Have the club got this wrong?

[Simster]

Well you can guess, but Phil's info came from a member of that commercial team.

Indeed, but he said:

"They are intending to sell out the season tickets if at all possible, that is their aim, and as they did it last year,"

But that doesn't say how many seats are being made available for season tickets. Last season, we sold all 18,400 season tickets available and had a waiting list, yet 85% of stadium capacity was actually 19,125.

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

I think the intention is that those home fans in the South stand can also walk around the corner to use the West Stand lower concourse, as I think the south stand concourses are a bit smaller than others, especially if there are new access arrangements (ie. staircases) for the small boxes that are going in above the stand but I might be wrong on that.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Indeed, but he said:

"They are intending to sell out the season tickets if at all possible, that is their aim, and as they did it last year,"

But that doesn't say how many seats are being made available for season tickets. Last season, we sold all 18,400 season tickets available and had a waiting list, yet 85% of stadium capacity was actually 19,125.

Sorry. I think what he meant to say was that the club would quite happily sell every seat in the stadium to ST holders if they could, because it's guaranteed income, but rules don't permit them to because of the requirement for limited match by match sales, and the need to extend away capacity for cup games. Obviously they won't quite do that, because there needs to be some flexibility to attract new fans, not just those who can afford to pay £500 up front.

We do know that they will sell as many as they possibly can, we just don't know what that number is.

 

[Simster]

Sorry. I think what he meant to say was that the club would quite happily sell every seat in the stadium to ST holders if they could, because it's guaranteed income, but rules don't permit them to because of the requirement for limited match by match sales, and the need to extend away capacity for cup games. Obviously they won't quite do that, because there needs to be some flexibility to attract new fans, not just those who can afford to pay £500 up front.

We do know that they will sell as many as they possibly can, we just don't know what that number is.

Indeed. That's why we won't sell 23,800 season tickets. I wonder what the official target actually is?

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

South stand is Match-by-Match because in cup games, away fans need a higher allocation, and because the South is next to the away fans, a bit of that will be taken up. Its basically a swap around with the away seats and the match-by-match seats.

And to those saying we wont sell out, i believe nearly ALL the match-by-match tickets sold out last season (exceptions being Derby and possibly Watford which had a split away stand). We never have a full house because of the amount of STHs that dont turn up, with no option to give your ticket to someone else (except NSC of course).

 

[Superphil]

Indeed. That's why we won't sell 23,800 season tickets. I wonder what the official target actually is?

Their target is to not have any match by match tickets at all. they know they have to have flexible capacity for cup games so that dictates there must be some, but they are aiming for that to be the absolute minimum required. Of course there will be some comps, WAGS, scouts spaces etc, but they really do intend to sell every possible ST they can, So 23K plus is what they expect.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Ok so the east side of the south stand has match by match because of away support. I would have thought that it would make more sense to have the west side of the South STH's and SW corner and maybe the block next to the away on the east side match by match. So at least half of the south is full, no matter how many match by match buy tickets. Yes just about all matches sold out last season, but this year might be different with around 2k+ for match by match and the increasing number of Sth's. They might struggle some games to sell them. I hope not and considering I was asking the question in the OP, I think I have my answer, as yes they probably have got it right.....probably.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Their target is to not have any match by match tickets at all. they know they have to have flexible capacity for cup games so that dictates there must be some, but they are aiming for that to be the absolute minimum required. Of course there will be some comps, WAGS, scouts spaces etc, but they really do intend to sell every possible ST they can, So 23K plus is what they expect.

You HAVE to have match by match. I don't think the club would ever want rid of that. You just make it a closed shop. Not good.

 

[Simster]

Their target is to not have any match by match tickets at all. they know they have to have flexible capacity for cup games so that dictates there must be some, but they are aiming for that to be the absolute minimum required. Of course there will be some comps, WAGS, scouts spaces etc, but they really do intend to sell every possible ST they can, So 23K plus is what they expect.

Interesting. Cheers Phil.

You HAVE to have match by match. I don't think the club would ever want rid of that. You just make it a closed shop. Not good.

So SURELY this means a ticket exchange is on the way then?

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

South stand is Match-by-Match because in cup games, away fans need a higher allocation, and because the South is next to the away fans, a bit of that will be taken up. Its basically a swap around with the away seats and the match-by-match seats.

And to those saying we wont sell out, i believe nearly ALL the match-by-match tickets sold out last season (exceptions being Derby and possibly Watford which had a split away stand). We never have a full house because of the amount of STHs that dont turn up, with no option to give your ticket to someone else (except NSC of course).

Yeah, sorry about that, I missed the Derby game as I twisted my ankle the day before and ended up much less mobile than I thought........ hobbling to the end of my road was a complete no no, never mind all those steps to WSU concourse.

 

[Superphil]

You HAVE to have match by match. I don't think the club would ever want rid of that. You just make it a closed shop. Not good.

Indeed, they do have to have some, and they will, for league games, but they aim to have the absolute minimum they HAVE to, as per my previous post.

 

[Perkino]

My main criticism of the club at present is that the stadium is meant to be a Community stadium and yet when I speak to other Secretaries and Chairman for grassroots youth soccer clubs and schools they will all tell you that the Albion done nothing for them last year.

When I tried to apply for tickets to a match for my under 10s, they wanted to charge £15 PER UNDER 10!

I sincerely hope that the club remember this for next season as alot of local youth soccer clubs around Sussex have felt quite let down by the Albion over the last season.

Compare this to Charlton... They took 120 kids from an Eastbourne team to a match last year and laid on transport for free and it wont be long til QPR and Crawley start doing similar from what I've heard.

It's about revenue...they can sell those seats to a full-paying adult or will take a slight hit in the pocket for the opportunity to have some youngsters through the gates but they won't be selling tickets at silly prices until we are struggling to sell-out our capacity

 

[Hastings woody]

Im happy with that, i buy as and when i can go,as i work most wkends, would love it behind goal in the south stand, the stadium will still sell out im sure.

 

[Gazwag]

My main criticism of the club at present is that the stadium is meant to be a Community stadium and yet when I speak to other Secretaries and Chairman for grassroots youth soccer clubs and schools they will all tell you that the Albion done nothing for them last year.

When I tried to apply for tickets to a match for my under 10s, they wanted to charge £15 PER UNDER 10!

I sincerely hope that the club remember this for next season as alot of local youth soccer clubs around Sussex have felt quite let down by the Albion over the last season.

Compare this to Charlton... They took 120 kids from an Eastbourne team to a match last year and laid on transport for free and it wont be long til QPR and Crawley start doing similar from what I've heard.

As other people have said you cannot compare us to any other club at the moment as most games sell out.

I don't really see the problem in charging £15 a seat, which are sold at £30 at least to an adult - and at most league games these seats would have been sold. Why didn't you take them to either of the two England games.