Amex seating +3 - The who you know game.

[byf]

But at the end of the day, we are only interested in ourselves arnt we.

If I was a Cat 1....who has just chosen his new seat for him and his +3 buddies who are well chuffed to have secured a prime seat in the centre of the stand for knowing someone, then I wouldnt be on here making a point.

I would actually be patting the club on the back, saying how well they've done with this and that its the fairest way to do it, why would you say anything else!

But thats not the case and as I said earlier, I will be making these comments to Martin Perry at the presentation irrelevant of what seat I get.

 

[NS Herald]

I'm with byf and TCB on this - bottom line is that IMHO many STH's have been shafted. For years we've been mislead as to the importance of being a STH and now find that potentially thousands of non STH's ahead in the queue because of who they know which is wrong - plain and simple. I've no objection to +3's but they can have a lower priority over those that don't want to use such a facility. For goodness sake how is it right that other teams fans as mentioned previously on this thread get first dibs ahead of 'real' fans. The bottom line is the club is going to screw every last penny from the fan in the future and they won't care how they do it. I know the club has to live in the real commercial world but they should be careful not to alienate those fans who have kept it in existance for the last umpteen years in piss poor surroundings and who simply want to feel more valued they many currently feel.

My presentation is at the beginning of Feb and if as I suspect my preferred area of choice has little to offer then I for one will feel the club have got it wrong and will say so.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

But at the end of the day, we are only interested in ourselves arnt we.

As you have amply demonstrated...

 

[Bozza]

How many 'good seats', 'ok seats' and ' bad seats' do people believe there to be amongst the c16,000 on offer?

 

[AMEXican Wave]

But at the end of the day, we are only interested in ourselves arnt we.

If I was a Cat 1....who has just chosen his new seat for him and his +3 buddies who are well chuffed to have secured a prime seat in the centre of the stand for knowing someone, then I wouldnt be on here making a point.

I would actually be patting the club on the back, saying how well they've done with this and that its the fairest way to do it, why would you say anything else!

But thats not the case and as I said earlier, I will be making these comments to Martin Perry at the presentation irrelevant of what seat I get.

This is just so true. Those at the front of the queue will be saying how great things are ( throwing in the odd ' no system is perfect ' into the mix, along with disparaging comments about 'moaning' ), and those at the back will be saying how unfair things are ( Johnny Come Latelys etc., season ticket holder for 35 years... ).

We just have to get on with what we've got. I'd love a seat front 10 rows of west upper, near a quick route to the bar, preference at the north end of the stand. I haven't a hope of this on Feb 3, nor even one at the back of west lower. Hope fully I can get within the first 15 rows of the front of west upper, but if not it'll be north stand, as high as I can get. But you know what, it'll still be better than Withdean and every year at renewal time I'll be ringing the club to see if I can change to better seat - or if a PSL is up for grabs in the areas I want.

 

[Mendoza]

I'd love a seat front 10 rows of west upper, near a quick route to the bar, preference at the north end of the stand. I haven't a hope of this on Feb 3

Me and they guys I am sitting with are hoping for this too, our appointment is the day after yours.

 

[byf]

In my opinion, you wouldn't want to be in the front 6-8 rows of any stand. Neither would you want to be in the back half of the upper tier in the West. How near the corner you are doesn't matter so much - indeed many people will actually look to go in the corner. But too high or too low is an absolute nightmare even for one game, I dread to think how bad a season ticket would be there. This "there isn't a bad seat in the house" nonsense is such a myth.

Again I find myself agreeing with you.

From my point its not so much about being slight left or right of where I want to sit, but a height issue. I hate being too high up or too low down, it ruins it for me and for over £500 you need some area that you want to sit.

I dont want to find myself in a position of just going somewhere because theres nothing else.

 

[Bozza]

How many rows are there in each of the West Upper, West Lower and East (after 1901s taken account of)?

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

But too high or too low is an absolute nightmare even for one game, I dread to think how bad a season ticket would be there. This "there isn't a bad seat in the house" nonsense is such a myth.

It's not really a 'facepalm' job, but I am sort of rubbing my eyes and thinking to myself .....well, I don't know what to think, I mean, this may on may not be true but to air it six months before opening after EVERYTHING we've been through.....


.

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

Just think about it, The Albion have and rightly so appointed a professional marketing company to market these packages. I've mentioned it before and will re-iterate today, tickets will always be available, unless we get the likes of Man U, Arsenal etc. Today's Argus, Page 16 has just carried the exact same advert for the last 4-5 weeks, their remit is sell tickets. Well based on that advert they cant have sold many over the last few weeks because we are still at the less than 200 left...what is that, 1 remaining or 199 remaining ?? They're doing their job and doing it well but if you are in business you can see through the propaganda. I've been a season ticket holder for approx 14 years (Gillingham as well) but due to ill health which is on the mend, I cant afford financially commit to a season ticket which is just my luck, but at least I know I was there when it really mattered rather than these Johnny come lately's.

 

[kevo]

My presentation is the 16th feb. I have no chance of getting in the north stand do i?

Depends on what areas of the ground prove most popular. How many seats are up for grabs in total? I get the feeling that if people are mostly booking blocks of 2-4 seats, there will be odd single seats dotted around all over. Of course, if you're just grabbing a seat for yourself, you won't know the people you're sitting next to...

 

[Bozza]

How many rows are there in each of the West Upper, West Lower and East (after 1901s taken account of)?

Answering my own question, on the West at least, from one of JS's photos...

http://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=20361&stc=1&d=1291375451

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I honestly think people are worrying too much.

I'm priority 4, but I could have chosen my 3 seats already, as +3s of my Mum who was priority 1. I didn't, because I want to go to my presentation and also, avail of my own +3, so that friends can sit with me and my lads. Instead of having them in the bag, I'll take what's left on the 4th Feb - not worried at all.

 

[Mendoza]

I havent really looked into the details of it all yet. But if I go on someone elses +3, can I have a +3 too and put it in on the same application?

I am not going to, just a hypothetical question

 

[SI 4 BHA]

It's the whole concept of a presentation that is the problem. Why do we need to see some dodgy computer graphics of how the view might look from our chosen seating area? We are buying off-plan and you have to accept the usual risks with that as you will rarely end up with exactly what you expected unless you can actually see/touch the thing you are buying. Personally I am uncomfortable just buying something which I will hopefully use for many years from a picture and I had hoped that we would be able to tour the ground on some kind of open day to get a true idea of the seating areas. If they had waited a couple of months before selling season tickets, this might have been possible. If you were just buying for one match, it wouldn't really matter where you sit, but if you get this wrong now, it could be years before you get a chance to switch to a better seat.

When I rang the hotline I actually said I didn't want a presentation, I was happy just to fill in an application form there and then, but I was told, I had to register for a presentation to get a pack that had the application form in it or alternatively get a form from a friend who was going to a presentation. As it happens, my presentation is tomorrow, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, even though I'm not really fussed about going, but the way the dates have been allocated does seem to be something of a lottery. Wouldn't it have been better on a first come first served basis, the rather random system that seems to have been adopted? Has anyone worked out how the presentations were actually allocated?

 

[Ringmer bha]

It's the whole concept of a presentation that is the problem. Why do we need to see some dodgy computer graphics of how the view might look from our chosen seating area? We are buying off-plan and you have to accept the usual risks with that as you will rarely end up with exactly what you expected unless you can actually see/touch the thing you are buying. Personally I am uncomfortable just buying something which I will hopefully use for many years from a picture and I had hoped that we would be able to tour the ground on some kind of open day to get a true idea of the seating areas. If they had waited a couple of months before selling season tickets, this might have been possible. If you were just buying for one match, it wouldn't really matter where you sit, but if you get this wrong now, it could be years before you get a chance to switch to a better seat.

When I rang the hotline I actually said I didn't want a presentation, I was happy just to fill in an application form there and then, but I was told, I had to register for a presentation to get a pack that had the application form in it or alternatively get a form from a friend who was going to a presentation. As it happens, my presentation is tomorrow, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, even though I'm not really fussed about going, but the way the dates have been allocated does seem to be something of a lottery. Wouldn't it have been better on a first come first served basis, the rather random system that seems to have been adopted? Has anyone worked out how the presentations were actually allocated?

In the presentation they are able to show you a view of the pitch (simulated but still imrepssive) from every seating area, section, tier in the ground. It's not a tour, but is rather handy.

In the presentation I was in, a lot of people were eager to snap up their seats worried others would take them. When a lot of the different groups got togther afterwards for a chat we all realised that not one wanted what the other wanted. Some west lower, some upper, some north, family, east etc... when you see the choice you'll be amazed and Bozza is right - there really are no bad seats. Once you get there you'll see what I mean.

 

[Easy 10]

By making it +3 the club has opened up the potential for vast swathes of seats to be sold

Exactly. And apparently this is a Bad Thing.

The +3's will be made up of current STH's, new fans and 'lapsed' fans - to sit with the P1 in a group, rather than what would have been the potential +3's being scattered around the stadium amongst a load of strangers and probably (as a direct result) not bothering with a season ticket at all.

You want to cut thousands of potential new fans at the Amex, then thats the way to do it. The 9-years-at-Withdean mugs SHOULD be at the front of the queue for tickets, and offering them the chance to bring a family member/mate or 3 to sit with them is their reward. How is that wrong ? It makes sense for the club and its as fair a way they can do it. Why should a Withdean 9-yearer hang back further down the priorities just because he wants his dad / son / mate to sit with him ? Theres plenty to go round for everyone.

Your method would result in more empty seats. FACT.