Amex STs - One BIG Mistake

[Nobby's Betamax Video]

Right. Firstly I applaud the Club for it's pricing policy & resisting what would be a huge temptation to milk us, the supporters, with the holy grail of a shiny new home.

I also think that the priority categories are about right.......BUT......

Going on from the "ST+3" thread, I have a big concern about the fact that any STH who has held a ST at Withdean for 8 years or less can miss out on their choice of seat (allowing for the 1st 3 Priority Groups) because it has already been reserved by a friend of a STH who may never have bought a ST at Withdean or even been to an Albion game before.

I'm all for welcoming all to the club and think the pricing will definitely help.

But I believe the club have potentially pissed off a large proportion of existing STHs (they say 2000 in Priority Group 4) by restricting their choice in favour of these "friends".

The club says that all seats will be great, padded, under cover etc etc. But what if existing STHs have had there heart set on a particular part of the ground and will be denied in this way. How is this equitable?

Yes, I'm sure everyone wants to sit with their mates (I do too). But before this announcement my mind had settled on getting together with mates who are also STHs and resigned to the fact that other mates would need to sit elsewhere due to not being STHs. Fair enough though as, if they were that bothered about it, they would have become Withdean STHs.

I love the club and have been a STH at Withdean for the vast majority of our stay there, but I feel VERY let down at this decision.

 

[Sheebo]

I agree and many voiced their concerns on here. I used to be a ST holder for 3 yrs at Withers but hold no priority and to make it worse Joe Bloggs who supports Man U and has never been to a football match in his life but who's neighbour is a current STH gets to choose his seat probably before I do. Luckily I hopefully have someone to add me as a 'friend' but I agree it's not a very fair way of doing things.

I share your frustration brother.

 

[Rookie]

Agree, find it very strange a 'mate' who has never been to Withdean or not even a proper supporter can come along and get pretty much priority because they happen to know a long standing season ticket holder or have brought a 'friend' off somewhere like here. Bit of an oversight if you ask me

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Don't see a problem. It's not as if there won't be alot of tickets on sale. Falmer is several times the size of Withdean and we can't fill that most games

 

[Hotchilidog]

I suspect that a lot of those "friends" will be existing STH's who are in different priority groups and not people who have no interest in the Albion.

 

[KneeOn]

My only gripe is the scrapping of the U21 so I'm paying Adults now.I thought the U21 band was a great idea but oh well.

 

[jezzer]

I suspect that a lot of those "friends" will be existing STH's who are in different priority groups and not people who have no interest in the Albion.

Here, here!

Im priority 1 but my two sons are priority 4, they cant come with me to my pres but I can buy their tickets as 2 of the 3 spares, and i wont use the 3rd one up, theyre will be hundreds like me so theyll be loads of seats left, there`s only around 4,000 or so sths anyway, worrying over nothing much i say. Cant see most sth suddenly finding 3 extra new people whove hardly gone before, it will amount to a few hundred or so at most once you counter in the doubling up of priority 1s and 4s

 

[Nobby's Betamax Video]

When you start looking at the number (0ver 4000 existing STHs) then if everyone takes up the "3 Friends" option, that's 16,000 seats. Add the 1901 + Away Fans then you haven't got much left.

My point is that, even with fewer taking this up, it is still likely that the particular seat that an existing STH has got their eye on may well have been taken. If the 3 friends option is popular, then that's a 75% chance that a non-STH may have already bagged a seat in the area you want.

With the huge success of the Hospitality Boxes and the 1901 Club, added to the many many conversations I've had with non-STHs over the years, I'm positive that there will be a huge demand for seats. Especially when people realise they've got to tap up their STH friend to have a reasonable chance of getting a seat & can pay by D/D with no extra cost.

Of course, everyone has their preference in terms of stand / view. But I'm sure I'm like a lot of others in thinking I'd have a reasonable chance of getting a seat near the halfway line. I'm now not convinced this will be the case.

 

[BHABen]

I agree that this is a big mistake, me and my bro have been season ticket holders for 8 of the years we have been at withdean, we miss the 1st priority by 1 season, even though i have no doubt that i will get a ticket, i would be unhappy if our 1st choice of seat is unavaliable due to someone who might never have even visited withdean

 

[Bobby's Gull]

I've had a season ticket for 8 years at Withdean now, so I've just missed out on the first priority. I'm not that annoyed to be honest, just as long as I do get a season ticket at the mighty Amex.

 

[magoo]

They had to make a cut off point somewhere, and a group of supporters was bound to be unhappy.

Also, there won't be a bad seat in the house so it doesn't matter where you sit, unless you're a bit snobby.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Can people please get it out of their heads that hoards of people who've never been to a football match before are suddenly going to go and buy an Albion season ticket.

Think about it, how likely is it really?

If you're not a current STH then you might not get your preffered seat, but you'll probably get close to it. If it was that important then you should've got a season ticket this year. You WILL get a ticket, but if it's not in the exact seat you wanted then tough shit, man up and accept it.

 

[Tomnorthi]

I agree 1 would of been enough, 2 at a push. Most of my albion supporting mates are STH anyway....

 

[portlock seagull]

I'm actually grateful because it means I can get in quickly via friends and family when because I held a ST for 9 of the past 13 seasons, just not the last 9 consecutive, I would otherwise have been in the same queue as priemershipman. As a die hard that was always going to be hard to stomach when I've done some crazy stuff and pumped thousands into the club I love just to help ensure next august could happen in the first place. But these concerns have been aired for past 5 years, they're nothing new. Club had no way of tracking loyalty because it was tin pot then. Going forward it won't be and in 10 years time I'm sure the majority of diehards will have such volume of loyalty points that Tony bloom will be sending us personalised Xmas cards!

 

[Nobby's Betamax Video]

If you're not a current STH then you might not get your preffered seat, but you'll probably get close to it. If it was that important then you should've got a season ticket this year. You WILL get a ticket, but if it's not in the exact seat you wanted then tough shit, man up and accept it.

But thing is that I AM a STH and have been for the vast majority of the Withdean years, to not only continue supporting th club I love but also to optimise my chances of getting a seat in the area I'd prefer to be at the Amex.

I know plenty of local people who "support" other teams, very rarely go anywhere near Withdean, but have bought 1901 seats. I know even more that will get "standard" seats.

I have no issue at all with the stadium full of people willing to pay their money and support the Albion.

But this is on point of principle. Why should the club establish a process which will allow non-STHs to select seats over those people who may have held a Withdean ST for up to 8 years & put up with crappy facilities there??!!

 

[Bold Seagull]

But thing is that I AM a STH and have been for the vast majority of the Withdean years, to not only continue supporting th club I love but also to optimise my chances of getting a seat in the area I'd prefer to be at the Amex.

I know plenty of local people who "support" other teams, very rarely go anywhere near Withdean, but have bought 1901 seats. I know even more that will get "standard" seats.

I have no issue at all with the stadium full of people willing to pay their money and support the Albion.

But this is on point of principle. Why should the club establish a process which will allow non-STHs to select seats over those people who may have held a Withdean ST for up to 8 years & put up with crappy facilities there??!!

You're not seriously worried about it being in Priority 4? There are only 2000 other ticket holders in P1 & P2, even if all of them take +3 (and remember a lot of already taken 1901 tickets anyway) that's still 7000 tickets for Priority 4 to choose from, are you really going to be that fussy about your seat!?

 

[portlock seagull]

What really needs to happen is a disastrous first couple of seasons at the Amex followed by a last day stay in the football league clincher. There'd be so few sth's at the end of that demise that the real fans would be able to cherry pick their seats without competition from those returning to their armchairs!! Tony could even invite a northern business associate onto the board just for nostalgia!!

 

[Jim in the West]

It's slightly ironic that NSC has been full of comments for several years about how we're not even going to get 12,000 at Falmer, and now loads of people seem to be panicking that the season tickets will be sold out!!

 

[The Face]

I donated £5 to the Alive & Kicking fund, does that make me Priority 1 or is it only people who donated a 'substantial' amount?

 

[portlock seagull]

It's slightly ironic that NSC has been full of comments for several years about how we're not even going to get 12,000 at Falmer, and now loads of people seem to be panicking that the season tickets will be sold out!!

Not true. Re read my post. Many inc me have consistently argued this could well happen in first season ESP if team doing well at time. You've just conveniently forgotten this to suit your argument