The public attendance at the Spotify Camp Nou during the first matches of the 2022/23 season is one of the good news generated around the Club. The stands of the Stadium are filled again, after a 2021/22 season in which initial capacity restrictions due to the coronavirus, the absence of tourists, the vacation of subscribers and the suppression of Seient Lliure, in addition to the march of Leo Messi and the team’s irregular trajectory, made the numbers fall.
It should be remembered that the average audience last season was 55,026 in attendance and the highest attendance in a first-team match last year was in the Clásico against Real Madrid, on October 2, 2021, with 86,422 people, with a capacity of 100%. The Camp Nou registered a drop in attendance of -28% compared to the pre-Covid-19 season, with a total average of 76,747 people in attendance.
The circumstances that exist today are not the same, which is why it is necessary to go back to the first four official matches of the last pre-pandemic 2018/19 season to make a more realistic comparison and draw some conclusions. In that course 274,765 people attended, adding the three League games and the Champions League. Specifically, the rivals of Barcelona who trained Ernest Valverde is Alaves (52,356 in attendance), Huesca (72,892) and Girona (76,055), while the first match of Europe’s top competition, against PSV Eindhoven, brought 73,462 people. The average is 68,691 viewers per game.
In comparison, this 2022/23 season, the number of attendees to see the first four games of Barcelona of Xavi there were 81,104 people against Rayo Vallecano, 83,972 against Valladolid, 85,073 in the last game against Elche in the Liga and 77,411 in the Champions League debut against Victoria Pilsen. Public attendance over the four games totaled 327,560, with an average of 81,890 per game, representing an increase of 19% (an average of 13,199 more people per game).
Another aspect worth highlighting is the increase in ticket sales, which has been 46% (11,618 more tickets per game) compared to the 2018/19 season. These good figures prove that Xavi’s Barça 2022/23 is engaging, but the new sales strategies are working, where they have chosen a commercial policy of cheaper prices aimed at the resident public (from the Catalan territory ) and non-subscriber partners, with promotions and discounts of up to 50% on the total price, as well as the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and digital content.
The success of this policy is also based on a commitment to facilitate the attendance of non-season ticket members. For this reason, the exclusive presale of this group has been extended this season from 24 to 72 hours. In most matches this season, the Club will reserve many seats at a popular and fixed price for these members, which is at least 50% of the total price and, in addition, there are no price variations in during the sales process based on demand as is the case with other tickets.
In terms of billing, the increase in the first three League games is 18% higher on average than in the 2018/19 season, and 9% if we also include the game of Champions. Thanks to the commercial policy aimed at improving attendance at Spotify Camp Nou, although it involved a reduction in ticket prices, it managed to improve turnover this season compared to 2018/19, with a team that had Leo Messi and just won. the League title, and in a more favorable context in terms of tourism.
As for Joan Gamper Trophy, played at Spotify Camp Nou on August 7 against Pumas, achieved a 4% increase in turnover compared to the pre-pandemic course, played against Boca Juniors. The Gamperwhich is not included in the season ticket, brought in 83,021 people this year, with a greater presence of local than foreign audiences and lower ticket prices compared to Gamper of the 2018/19 academic year, which gathered 56,826 attendees. 9% increase in subscribers and 37% reduction in absenteeism
Attendance by season ticket holders also increased, in this case by an average of 9% overall (3,030 people per game), reducing by 37% the number of season ticket holders who did not attend or left in their seats in the Seient Liure. This is one of the conclusions of the comparative analysis of the first four official matches of the current course, three in the League and one in the Championscompared to the 2018/19 season, the last one that could be considered normal before the arrival of Covid-19.
The excitement sparked by the new signings and the good start to the season by Xavi Hernández’s team help to explain the good turnout, but the positive response required by season ticket holders politics also played an important role role implemented this season to encourage the use of the season ticket, either by attending matches or releasing it at Seient Lliure. This policy also influenced the increase of releases in the Seient Lliure by 9% more, which made it possible to have an average of 2,600 more seats per match compared to the 2018/19 season.
The 2018/19 season did not attend or brought out 28,658 season ticket holders in the first league match against Alavés, 21,611 against Huesca and 18,487 including Gerona, while in the 22/23 season there were 18,173 (-37%) against Rayo Vallecano, 13,820 (-36%) against Valladolid and 11,395 (-38%) against Elche. The result was a reduction of 37% (8,456 seats on average in the first three League matches), the same percentage (37%) that was reduced in the Champions League match: 20,516 subscribers did not arrive or were released in the 2018 season / 19 matches at PSV Eindhoven for 12,945 matches Victoria Pilsen in 2022/23. Despite these good numbers, the Club considers that there is room for improvement as season ticket members become familiar with the new policies implemented to improve the use of season tickets.
It should be remembered that the Board of Directors on June 21 decided to apply a series of measures to encourage attendance at Spotify Camp Nou, in addition to avoiding fraud and repeating the situations experienced in the tie against Eintracht Frankfurt. in the Europa League. As for season ticket holders, they include benefits (discounts on the price of tickets for companions, on restaurant services, raffles for shirts…) if they attend 85% of battles. Conversely, those who do not attend, give up or vacate their seat in 10 games during the season, the Club will apply the Seient Lliure Inverso, prior notice, in such a way that their seat will be put up for sale by default, provided that there is no claim for its use within 72 hours of the start of the match. In the event that they do not attend, go on loan or release any match, they will lose their season ticket status for the 2023/24 season.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
