[Albion] Season Ticket Farce @PaulBarber

[Green Cross Code Man]

I think what this thread clearly shows is that few people, including myself, have actually checked the cost and process before posting. The received wisdom is that it's unfair, unreasonable, time consuming and expensive to pass what we've already paid for to a mate. It's uncomfortable asking a friend or relative to go through a process and ask them to pay towards going, so the S/T holder either pays for a mate or sits next to an empty seat. I have no answers, but I think I'm beginning to understand the question better.

I think most of us understand that as [MENTION=27279]dazzer6666[/MENTION] said, it is of no discernible benefit to anyone sharing a ticket on the odd occasion, but of great benefit for those who know they will miss a number of games or plan to share a number of games to reduce their own costs/commitment.

 

[chaileyjem]

I emailed him about it (might have to again now given the ‘rules’ over what happens with postponed games). I got a resolute defence of the scheme and how good it was and a triumphant line about how many were signed up for it and no real answers the the questions I asked

The empty seats will be simply brushed off as ‘covid’. Test will be what gets done for next season I guess.

How many were signed up for it and using it according to PB ?

 

[chaileyjem]

£20 to register a person for the season. 1 person as opposed to 20 for free at Liverpool.

Not sure i'd be happy if the club charged me an admin fee to pay for my season ticket by direct debit (Its about £35 a year), or if i had to fork out 19 x train tickets to get to the ground every week. (for me - equivalent of about £50 a season, or charged me an admin fee to move my season ticket, or transferred my ticket to someone elses at the start of the season.
(but Liverpool do all this and Brighton don't).

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

How many were signed up for it and using it according to PB ?

Probably a similar number given to the fictional ST waiting list or crowd attendance numbers i.e. a load of guff from the master of spin to save face and try and drive demand.

There will no doubt be people using the scheme (mainly those who share a season ticket who now have to pay a supplement to do so), but not nearly as many as the empty seats that would otherwise be full if people could pass on their ticket. Fair to say virtually everyone can see that.



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[The Lemming Stomper]

Not sure i'd be happy if the club charged me an admin fee to pay for my season ticket by direct debit (Its about £35 a year), or if i had to fork out 19 x train tickets to get to the ground every week. (for me - equivalent of about £50 a season, or charged me an admin fee to move my season ticket, or transferred my ticket to someone elses at the start of the season.
(but Liverpool do all this and Brighton don't).

Here's a novel idea...

Why not do all those good things we do AND not implement that piss taking charge to let someone use your ticket ?

 

[Springal]

Here's a novel idea...

Why not do all those good things we do AND not implement that piss taking charge to let someone use your ticket ?

£67M losses - fans expect Tony Bloom to keep propping us up with Millions / Hundreds of Millions - and fans moan about £20. If I was Tony Bloom I'd wonder is it worth it

 

[chaileyjem]

Probably a similar number given to the fictional ST waiting list or crowd attendance numbers i.e. a load of guff from the master of spin to save face and try and drive demand.

There will no doubt be people using the scheme (mainly those who share a season ticket who now have to pay a supplement to do so), but not nearly as many as the empty seats that would otherwise be full if people could pass on their ticket. Fair to say virtually everyone can see that.

Its a good faith question because i'm genuinely interested in the numbers using it - it clearly works for some as a few on this thread and other threads have argued - though of course there are many who essentially think charging of any kind for the scheme isn't fair or appropriate.. And just because there's a lot using it lets say (I'm one of them) doesn't mean that they can also think the scheme is flawed in certain ways (i'm one of those too) .

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Not sure i'd be happy if the club charged me an admin fee to pay for my season ticket by direct debit (Its about £35 a year), or if i had to fork out 19 x train tickets to get to the ground every week. (for me - equivalent of about £50 a season, or charged me an admin fee to move my season ticket, or transferred my ticket to someone elses at the start of the season.
(but Liverpool do all this and Brighton don't).

Well if we are talking personally, I would be happy about that, and due to personal circumstances I have to travel to the game by car and incur much greater costs by subsidizing others (I am not unhappy about that btw) and go through the ridiculous rigmarole of trying to get parking when other seasons I've had a season ticket for parking. I would gain a lot personally, £15 parking, if I can get it, a match, works out quite a bit higher.

I think it's more important to realize that for a large amount of people, the current arrangement is unsatisfactory.

 

[chaileyjem]

Here's a novel idea...

Why not do all those good things we do AND not implement that piss taking charge to let someone use your ticket ?

I think its fair to point out that if some are making the argument that x club can do this for free or a different way, then that *might* be because they charge for a whole bunch of other things that Albion don't charge for.
Would you consider it if it was a smaller fee (£10 lets say ?) or if there was an Albion + membership that was ticket only - no free gubbins - that was cheaper (£15 or less for a season). or is it your view is that it has to be free. ?

 

[chaileyjem]

I think it's more important to realize that for a large amount of people, the current arrangement is unsatisfactory.

Agreed - of course . but i think its fair to point out that the other ST benefits that most other PL fans don't benefit from - if the argument is why can't it be free like Liverpool or other clubs that have sharing schemes .

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Agreed - of course . but i think its fair to point out that the other ST benefits that most other PL fans don't benefit from - if the argument is why can't it be free like Liverpool or other clubs that have sharing schemes .

True. I think the club gets more right than wrong, and the travel scheme and interest free options are groundbreaking and to be applauded.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I think its fair to point out that if some are making the argument that x club can do this for free or a different way, then that *might* be because they charge for a whole bunch of other things that Albion don't charge for.
Would you consider it if it was a smaller fee (£10 lets say ?) or if there was an Albion + membership that was ticket only - no free gubbins - that was cheaper (£15 or less for a season). or is it your view is that it has to be free. ?

The problem is the odd ticket here and there, and no one will sign up and pay for the chance that maybe, perhaps, someone will call them and say they've unexpectedly got a spare ticket. It works for those that plan or know there will be occasions when they won't be around, but doesn't help anyone who misses the match due to unforeseen circumstances, such as self isolation.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

True. I think the club gets more right than wrong, and the travel scheme and interest free options are groundbreaking and to be applauded.

The travel scheme was part of planning permission dating back to 1999, the Direct Debits were implemented in 2011. Both utterly brilliant and generous solutions that are great for the supporter.

Thankfully Barber hasn't found a way to charge us for them yet. Wonder if that will ever change

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[chaileyjem]

The problem is the odd ticket here and there, and no one will sign up and pay for the chance that maybe, perhaps, someone will call them and say they've unexpectedly got a spare ticket. It works for those that plan or know there will be occasions when they won't be around, but doesn't help anyone who misses the match due to unforeseen circumstances, such as self isolation.

Agreed - there are lots of different ways that the scheme has to support, it might be a one off (eg: illness) or it might be a single family member using the seat multiple times whilst another is away (eg: holiday / at university ). Free is clearly no barrier to sharing - its just then the sign up which might be for some. And the marginal cost for a one off - rightly or wrongly - is perceived as £45 which feels too high.
But i think there might be some way of charging where its less of an issue - perhaps a one off fee. So £20 for the season or £5 per game ? , or £5 to be a matchday member ? (£25 for the season) .
or just make it free !

 

[Mellotron]

Maybe they will; maybe they won't. They've been turning a blind eye to ST card sharing for 9 seasons, so who knows.

Well, not a great example given they've just had a big overhaul of the system specifically to stop it happening. Would be strange if they gave up now - if they can find a way to stop it, they definitely will.

 

[chaileyjem]

The travel scheme was part of planning permission dating back to 1999, the Direct Debits were implemented in 2011. Both utterly brilliant and generous solutions that are great for the supporter.

Thankfully Barber hasn't found a way to charge us for them yet. Wonder if that will ever change

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For someone who is painted by some on here as a ruthless administrator trying to make ££ out of his customers (not fans) then given he's been here nearly 10 years now then he's clearly not very good at it.!!

 

[dazzer6666]

How many were signed up for it and using it according to PB ?

Wasn’t a number, just something about me being wrong because ‘so many of our fans have signed up’. I’ve seen a quote from him suggesting it was 2,000 somewhere - if true, I wouldn’t could that ‘loads’…..less than 10% take up

 

[dazzer6666]

Agreed - there are lots of different ways that the scheme has to support, it might be a one off (eg: illness) or it might be a single family member using the seat multiple times whilst another is away (eg: holiday / at university ). Free is clearly no barrier to sharing - its just then the sign up which might be for some. And the marginal cost for a one off - rightly or wrongly - is perceived as £45 which feels too high.
But i think there might be some way of charging where its less of an issue - perhaps a one off fee. So £20 for the season or £5 per game ? , or £5 to be a matchday member ? (£25 for the season) .
or just make it free !

Or simply allow the ST to be upgraded to a normal matchday price ticket. Technology and process is already in place to facilitate this because you can do it for concessionary tickets, just not full price adult STs. I’d happily pay the difference on Junior’s ST to be able to take a mate who’s only going to go once a year rather than have an empty seat next to me.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

£67M losses - fans expect Tony Bloom to keep propping us up with Millions / Hundreds of Millions - and fans moan about £20. If I was Tony Bloom I'd wonder is it worth it

You haven't read all the replies to this thread. The money is an issue, more so because many feel they've already paid for their ticket, but the degree of friction involved is huge compared to handing someone your season ticket.

 

[Springal]

You haven't read all the replies to this thread. The money is an issue, more so because many feel they've already paid for their ticket, but the degree of friction involved is huge compared to handing someone your season ticket.

I have and I think it’s feeble excuses. Out of our tickets , we’ve had 3 friends sign up and use season tickets (all 3 previously had season tickets) and no problem. But also we’ve had 2 people who have been before, but aren’t really fans per se , who can’t be bothered.

I should add all 3 fans have previously paid £35-£45 for a single match day ticket when they wanted to go to a game but no spare season ticket.