In the wake of last season’s incidents between supporters at the FC Nantes – Olympique de Marseille match, the Canaris management decided to review the conditions for ticket purchases in order to control the influx of Marseille supporters and enjoy a superb atmosphere.
Priority is therefore given to the 13,000 subscribers and recent spectators* at La Beaujoire, as well as to anyone wishing to reserve a pack for the two home matches against OM and Le Havre.
Each person can buy up to 20 tickets. If you don’t meet these conditions, you won’t, in theory, be able to take your seats. Unless this ambitious strategy is softened in the run-up to the November 3 kick-off.
It’s likely to be a sold-out affair, as matches against OM are among the most popular.
For a parallel with the hotel industry, this match resembles a genuine “peak” date where the goal is to extend the length of stay with a minimum-stay requirement. Demand is so high that filling up on Saturday is a given; the challenge lies more in effectively filtering the demand to retain the most valuable – those willing to extend their stay – two nights for a hotel, two games for a football stadium.
By opting for this strategy, which favors subscribers or packs, the club’s objective is threefold:
- Benefit from substantial income from this match
- Get as many Nantes fans as possible in the stadium
- Stimulate and direct demand for other events
Unlike other players eligible for RM, the Ligue 1 clubs have few historical references, making it impossible to perfectly anticipate the effects on future purchasing behavior – 17 home matches a year vs. 365 nights for a hotelier, for example.
A soccer match is often won by winning the battle of the midfield; on the ticketing side, it’s all about controlling seat quotas by category/type of ticket. that FC Nantes must excel to win. Otherwise, they risk either under-optimize this poster by selling too quickly at an insufficiently high price (Spill) or having to release single tickets due to insufficient demand for potentially overpriced packs (Spoilage).
The balance between attack and defense is subtle
The only adjustment variable during the match – during marketing – is dynamic pricing, which will enable us to adjust prices according to expected and actual demand, always with the idea of keeping seats for the most contributing customers.
As far as Revenue Integrity is concerned, although purchases and resales are regulated, there are still risks associated with circumventing the rules legally:
- En prenant une place pour le prochain match à domicile, vous serez considéré comme un spectateur récent et pourrez ainsi profiter de la prévente pour le fameux FC Nantes – OM. Le premier prix étant affiché à 19€ contre Nice.
- By opting for the pack of two matches up to October 13: against OM and then Le Havre three weeks later. The first price is €52.
Not sure that twenty euros will dampen the fervor of the Marseillais…
FC Nantes have prepared well for this match to maximize their ticket revenue and provide a superb atmosphere at La Beaujoire, and now it’s all about adapting their tactics (ticket category/type quotas and dynamic pricing). May the best team win!
Key words: FC Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, ticketing, Revenue Management, Dynamic Pricing, Yield management, capacity, revenue, ticketing,…