the ground, etc. It certainly doesn't have to take anything away from existing or future club sponsors.

So what would this mean for ticket prices?

I'm making some guesstimates here as I don't have the official figures, but let's assume the club currently has approx 37k 'normal' priced tickets after you take off away, corps, sponsor/club tickets. Let's also guesstimate the average price of a ticket is £40 (PL game, taking into account ST prices are cheaper per game, as well as kids and OAPs). Let's also assume a Fan's Sponsor brings in a little less than a coffee sponsor these days, so £10m.

Over a 19 home game PL season that is 703,000 'normal' tickets sold between ST's and general sale. Meaning a saving of approx £14.22 per ticket (£270 off a ST) - putting the average ticket price at just under £26. I know these figures are all based on guesstimates but they are probably not miles out, if anyone has any more accurate capacity figures for each stand I'd happily work them out more accurately.


Am I talking crazy things here or not? Surely there is a lot more benefit to a company being a Fan's Sponsor than a Coffee Supplier, and therefore likely one could be found? This is also not something the club would necessarily have to take the lead on, with the clubs backing surely this could be something SOS/fans could help bring to reality?

P.S - Mods I know this could potentially go in one of the atmosphere threads maybe, but was hoping it was actually a good idea and being in it's own thread may let it gain some traction, and maybe Ayre on his daily browse of RAWK will put it into action. 

[Mumm-Ra]

That actually makes a lot of sense and is a way more direct way for a company to gain goodwill with supporters, as you say. Buy my product because I directly saved you money, instead of just buy my product because you just saw my logo.

[CraigDS]

That actually makes a lot of sense and is a way more direct way for a company to gain goodwill with supporters, as you say. Buy my product because I directly saved you money, instead of just buy my product because you just saw my logo.

Not just that but it's a new type of sponsorship, something the club couldn't do other than for this reason, so it wouldn't lose the club money or mean them having to hand over money that would of otherwise gone to the club.

I imagine it would also attract a sponsor which wouldn't otherwise be bothered with sponsoring a football club, simply because it's sponsoring the fans and there is a hell of a lot of goodwill and publicity attacked to that.

[richmiller1]

It's quite a neat concept, only trouble is finding someone who thinks the goodwill of 40,000 largely skint individuals is worth 10m a season without the club throwing in some massive sweeteners.

A million a year to subsidise kids tickets might be a more realistic prospect

[SlowRap]

Carlsberg don't do fans but if they did...

Who's volunteering to dress up as a beer bottle then?

[CraigDS]

It's quite a neat concept, only trouble is finding someone who thinks the goodwill of 40,000 largely skint individuals is worth 10m a season without the club throwing in some massive sweeteners.

The club would have to play a part for sure, and that would mean something like some player access and promotion on the clubs various online channels. I imagine it's not a massive cost to the club, plus again the club would also get some good will from the fans for it.

It's not just the sponsor getting goodwill from 40k fans though, it's the media coverage this would get, the coverage across the fan base, etc. As said, if the Dunkin Donuts deal is worth £11m a year for the coverage they get, and the Garuda training kit sponsor is worth something like £18m a year, then surely must be some value there in this.

A million a year to subsidise kids tickets might be a more realistic prospect

The issue with this is it involves not only subsidising the cost of kids tickets, but also persuading the club to give over a fairly big chunk of full priced tickets.

[richmiller1]

The club would have to play a part for sure, and that would mean something like some player access and promotion on the clubs various online channels. I imagine it's not a massive cost to the club, plus again the club would also get some good will from the fans for it.

It's not just the sponsor getting goodwill from 40k fans though, it's the media coverage this would get, the coverage across the fan base, etc. As said, if the Dunkin Donuts deal is worth £11m a year for the coverage they get, and the Garuda training kit sponsor is worth something like £18m a year, then surely must be some value there in this.

The issue with this is it involves not only subsidising the cost of kids tickets, but also persuading the club to give over a fairly big chunk of full priced tickets.

Deals like the Dunkin one are basically licensing agreements, lets them rinse our already strong brand to shit in Asia whilst they try and get a market presence there. I doubt they would pay even £500k for the matchday/ local exposure.

This isn't a criticism btw........ It's the most useful suggestion I've heard in this whole debate, just don't think it will be as lucrative as you expect

[CHOPPER]

I'll sponsor the goalies - Each game they manage to keep a clean jockstrap, let alone a sheet, I'll donate a million Lira to the 'Make Runcorn Normal' campaign.

[CraigDS]

Deals like the Dunkin one are basically licensing agreements, let's them rinse our already strong brand to shit in Asia whilst they try and get a market presence there. I doubt they would pay even £500k for the matchday/ local exposure.

Oh I don't disagree, I know why they are doing it. The same would go for a fan's sponsor though, and if the club is willing to play ball (it's a small cost) with giving the fan's sponsor the same sort of access as a normal sponsor does then they'd get just as much exposure and more.

This isn't a criticism btw........ It's the most useful suggestion I've heard in this whole debate, just don't think it will be as lucrative as you expect

Certainly not taking it as criticism, it's nothing more than a basic idea and would be good to get input and comments on it, and hopefully people in the positions that can make something of this can do so if it seems workable.

[Floydy]

The thing is Ian Ayre would rather take 100% of the tickets and the full whack from the sponsor. Even if they have a billion sponsors they will gladly take another on board.

[CraigDS]

The thing is Ian Ayre would rather take 100% of the tickets and the full whack from the sponsor. Even if they have a billion sponsors they will gladly take another on board.

They couldn't possibly ever have a Fan's Sponsor though, not unless the money was being used to benefit the fans. No sponsor would put their name to it otherwise.

I also think there is an argument for this sort of sponsor attracting a company which wouldn't normally be interested in sponsoring anything to do with a football club, simply because the money is going back to the fans rather than another business.

[Devon Red]

I think it's a great idea.

I've felt for a while that the players should do something similar;get together a hardship fund to subsidies tickets from a small percentage of their wages. It could go a long way. Sadly, your idea is probably more realistic.

[CraigDS]

I think it's a great idea.

I've felt for a while that the players should do something similar;get together a hardship fund to subsidies tickets from a small percentage of their wages. It could go a long way. Sadly, your idea is probably more realistic.

There is no reason players, or even ex players like Carra and the like, couldn't help try and push it over the line should someone decide to run with this and try to make it happen. Would be much easier to attract a sponsor if people like Carra, Fowler, Dalglish, etc are speaking out about it.

[4pool]

I wonder, as an incentive from the club, if the Fans sponsors name could be painted in the Kop End on the seats.

IE: Coca Cola.

The stand is not renamed, it's still the Kop.

They'll still get plenty of advertising off having their name on the seats.




Question...would the away supporters tickets also be reduced? Again, as goodwill, that would start the ball rolling at other clubs as well.

[CraigDS]

I wonder, as an incentive from the club, if the Fans sponsors name could be painted in the Kop End on the seats.

IE: Coca Cola.

The stand is not renamed, it's still the Kop.

They'll still get plenty of advertising off having their name on the seats.

Question...would the away supporters tickets also be reduced? Again, as goodwill, that would start the ball rolling at other clubs as well.

That's not a bad suggestion with regards to an added incentive.

I worked it out without the away tickets to more hammer home the possible savings, but yeah it could be extended and would then possibly be another incentive for the sponsor as would have their brand recognised by a load more fans.

[freddwarf]

Not sure if I understand the concept. Is it that your suggesting a sponsor pays a small percentage of the ticket price. Then advertise the fact.

Like say, Walkers, official sponsors of all LFC fans. Something like that.

Well we do have a world wide fan base of many millions, so it might be a runner, but even if some smooth talker could talk them into it, I doubt it would run into millions of pounds.

Have to get all supporter club associations involved, to flog the idea to a sponsor. Might give it a hearing. Could nominate a charity if the amounts won't make a dent in any ticket price.

Good idea mate. Hope something comes of it.

[4pool]

That's not a bad suggestion with regards to an added incentive.

I worked it out without the away tickets to more hammer home the possible savings, but yeah it could be extended and would then possibly be another incentive for the sponsor as would have their brand recognised by a load more fans.

The thing is with the away supporters, if we're paying say £30 per match at fan sponsored rates and the aways are paying £50...they're going to feel ripped off. A bit like when Birmingham City charged us, was more than their own. We claimed away supporters should pay the same as home.

[PM]

How would it work though? We don't want pitch invaders wearing sponsors t-shirts I assume. Would it be enough just to let the sponsor say "Liverpool fans have chosen xyz as their sponsor for today's match"? Or would we have to have their logo on our flags and scarves?

[gazzam1963]

Nice idea there , and some good follow on suggestions too  . As suggested similar access to behind the scenes and small advertising on tickets , programme etc would help but what amount a company would be prepared to pay would need to be investigated perhaps something SOS could do . A fans sponsor would certainly be
More appreciated and generate more goodwill than Garuda , dunkin donuts subway etc . Also being the first company to such a deal in itself would generate much publicity nationally and provoke debate

[CraigDS]

Not sure if I understand the concept. Is it that your suggesting a sponsor pays a small percentage of the ticket price. Then advertise the fact.

Like say, Walkers, official sponsors of all LFC fans. Something like that.

I think it would have to work that the club would receive the money from the sponsor and then that is used for the club to lower ticket prices by the same collective amount.

How would it work though? We don't want pitch invaders wearing sponsors t-shirts I assume. Would it be enough just to let the sponsor say "Liverpool fans have chosen xyz as their sponsor for today's match"? Or would we have to have their logo on our flags and scarves?

It would be a whole mix of what sponsors currently get (access to players for pictures of marketing, marketing on our website and social networks, advertising around the stadium but possibly in new places), plus the press and media coverage it would get above and beyond this, certainly for the first one, would be pretty huge.

[freddwarf]

Like, for arguing sake:

I dunno...er..a home attendance of 44,000....sell the 44k to a sponsor, match by match.Or the full season. Everybody around the world, who are LFC fans or just other sports fans would become aware of a brand sponsoring the 44,000.

Today's attendance, sponsored by Tesco or whoever.Maybe a world wide brand. Exposure is good, get their name associated with LFC but not paying the club, paying a fans consortium, ensuring the money goes to footballing or charity related causes.

Probably have to be a registered charity, could happen. Only thing is the name Liverpool FC and all other derivatives of that name are copyright and cannot be used in conjunction with any business or any other deal, without permission.

Well if that doesn't work..with all this stuff in the media about that kid doing good deeds. Sponsor a good deed. Community led, money raised to give a deserving disabled child or adult a good deed. Something they need to improve their life. Maybe.

[gazzam1963]

I still think the answer to lowering ticket prices is still for the premier league to stipulate the next tv deal has a ring fenced percentage to be used for this sole purpose . We get ever increasing mega tv deals but the agents and players know the amounts and milk it with ever increasing contracts .

Knowing they can't get at that money will ease there demands , whether the clubs would implement the price reduction honestly is another matter .

[CraigDS]

Like, for arguing sake:

I dunno...er..a home attendance of 44,000....sell the 44k to a sponsor, match by match.Or the full season. Everybody around the world, who are LFC fans or just other sports fans would become aware of a brand sponsoring the 44,000.

Today's attendance, sponsored by Tesco or whoever.Maybe a world wide brand. Exposure is good, get their name associated with LFC but not paying the club, paying a fans consortium, ensuring the money goes to footballing or charity related causes.

Probably have to be a registered charity, could happen. Only thing is the name Liverpool FC and all other derivatives of that name are copyright and cannot be used in conjunction with any business or any other deal, without permission.

Well if that doesn't work..with all this stuff in the media about that kid doing good deeds. Sponsor a good deed. Community led, money raised to give a deserving disabled child or adult a good deed. Something they need to improve their life. Maybe.

I'm more thinking if it being a multi year sponsorship which goes to the club and in turn that exact amount is used to lower ticket prices.

Not really a charitable thing as nice as that is.

[PM]

I think this would have to be organised through the club. Otherwise there is risk that the fan's sponsor would clash with the club's next sponsor. Does anyone know if there is a precedent for sponsorship money being spent on something specific like ticket subsidy?

[CraigDS]

I still think the answer to lowering ticket prices is still for the premier league to stipulate the next tv deal has a ring fenced percentage to be used for this sole purpose . We get ever increasing mega tv deals but the agents and players know the amounts and milk it with ever increasing contracts .

Knowing they can't get at that money will ease there demands , whether the clubs would implement the price reduction honestly is another matter .

Totally agree, and this could be a working example of seeing that exact thing working, other than Sky or BT become that 'fan sponsor' in the future for arguments sake.

[CraigDS]

I think this would have to be organised through the club. Otherwise there is risk that the fan's sponsor would clash with the club's next sponsor. Does anyone know if there is a precedent for sponsorship money being spent on something specific like ticket subsidy?

It would certainly need to be done with the backing of the club, if not by the club itself. However it's certainly something SOS could push to them and also help along.

[L666KOP]

I might be a bit of a sad bastard, and possibly taking it too far, but I refuse to buy a Samsung product, never bought Sharp products, never used Vodaphone etc etc.

I'm sure I contribute somewhere, but never ever knowingly so.

I bet it would work the other way as well.

I'm not a ST holder, and can't afford to go the game anymore, but if I needed a TV and our sponsor was Sony, I'd buy one because I knew they were helping my 'mates' go the game for a reasonable price.

Mel mentioned Coca Cola earlier, imagine 10% of Liverpool fans switching from Pepsi because of what they did ??

[CraigDS]

I might be a bit of a sad bastard, and possibly taking it too far, but I refuse to buy a Samsung product, never bought Sharp products, never used Vodaphone etc etc.

I'm sure I contribute somewhere, but never ever knowingly so.

I bet it would work the other way as well.

I'm not a ST holder, and can't afford to go the game anymore, but if I needed a TV and our sponsor was Sony, I'd buy one because I knew they were helping my 'mates' go the game for a reasonable price.

Mel mentioned Coca Cola earlier, imagine 10% of Liverpool fans switching from Pepsi because of what they did ??

Exactly, this is the sort of goodwill they'd get, above and beyond what a normal sponsor gets (and I'm pretty certain that's a fair amount).

[gazzam1963]

What about the fans sponsor being entitled to details for marketing purposes of season ticket holders , club members and .tv subscribers as long as you agree . That's substantially more than 40000

[81a]

It's a very good idea.

The risk involved of sponsoring the whole fan base might be an issue, but covering the cost of, lets say, a 1000 child tickets every home game in a certain section of the ground would bring a large amount of goodwill from football fans all over the country.

[CraigDS]

What about the fans sponsor being entitled to details for marketing purposes of season ticket holders , club members and .tv subscribers as long as you agree . That's substantially more than 40000

Pretty certain that's what club sponsors get currently as long as they agree, so yeah.

[L666KOP]

Everyone's a winner as well, it's a surefire way of making sure the new seats get an arse on them every game.

[thekremlin]

I think this an absolutely great idea. Seriously great. Imagine the goodwill generated for the club and the sponsor. How has this not already been done? I'd get in touch with the club.

[81a]

Everyone's a winner as well, it's a surefire way of making sure the new seats get an arse on them every game.

It is - you would think clubs all over the country would be delighted to have a few thousand tickets subsidised by a sponsor every week. Fuller stadium and revenue from incidentals from people who might not be able to go otherwise.

Only 3 clubs in the country who who likely don't care about the revenue but the goodwill itself of the club actively encouraging this type of sponsorship would bring it's own benefits.

[redbyrdz]

Its a good idea, and something the club and sponsors could well be interested in.

Just to be awkward though, what stops the club from increasing ticket prices even more, so that we'll end up back with the old prices, plus the sponsor's money? Maybe not in the first year, but gradually?

[gazzam1963]

I think this an absolutely great idea. Seriously great. Imagine the goodwill generated for the club and the sponsor. How has this not already been done? I'd get in touch with the club.

Agree totally , I wonder how much effort , time and money has to go to actually finding a major sponsor . Do you put it out there through a PR company that your looking for one and then have to wine and dine them then sell them the idea ?
Then all the legal stuff of what your entitled to do and can't do , making sure there's no conflict with existing ones ..these will possibly be reasons why the club wouldnt do it , what's in it for there time and effort

[J_Kopite]

Without being partisan or naive I honestly think that our club is one of the best to get this idea off the ground if it was to be applied nationwide, thinking of our "internet terrorism" etc... what channels can we use to propose this properly?

Contact with the FSF and SOS may be a good start?

Edit - shame your username has been changed to a pair of tits because I have a feeling you've been on here a while and deserve the correct praise for bringing this up

[richmiller1]

It's certainly fair to say that the first club/sponsor to something like this in place will get a lot of initial publicity. Probably worth someone from the commercial department having a look at the idea sooner rather than later.

[CraigDS]

Without being partisan or naive I honestly think that our club is one of the best to get this idea off the ground if it was to be applied nationwide, thinking of our "internet terrorism" etc... what channels can we use to propose this properly?

Contact with the FSF and SOS may be a good start?

SOS is a good start. Part of the reason I put it in a new thread is in the hope the couple of members on here who are also part of SOS (and a few of the ones who help run it) can see it and comment.

I'll do some digging tomorrow and try to find some contact details for someone at the club to get it noticed.

Edit - shame your username has been changed to a pair of tits because I have a feeling you've been on here a while and deserve the correct praise for bringing this up

I was CraigDS, the just Craig?, and now a pair of tits because I made a joke about someone else's name. No biggy really 

[Bangin Them In]

Great idea

A progressive firm would pay 10 million for the use of the data from seat sales alone

If you didn't want the data used, you could opt out and pay the £40+ or opt in and price at £26