Only 900 tickets for general sale per match at Amex

[Bold Seagull]

Yep!

But this strategy does come with risks, as we made such a massive thing about selling out Withers week after week in teh early days, that YEARS later I was talking to people who simply didn't go anymore because "it's just impossible to get tickets innit." That was a view that remained even when we were playing to some pretty rubbish crowds. We'd just made such a big thing out of being so much bigger than Withdean could hold, we left people with a view that tickets were much harder to come by than they actually were.

Slightly different circumstances this time though.

 

[fcportaloo]

Also, I'll throw this one in and see who agrees/goes mental.

Do you not think the atmosphere would be better with a greater proportion of non-STHs?

There is the obvious point about non-attendees and empty seats. But even more than that, it just spices up the support a bit, stops everyone sitting there waiting to be entertained.

I'm not having a go at STHs, I've been one myself and hope to be again in the future - I just think that when you watch every week at home sometimes you take it more for granted, and sing less. When you've made the effort specially for that game, like when we go away, there is a better atmosphere because you're more up for it. For me, having 3-4,000 of those cannot be a bad thing on top of 16,000 STHs. A good mix.

Exactly - for the long term health of the club, the experience of attending Falmer, 900 seats max is too few. A good proportion of ST holders is important, too many is not beneficial

 

[Easy 10]

Yep!

But this strategy does come with risks, as we made such a massive thing about selling out Withers week after week in teh early days, that YEARS later I was talking to people who simply didn't go anymore because "it's just impossible to get tickets innit." That was a view that remained even when we were playing to some pretty rubbish crowds. We'd just made such a big thing out of being so much bigger than Withdean could hold, we left people with a view that tickets were much harder to come by than they actually were.

True.
But in the early days at Withdean, it wasn't just spin - tickets WERE pretty hard to come by if you didn't already have a season ticket. We'd regularly sell out (unsurprisingly once we started carving the lower leagues up). Unfortunately by the time they'd expanded Withdean up to 9k, we'd been relegated and the demand dropped right off.

But you're right about the myth persisting that tickets were very hard to come by, when they really wern't. I can remember speaking to a guy I know one evening after coming back from a game buzzing, and him saying "yeah I wouldn't mind getting along there one day, but you can never get hold of tickets can you ?". Lazy of him not to even try I suppose, but that really was the perception amongst many potential "casuals".

 

[tinytears]

I thought there was an FA requirement that at least 10% of tickets were for away fans and at least 10% for general match day sales

I am not sure if it is 10% but it is correct the FA rule that a percentage of matchday tickets have to be held back to be sold on a match by match basis.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

True.
But in the early days at Withdean, it wasn't just spin - tickets WERE pretty hard to come by if you didn't already have a season ticket. We'd regularly sell out (unsurprisingly once we started carving the lower leagues up). Unfortunately by the time they'd expanded Withdean up to 9k, we'd been relegated and the demand dropped right off.

But you're right about the myth persisting that tickets were very hard to come by, when they really wern't. I can remember speaking to a guy I know one evening after coming back from a game buzzing, and him saying "yeah I wouldn't mind getting along there one day, but you can never get hold of tickets can you ?". Lazy of him not to even try I suppose, but that really was the perception amongst many potential "casuals".

Add to that our ticketing system wasn't great and the lack of pay on the gate, it didn't really encourage the casual fan to make the effort

 

[Ecosse Exile]

Add to that our ticketing system wasn't great and the lack of pay on the gate, it didn't really encourage the casual fan to make the effort

I think that was the crux of the matter, the guy that Easy was talking about might well have thought "you know what i might go to the football tonight, I'll see if the Mrs minds when i get home from work then pop along". But then the myth kicks in and he thinks no chance.

I really feel after the first season it will be much easier to get tickets on a match by match basis at the Amex however i hope the club are going to make it possible to just turn up if you feel like it. I know they have already said there will be no POTG but maybe they could arrange text ticketing or something.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Withdean did suffer when the away end was constructed. One of the major issues being atmosphere. It was much better when the away fans were right in there, save for a few games when the new away end sold out or Millwall came down.

I think tickets will be difficult to get hold of. I go to the footy with my old man, but he will not make more than ten games a season as he loves his rugby, opera and other such things that will take up a Saturday. He is not the sort of person to buy a 23 game ticket deal to make 8 - 10 games. Troublesome.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I wish they would open up the 'away end' to home fans. It is surely not a massive amount of work to segregate the fans and allow the home fans access to the home facilities.

 

[8ace]

Away teams in the F.A. Cup are entitled to 15% of capacity, approximately 3750 seats.
The South stand holds 2400 odd seats which leaves 1300 odd seats (in the East stand, i believe) that, im sure i heard Martin Perry say, wont be sold as season tickets.

However if demand was so massive that they had to consider selling these seats, they could follow a similar arrangement for cup games to that used at Ibrox where they have a season ticket package for one stand (Copeland Road Stand, i think) whereby matches versus Celtic are not included as that entire stand is given up to Celtic, this is a gentlemens agreement between the two clubs which allows both clubs more away tickets to old firm games.

In Brightons case this would mean that STH in the East (south) would have no priority for cup matches. Personally i dont think Brighton would go down that route so that leaves 1300 seats minimum for sale on a match to match basis.

The beggars get the Broom end.
How much did Ibrox's capacity increase when they filled in the corners?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I think that is possibly one of the most cinical and saddest thing I have ever read on here. So in your world the only people who are allowed to see football are Season Ticket holders?

Bit OTT there granny. At the presentation that me and thee attended, one of the club officials, and you probably know who I mean, offered the opinion that there's not a football club in the country that wouldn't sell out their stadium completely to season tickets if they could. From a marketing perspective, that's their Big Gold Dream. Their Big Platinum Dream involves everybody buying a Seat Licence.

We may not necessarily like it or agree with it, but that's how it is.

 

[APACHE]

Do the people saying there are not enough tickets for non-st. not think that the club haven't given this some throught. They 're had years to look at this problem, study other clubs, wait and see what they do if they hit their limit for s/t.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

The beggars get the Broom end.
How much did Ibrox's capacity increase when they filled in the corners?

It is indeed the Broomloan, they have only filled in two of the corners which i believe increased the capacity by about 3000

 

[Uter]

It is indeed the Broomloan, they have only filled in two of the corners which i believe increased the capacity by about 3000

Another interesting thing they did at Ibrox was to lower the pitch which allowed 3 or 4 extra rows of seating in to increase capacity by 2 or 3 thousand.

 

[Superphil]

maybe they could arrange text ticketing or something.

They've said this would happen all along, well for as long as they have been talking about ticketing for Falmer, so I guess that's 5 years or so.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

They've said this would happen all along, well for as long as they have been talking about ticketing for Falmer, so I guess that's 5 years or so.

Oops must ahve missed that, should make things easier though if a quick call (is that possible) to the club an hour or so before the game means you get a text that you can show at some point at the stadium in exchange for a ticket.

 

[beorhthelm]

But you're right about the myth persisting that tickets were very hard to come by, when they really wern't.

it wasnt exactly a myth, tickets to withdean were a pain. not necessarily the numerical availablity but you had to buy in advance, and due to the low noumbers you did have to plan ahead a coupe of weeks to make sure you got them. hassle.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I wish they would open up the 'away end' to home fans. It is surely not a massive amount of work to segregate the fans and allow the home fans access to the home facilities.

As I understand it the club intend to do this whenever possible.

 

[Superphil]

As I understand it the club intend to do this whenever possible.

If we're talking about Falmer then the away end can be 'halved' making extra tickets available to home fans, assuming the away side hasn't sold more than 50% of its allocation. There is a barrier that comes across in the concourse, and the seats will be segregated with the normal netting.

 

[Notters]

As I understand it the club intend to do this whenever possible.

I thought he meant at Withdean, and he has a point.