[Albion] Change to away ticket sales process [Club update - post #140]

[jackanada]

Suggestion:
Open up away tickets very early. No preference selection.
Based on this the club decide which allocation to take.
All those who have already bought get 24 hours to choose their seats, if they don't seats are allocated to them on mythical 'best' basis.
Tickets go back on sale.
Ticket staff deal with some moving around requested by those who already bought who didn't pick their seat during the initial window.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

1,878

Was that reduced after they went on sale ? I remember the club initially announced an allocation of 2900 but I did notice a big drop in tickets available of circa 1000 between days 2 and 3..

 

[osgood]

Working through the fixtures on a fairly pessimistic basis the real exposure is approximately £350k. If Tony Bloom decides that is money he doesn't want to lose then fair play.

That said rather than taking the route they have which is clearly annoying to the most loyal fans why not just ask for a lower allocation for the bovious fixtures like Newcastle away where we won't take the full allocation.

I am sure you could get this exposure down to less than £100k.

 

[osgood]

Ultimately, it’s about accurately predicting Albion fans’ ticket demand and so the club could have a “register your interest” webpage on which fans could indicate their intent to attend a particular away game (to be registered by, say, no later than two weeks before the ticket on-sale date).

Based on such feedback, the club should be able to make a reasonably informed judgement about our potential numbers when applying for non-refundable ticket allocations from the home club. Thereafter, the former Albion ticket sales system (which has worked pretty well in the past) could apply from the designated on-sale date.

Importantly, those with health problems or special needs would be able to eliminate the anxiety of not knowing in advance where they may end up being seated. The club’s assessment of a “best seat” is unlikely to match the fans’ preference.

Surely the club could implement this without too much hassle, which would accommodate most fans’ desire to know roughly in which area/block they can sit when they purchase a ticket?

In any event, I would have thought the “shortfall” issue will apply to only a handful of matches bearing in mind the likely demand for away tickets based on last season’s huge Albion take up at nearly every away game. On the other hand, with many fans having “ticked off” a number of new away grounds last season there may perhaps be fewer wishing to attend some of this season’s away games (although, conversely, they may be offset by others who just missed out on away tickets last season and who should, as a result, have a better opportunity to buy one this season).

It shouldn’t be that difficult to address this. The club just needs to gauge the approximate ticket demand and proceed on that basis. Even if there turns out to be a small cost [to the club] c/o unsold tickets purchased it will be a drop in the ocean compared to the goodwill it will generate with fans.

I hope the club notes this thread, and fans’ suggestions, and looks into possible ways to overcome the potential away game seating lottery that will result from the latest plans announced by the club.

right!

 

[jamie the seagull]

Booking early for Liverpool has not helped me.
Stuck right in the corner of block 121, where the seats are NOT angled towards the pitch so my view is looking straight ahead into the Main Stand lower section.
If this idea was such a great idea why was this not communicated or discussed with us before it was implemented.
In addition to this match I am stuck right at the back at Watford with a young child.
This system suits the Club but not the fans.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m looking forward to Barber’s lengthy and multiple bullet-pointed explanation as to why they’re doing this, what they can’t do anything else, and why you’ll just have to accept it. Can we call it Barbs-plaining?

 

[studio150]

Register interest for away games 1 week before release date. Pay £10 refundable deposit to filter out time wasters.

Request the nearest allocation based on the above figure 1000, 1500, 3000.

Use ticketing system from last year to get preference.

Club don’t loose cash. Fans are happy. Easy.

Far too sensible for the club to consider

 

[Goldstone1976]

Register interest for away games 1 week before release date. Pay £10 refundable deposit to filter out time wasters.

Request the nearest allocation based on the above figure 1000, 1500, 3000.

Use ticketing system from last year to get preference.

Club don’t loose cash. Fans are happy. Easy.

Would only work if they somehow stopped fans who hadn’t pre-registered buying the tickets when they went on sale, so it wouldn’t be exactly the same system as last year, except in those situations where demand outstripped maximum supply - when last year’s system would work fine.

Also, for those fans who had pre-registered: say 1600 applied. The club would buy 1500, meaning processing refunds of the deposit for the unlucky 100.

Finally, a few who had pre-registered wouldn’t then purchase (stuff happens) - do they get their deposit back?

I think there’s the bones of a suggestion here that could possibly work, providing the club were prepared to put some effort or software into it.

Given the solution they’ve introduced, there’s not that much evidence that they are...

 

[AWAYDAY]

Would only work if they somehow stopped fans who hadn’t pre-registered buying the tickets when they went on sale, so it wouldn’t be exactly the same system as last year, except in those situations where demand outstripped maximum supply - when last year’s system would work fine.

Also, for those fans who had pre-registered: say 1600 applied. The club would buy 1500, meaning processing refunds of the deposit for the unlucky 100.

Finally, a few who had pre-registered wouldn’t then purchase (stuff happens) - do they get their deposit back?

I think there’s the bones of a suggestion here that could possibly work, providing the club were prepared to put some effort or software into it.

Given the solution they’ve introduced, there’s not that much evidence that they are...

I agree that there is some admin time and cost here around refunds. I believe most who committed a deposit would see it through. The other way is to take a ‘show of interest’ without deposit to save admin time and cost. I just think this will be less accurate.

Overall there is some work for the ticket office to make a good system. I’d argue that by definition the job of a ticket office is to managage ticket sales.

Arenas, theatres and other venues around the world use systems to solve similar issues over unpredictable sales so for me there are solutions if the will is there.

 

[pasty]

Two simple words would resolve the issue in one fell swoop.

Unallocated seating.

We are (nearly) all adults, and with unallocated seats, people would very simply sort themselves out.

 

[Mr H]

Ultimately, it’s about accurately predicting Albion fans’ ticket demand and so the club could have a “register your interest” webpage on which fans could indicate their intent to attend a particular away game (to be registered by, say, no later than two weeks before the ticket on-sale date).

Based on such feedback, the club should be able to make a reasonably informed judgement about our potential numbers when applying for non-refundable ticket allocations from the home club. Thereafter, the former Albion ticket sales system (which has worked pretty well in the past) could apply from the designated on-sale date.

Importantly, those with health problems or special needs would be able to eliminate the anxiety of not knowing in advance where they may end up being seated. The club’s assessment of a “best seat” is unlikely to match the fans’ preference.

Surely the club could implement this without too much hassle, which would accommodate most fans’ desire to know roughly in which area/block they can sit when they purchase a ticket?

In any event, I would have thought the “shortfall” issue will apply to only a handful of matches bearing in mind the likely demand for away tickets based on last season’s huge Albion take up at nearly every away game. On the other hand, with many fans having “ticked off” a number of new away grounds last season there may perhaps be fewer wishing to attend some of this season’s away games (although, conversely, they may be offset by others who just missed out on away tickets last season and who should, as a result, have a better opportunity to buy one this season).

It shouldn’t be that difficult to address this. The club just needs to gauge the approximate ticket demand and proceed on that basis. Even if there turns out to be a small cost [to the club] c/o unsold tickets purchased it will be a drop in the ocean compared to the goodwill it will generate with fans.

I hope the club notes this thread, and fans’ suggestions, and looks into possible ways to overcome the potential away game seating lottery that will result from the latest plans announced by the club.

Totally agree.
The "small drop in the ocean" also applies to the relationship between the possible £100k hit , and the £100m+ premier league revenues.

 

[GOM]

I agree that there is some admin time and cost here around refunds. I believe most who committed a deposit would see it through. The other way is to take a ‘show of interest’ without deposit to save admin time and cost. I just think this will be less accurate.

Overall there is some work for the ticket office to make a good system. I’d argue that by definition the job of a ticket office is to managage ticket sales.

Arenas, theatres and other venues around the world use systems to solve similar issues over unpredictable sales so for me there are solutions if the will is there.

Don't need deposits, registering interest could temporarily add loyalty points for that game only providing priority over those that haven't registered.

 

[GOM]

Financial swings and roundabouts. Won't the club potentially benefit for home games in the same way it potentially loses for away games ?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Financial swings and roundabouts. Won't the club potentially benefit for home games in the same way it potentially loses for away games ?

Indeed. We should be thinking £££s for the club, not fans' convenience ffs.

 

[GOM]

Indeed. We should be thinking £££s for the club, not fans' convenience ffs.

'whoosh' Think it through. If the club gains as much as it loses then no need to change system.

 

[ditchy]

Ultimately, it’s about accurately predicting Albion fans’ ticket demand and so the club could have a “register your interest” webpage on which fans could indicate their intent to attend a particular away game (to be registered by, say, no later than two weeks before the ticket on-sale date).

Based on such feedback, the club should be able to make a reasonably informed judgement about our potential numbers when applying for non-refundable ticket allocations from the home club. Thereafter, the former Albion ticket sales system (which has worked pretty well in the past) could apply from the designated on-sale date.

Importantly, those with health problems or special needs would be able to eliminate the anxiety of not knowing in advance where they may end up being seated. The club’s assessment of a “best seat” is unlikely to match the fans’ preference.

Surely the club could implement this without too much hassle, which would accommodate most fans’ desire to know roughly in which area/block they can sit when they purchase a ticket?

In any event, I would have thought the “shortfall” issue will apply to only a handful of matches bearing in mind the likely demand for away tickets based on last season’s huge Albion take up at nearly every away game. On the other hand, with many fans having “ticked off” a number of new away grounds last season there may perhaps be fewer wishing to attend some of this season’s away games (although, conversely, they may be offset by others who just missed out on away tickets last season and who should, as a result, have a better opportunity to buy one this season).

It shouldn’t be that difficult to address this. The club just needs to gauge the approximate ticket demand and proceed on that basis. Even if there turns out to be a small cost [to the club] c/o unsold tickets purchased it will be a drop in the ocean compared to the goodwill it will generate with fans.

I hope the club notes this thread, and fans’ suggestions, and looks into possible ways to overcome the potential away game seating lottery that will result from the latest plans announced by the club.

Its dosent even have to be like this . If the club are "in tune " with their fan base ,then only having to keep in touch with sites like this ,they should be able to fathom out demand for particular games

 

[Is it PotG?]

'whoosh' Think it through. If the club gains as much as it loses then no need to change system.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Was there an announcement regarding the reduction in Liverpool allocation from 2900 to 1878 ? I certainly don't remember one nor any indication of a cut off date when the club would decide. An unintended consequence of this new ticket policy may be to make it very difficult for higher tier point holders to decide to hold off buying so they can sit with lower points friends and family as tickets are possibly being returned during the tiered buying process. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[seagulls4ever]

I would have thought we would want as many away fans to attend as possible to help push the team to acquire points. I'm not sure it's entirely sensible to have a policy that results in fewer away fans for a measly 100k over the course of the season.

 

[Gazwag]

Two simple words would resolve the issue in one fell swoop.

Unallocated seating.

We are (nearly) all adults, and with unallocated seats, people would very simply sort themselves out.

Exactly right, those who want to sit will head for the front 10 or so rows, those who want to stand will head for the back, those in between will head for the middle. Those who want to sit/stand behind the goal will go into the stands by thirty minutes or so before KO. The only problem, which exists whatever system is in place, is those who have to drink until 30 seconds after kick off and believe they have the right to go wherever they want even if that area is full.