He won't answer because he knows we have reduced by around 20% - and we have sold less than 10% more tickets.
Bradford have a strategy. Buy a season ticket before the cut off or else. Massively inflated season ticket price especially for concessions, one of the most expensive prices on match days and in addition withdrawal of any payment plan available and flexi cards.
There is no way on this planet we would get away with that here - we may if we had a small ground and could threaten exclusion but we can't.
We would have to sell 27,000 season tickets if we assume 30% are under 16 to break even. That also excludes revenue made on match day sales at higher prices. We wouldn't sell 20,000 in the premier league.
The comparable strategy for Bradford led to a 50% increase in season tickets.
For us that would mean approximately an extra 3000 season tickets holders.
Now I am going to be riddiculously generous and give you the worst case scenario. Out of that 3000 we only 1500 adults and we get 1500 under 11's for free.
We make £223k
Now you look at the loses again worst case scenario all of the remaining 6000 fans were adults you lose £50 a head. £300k
So in the most extreme scenario for us which wouldn't happen we would gain 3000 fans and lose 77k.
As I am sure you are aware we would not lose as much money as that and we would certainly gain more.
All 6000 current season ticket holders are not adults and if we go on your 70% ration the books balance and we get a better atmosphere in the Ricoh.