[Albion] Season Ticket Farce @PaulBarber

[nwgull]

To be honest, I'm not comfortable with circumventing the rules. I could do that, but then what if the herbert I've sent the QR code to gets spot-checked with the name/photo ID. Ain't gonna match is it ? Then I'll get a pithy email from the club probably banning me for 6 games, blacklisting me as a chisler and a bounder.

I don't think draconian is too strong a word at all. They've always turned a blind eye to season tickets being shared, providing the ticket pricing policy wasn't being abused. Now its easier and more straightforward to walk into the Syrian embassy with a lumpy backpack than get into the Amex with someone elses ticket.

But sharing your card was always circumventing the rules, so what’s changed?

I don’t know of anyone that has been spot checked for ID against ticket name - cursory check of ID against COVID pass yes, but not ticket - so your last sentence is blatantly bollocks.

 

[studio150]

So next to pacify the people who are moaning about not wanting to pay for the the option of passing on their ST or the extra needed to become a member for those who want to use the ticket, next season PB says we have listened to this minority of moaners, and therefore have decided to allow all ST to pass on their ST without these additional charges.


Oh and by the way, the cost of every ST is increasing by 25% to accommodate this.

Be careful for what you wish for,

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Loyalty is invisible to him as I can contest, i rather hoped my helpful and direct feedback would hit home. But it didn't, it's like telling the school teacher he gave you the wrong homework, they are never wrong, even when they clearly are.
You don't just shite on the loyal fans.

 

[Easy 10]

But sharing your card was always circumventing the rules, so what’s changed?

I don’t know of anyone that has been spot checked for ID against ticket name - cursory check of ID against COVID pass yes, but not ticket - so your last sentence is blatantly bollocks.

Whats changed ? Jees. Since covid, they're now actually checking this shit. Some people are even having to mince up to the ticket office windows having been randomly selected to show their covid credentials in order to activate the season ticket - good luck with that if they clock that your covid certificate doesn't match the name on the season ticket you're attempting to use.

And I'd harbour a guess you probably don't know the 20,000-25,000 rocking up at the Amex to confidently assert that because YOU don't know anyone who's been checked, it means it doesn't happen. So your last sentence is blatantly bollocks.

 

[BNthree]

My son will be down for the Brentford match. It will cost me £45 plus the hassle if my wife wants to pass him her ticket. Bit of a deterrent.

As a one off it would be cheaper to buy a season ticket guest ticket than pay those fees.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Over the years its only the odd game at the Amex I've not been able to get to, and on those occasions, I've always passed my ticket on to a mate or someone in the family (at no cost) so my seat is filled.

I'm certainly not going to be rinsed for £20 for that "right". And the recipient will not want the faff of joining Albion+ and paying £25/£15 on the offchance there might be a ticket in the offing at some point in the season. So thats basically a guaranteed empty seat when I don't go.

I have a mate who is a Watford STH. He sorts me a ticket in the home end near him at VR, I sort him a ticket near us in our block in the WSU for the return game. That didn't happen this year, because he'd have had to pay to become an Albion+ member - for 1 game.

If the club are determined to put up these obstacles and barriers for more 'casual' fans to attend games, then we are going to have to get used to seeing RAFTS of empty seats at the Amex. And the season ticket uptake in March will make for interesting reading. The drop will be blamed on Covid, but the draconian measures they've inflicted on passing tickets on will also play a BIG part in seeing 20-25k's (and even less on evenings / SASTA days) becoming the norm. Which is depressing.

Not everyone's life completely revolves around BHA, which I think they are going to find out.

They don't sound like casual fans, they sound like people who will only turn up if it's for free. I mean, whatever, give it away for free if that floats your boat, but why not being able to do so is worthy of a moan on here i do not know.

As for the ground being less than full, I couldn't give two shits if the empty seats would only be full of casual so-called 'fans' who wouldn't even consider coming along if they actually had to pay any money for the ticket.

If instead there's more opportunity for actual real fans to buy tickets in the better parts of the ground, if we're not left scrabbling for the last remaining £50 tickets down in the SW corner next to the away fans, then maybe more of us would come along instead, then maybe my Dad and other real Albion fans who don't want to go to every game but would like to have a decent experience when we do shell out 50 quid for a seat would come along more often, rather than spending 90 minutes getting abused by away fans and having a shit view, whilst your mates who couldn't be arsed to buy a ticket themselves sit in the prime seats.

 

[Creaky]

To be honest, I'm not comfortable with circumventing the rules. I could do that, but then what if the herbert I've sent the QR code to gets spot-checked with the name/photo ID. Ain't gonna match is it ? Then I'll get a pithy email from the club probably banning me for 6 games, blacklisting me as a chisler and a bounder.

I don't think draconian is too strong a word at all. They've always turned a blind eye to season tickets being shared, providing the ticket pricing policy wasn't being abused. Now its easier and more straightforward to walk into the Syrian embassy with a lumpy backpack than get into the Amex with someone elses ticket.

Let’s face it - even if we still had cards then under present circumstances you’d be facing the same risk regarding spot checks - passing on a QR code rather than a card is no greater a risk.

The club however has designed a legitimate method of passing on a ticket albeit at a cost - works perfectly for me at the moment as I know I will most likely be missing a number of games this season. None of the individuals I have shared with have objected to the membership charge - indeed one took up membership on the day of a match and I managed to share my ticket with them within ten minutes of them doing so.

 

[BNthree]

If instead there's more opportunity for actual real fans to buy tickets in the better parts of the ground, if we're not left scrabbling for the last remaining £50 tickets down in the SW corner next to the away fans, then maybe more of us would come along instead, then maybe my Dad and other real Albion fans who don't want to go to every game but would like to have a decent experience when we do shell out 50 quid for a seat would come along more often, rather than spending 90 minutes getting abused by away fans and having a shit view, whilst your mates who couldn't be arsed to buy a ticket themselves sit in the prime seats.

Blimey, some of you non-Season Ticket Holders can be so effin TIRESOME sometimes.

 

[nwgull]

Whats changed ? Jees. Since covid, they're now actually checking this shit. Some people are even having to mince up to the ticket office windows having been randomly selected to show their covid credentials in order to activate the season ticket - good luck with that if they clock that your covid certificate doesn't match the name on the season ticket you're attempting to use.

And I'd harbour a guess you probably don't know the 20,000-25,000 rocking up at the Amex to confidently assert that because YOU don't know anyone who's been checked, it means it doesn't happen. So your last sentence is blatantly bollocks.

So accepting that it is a possibility to get a random spot check to activate your ticket, this checking requirement would have resulted in a similar mismatch of names on the old ST cards. Same problem. The cross checking of COVID passes is not a draconian measure when the purpose of it is to try and protect the health of 25K supporters. .

 

[Weststander]

So next to pacify the people who are moaning about not wanting to pay for the the option of passing on their ST or the extra needed to become a member for those who want to use the ticket, next season PB says we have listened to this minority of moaners, and therefore have decided to allow all ST to pass on their ST without these additional charges.


Oh and by the way, the cost of every ST is increasing by 25% to accommodate this.

Be careful for what you wish for,

The club have now maxed out its support, the ST list has disappeared.

All season 5,000 seats were physically empty, last night 15,000. Whilst some other stadia all season including this week are packed.

Under the classic supply and demand model, the fanbase won’t take an above inflation price rise. Elastic demand.

The Finance Director and PB would be very well informed of all this, plus the fact that there’s a huge squeeze on household finances.

There are no tools left in PB’s armoury to give fear to supporters of be careful what you wish for.

People are skint, others are bored senseless. The club’s next set of ST prices and revised rules must be drafted with tlc.

Or a load of families will throw in the towel.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I think as many people are pissed off because it’s a ballache to GIVE away a ticket.
I have had 4 opportunities this season to offer a friends 2 seats to other friends who were really keen to go but not keen enough to pay the £20 each. That’s 8 seats that could have happily been filled and would have generated worthwhile extra income.
Club have this all wrong

I haven't paid £20 to watch a Brighton game since Withdean in League 1, probably. Think that would be a rather good deal in the Premier league at the Amex!

 

[Washie]

There is not waiting list for season tickets. I can literally buy one right now.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Blimey, some of you non-Season Ticket Holders can be so effin TIRESOME sometimes.

I try my best. Its quite frustrating to see how poorly us non-sth Members have been treated over the last couple of years, and then log on here to see the privileged lot complain that they aren't even more privileged.

Didn't use to be this way of course. Season tickets used to be the preserve of a wealthy few up in the West Stand at the Goldstone. Vast majority of us would just turn up on a Saturday and hand a few quid over at the turnstiles. Away games were pay on the gate, big cup games were first come first served at the ticket office.

 

[herecomesaregular]

They don't sound like casual fans, they sound like people who will only turn up if it's for free. I mean, whatever, give it away for free if that floats your boat, but why not being able to do so is worthy of a moan on here i do not know.

As for the ground being less than full, I couldn't give two shits if the empty seats would only be full of casual so-called 'fans' who wouldn't even consider coming along if they actually had to pay any money for the ticket.

If instead there's more opportunity for actual real fans to buy tickets in the better parts of the ground, if we're not left scrabbling for the last remaining £50 tickets down in the SW corner next to the away fans, then maybe more of us would come along instead, then maybe my Dad and other real Albion fans who don't want to go to every game but would like to have a decent experience when we do shell out 50 quid for a seat would come along more often, rather than spending 90 minutes getting abused by away fans and having a shit view, whilst your mates who couldn't be arsed to buy a ticket themselves sit in the prime seats.

I've been an Albion regular since 87, although only a season ticket holder since first season at the Amex ( and then only because i was gobsmacked by the pre sales figures and bought two because it looked like it would sell out. I was not expecting that at all going on Goldstone and Withdean attendances). Had great seasons with my two season tickets in my name and myname2 (club didn't bat an eyelid that it was not a real bonafida name). Took many friends, work colleagues, gf and her sons and family, many who paid me for it, plus bought extra seats for cup games when those who came wanted to come back again. Great for me and great for the club. One friend took over one ticket permanently then annoyingly moved away. But I gave up my ticket last season due to finances and then covid. I thought I'd just buy odd match day prices but actually I've found them to be just too much, too high, for a game of football. For me the the gulf between season ticket price and matchday price is too wide and the reason why many keep hold of the season ticket and pass it around. imo the club should reduce the price of the matchday ticket, perhaps lose some season ticket holders but gain odds and sodds supporters, many of whom may be long term fans who cannot commit to so many games (because they are older) but are still loyal supporters the club should aim to keep. I imagine amongst the current season ticket holders there are many who moan and groan and have no true affinity to the club and will buzz off sooner rather than later.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I try my best. Its quite frustrating to see how poorly us non-sth Members have been treated over the last couple of years, and then log on here to see the privileged lot complain that they aren't even more privileged.

Didn't use to be this way of course. Season tickets used to be the preserve of a wealthy few up in the West Stand at the Goldstone. Vast majority of us would just turn up on a Saturday and hand a few quid over at the turnstiles. Away games were pay on the gate, big cup games were first come first served at the ticket office.

I tend to agree with this monkey. I was a shift worker on shit money for years, went to as many home games as I could and a smatter of aways, never wanted a season ticket until the Amex where it was get one or lose out to all the JCLs supporting a second team.

 

[Easy 10]

They don't sound like casual fans, they sound like people who will only turn up if it's for free. I mean, whatever, give it away for free if that floats your boat, but why not being able to do so is worthy of a moan on here i do not know.

As for the ground being less than full, I couldn't give two shits if the empty seats would only be full of casual so-called 'fans' who wouldn't even consider coming along if they actually had to pay any money for the ticket.

If instead there's more opportunity for actual real fans to buy tickets in the better parts of the ground, if we're not left scrabbling for the last remaining £50 tickets down in the SW corner next to the away fans, then maybe more of us would come along instead, then maybe my Dad and other real Albion fans who don't want to go to every game but would like to have a decent experience when we do shell out 50 quid for a seat would come along more often, rather than spending 90 minutes getting abused by away fans and having a shit view, whilst your mates who couldn't be arsed to buy a ticket themselves sit in the prime seats.

Not really.

My dad is 80, and was a STH until last season, when he decided the transport issues were getting a bit much for him to commit to 19 games a season, especially evenings. I also have a mate who had been a STH for longer than me (and I go back to 87), but he's moved to Kent, and work commitments have meant he could no longer commit to a season ticket. And yes, he does still sometimes pay the wedge to come down for the odd game. So he can still be arsed to buy a ticket, but the option to take mine involves additional expense and admin on my part and his. You think thats dandy, I disagree.

These are 2 long-standing Albion fans, previous STHs who I would pass my season ticket to whenever I couldn't make it - certainly not people who "would only turn up if it was for free". These are the kind of people you are so arbitrarily dismissing.

This does and WILL lead to lots of unused seats. You'd clearly rather that than have it potentially filled by a 'casual' fan. I disagree. And they're not always casual.

 

[Hamilton]

Its not really that. Its nearly always used anyway as a proxy to complain about something else - look at those empty seats ! clutches pearls ! . The club is conspiratorially covering it up because of their
sharing schemes, potter, TV schedules, the price of a pie, bottle tops, flasks, transport, the lack of a striker, its inability to generate atmosphere, Barber !!. or perhaps all of them...
.

I think that says more about you my friend. I’m just genuinely interested in attendances.

I remember part of the fun of getting the Sunday papers was scanning the scores and scanning the attendances. I remember marveling at the fact that Queen of the South had pulled in 376, or Wrexham had 15,235 for a Division 4 game.

Football is a game of numbers, which is why we are fascinated by them. They tell the truth. I’m a little disappointed and frustrated when the truth gets hidden.

All the stuff you list may well be true. I just like to know what the attendance was.


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[durrington gull]

The club have now maxed out its support, the ST list has disappeared.

All season 5,000 seats were physically empty, last night 15,000. Whilst some other stadia all season including this week are packed.

Under the classic supply and demand model, the fanbase won’t take an above inflation price rise. Elastic demand.

The Finance Director and PB would be very well informed of all this, plus the fact that there’s a huge squeeze on household finances.

There are no tools left in PB’s armoury to give fear to supporters of be careful what you wish for.

People are skint, others are bored senseless. The club’s next set of ST prices and revised rules must be drafted with tlc.

Or a load of families will throw in the towel.

Well said - the club need to take their head out of their arse and realise they’ve dropped a massive bollock with this shambolic ST issue - I for one have missed nearly half home games this season and unable to pass my ST onto other mates - seriously considering jacking it in and buy individual match tickets

 

[Return of the Rev]

I think that says more about you my friend. I’m just genuinely interested in attendances.

I remember part of the fun of getting the Sunday papers was scanning the scores and scanning the attendances. I remember marveling at the fact that Queen of the South had pulled in 376, or Wrexham had 15,235 for a Division 4 game.

Football is a game of numbers, which is why we are fascinated by them. They tell the truth. I’m a little disappointed and frustrated when the truth gets hidden.

All the stuff you list may well be true. I just like to know what the attendance was.


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After the score the attendance was checked next in the Sunday papers, gave me pride as a 3rd division side if we pulled in a good crowd.

 

[Hamilton]

I don't agree. I know 2 people who are part-time Albion fans (there are thousands out there) who were offered tickets last night and would happily have gone if it wasn't for the hassle and expense of the current approach.

Personally I have already nominated 4 people who I could share my season ticket with, but when I had Covid and had to miss the Newcastle game none of them could make it. There were others who could but didn't want to join the scheme. Oh, and my ticket didn't sell when I put it back into the re-sell ticket scheme so the seat sat there empty and no-one bought a pie and a pint.


IT'S SIMPLE, WE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO SHARE OUR SEASON TICKET WITH ANYONE WHO HAS A FAN NUMBER AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO DO SO!

I’ll go further. We should be entitled to share our ticket with whoever we bloody well like. Mrs H hasn’t got a fan number and she used to come to games all the time when one of the guys I sat with couldn’t come. She can’t be bothered getting an Albion Digital membership. And why should she pay even £15 for something my mates and I have already bought.

The club have got this so wrong and they are hiding behind the badge of safety. It’s time football clubs started treating fans like adults rather that trying to control and monetize everything. The clubs and players only exist because of the fans.


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