Away ticket priority - do you think the Albion should run this scheme?

[Bozza]

Ipswich run the following scheme for ultra-frequent away travellers. It ensures that those who do go to pretty much every away game get a ticket. I firmly believe the Albion should operate a similar scheme.

I think at the Albion, around 300-400 regular travellers would join and I would have no issue with this sort of number getting their 'guaranteed' ticket. Most are likely to be season ticket holders too, for those that care about such things. Beyond this - it's up to the Albion how they allocate the rest of the tickets - first come first served, season ticket holders first - whatever. One thing that seems completely unjust though is that someone could go to all 22 league away games this season yet miss out on a 'battle to stay up' game at Rotherham at the end of the season.

(By way of background, this season I certainly would not be covered by such a scheme, but I think those that do go away all the time should not be made to sweat on 'high profile' games)

So the question is simple - should the Albion operate a scheme like the below? Would you have any issue in the relatively small number of ultra-regular away travellers being guaranteed their tickets for all away games?

The Ipswich scheme

A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS WHO REGULARLY FOLLOW THE TEAM AWAY FROM HOME!

GUARANTEE YOUR TICKET FOR ALL DOMESTIC AWAY MATCHES!

HOW THE SCHEME WORKS

If you wish to be an Away Match Passport holder -

1. Simply tick the Away Match Passport box on the application form.

2. Include credit/debit card details you want your Away Match Tickets to be charged to.

3. Your ticket will be sent to you approximately 2 weeks prior to each match and charged to you at that time.

4. If you wish to be seated with other Away Match Passport holders please inform the Ticket Office on the application form at the time of renewing.

5. The Away Match Passport is specifically for supporters who plan to attend virtually all away league and cup matches during the season but we realise there may be an occasion when tickets will not be required. In this event, tickets must be returned at least 7 days prior to the match to obtain a full refund.

6. Only a maximum of 3 cancellations will be allowed during one season after which the Away Match Passport will be withdrawn.

7. The Away Match Passport will cost £20.00 per season this is to cover the cost of postage and administration. This will be charged at the time of renewing your Membership.

8. The Away Match Passport can be cancelled by you at any time.

 

[Easy 10]

Seems fair enough - basically the club "assumes" you WILL be attending every away game, and charges you in advance accordingly for the ticket. You really can't argue with that.

Outside of the few who DO commit to such a scheme though, I guarantee you'd still get the same old arguments over the remaining tickets.

 

[Happy Seagull]

But what does a fan travelling to every away game generate for the club? Apart from cheering on the team. STH's are the blood pumping through the veins of the club, so if priority was given to anyone it should be them. If people see this as unfair then first come first served is the only option you can go with.

One day when selling tickets for our games is run smoothly and effectively we might have some sort of scheme in place. Until then things will stay as they are, a lottery.

 

[Bozza]

Outside of the few who DO commit to such a scheme though, I guarantee you'd still get the same old arguments over the remaining tickets.

Indeed - as I say above it's up to the club beyond that.

However, most issues seem to resolve around the relevant priority of regular away travellers v season ticket holders. I believe the above scheme would pretty much eliminate that since there is a very clear definition of a regular away traveller. If you class yourself as one of those, you sign up and you get your ticket. If you can't make such a commitment you follow whatever process comes next (and what I believe that should be is neither here nor there and I don't want to send this thread off on a tangent if I can help it).

 

[Happy Seagull]

Bozza, how many fans do you think would go for an option like this? I know there are a few on here that go to a great deal of away games, and i know of a few that go to every home and away.

But would there be enough to even think of setting it up?

 

[Bozza]

But what does a fan travelling to every away game generate for the club? Apart from cheering on the team. STH's are the blood pumping through the veins of the club, so if priority was given to anyone it should be them. If people see this as unfair then first come first served is the only option you can go with.

One day when selling tickets for our games is run smoothly and effectively we might have some sort of scheme in place. Until then things will stay as they are, a lottery.

Pretty irrelevant in the context of what I am proposing since I believe most frequent travellers are also likely to be season ticket holders.

But assuming none are (which is bollocks, obviously) - it's a difficult question to answer since it is impossible to put a value on support given at away games, but there is definitely a value - witness both Oatway and Kuipers asking the Albion support for more vocals during today's match. What if that singing did earn us a point today by lifting the players? What if we do survive by a single point at the end of the season?

 

[Bozza]

Bozza, how many fans do you think would go for an option like this? I know there are a few on here that go to a great deal of away games, and i know of a few that go to every home and away.

But would there be enough to even think of setting it up?

I don't think the overheard for the club is significant at all - assume the club only has 23 away league games (no Cup games) in a season then the cost to the club is going to be about 35p per game (enevelope and a stamp) so under a tenner for the season and covered by the administration charge.

Given the terms of the Ipswich scheme - you're effectively saying 'will you go to 20 or more away games this season'. I reckon at the Albion maybe 300-400 people would be prepared to say they will AND pay a small charge to stake their claim. It may be a few more, but if people are willing to make that commitment then I think they deserve their ticket.

 

[Happy Seagull]

Pretty irrelevant in the context of what I am proposing since I believe most frequent travellers are also likely to be season ticket holders.

But assuming none are (which is bollocks, obviously) - it's a difficult question to answer since it is impossible to put a value on support given at away games, but there is definitely a value - witness both Oatway and Kuipers asking the Albion support for more vocals during today's match. What if that singing did earn us a point today by lifting the players? What if we do survive by a single point at the end of the season?

I know of alot of fans who no longer go to games at Withdean, and instead only go to away games. I don't feel that people like these should get any priority on tickets. Some people say they've been priced out of games at Withdean, which to an extent is true, but away games must cost more so it's not an arguement that holds water.

Club survival has a greater value than any point we can gain. Money put into the club at early stages by STH's is what keeps the club ticking over. Once Falmer is built then maybe the finances will be in place so that STH's won't be as valuable to the life of the club as they are now.

 

[DJ Leon]

As I've mentioned on other threads, I don't think this is fair. I also don't think it would be good for the club; the same people would be going to all away games (especially if we play at a lower level with lower capacities). New fans, fans that live elsewhere in the UK, fans that cannot afford many games will be punished.

Does everyone think that this is the way all things should be run? I can't wait until I try to get on a train and am unable to do it because someone who has used it (and spent more money on it) has priority. It's not the kind of world I want to see and it's not the way I want the club run.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

As I've mentioned on other threads, I don't think this is fair. I also don't think it would be good for the club; the same people would be going to all away games (especially if we play at a lower level with lower capacities).

I can't see that happening much - as Bozza said, it wouldn't apply to that many people. I wouldn't be covered, but would support such a scheme.

 

[Bozza]

As I've mentioned on other threads, I don't think this is fair. I also don't think it would be good for the club; the same people would be going to all away games (especially if we play at a lower level with lower capacities). New fans, fans that live elsewhere in the UK, fans that cannot afford many games will be punished.

This would be valid if I was proposing a traditional 'loyalty' scheme where you basically earn a point every time you attend a game. Such schemes can become exclusive and make it difficult for newcomers to get on the ladder as those who have been on the ladder for longer always take up an allocation. I'm not proposing that for the reasons you state.

 

[London Irish]

It's a good idea in principle, my only slight worry would be issues to do with the small nature of our ticket office set-up. I'm not 100% sure a direct comparison with Ipswich who sell thousands of tickets every week, and who therefore have a larger, more flexible division of labour among their ticketing staff, is possible. Our admin fee might have to be much higher than £20 to make the thing pay for itself, but I'm guessing and could be wrong. It all depends if there is spare capacity in the ticket office to cope with the extra work.

 

[oapdodge]

A scheme has got to be started to stop all these arguments everytime . It has been more frequent of late. Even if it is only one game a season when it happens. It is wrong that fans who travel to Sunderland and all over the country and are season ticket holders do not get a ticket for the FA cup or any big games that come along because others got accepted in the lottery before them, even though they hardly attend matches. A fairer system MUST be introduced.

 

[Bozza]

It's a good idea in principle, my only slight worry would be issues to do with the small nature of our ticket office set-up. I'm not 100% sure a direct comparison with Ipswich who sell thousands of tickets every week, and who therefore have a larger, more flexible division of labour among their ticketing staff, is possible. Our admin fee might have to be much higher than £20 to make the thing pay for itself, but I'm guessing and could be wrong. It all depends if there is spare capacity in the ticket office to cope with the extra work.

Again - not sure it's an issue...

For an away game now the process must be something like:

1. Notified how many tickets we have been allocated and at what price.

2. Publish that information on the web/programme etc.

3. Process applications as they arrive.

There is always going to be a period of time between 1 and 3 - it will vary depending on the 'high profile-ness' of the game in question.

With the Ipswich style scheme in place the processing of the scheme members can take place between 1 and 3, thereby taking some of the load off of the processing requirement when applications arrive. If anything it may help to slightly smooth out the resourcing requirements, since 400 applications may be taken care of before the postman starts delivering the rest...

 

[e77]

I would go along with the scheme with the addition of two rules:

1. Only 'x' amount are ever issued. I would suggest 500 would do the job, which would still leave enough tickets for even the smallest away end (saying that we don't tend to sell out the smaller away ends, but that is by the by).

2. To qualify for one you have to attend 'x' amount of home games a year. 10 ? 15 ?

I know Reading do a similar thing.

 

[DJ Leon]

This would be valid if I was proposing a traditional 'loyalty' scheme where you basically earn a point every time you attend a game. Such schemes can become exclusive and make it difficult for newcomers to get on the ladder as those who have been on the ladder for longer always take up an allocation. I'm not proposing that for the reasons you state.

But you are suggesting that you can buy a kind of 'away' season ticket. Given the limited numbers that can go to some of these games, how can this not exclude many fans?

I am also unsure about the logistics of this; the returning of tickets seems like an operational nightmare and will probably cause untold conflict.

First come first served is one rule. This scheme sounds like hundreds to me. It sounds very difficult to implement.

Anyway, whatever is done, the same whinging will continue.

 

[Happy Seagull]

If things were to change in the allocation of tickets, i think it should be to fans who are STH's and AMS members first, then to fans who are just AMS members.

 

[Beach Hut]

Why should a fan who goes to every away game have priority ?

I am sure the Commercial people in the club would not be interested as they are putting jack shit into the club.

 

[Turkey]

Why should a fan who goes to every away game have priority ?

I am sure the Commercial people in the club would not be interested as they are putting jack shit into the club.

I'd be in support of it if this package was available as an add-on to the season ticket rather than an alternative.

 

[Starry]

Didn't vote, but Leeds operate a similar 'away season ticket' scheme, I have one and am guaranteed a ticket for every away league game and we get to apply first for away cup games. We sell 500 away season tickets per season. I paid upfront at the beginning of the season for every away ticket (same as home season ticket), it was £475. We are free to return tickets if we can't make it and we are credited the money back if we do that,

Seems to work well for Leeds.