Price is right, for now

April 30 2008

Shepparton News

A mid-season push for gate prices to be raised in North Eastern Soccer League was voted down at a club delegates' meeting on Monday night.

Shepparton South president Mick Arthur forwarded a motion for the ticket price for adults to be raised from $5 to $7 which was seconded by Shepparton United president Shane Harford.

But present clubs Tatura, Cobram Victory, Numurkah and Kyabram voted against the motion.

The push for a rise in gate price came off the back of increased match-day expenses for clubs, generated largely by more licensed referees operating in the league.

Arthur told the meeting his club's match payments to referees had reached as high as $500 for some home games after being as low as $200 last year.

He argued the league's adult ticket was a bargain at $5 compared to other spectator-friendly competitions such as Goulburn Valley Football League and district football.

But Harford aside, Arthur got no support for an in-season upping of the price.

Cobram Victory president Tony Startari agreed the gate price should be reviewed, but not until the end of the season.

League secretary Sam Saracino said yesterday it was inevitable the issue would be raised again at the end-of-season annual general meeting.

``If not by the league then one, two or more of the clubs,'' Saracino said.

``We acknowledge the cost of running a club has gone up, but so has the number of licensed referees.

``We've found seven, potentially eight new referees this season and the only two we lost were the ones who did games in Griffith.''

The league has also ended its grace period for clubs failing to enter scores, goal-scorers and bookings on ResultsVault.

Not uploading the data onto the league's website is classified as failure to lodge a team sheet and carries a penalty of $165. Fines will now be enforced for failure to comply with the league's direction.

PAY PER VIEW

Adult ticket price:

GVFL: $10

PDFL: $8

KDFL: $7

NESL: $5