[Brighton] Ajax Season Ticket Exchange

[NottinghamGull]

The rules were clear at the time of purchase. I was happy to buy 2 seats where I wanted for son and self for all 3 games. I could not make the Athens game and was pleased I could “sell” it back on exchange so another fan could go. Would have been happy for no refund or AITC donation as they were the rules I signed up to. In the end my son bought for my daughter (at full price) which meant they could go to her first ever Albion match and sit together. Club made good money on the new seat sale and some merch at the shop. Another potential convert as she wants to go again, despite the rain and result.

As a MA+ member it is often hard to get seats together, or even at all. To be able to do it in advance and against the opposition we subsequently got drawn against was a real bonus. As a 50 year Albion fan I would have paid £85 for each ticket for one match!

 

[Sue1983]

I was happy to buy the 3 match pack even though I wasn't sure if I could attend all 3. It meant that I could keep mine and my partners seats and even if I had only attended 2 of those games I thought it was a bargain. 2 games would of worked out at £50 per ticket which is less than 1 Cat A game.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

A consequence might be that the spiteful won’t now use the exchange to ‘punish’ the club.

Leaving empty seats on the night, depriving others of attending.

You'd need to be a particular type of twat to do this....do we have many of these?

 

[Simster]

You'd need to be a particular type of twat to do this....do we have many of these?

There is probably a "Tory candidates in Brighton & Hove" forum somewhere with a thread titled "I am going to deliberately not sell my Albion ticket on the exchange".

I suspect most complete c**ts in Brighton would be on that forum too.

 

[Weststander]

You'd need to be a particular type of twat to do this....do we have many of these?

To forfeit a paltry £5 …. I’d guess yes

 

[Dave the hatosaurus]

The original terms didn’t envisage an exchange, but it was made v clear that if an exchange was able to be put in place (as it was at a later stage), the discount for buying ’three for two’ would be lost - the fact they’ve called it an ‘admin fee’ seems to have annoyed a lot of people but they did precisely what they said they would.

£20 being itemised as an admin fee makes it feel a bit of a piss take. If it was listed as reclaim of 3 match discount value, it would sit better.

This and this, well said guys.
As has been made pretty clear on this thread the original price was heavily discounted if you were prepared to commit to all 3 matches therefore it is not so much an admin fee as it is really a reclaim of that discount. I expect the words "admin fee" were readily available on the system to cover this scenario and having to set up a new section with the words "discount reclamation" or some such would have involved more expense.

 

[Bozza]

In related news, I was speaking to the club this morning about something unrelated, but this subject also came up.

It was mentioned that some fans have been highly abusive towards club staff about their Ajax ticket re-sale as, like a few posters on this thread, they weren't aware of the way the ticket exchange was working for European League games. Sadly, these hostile interactions have become increasingly common.

As others have said, it was very clearly communicated by the club but, as someone who does miss seemingly obvious comms at times, I appreciate that some may still have been unaware.

Again, as pointed out, if you bought the three-match pack and only make it to two of the three fixtures, you will have paid exactly the same per match as those who bought two individual tickets. Additionally, you will have benefited from a prime choice of seats, very probably including your own season ticket seat. The discounted price was for those who would be attending all three matches.

I'd like to think that few people on here need reminding, but regardless of your reason to speak to Supporter Services, try and be nice. In most cases, you will be speaking to another fan, like you and I, who is just doing a job and trying their best to help you out if at all possible.

 

[Mr Bridger]

I get that, no complaints from me.

Putting an accountant’s hat on, if 5k put theirs on the exchange and they all resold, in broad terms that’s unexpected additional income of £175k using the £35 resale price someone mentioned above. Less the minor compensation paid out.

I was an accountant from the age of 21 until I was sacked for no apparent reason at the age of 30.
Total waste of 14 years.

 

[Weststander]

I was an accountant from the age of 21 until I was sacked for no apparent reason at the age of 30.
Total waste of 14 years.

That's a minute out of my working day, costing you £50+VAT.

 

[Baldseagull]

£20 being itemised as an admin fee makes it feel a bit of a piss take. If it was listed as reclaim of 3 match discount value, it would sit better.

In related news, I was speaking to the club this morning about something unrelated, but this subject also came up.

It was mentioned that some fans have been highly abusive towards club staff about their Ajax ticket re-sale as, like a few posters on this thread, they weren't aware of the way the ticket exchange was working for European League games. Sadly, these hostile interactions have become increasingly common.

As others have said, it was very clearly communicated by the club but, as someone who does miss seemingly obvious comms at times, I appreciate that some may still have been unaware.

Again, as pointed out, if you bought the three-match pack and only make it to two of the three fixtures, you will have paid exactly the same per match as those who bought two individual tickets. Additionally, you will have benefited from a prime choice of seats, very probably including your own season ticket seat. The discounted price was for those who would be attending all three matches.

I'd like to think that few people on here need reminding, but regardless of your reason to speak to Supporter Services, try and be nice. In most cases, you will be speaking to another fan, like you and I, who is just doing a job and trying their best to help you out if at all possible.

Indeed, however, if a number of people have become irate, I would hope the club would take a look at their communications and improve them.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I find it odd that a change in the wording would make so many people feel better and happier with the club. Seems a bit over sensitive.

 

[dazzer6666]

£20 being itemised as an admin fee makes it feel a bit of a piss take. If it was listed as reclaim of 3 match discount value, it would sit better.

Indeed, however, if a number of people have become irate, I would hope the club would take a look at their communications and improve them.

I'd also hope anyone getting arsy with well-meaning staff because they themselves failed to read and/or understand simple communications that were clear from the start would take a look at themselves.

 

[dazzer6666]

I find it odd that a change in the wording would make so many people feel better and happier with the club. Seems a bit over sensitive.

It was probably no more than expediency anyway - adding a 'removal of discount' facility to the ticketing system being deemed an unnecessary ballache when the 'admin fee' widget could fulfil the purpose, particularly as it was done quickly.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

£20 being itemised as an admin fee makes it feel a bit of a piss take. If it was listed as reclaim of 3 match discount value, it would sit better.

Indeed, however, if a number of people have become irate, I would hope the club would take a look at their communications and improve them.

But we all know that "admin fee" is a cover-all term. As a former developer, I’m guessing that the software is programmed with certain options to use to describe the reduction in refund, and "Price adjustment" or similar, wasn’t available. Either that or they naively presumed that people would have read the Ts & Cs, either before purchase or after the refund, when seeking an explanation for the amount.

 

[PeterT]

Think back to the 1997 you, if you were alive then. It would have been in another stratosphere to imagine that the (a?) main topic of conversation 26 years on would have been some unhappiness/confusion about the way the discount for the 3 match Europa League pack would work if you couldn’t attend all 3 games!!

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Hypothetically ....

Let's say you paid £100 for the 3-match pack but then by a stroke of major misfortune were unable to attended any of the 3 games.
You put all 3 on the ticket exchange and the club sold all 3, collecting a sum of £130 in total.
Would you expect a refund of £100 [what you paid] or £130 [what they were worth / resale value]?

I think what may have wound you up the most is the "80% Admin fee" £20, which in anyone's book is extortionate.

But as others have explained, all this is effectively doing, is retaining the 3-match-pack discount value and the "admin fee" wording has left you with a sour taste.

Hope you have reflected on the comments made by others and reconsidered your perceived financially aggrieved status is now resolved?

I too, hope you are now on the mend ....

 

[herecomesaregular]

Think back to the 1997 you, if you were alive then. It would have been in another stratosphere to imagine that the (a?) main topic of conversation 26 years on would have been some unhappiness/confusion about the way the discount for the 3 match Europa League pack would work if you couldn’t attend all 3 games!!

I was glad to get to the rearranged York City game. Not sure if refunds were offered for those who made the first game but couldn't make the rescheduled date? God forbid if the OP couldn't make it!

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

I find it odd that a change in the wording would make so many people feel better and happier with the club. Seems a bit over sensitive.

ah…. don’t ever underestimate the power of the written word.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Absolute load of noise and nonsense on this thread. You knew what you signed up for: 3 top class European games for the price of 2. Simple solution if then find you can't make one of the games? STFU

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Absolute load of noise and nonsense on this thread. You knew what you signed up for: 3 top class European games for the price of 2. Simple solution if then find you can't make one of the games? STFU

That is actually a little unfair in one or two cases. I'd accept that a few did not properly understand the deal.

On the first couple of pages of the thread, I replied to one of the complainants spelling out why their position was wrong, and they've understood, thanked me for the explanation, and accepted the situation.

I think in 15 years, its possibly the first time I've ever known this to happen on NSC. Amazing times.