[Albion] Club cancelling ST due to non-attendance

[Basil Fawlty]

'Falling ill' on the day of a match six times a season (a third of home matches) would be very unlucky...

But there are people out there who are migraine sufferers

Have you tried reaching out to the club supporter services to discuss your wife’s specific circumstances?

She is about to do that, i think a email is whisking its way to Paul Barber soon. Also early last year my missus got dad got diagnosed with throat cancer, he tragically died in the middle of the close season. So what about those circumstances?

 

[Gazwag]

'Falling ill' on the day of a match six times a season (a third of home matches) would be very unlucky...

Of course I know this is true but may there are some fans who have missed 6 games in a season for last minute illnes of themselves or family members or baby sister, train strikes/cancellations, other transport issues, issues at work before evening games meaning you won't finish in time. Wonder how much proof the club will need for someone who is just unlucky one season.

 

[jcdenton08]

But there are people out there who are migraine sufferers

She is about to do that, i think a email is whisking its way to Paul Barber soon. Also early last year my missus got dad got diagnosed with throat cancer, he tragically died in the middle of the close season. So what about those circumstances?

Talk to the club, generally they’re very good. No need to talk to Paul Barber directly i shouldn’t think, he’d just direct you to supporter services most likely.

If the club don’t know your individual situation they can’t do much about it. Lots of people take the piss hence the rules, but obviously there are exceptions and if you have a valid case I’m sure the club will be helpful

 

[Wozza]

But there are people out there who are migraine sufferers

Fair enough.

Out of interest, what consessions do, say, airlines, train companies and gig promoters offer (regular) migrane sufferers?

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Talk to the club, generally they’re very good. No need to talk to Paul Barber directly i shouldn’t think, he’d just direct you to supporter services most likely.

If the club don’t know your individual situation they can’t do much about it. Lots of people take the piss hence the rules, but obviously there are exceptions and if you have a valid case I’m sure the club will be helpful

Yeah we normally are, but for others who may have same circumstances. It needs clarifying and not the scaremongering!

 

[dsr-burnley]

'Falling ill' on the day of a match six times a season (a third of home matches) would be very unlucky...

Quite a lot of pensioners are less fit than they used to be. It would not be particularly surprising if a less-than-fit pensioner was not up to travelling for 5 out of 19 games, without knowing in advance which 5 they were going to be.

Is it known whether the club would be sympathetic to such a pensioner, or not?

 

[dsr-burnley]

Fair enough.

Out of interest, what consessions do, say, airlines, train companies and gig promoters offer (regular) migrane sufferers?

As far as allowing you to rebook, nothing at all. If you book and pay for a flight, train ride, or gig, and don't turn up for whatever reason, they place no restrictions on you buying another ticket.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Fair enough.

Out of interest, what consessions do, say, airlines, train companies and gig promoters offer (regular) migrane sufferers?

That's totally beyond the point. With trains you can book up a new seat on another day, with flights you can change it another day and you won't get punished!

 

[jcdenton08]

Yeah we normally are, but for others who may have same circumstances. It needs clarifying and not the scaremongering!

I don’t think it’s scaremongering, it’s the rules for everyone and obviously there may be exceptions which need to be personally looked at. I think scaremongering is hyperbolic, every club has similar rules in the PL because as I say people take the piss

 

[Thunder Bolt]

'Falling ill' on the day of a match six times a season (a third of home matches) would be very unlucky...

Until you live with a chronic illness, you don't know.

 

[Birdie Boy]

That's totally beyond the point. With trains you can book up a new seat on another day, with flights you can change it another day and you won't get punished!

Really? Easy jet will just transfer your flight to another day? Unless you are paying extra to any company for free cancellation you won't get transferred. Even then they add in hidden costs.!

 

[WSU Dilettante]

That's totally beyond the point. With trains you can book up a new seat on another day, with flights you can change it another day and you won't get punished!

And the club will let you share it with friends/family for a nominal fee or list the seat on the exchange (for free). To be unable to do any of that for more than 5 games a season is very 'unlucky'.

 

[luge]

Fair enough point but I've missed two home games this season, one through illness and one through having to travel to The Netherlands to cover for someone. That was Palace and I listed my ticket on the way to Gatwick on the Sunday morning. Are three more of those likely? No, of course not. But then I made every home game the season before.

It also means that if you are in a 50/50 situation where you are trying to make arrangements work and really want to come and support the team you'll have to come down on the side of listing your ticket the day before rather than pushing it an extra day.

I can definitely see this as being a problem for parents of young children BTW.

Absolutely will be a problem for parents with young children.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Fair enough.

Out of interest, what consessions do, say, airlines, train companies and gig promoters offer (regular) migrane sufferers?

That's irrelevant. The issue is with fear of non-renewal, not obtaining refunds. As you know, airlines, train companies and gig promoters will never stop you using their services for non attendance previously.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Quite a lot of pensioners are less fit than they used to be. It would not be particularly surprising if a less-than-fit pensioner was not up to travelling for 5 out of 19 games, without knowing in advance which 5 they were going to be.

Is it known whether the club would be sympathetic to such a pensioner, or not?

I may find out next season, if my knee and back continue in their present trajectories.

If it looks like I can't attend it won't be as if I am perfectly well on a Friday and find myself suddenly incapacitated on the Saturday.
My plan is to put the ticket on exchange a week before, rather than take a gamble, and then contact the club if it looks like it will be an ongoing issue.

The students I teach have processes in place for one-off issues affecting submission deadlines (which is a sort of equivalent of match day).
There is a 'mitigating circumstances' process.
We need this even for a one-off or the work is zero marked (a bit like losing the season ticket after one strike).
Those with ongoing issues set up an 'inclusion plan' as an insurance in case of 'flare ups'.
(Maybe an inclusion plan with the club would be an idea to explore?)
But if lots of deadlines are missed we encourage the student to defer (a bit like losing the season ticket, but with an option to have another go next season).

I can understand sudden cancer in the family stopping someone thinking about notifying the club, but if the outcome is months or years of inability to attend then of course you can and should contact the club. You don't stop living, paying bills etc., do you? Have you not got friends or family? The level of coincidental circumstances to generate long term absence and no way of notifying the club is extreme. But if it is an acute temporary crisis it will soon be over, by definition, and therefore not an issue for the club.

As was discussed ages ago, it is people missing 5 games a season for five different reasons and not being able or willing to use the exchange or contact the club for five different reasons who have, sadly, nobody to blame but themselves.

I feel that people are just repeating the same points over and over again, now.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Quite a lot of pensioners are less fit than they used to be. It would not be particularly surprising if a less-than-fit pensioner was not up to travelling for 5 out of 19 games, without knowing in advance which 5 they were going to be.

Is it known whether the club would be sympathetic to such a pensioner, or not?

The club has to draw a line somewhere and I’m quite comfortable with what has been proposed.

 

[Professor Plum]

As far as allowing you to rebook, nothing at all. If you book and pay for a flight, train ride, or gig, and don't turn up for whatever reason, they place no restrictions on you buying another ticket.

Of course they’ll let you buy a flight or a concert ticket for another day but if you just don’t turn up for the original you obviously won’t get your money back so you pay twice. Or am I being whooshed here?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Of course I know this is true but may there are some fans who have missed 6 games in a season for last minute illnes of themselves or family members or baby sister, train strikes/cancellations, other transport issues, issues at work before evening games meaning you won't finish in time. Wonder how much proof the club will need for someone who is just unlucky one season.

If you are concerned about not being able to make games due to last minute illness of themselves or family members or baby sister, train strikes/cancellations, other transport issues, issues at work before evening games meaning you won't finish in time, migraines etc etc maybe a season ticket isn’t for you? After all, STs are designed for people who can make such a commitment. If it isn’t practical then maybe buy match-by-match on the exchange?

 

[East Staffs Gull]

Apologies if dealt with elsewhere, but if a season ticket seat is shared with a MyAlbion+ member who subsequently doesn’t attend, is the ST holder still credited with using his ticket?

 

[Professor Plum]

If you are concerned about not being able to make games due to last minute illness of themselves or family members or baby sister, train strikes/cancellations, other transport issues, issues at work before evening games meaning you won't finish in time, migraines etc etc maybe a season ticket isn’t for you? After all, STs are designed for people who can make such a commitment. If it isn’t practical then maybe by match-by-match on the exchange.

This is the key point. Exactly.

The deal is that you commit to attend most if not all the games, and as a reward you get your seat for a vastly reduced price (in my case, less than 50% of a full price ticket inc concession).

If you can unfortunately get to very few games through illness or family circumstances, all is not lost. You simply buy a membership and go to the odd game here and there, whenever you can make it. I know A+ members who go to several matches a season by buying on an ad hoc basis. They never fail to get a ticket through the Exchange or standard box office route.

People are arguing about nothing here.