Dot Counting Blackpool 10k - Oct 21st

[MJB]

Ideally of course, they won’t bring any fans. That’s what’s best for the club, anyway.

Seem to recall them not bringing any fans to our place in 2021. For a play-off semi-final too.

Very poor.

 

[bdodwell]

That’s assuming you haven’t already given the naughty corner to someone from Blackpool.

()

Have arrived at Naughty Corner but got sent on to Very Naughty Corner, which has sold out to Oxford Fans who haven't bought a Blackpool ticket.

 

[Colin B]

I've done my midnight count a little early, but just noticed that @Thecurraghofkildare did a count about an hour ago, so wish I'd seen that before I did my count.

I broadly agree with his figures and have us at 6,877 home sales, so very good sales today, and an interesting few days ahead. We are now 850 ahead of Port Vale at this stage, and only 350 behind the Exeter game, where we had approximately 1,000 discounted tickets sold, and a final home attendance of 9,114.

10,000 total may be a tall order, as we don't know how many Blackpool will bring, but it's undeniable that our home sales are up considerably on last year, and are continuing to rise week on week.

Sales of 200 yesterday, leaving us just below 7,100 home sales at midnight. It's interesting that Tuesday sales in every home game this season have been almost exactly the same, at around the 200 mark. Although there is a pattern to sales, they do vary from day to day, but not Tuesday, which will now be known as 200 Tuesday.

We've now surpassed the total number of home fans at the Carlisle game, with 3 days, plus match day, still to go, so our home support is unarguably increasing.

Wednesdays are usually similar, and then it ramps up Thursday, Friday, and match day, so a little early for an accurate forecast, but I'm going to say about 8,750 home fans, plus what Blackpool bring, but will know more in a day or two.

 

[derek]

Proud (and a bit surprised) to be able to be one of the 200

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

I have home sales at midnight on Wednesday at 7,307 with 2,247 seats still available. Colin will likely have done a late night tally as well so hopefully we won’t be far out.

Some additional seats were released in the central block (12) of the South Stand Upper and 32 prime seats still remain there. That means sales today were approx 250.

Remaining seats are

South Stand Lower - 607
South Stand Upper - 530
East Stand - 545
North Stand - 565

 

[Colin B]

I have home sales at midnight on Wednesday at 7,307 with 2,247 seats still available. Colin will likely have done a late night tally as well so hopefully we won’t be far out.

Some additional seats were released in the central block (12) of the South Stand Upper and 32 prime seats still remain there. That means sales today were approx 250.

Remaining seats are

South Stand Lower - 607
South Stand Upper - 530
East Stand - 545
North Stand - 565

Yes, our figures are very similar, in fact only one out, as I had us at 7,306 at just before midnight.

Net sales of about 230 for the day, but just under 50 VIP seats were released earlier in the day, some of which have subsequently sold, meaning gross sales between 250/300. It's a strange thing that the club does with these seats, which are directly behind the Directors and Patrons in Block 12. They are "allocated" to the commercial team and initially show up as sold by the ticket system. But at some point before a Saturday game, occasionally Wednesday, but usually Thursday, those that they haven't sold appear on general sale. They do usually sell, although for the first three games of this season there were between 30/50 left. I don't know why they aren't available all of the time, as surely this would remove the risk of these prime seats remaining empty due to only being available for a couple of days before the game? These are the sort of things where I feel the club are still inefficient, and "doing what they've always done."

Now for a forecast. We're currently 800 ahead of the Port Vale game (which finished at 8,144 home fans) and only 300 behind Exeter (9,113). By that metric we would end up with between 8,800 and 8,950 home fans. Looking at the buying patterns for this game I'd say we can expect 250/300 sales today, 400/600 tomorrow, and 650/750 on the day. This gives us a worse case (unlikely) of 8,600 home fans and a best case of 8,950 which is in line with the 8,800 to 8,950 mentioned above. I'll suggest we'll be at the higher end of this and therefore will need just over 1,000 Blackpool fans to make the 10,000. Not impossible, but I suspect we'll end up at about 9,750.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Net sales of about 230 for the day, but just under 50 VIP seats were released earlier in the day, some of which have subsequently sold, meaning gross sales between 250/300. It's a strange thing that the club does with these seats, which are directly behind the Directors and Patrons in Block 12. They are "allocated" to the commercial team and initially show up as sold by the ticket system. But at some point before a Saturday game, occasionally Wednesday, but usually Thursday, those that they haven't sold appear on general sale. They do usually sell, although for the first three games of this season there were between 30/50 left. I don't know why they aren't available all of the time, as surely this would remove the risk of these prime seats remaining empty due to only being available for a couple of days before the game? These are the sort of things where I feel the club are still inefficient, and "doing what they've always done."

At the risk of treading on toes, my interpretation of those Block 12 seats has always been that they are held back or allocated specifically for potential sales of the 'icons restaurant' hospitality package (which includes a SSU Premium ticket).

However, invariably this package doesn't sell out (and probably not very well at all on occasion) and so there is then a tipping point (as you say, 2 or 3 days out from the game) when it is deemed better to open these seats up as matchday seats only (without the meal, programme and biscuits).

It probably says more about our inability to secure enough interest for the hospitality package than anything else, but as you say it creates a strange scenario whereby some of the best seats in the house appear for sale, as individual tickets, just 48 hours before a game.

Icons Restaurant | Blackpool

Join us in the club’s Icons Restaurant for the visit of Blackpool to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday 21st October, 3pm kick-off.

www.oufc.co.uk

 

[Malc]

Ah block 12. When planning a trip to Blighty to watch the mighty U's I book flights, hotel, and a hire car first. As my visits with a mate have to be planned far in advance I also order tickets as soon as they go on sale. Always ask for block 12 and have never been disappointed! Tickets then have about 12 days to arrive, which has never gone wrong.
Am I being treated as a VIP, or is it just my smooth telephone voice that makes the ticket lady forget all the rules?

 

[Paul Cannell]

She thinks you're Schteve McLaren.

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

Home seat sales at 5.30pm on Thursday are 7,480 with 2,064 seats still available.

That figure doesn't include box sales of approx 250+ which Colin counts in his on the day sales total.

That means 183 sales so far today (so very solid but not spectacular). Colin will no doubt do his usual midnight update tomorrow morning.

Remaining seats are

South Stand Lower - 585
South Stand Upper - 484
East Stand - 526
North Stand - 471

North Stand has been selling consistently the fastest this week.

 

[Colin B]

Yes, our figures are very similar, in fact only one out, as I had us at 7,306 at just before midnight.

Net sales of about 230 for the day, but just under 50 VIP seats were released earlier in the day, some of which have subsequently sold, meaning gross sales between 250/300. It's a strange thing that the club does with these seats, which are directly behind the Directors and Patrons in Block 12. They are "allocated" to the commercial team and initially show up as sold by the ticket system. But at some point before a Saturday game, occasionally Wednesday, but usually Thursday, those that they haven't sold appear on general sale. They do usually sell, although for the first three games of this season there were between 30/50 left. I don't know why they aren't available all of the time, as surely this would remove the risk of these prime seats remaining empty due to only being available for a couple of days before the game? These are the sort of things where I feel the club are still inefficient, and "doing what they've always done."

Now for a forecast. We're currently 800 ahead of the Port Vale game (which finished at 8,144 home fans) and only 300 behind Exeter (9,113). By that metric we would end up with between 8,800 and 8,950 home fans. Looking at the buying patterns for this game I'd say we can expect 250/300 sales today, 400/600 tomorrow, and 650/750 on the day. This gives us a worse case (unlikely) of 8,600 home fans and a best case of 8,950 which is in line with the 8,800 to 8,950 mentioned above. I'll suggest we'll be at the higher end of this and therefore will need just over 1,000 Blackpool fans to make the 10,000. Not impossible, but I suspect we'll end up at about 9,750.

Sales of 250 for the day, leaving us at 7,550 at about 11:30pm last night.

We're roughly shadowing the Port Vale and Exeter games each day, so I expect that to continue, and we'll end up at about 8,750 home sales. At lunchtime yesterday Blackpool had sold about 650, and they expect to bring 900/1,000 so I'll stick with the 9,750 estimate for now. Today will be the make or break for whether we've got any chance of 10,000.

 

[Essexyellows]

Not sure what your weather is like but its hooning down in the Midlands.

Might have an impact on travel arrangements etc and reduce the number of on the day sales.......... if the game isn`t postponed?

 

[holdsteady]

The game being called off because of the weather has started early on here this year, normally about November before every game is going to be postponed because its a bit breezy.

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

12.30pm update on Friday and home seats sales are up to 7,632, which leaves 1,922 home seats still available.

Add in boxes and we are up to approx. 7,900 overall home sales so far.

Remaining seats are

South Stand Lower - 554
South Stand Upper - 451
East Stand - 501
North Stand - 416

 

[Marked Ox]

Not sure what your weather is like but its hooning down in the Midlands.

Might have an impact on travel arrangements etc and reduce the number of on the day sales.......... if the game isn`t postponed?

Poured down overnight but not rained for hours in Abingdon.

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

4.30pm update on Friday and sales have been going well this afternoon - we are now up to 7,764 home seats sold (132 sold in past 4 hours) leaving 1,790 available.

Remaining seats are split

South Stand Lower - 542
South Stand Upper - 407
East Stand - 466
North Stand - 375

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

7.15pm update and another 97 sales since 4.30pm taking home seat sales up to 7,861. Add in boxes and we are at about 8,150 (if at capacity of 290). Colin had a figure of 650 already sold by Blackpool yesterday bringing the overall figure to 8,800, with this evening and on the day sales to come.

Remaining available home seats of 1,693 are split

South Stand Lower - 536
South Stand Upper - 386
East Stand - 438
North Stand - 333

We should get up to 9500+ but looking unlikely that we will make 10,000.

 

[MJB]

We should get up to 9500+ but looking unlikely that we will make 10,000.

Given that it’s Family Day, I’m blaming those lazy kids. Bunch o’ bastards.

 

[Kiewhite]

7.15pm update and another 97 sales since 4.30pm taking home seat sales up to 7,861. Add in boxes and we are at about 8,150 (if at capacity of 290). Colin had a figure of 650 already sold by Blackpool yesterday bringing the overall figure to 8,800, with this evening and on the day sales to come.

Remaining available home seats of 1,693 are split

South Stand Lower - 536
South Stand Upper - 386
East Stand - 438
North Stand - 333

We should get up to 9500+ but looking unlikely that we will make 10,000.

North stand has sold about another 80 since then. I’m not counting the rest

 

[Thecurraghofkildare]

Home seat sales at midnight were 7,990 meaning 440 in total on Friday.

Add in boxes (290) and Blackpool known sales (650) and we are at 8,930 with on the day sales and any additional Blackpool sales to come. They are likely to be a combined total of 500-750 so the final crowd should be in the 9,400-9,700 range.