New ticket policy is the real thing

PHIL ANDERTON has headed global marketing for Coca-Cola from the glamorous base of Atlanta, Georgia. He brought an extra £11million into the Scottish Rugby Union during his time at Murrayfield. So getting a few extra Jambos to turn up at Tynecastle ought to be a breeze.

Sitting around his office conference table with hands clasped over the papers detailing Hearts’ new season ticket pricing policy, you sense immense pride at what he and those behind the commercial scene in Gorgie have formulated. And rightly so.

Season ticket prices are on the rise, but with that comes a string of initiatives to make buying one worth a fan’s while. Personalised seats, the chance to bring a friend, a prize draw and £20 off club kit for introducing a mate.

Add to that individual match promotions that allow half-price entry to certain SPL fixtures and, for those who appreciate the finer things in football, the new corporate Platinum section with personalised leather seats, free programmes and meetings with the new head coach - when Anderton settles on one - for members.

If these initiatives fail, it will not be because Anderton’s homework wasn’t conducted thoroughly. If his mind has been busy going over negotiations with Nevio Scala, George Burley or others recently, it has also been equally exercised on how to bring the punters in.

"When I came to Hearts at the end of March one of the big questions was about when we would launch season tickets," explained the chief executive. "I was told Hibs had launched theirs so we had to get ours out there.

"I didn’t want a knee-jerk reaction and just come up with something really quickly. I felt the current pricing structure wasn’t right for the club and with the changes and the plans we have I believe we can make a big difference to the crowds we are getting. Seating areas are now in four different categories - Platinum, gold, silver and bronze - and ticket prices cheaper and simpler for supporters."

And there is certainly plenty to examine listening to Anderton’s sales pitch. The Gorgie Stand is to be entirely devoted to families from now on with face painting and other matchday events.

And that’s not all.

"As a concession, if you want to go along, without sitting in the best seats in the house, and you’re looking for value, you can pay a fiver and go and see Hearts play," says Anderton.

"The cheapest season ticket you could get last year was from £150 for a concession. This year a full concessionary season ticket is £95 [£5 a game]. You can also get one which does not include the ‘A’ games [Rangers, Celtic and Hibs] for £50 [£3.85 a game].

"We have also introduced a ‘B’ season ticket for adults, which again gives access to all games outwith Rangers, Celtic and Hibs, from £110, with ‘A’ season ticket prices starting at £230 compared to the cheapest last year, which was £285."

Anderton concedes that the type of pricing policy adopted by John Boyle at Motherwell a few years back which eventually saw the Lanarkshire club fall into administration is a caution for Hearts.

He added: "Our strategy is not just to drop the prices and hope loads of people turn up and not worry about the cost. We need the money, because we can’t rely on Romanov’s money alone. And he has made it absolutely clear it is not up to him to generate cash, it’s up to us.

"We are introducing a Platinum section of around 700 seats in the very middle of the upper section of the Wheatfield stand [the area between the two Hearts crests]. And we are putting the price up from £320 to £395, but £360 for season ticket holders already in there. The seats in the Wheatfield upper will be the gold section and are going up from £320 to £350. But the important thing is that people have a choice.

"If you are one of these people who just wants to turn up for the big games and you want to sit in the best seats, you’ll have to pay the money to do so."

Taken from the Scotsman