[Albion] Club will be writing to those who purchased a ticket for Bournemouth [but didn't go]

[Thunder Bolt]

The club is in a no win situation , it will inevitably p*ss off someone when demand for tickets outstrips supply and this 'over demand' will inevitably lead to people looking for ways to enhance their ability to get tickets

Personally I think the issue has been blown out of proportion , 3 games out of the 250 games played by the Albion in the Amex era, though it might have been more, and that the response is a bit heavy handed and will make more 'victims', for example someone who who lives 150 miles away, has a season ticket but can't get to all the games is now not going to get his full quota of loyalty points and/or could be accused of 'harvesting' (leaving a seat empty that someone else wanted) , yet two seasons ago the same person would have been held up as a good example of loyalty by showing his commitment. This issue will only get compounded by Sky moving games around.

A simple statement along the lines that in future the club will only award loyalty points based on actual attendance should have been enough....

P.S. I bought a B'muff cup ticket and went, i bought it quite late so not sure why people could not get a ticket.

The cup tickets sold out within 12 hours. There were some camps returned that went on sale later (30).
Home league games are not affected because you only get 20 points for the whole season, just 1 point per game.

 

[Brownstuff]

Maybe the club should have a sickness number just in case you cannot attend an away game you have a ticket for, like at work, ring in sick and if you continue to do it you may get invited to an interview to discuss your non-attendance.

And then give you follow-up well-being guidance on how not to be sick in the future

 

[Steve in Japan]

I'm quite sure Barber would be rather doing a million other things than having to organise all this.

I seriously doubt that.

 

[Nixonator]

The cup tickets sold out within 12 hours. There were some camps returned that went on sale later (30).
Home league games are not affected because you only get 20 points for the whole season, just 1 point per game.

This.

I travel away regularly and had the points required, but wasn't able to commit until much closer to the game. It sold out and (I assumed) other fans with equal/fewer points had taken the opportunity in my stead.

It was only after, when I saw that only 50% had showed up, that I felt aggrieved.

 

[Nixonator]

Some of the responses on here are embarassing.

Those who are not normally away travellers having a moan at a perfectly viable system, presumably in the hope the club will cave in and say away tickets are a free for all, yea..not going to happen. I feel sorry for those who are genuinely unable and those living far and wide where it's not viable to own a ST (I've made it clear that the ST bonus for away loyalty is not necessary many times), but to the rest it's hard lines. Have some belief and support us in the (potential) quest to get back and you'll have earned your right to be relaxed about tickets for your beloved 'big games'. Personally I'm more excited for West Ham/Swansea as I believe we can take something.

Also way too much being read into these changes.

- The first two points are the club covering themselves for FUTURE abuse ie. IF another cup abuse happens, they will now have the means/authority to take action.
- The third point won't happen, we all know it won't so why are we even talking about it?
- The fourth point is the club threatening action based on the results of the above, which will only happen at games where it has been obvious, in retrospect, that it has been abused.
- The fifth point has already been bandied around everywhere and is nothing new, just another excuse to say it as they are obliged to.

As for the letter, I assume this is just a means of embarassing the people in question. A 'we know what you did so don't do it again' naughty boy message.

It's altogether a clear "don't **** with the system because we now have the means to **** you" message. If you think there are going to be frequent ID checks and that handing a ticket to a (trusted) mate/family member because you can't go is going to be a cardinal sin then you are, as I said, reading way too much into it. Where I would be worried is, come our first FA cup game, if you have any inclination to buy up for points, I would think again. Some will still think they can get away with it and the club may very well get it checked to make some examples.

 

[e77]

I wonder how the Club would deal with a situation where supporters were unable to attend a match as happened to Manchester United supporters stuck on the M3 when travelling to Southampton recently due to a suspected terrorist incident?

Didn't a Seagull Travel coach going to Huddersfield last year get stuck on the M23 and not make it to the match?

 

[kingcole]

Minor deviation on subject here.....
[MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] would you release names to the club of posters on here if asked?

I'm curious as some have already stated they will break the rules.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think the club needs to clarify this point:

identifiable abuses of the loyalty scheme will result in loyalty point deductions and may also result in possible further sanctions (including a further deduction of points or an away ticket ban).

What exactly does this mean? If I buy a ticket for anything, train, place, gig, cinema, football, then I reserve the right to decide if I use the ticket or not without fear that I might get punished by being banned. This, and clubs freely passing on my data without my agreement, seems to be a very dodgy and extremely uncomfortable road the club is now going down.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

This is about the 8th time you have posted the same boring comment. Tell us what system you want, that puts you in the top tier and be done with it. All you keep saying is change it. But with no indication what to.

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I have posted a suggestion for a new system - you just missed it !

So, to repeat...

- An away season ticket ( maximum 1000 of these ) with a waiting list.

- Alongside a membership scheme where the rest of the tickets go to ballot or are sold 'first come first served.


In effect the same type of system as home tickets are sold under.


As for me being in the top tier.... it doesn't apply as my life prevents me from doing any aways and it could be many years before I even consider getting a ticket.

 

[dwayne]

I still think it's the club that messed up with the loyalty rewards for the cup games. A 10 quid ticket should get you 5 points max. No brainer.

And the irony and cheek of the club to punish people for a game that they couldn't even be bothered to put the first team out for is pretty poor.

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[Icy Gull]

In a past life Barber must have been a Victorian school teacher.

 

[darkwolf666]

I still think it's the club that messed up with the loyalty rewards for the cup games. A 10 quid ticket should get you 5 points max. No brainer.

And the irony and cheek of the club to punish people for a game that they couldn't even be bothered to put the first team out for is pretty poor.

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Maybe, just maybe the club did mess up with the points allocation, but it was the "loyal" fans that decided to screw over their fellow supporters to keep their noses firmly in the ticket trough, wasn't it?

 

[Bozza]

Minor deviation on subject here.....
[MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] would you release names to the club of posters on here if asked?

I'm curious as some have already stated they will break the rules.

The club wouldn’t ask.

But, no, if they did.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think the club needs to clarify this point:

identifiable abuses of the loyalty scheme will result in loyalty point deductions and may also result in possible further sanctions (including a further deduction of points or an away ticket ban).

What exactly does this mean? If I buy a ticket for anything, train, place, gig, cinema, football, then I reserve the right to decide if I use the ticket or not without fear that I might get punished by being banned. This, and clubs freely passing on my data without my agreement, seems to be a very dodgy and extremely uncomfortable road the club is now going down.

But in every other situation you're not awarded loyalty points from the seller. Up to the club who they sell tickets to, absolutely right in my opinion that anyone buying tickets and not attending repeatedly should be prevented from buying further tickets. Your right to decide to go is only equal to the sellers right to have their T&Cs on sales. Glad the club have acted so swiftly, just wish they're realize high demand games don't need the reward of high loyalty points.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I haven't read the whiole thread so apologies if fixtures......

The club are trying to do the right thing and the motivations are clearly coming from the right place.
However what is really needed is a reliable and fair ticket exchange system for home and away games.

If the club cares so much about the supporters, then it needs to acknowledge that quite often, people have a legitimate reason why they can't attend.
Having a system that will potentially punish every supporter who has this predicament, without an alternative is a poor solution to the problem.
A supporter should be able to release their ticket for resale and therefore release themselves from the obligation to attend.
If someone else buys this then the club either 20% and give the original ticket holder the rest back in cash, or give back the face value in club shop vouchers.

Having to wait until the game is sold out and hope the ticket exchange is working in time really isn't good enough.
Particularly now the club are looking to punish you whether you don't go, give the ticket away, or resell the ticket privately.

 

[m20gull]

I've worked in security compliance and as mentioned on another post I disagree. However let me know how the ico route pans out, I'd be interested.

Ticket data alone, much like a number plate, is not pii.

I agree. I cannot see why there is a problem with Bournemouth releasing a list of the ticket numbers that attended. It has no personal data.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Maybe, just maybe the club did mess up with the points allocation, but it was the "loyal" fans that decided to screw over their fellow supporters to keep their noses firmly in the ticket trough, wasn't it?

I don't blame them, we live in a selfish world, if there's a way around something people do it, like tax dodging and benefit cheats, you'll never beat them so you might as well join them

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[Bozza]

I've worked in security compliance and as mentioned on another post I disagree. However let me know how the ico route pans out, I'd be interested.

Ticket data alone, much like a number plate, is not pii.

It's not until paired with data the Albion already hold (ticket sales data). As such, I believe it would be classified as PII.

 

[Official Old Man]

EVERTON
Dear Paul.
I am unable to make this game due to a family commitment. I will not be in the country from the 2nd October and so will not be able to put my ST up for sale via your site. I have donated my ticket to a friend who is an avid fan but his financial circumstances mean he is unable ever to attend the Amex. He has offered to donate £20 (a lot of money to him) to AITC and in return I've doubled it. So £40 to charity and a real fan who will enjoy the game like it's every Christmas rolled into one.
I hope you don't stop him at the gate.

 

[darkwolf666]

I don't blame them, we live in a selfish world, if there's a way around something people do it, like tax dodging and benefit cheats, you'll never beat them so you might as well join them

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You've lived up to your name there... if everyone else cheats why shouldn't I!!! Sheessshhh...