[Albion] End of season Fans' Forum

[Bry Nylon]

Pretty sure you are misjudging the phone-based profile of the Amex fanbase tbh. Having every damn thing linked to your phone might end up being the default many years down the line. But not now, or anytime soon

If only the club had the foresight to develop a flaskPhone then all the issues could be solved at a stroke.

 

[chaileyjem]

Pretty sure you are misjudging the phone-based profile of the Amex fanbase tbh. Having every damn thing linked to your phone might end up the default in years to come. But not now

Well its Ofcom data which is from 2020 so its probably ticked up a bit since then. In 2020 it was 9 out of 10 for under 75s in the UK and a tad higher than even that for those in the south, and in the demographic that can afford season tickets so might be even more . I don't think adding tickets to a phone is too much of a stretch (although of course it will be bumpy at first and there will be some - largely elderly/over 75s i guess who will stick with paper etc - the club have acknowledged that. )

Anyway you called phone owners "hipsters" as if its some niche lifestyle choice like having oatmilk on your cornflakes or something. ! (25% of the UK said they had tried plant based milk in 2019 but only accounts for less than 5% of sales)

 

[zefarelly]

If only the club had the foresight to develop a flaskPhone then all the issues could be solved at a stroke.

Surely someone makes a hip flask-phone case with a flip top cork lid, attached obvs!

 

[Swansman]

Well its Ofcom data which is from 2020 so its probably ticked up a bit since then. In 2020 it was 9 out of 10 for under 75s in the UK and a tad higher than even that for those in the south, and in the demographic that can afford season tickets so might be even more . I don't think adding tickets to a phone is too much of a stretch (although of course it will be bumpy at first and there will be some - largely elderly/over 75s i guess who will stick with paper etc - the club have acknowledged that. )

Anyway you called phone owners "hipsters" as if its some niche lifestyle choice like having oatmilk on your cornflakes or something. ! (25% of the UK said they had tried plant based milk in 2019 but only accounts for less than 5% of sales)

They are indeed not hipsters, but yuppies.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I don't think adding tickets to a phone is too much of a stretch (although of course it will be bumpy at first and there will be some - largely elderly/over 75s i guess who will stick with paper etc - the club have acknowledged that. )

You just know that somebody is going to - in all good faith - glue a paper ticket to their phone

 

[schmunk]

Pretty sure you are misjudging the profile of the Amex fanbase tbh. Having every damn thing linked to your phone might end up being the default many years down the line. But not now, or anytime soon

Pretty sure you are misjudging the profile of the Amex fanbase and, indeed, the world at large.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Well its Ofcom data which is from 2020 so its probably ticked up a bit since then. In 2020 it was 9 out of 10 for under 75s in the UK and a tad higher than even that for those in the south, and in the demographic that can afford season tickets so might be even more . I don't think adding tickets to a phone is too much of a stretch (although of course it will be bumpy at first and there will be some - largely elderly/over 75s i guess who will stick with paper etc - the club have acknowledged that. )

Anyway you called phone owners "hipsters" as if its some niche lifestyle choice like having oatmilk on your cornflakes or something. ! (25% of the UK said they had tried plant based milk in 2019 but only accounts for less than 5% of sales)

Clearly huge numbers of us have smart phones. Those of us hugely coerced into loading all kinds of shit on to our phones just to be able go watch the Albion v Man City? Not so many, I'd suggest. Fine, club got away with it with 7k fans gagging for live Albion football. Trying to impose tbe same bolleaux on 30k? Good luck with that

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

You wouldn't BELIEVE how much shit you have to load on your phone (Googlepay for one) and how many permissions you have to give (permissions from your bank to use Googlepay for one) and how many options you have to set (Phone locking to be able to use Googlepay for one) for the damn thing to actually hang together. Pretty sure I'm not THAT much of a luddite, but felt distinctly uneasy at being coerced into jumping through all those bollocksy hoops - let alone the completely understandable covid hoops - before I could attend the Man City game. Strongly suspect many will give up mid-hoops. Strongly suspect also that the club will have an unpublicised Plan B for those that refuse to hoop-jump. Cos there's practically NO businesses that will turn away otherwise willing customers on account of aforesaid customers not being switched-on hipsters who live or die by their phone

In summary: if you strongly object to all that cash-free bolleaux that makes life far easier for the club and far more difficult for the 'customer' (in many cases) then just call up Customer Services and ask the simple question: 'Do you want my money or not?'. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the response

Yes,these are similar concerns to the ones I have.
I watched the Albion roar which then led to our BHAFC website and that gave me a few other concerns.
I'm hoping they replay the fans forum so I can hear what PB actually said before I give them a call.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Pretty sure you are misjudging the profile of the Amex fanbase and, indeed, the world at large.

As long as our worldviews remain as far apart then I'll take that as a win

 

[chaileyjem]

Clearly huge numbers of us have smart phones. Those of us hugely coerced into loading all kinds of shit on to our phones just to be able go watch the Albion v Man City? Not so many, I'd suggest. Fine, club got away with it with 7k fans gagging for live Albion football. Trying to impose tbe same bolleaux on 30k? Good luck with that

?? Apple Wallet on iOS is pre-installed. Google Pay is pre-installed on some Android phones. (Or it’s a free app). Let’s hope we can find out if it’s workable come August.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Ha ! The idea that people that have a phone and take it everywhere are somehow "switched on hipsters" is pushing it a bit.
Phone usage is pretty much universal and thus idea that moving to mobile ticketing makes sense in post Covid world
In 2020 99% of u55s have a phone, 95% of 55-64s, 89% of 65-74s. Its pretty much universal.
Yes - there'll be a plan B for perhaps my 84 year old refusenik father but i doubt most fans will need it or indeed care.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/ass...dults-media-use-and-attitudes-2020-report.pdf

There are many people that have the latest top of the range phone, know what every button does and may as well have the thing glued to their hand.
At the other end of the scale there are many people that have a basic phone and just use it for phoning and texting, these people wouldn’t have a clue about loading tickets etc.

I’m probably in the middle, I have an old smartphone and use it for a few more things than phoning and texting, I have got an up to date iPad at home so don’t feel I also need a new phone as when I’m out I’m usually working or trying to avoid the phone.

Only this week I realised I can no longer use Twitter on my phone, I suppose it’s too old, point is I’m unsure if I can load my season ticket onto my phone or do I need to now buy a new one. I very rarely use my phone when I go to the Amex because the signal seems to be rubbish.

I was happy with a season ticket card.

 

[studio150]

?? Apple Wallet on iOS is pre-installed. Google Pay is pre-installed on some Android phones. (Or it’s a free app). Let’s hope we can find out if it’s workable come August.

I would expect a large amount of phone calls to the club once ST are sent in an email with instructions to send to your mobile, along the lines of 'I sent the ST to my phone but I can't find it, and you can only download it once, what do I do now, am I banned from the Amex?'

 

[studio150]

I was happy with a season ticket card.

I would expect a majority were/are.

I know I prefer a ST card. Never forgotten to take it with me and it always worked.

I now have to use Google Pay for the first time ever, which will be fun.


Didn't listen to the Forum, but did anyone raise the question about ST if the Police get involved in something, I seem to recall from a few years ago that when some fans got questioned by the Police at Palace, the Police took and held onto their ST cards on the basis that the cards belong to the club. Does that mean that with ST having to be on mobiles that the Police retain your mobile to pass onto the club.

Lots of issues with this, but no doubt PB will update the Clubs T&Cs and communicate fully.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I would expect a majority were/are.

I know I prefer a ST card. Never forgotten to take it with me and it always worked.

I now have to use Google Pay for the first time ever, which will be fun.


Lots of issues with this, but no doubt PB will update the Clubs T&Cs and communicate fully.

When I walk up to the entrance to the Amex ( turnstiles in old money ) I get the card out as I’m still moving, the little wallet the club gave us is useful, I just pull the card that’s in the BHA wallet out of my pocket and I’m in.

I’m not someone that walks and looks at my phone or texts when I’m walking, some people seem to find this easy but I don’t.
If my ST is on a phone I will have to stop, move to one side, put on reading glasses and then search for the ticket on the phone before I approach the stadium entrance, this will be fun after a few pints

 

[amexer]

I know of few people including a neighbour who dont have a computer and have old phones used in emergency when away from home. Sure main reason for bringing this in is to stop people passing ticket on when they dont go.
Sure club will have to accommodate these people and suggest more people inform club they dont have a smartphone.
I used a restaurant that insisted I downloaded there App to order and pay. Many will say that is the future but until it is I will not use that establishment again.

 

[METALMICKY]

I always imagine the kind of fans at Fans Forum to be the same kind of W-L fans that used to phone in to [MENTION=17322]Lenny Rider[/MENTION]'s post-match phone-in. Would invariably include Geoff from Haywards Heath who would burble on about some random old shit or other til his yapping-in-the-background Jack Russell 'Nipper' cut the conversation short by leaping up and nipping his master sharply in the scrotum. Hurrah!

You omitted the actual caller Hugo who once regaled Harty and the rest of with tales of his curtains!

 

[el punal]

When I walk up to the entrance to the Amex ( turnstiles in old money ) I get the card out as I’m still moving, the little wallet the club gave us is useful, I just pull the card that’s in the BHA wallet out of my pocket and I’m in.

I’m not someone that walks and looks at my phone or texts when I’m walking, some people seem to find this easy but I don’t.
If my ST is on a phone I will have to stop, move to one side, put on reading glasses and then search for the ticket on the phone before I approach the stadium entrance, this will be fun after a few pints

At the same time your expired membership card for the Vogue Cinema Club will accidentally fall out of your pocket thus confusing the steward into thinking you belong to the 1901 brigade.

 

[BN9 BHA]

At the same time your expired membership card for the Vogue Cinema Club will accidentally fall out of your pocket thus confusing the steward into thinking you belong to the 1901 brigade.

I actually got banned from Saturday morning pictures at that cinema

 

[Gwylan]

Ha ! The idea that people that have a phone and take it everywhere are somehow "switched on hipsters" is pushing it a bit.
Phone usage is pretty much universal and thus idea that moving to mobile ticketing makes sense in post Covid world
In 2020 99% of u55s have a phone, 95% of 55-64s, 89% of 65-74s. Its pretty much universal.
Yes - there'll be a plan B for perhaps my 84 year old refusenik father but i doubt most fans will need it or indeed care.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/ass...dults-media-use-and-attitudes-2020-report.pdf

But the Albion plan revolves around smartphones rather than the battered old Nokia that my mum uses. According to that Oftel survey that you quote, 81% of users have a smartphone. If that stat is replicated by the Albion crowds, we're talking about 6,500 people, that's not an insignificant number.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Absolutely nothing wrong with smartcards - apart from they are easier to pass on than phones