Season ticket details for the coming Serie A campaign have been announced by Fiorentina, and there are a range of exciting options for fans to choose from.
According to ViolaNews, the club have revealed a new partnership with Findomestic Banca, to allow supporters to divide the cost of their season ticket into 9, easier to manage installments, with no interest or tax to pay. Prices have been frozen at the level of last season and loyal support is rewarded through discounts for those who had a season ticket last year and for those who purchase early. There are additional savings to be made for those under the age of 18, under 14, for students, large groups and families.
There is also a mini season ticket available for the group stages of the Europa League, which will only cost in the region of €20 for a seat in the Curva Fiesole, and will provide an opportunity to have first refusal for tickets if and (hopefully when) the team reach the group stages. Fiorentina were forward thinking enough to offer existing ticket holders the opportunity to bring a friend to the Europa League semi final for a ridiculously cheap €7 in an attempt to fill the stadium and create an electric atmosphere.
With so many measures to reward loyalty and to make watching Fiorentina affordable to fans, it is clear that filling the stadium is of paramount importance to the club. In the last four seasons, average attendances have risen from 21,477 in 2011-12 to a high of 33,098 in 2013-14, 6th in Serie A. This figure tailed off slightly last season to 30,266; which may be why we are seeing the club try to further entice supporters to purchase season tickets.
For any football club, advance sales of tickets provide an income that is guaranteed and consistent which is vital for financial forward planning and setting budgets. The marketing department also have had the foresight to promote extremely affordable tickets for children, representing an investment in the club's future. A child under 14 can buy a season ticket for as little as €95 in the Curva Fiesole - €5 per game!
In comparison to Season Ticket prices in the English Premier League, watching Fiorentina in Serie A represents excellent value. The lowest priced Arsenal season ticket would set you back a whopping £1,014, but even a season watching Stoke City would cost you £294, which is about £15.50 per game, which then converts to roughly €22, in contrast to €10 per game for the cheapest ticket in the Curva Fiesole. Even a season's live football in the English non-league is priced at as much as £285.
So a high standard of football, a passionate atmosphere at a ridiculously cheap price and seeing the beloved team in purple play live...Where do I sign? If only there wasn't the cost of the flights on top... *sigh*. Seriously though, it is hoped that the initiative will be mutually beneficial to both the club and those who DO live in Florence through increased attendances in the coming season.