I read with a mix of amusement and dismay the reaction of a small set of St. Johnstone fans yesterday to the allocation of 3 stands to visiting Celtic fans for what may turn out to be our league title winning party.
Biting the Hand that Feeds You
Some St. Johnstone fans are unhappy that they will be relocated to accommodate three stands full of Celtic supporters. This anger is misguided.
If you’re a fan of any Scottish team outside Glasgow, then there is a harsh, but factual economic reality that you need to face. Both Celtic and Rangers have far bigger supporter bases than you do.
If you can’t sell out your own stadium with your own fans, then you should sell those tickets to visitors who want them.
That’s not deference to bigger clubs, its not pandering, its embracing economic reality.
It’s Not Celtic’s Fault if you Can’t Fill Your Stadium
At the end of the day, empty seats don’t help anyone. Having watched Livingston v St. Johnstone on Monday night, I can tell you its not a good look, when you have thousands of empty seats on show to an international audience.
St. Johnstone’s average attendance this season, according to Transfermakt sits at 5,339. McDiarmid Park holds just shy of 10,700 people at capacity. A half empty stadium, for a team also flirting with relegation, really doesn’t help them. So long as all season ticket holders are accommodated, which the club have pledged to do, then I really don’t see the problem.
Part of a Wider Reality Check
We’ve noticed this with other clubs recently too. An increasing number of clubs realize that they can’t fill their stadiums with their own fans. If you can’t sell them at home, then you need to sell them to visitors.
I genuinely wish that clubs like St. Johnston and Livingston could fill their stadiums with their own fans. Scottish football would be far better off if they were able to do so.
But they can’t and it’s highly unlikely they ever will. That is the unfortunate reality. They’ve tried raising ticket prices, they’ve tried increasing merchandise prices, but you can only go to the well of fan goodwill so often.
When those streams run dry, then looking outward is the only option.
No More Empty Seats
Along similar lines, Celtic can do better in this regard too. For a multitude of reasons, there are times throughout the season when various season ticket holders are unable to get to the game. They are also unable to easily pass their ticket to friends or family.
I’m always cautious of saying we should emulate anything that clubs in the English Premier League do. After all, most of Scottish football’s troubles in recent times stem from unrealistically trying to keep up with our financially bloated southern neighbours.
However, Liverpool’s Ticket Exchange scheme is a fantastic idea. And for clubs like Celtic, where tickets are often near impossible to come by, it makes perfect sense.
An Absolute No-Brainer
Liverpool offer season ticket holders the opportunity to resell their seat on an online exchange, managed by the club, and receive back the full value of their ticket, either as a refund or as a credit towards future ticket purchases.
Celtic need to implement this as soon as possible. Too many seats are going to waste at the moment, and in these austere times, anything that kicks a little back to the fans is unquestionably a good thing.
In the meantime, I look forward to Sunday, and the 2,500 empty seats I expect to see with about 30 minutes to go, and Celtic well ahead.