BAHA cannot be a private members'club

[clapham_gull]

I'm not a STH and never have been because it would be a waste of time with the hours I have to work, But I would be interested to know what drives a person to buy a season ticket rather than pay on a game by game basis? I could understand it when we had a limited capacity but now we cant even fill the Withdean what pushes a person to do it?

We pretty much decided not to get them this season, but after some thought and after not being to put some money into the A&K fund we decided to renew because we assumed the club would like us to.

Personally my reasoning for applying late was so the club would get a little extra cash. Not making myself out to be a bigger fan there but wanted to answer a few comments about the "huge discount" - I don't get it.

 

[London Irish]

I'm not a STH and never have been because it would be a waste of time with the hours I have to work, But I would be interested to know what drives a person to buy a season ticket rather than pay on a game by game basis? I could understand it when we had a limited capacity but now we cant even fill the Withdean what pushes a person to do it?

It certainly isn't cost, because if I'd have paid for my tickets on a match-by-match basis last season I would have ended up financially better off. Depite what Turkey says, I still think the overall majority of season ticket holders are in that bracket, you miss two and you are out of pocket even with the early discount.

I would say the main factors are convenience, not having to ring up the ticket office time after time, and familiarity, knowing that you can plonk yerself down in a bit of the ground you know well without having to go hunting for your new seat every time.

I could add some noble motives like loyalty to the club, but I wouldn't want to try people's patience. I think consumerist factors that I've listed above remain the main driver of demand for season tickets.

I fully agree with Turkey's point therefore that ST holders are not more loyal or "better" than those who pay for their tickets on a match by match basis. It's perfectly conceivable that some of those game-by-game people went to more home games than season ticket-holder me last season amd hence by that yardstick were more loyal.

But what he misses out is that it's in the club's interest to convert as many of those match-by-match fans into season ticket holders as possible. For the simple reason that they are then guarenteed the income regardless of how well or how shit the team is playing and all the other huge factors that go on in an individual's life that prevent attendance - they are not guarenteed that from the match-by-match fan who could disappear for a month here and there for perfectly good reasons that they have other priorities in their lives, and the club miss out on income.

The club must therefore always offer extra incentives to season ticket holders. If they anticipate that ST sales are going to go down, then they must think of a few more in addition to the current ones.

 

[Beach Hut]

Not so straight forward is it Turkey !

 

[e77]

I am a STH but only because personnal circumstance dicate I can afford it and it is worth my while getting one in terms of being to attend games. I don't think this makes me any less or more of a fan than someone who hasn't got a STH for any reason (except perhaps that they don't like Withdean).

I got a ticket for West Ham but probably would have taken it on the chin if I didn't and another STH or someone who goes to a lot of games got one. I would have been a bit annoyed if someone who last went to Cardiff or Tottenham got one ahead of me.

To be honest the thing that most annoys me and may sway me towards not renewing is the lack of quality of product on the pitch and the lack of investment off it.

If the cupboard really is bare DK should come out and say so and let everyone decide before renewing instead of a seemingly endless list of transfers that nearly happened.

 

[cjd]

I am a STH but only because personnal circumstance dicate I can afford it and it is worth my while getting one in terms of being to attend games. I don't think this makes me any less or more of a fan than someone who hasn't got a STH for any reason (except perhaps that they don't like Withdean).

I got a ticket for West Ham but probably would have taken it on the chin if I didn't and another STH or someone who goes to a lot of games got one. I would have been a bit annoyed if someone who last went to Cardiff or Tottenham got one ahead of me.

To be honest the thing that most annoys me and may sway me towards not renewing is the lack of quality of product on the pitch and the lack of investment off it.

If the cupboard really is bare DK should come out and say so and let everyone decide before renewing instead of a seemingly endless list of transfers that nearly happened.

Great post.....and one that I,m very much in agreement with. At the moment, it,s very quiet from DK.....presumably, he,s saving all the rhetoric until a few more weeks have passed.........and season ticket renewals are due...?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

If I could go to all Saturday games I would get a season ticket simply because (as LI says) I couldnt be arsed to go into the club shop every week etc etc.

 

[El Presidente]

I don't use them very often so this is a genuine question, do STH on trains get priority on seats over people who pay on the day?

 

[cjd]

I don't use them very often so this is a genuine question, do STH on trains get priority on seats over people who pay on the day?

TRAINS...??......how dare you...!!

STH,s go by chauffeur driven limousine

 

[Turkey]

Did I mention better fan? Come on Si you know me better than that.

If you read my posts on here you'll find that I'm very much in the camp that rewards people for going to games irrespective of how they have paid for it.

(in fact just read the rest of the post)

I'm not speaking about either of you personally. I'm talking about other people who make these sweeping generalisations.

 

[clapham_gull]

I don't use them very often so this is a genuine question, do STH on trains get priority on seats over people who pay on the day?

By law you are allowed to ask a non season ticket holder to get off at the next station if they don't give up their seat.

 

[Turkey]

Not so straight forward is it Turkey !

It is a basic business that you reward your most loyal customers.

A STH is a loyal customer BUT a non-STH could be just as - if not more loyal.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Is there still a rule that non-STH have to stand by the side of the road and doff the cap and salute as a STH goes by?

 

[Yorkie]

A STH is a loyal customer BUT a non-STH could be just as - if not more loyal.

I agree but there is nothing in place to show that. The club knows that sth has paid for at least 23 games whereas those who go week by week are not recorded. In the same way someone on the ams may have only gone to one away game in three years.

Until there is a recorded loyalty scheme in some way then there will always be anomalies.

 

[clapham_gull]

Is there still a rule that non-STH have to stand by the side of the road and doff the cap and salute as a STH goes by?

No, but if there is no public convenience in the vicinity you are allowed to urinate all over one.

 

[Turkey]

I agree but there is nothing in place to show that. The club knows that sth has paid for at least 23 games whereas those who go week by week are not recorded. In the same way someone on the ams may have only gone to one away game in three years.

Until there is a recorded loyalty scheme in some way then there will always be anomalies.

Exactly so the club do not know who there most loyal customers are. I agree the club should reward its most loyal customers but its unfair to say STH = Loyal, AMS = Non-Loyal.

 

[Yorkie]

Exactly so the club do not know who there most loyal customers are. I agree the club should reward its most loyal customers but its unfair to say STH = Loyal, AMS = Non-Loyal.

I agree but with sth there is proof.

 

[Turkey]

I agree but with sth there is proof.

So because "evidence" isn't collected with regards to non-STH they shouldn't be rewarded? There's no fairness in that.

It always comes back to money as well - which is also a nonsense - a non-STH could easily invest more into the club than a STH (player, match, ball sponsorship or replica shirts etc).

 

[London Irish]

I thought there was an interesting contribution to the debate in the Sports Argus this week in the column by Rob Townsend, the former ticket office manager.

In it, he said a points loyalty system was impossible to operate (he had investigated it) because the ticket office had just 3 staff.

Hence there is no solution to genuine dilemma that Turkey puts forward. There appears to be no workable solution to rewarding the loyalty of fans who go to every home game but pay match by match.

In those circumstances, however, I'm not in favour of throwing the baby out with the bathwater and saying that the easily checkable loyalty of season ticket holders should be disregarded.

 

[Biscuit]

It's depends where the club draws the line. It looks as though it comes down to the argument "Should a sth be rewarded for stumping the money up early". Just because they are in a fiancial position to do this does not make them any more deserving of a ticket than someone who pays £25 every other week. This is of course not including the away games.

edit

LI beat me to it!

 

[London Irish]

It's depends where the club draws the line. It looks as though it comes down to the argument "Should a sth be rewarded for stumping the money up early". Just because they are in a fiancial position to do this does not make them any more deserving of a ticket than someone who pays £25 every other week. This is of course not including the away games.

edit

LI beat me to it!

Sorry bout that! But at least Townsend speaks with some kind of expertise. I don't know for sure if he's 100% right but he seems to be the most authoratative voice I've heard on the subject thus far, so you have to go with that, I think?