NICK WARD - Owls' season tickets deadline dilemma
TO renew or not to renew? That is the question.
Well at least it's the question many Wednesdayites are asking themselves.
This year Wednesday are asking fans to renew season tickets earlier than ever before - and it's fair to say the reaction has been mixed.
Traditionally supporters renewed and reaffirmed their loyalty in the close season.
But now Wednesdayites are being urged to pay today to see games which won't be played, in some cases, for more than a year.
Originally fans were told to qualify for maximum discounts they would need to purchase by February.
Some 3,000 season ticket holders did but more than three times that number did not.
Arguments for and against renewing have raged on fans web site forum Owlstalk.
Some argue that those who choose not to renew at this stage are not loyal supporters.
Others, angered by the claim, say the club are taking too great an advantage of their loyalty.
There are those who are holding back until they know exactly what they are paying for - whether it be Championship football or, God forbid, League One.
Others are waiting until the long promised new investment arrives.
But the likelihood of that happening seems as far away as ever.
For me , a season ticket holder for 35 years, it's all about tradition.
I've always renewed in the summer, it's part of the build up as excitement grows towards kick off day.
Renewing at this time of the year just doesn't feel right.
Wednesday Chairman Lee Strafford extended the deadline for maximum discount until next Tuesday.
He wrote to current season ticket holders saying:
"I am asking all fans to renew earlier than in the past, so we can establish Alan's (manager Alan Irvine) budget for next season as early as possible.
"This will give Alan the ability to plan and implement in good time, rather than playing catch-up to other clubs, as has been the case in preceding years.
"In simple terms every 1,000 season tickets sold puts 400,000 into the football budget."
He's also introduced an easy payment scheme which means fans can, if they so choose, pay in instalments.
But still many are not convinced and it's really getting to the Owls chairman.
I recently met him and found him to be a passionate man, and, above all, a Wednesdayite.
It's obvious to see the monumental task of turning Wednesday around is affecting his health.
His words are meant to convince us that if we follow him things will turn good.
But we've heard most of what he's promising before from previous regimes who offered us "Premiership Return". It never happened.
Maybe that's why only around 5,000 tickets have been renewed so far.
Today you can add me to that number, not because of anything the chairman has said.
Like many long suffering Wednesdayites I will, once again, stand by the club in this their hour of need in the belief that things really will get better. Won't they?
Got a view? Add your comment below.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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