[Albion] ESU and WSU open for Coventry game

[kevo]

Release the uppers

Why don't you lot get some placards made and STORM the ticket office.

 

[Wozza]

I can’t believe people are getting themselves so stressed about this. It’s ONE game. Just buy a ticket if you want to go.

I'm only here for the LOLs.

 

[Turkey]

 

[Eeyore]

I guess the tabloid heading when they don't open the ESU despite the demands would be 'UPPER TEARS'. Anyway.

 

[kevo]

I can’t believe people are getting themselves so stressed about this. It’s ONE game. Just buy a ticket if you want to go.

I imagine some Coventry fans reading this thread and thinking 'Do we actually want to go? They seem a bit MENTAL'.

 

[Official Old Man]

Of those 393 seats, 105 are W1A & 132 are E1H (both in the corners). Are the club really going to wait for them to sell out before opening the Uppers?

 

[Turkey]

I imagine the shelf would open first wouldn't it? I'd probably go for that actually as even though it's in the corner would be a new one to tick off.

 

[perseus]

Of those 393 seats, 105 are W1A & 132 are E1H (both in the corners). Are the club really going to wait for them to sell out before opening the Uppers?

I wondered if the could have sold to the corners to Coventry fans and opened up the upper tiers? Too late now.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I imagine the shelf would open first wouldn't it? I'd probably go for that actually as even though it's in the corner would be a new one to tick off.

They'll be 8,000+ of us going for the shelf at this rate. I hope it's all reinforced steel and concrete otherwise we're going to be crashing down onto the NW and SW corners respectively come 3pm Saturday week.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Are they passing a spliff around the ticket office or something? Open one of the upper tiers and stop poncing about. Whilst your at it, stop holding back pairs of tickets to try and sell singles for the PL matches.

 

[Giraffe]

Why don't you lot get some placards made and STORM the ticket office.

Done.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

So, have the club factored this history in are are they still pointing at the exceptional Palace cup game to justify their stupidity? Oh, it's the latter...

Indeed it is... e-mail from Paul Barber:

"Dear [Moshe]

Thank you for your email.

The answer to your question is very simple: economics.

We have cut ticket prices and included travel, while retaining just 45% of revenues. We are also playing a League 2 team who we have played at the Amex previously.

We failed to get close to breaking 20,000 for a 3rd Round game against our biggest Premier League rivals having opened the entire stadium.

And, yes, we can think of lots of reasons why the crowd was much lower than hoped for this this game. It was however still a one-off cup match against our biggest rivals!

Fortunately, a live TV fee and ticket prices much higher than those being charged for Coventry’s visit, ensured that the club didn’t make an embarrassing loss on this game.

So, in short it makes no sense for us to open all of the stadium - a hugely costly exercise when only 45% of revenues are retained by our club and ticket prices have been set low.

As we have said from the day tickets went on sale for Coventry - over a week ago - upper tiers will be open subject to sales. We’d be delighted to open at least one.

Up to yesterday, we still had many lower tier tickets left. Once they are all but sold, we will look to open the East Upper tier. Sales will determine whether we open West Upper.

Also, I’m afraid it is absolute nonsense to suggest the club hasn’t promoted the game - there were 6 separate references in Saturday’s home match programme alone!

Added to website coverage, social media coverage, national and local media reports, as well emails to our database, I can assure you the game has been well promoted.

Also, the FA Cup 5R is a “fixture weekend” for Premier League clubs - meaning no other games are prior scheduled - so the majority of fans look out for a game on this weekend.

Far from being “mean spirited”, all supporters have had the opportunity to buy tickets in 3 different home areas for over a week. We don’t guarantee to open all areas.

However, to further assist and accelerate sales and open more areas of the stadium sooner, season ticket holders could also buy 4 tickets each from day 1!

Finally, it doesn’t make any sense to make untruthful statements about “overwhelming demand” - there hasn’t been. Entirely as expected, sales have been slow and steady.

Let’s hope we can get an upper tier open this weekend - and fill it. It is after all a great opportunity for us to reach an FA Cup quarter final for the first time since 1985!

Best wishes, Paul"

 

[Giraffe]

Indeed it is... e-mail from Paul Barber:

"Dear [Moshe]

Thank you for your email.

The answer to your question is very simple: economics.

We have cut ticket prices and included travel, while retaining just 45% of revenues. We are also playing a League 2 team who we have played at the Amex previously.

We failed to get close to breaking 20,000 for a 3rd Round game against our biggest Premier League rivals having opened the entire stadium.

And, yes, we can think of lots of reasons why the crowd was much lower than hoped for this this game. It was however still a one-off cup match against our biggest rivals!

Fortunately, a live TV fee and ticket prices much higher than those being charged for Coventry’s visit, ensured that the club didn’t make an embarrassing loss on this game.

So, in short it makes no sense for us to open all of the stadium - a hugely costly exercise when only 45% of revenues are retained by our club and ticket prices have been set low.

As we have said from the day tickets went on sale for Coventry - over a week ago - upper tiers will be open subject to sales. We’d be delighted to open at least one.

Up to yesterday, we still had many lower tier tickets left. Once they are all but sold, we will look to open the East Upper tier. Sales will determine whether we open West Upper.

Also, I’m afraid it is absolute nonsense to suggest the club hasn’t promoted the game - there were 6 separate references in Saturday’s home match programme alone!

Added to website coverage, social media coverage, national and local media reports, as well emails to our database, I can assure you the game has been well promoted.

Also, the FA Cup 5R is a “fixture weekend” for Premier League clubs - meaning no other games are prior scheduled - so the majority of fans look out for a game on this weekend.

Far from being “mean spirited”, all supporters have had the opportunity to buy tickets in 3 different home areas for over a week. We don’t guarantee to open all areas.

However, to further assist and accelerate sales and open more areas of the stadium sooner, season ticket holders could also buy 4 tickets each from day 1!

Finally, it doesn’t make any sense to make untruthful statements about “overwhelming demand” - there hasn’t been. Entirely as expected, sales have been slow and steady.

Let’s hope we can get an upper tier open this weekend - and fill it. It is after all a great opportunity for us to reach an FA Cup quarter final for the first time since 1985!

Best wishes, Paul"

I think we would all agree with that, right up to the point of the timing. When you have only less than a 1,000 tickets available in the lower tiers, all in the corners that is the time to open an upper tier.

Also seems odd to chose the East Tier ahead of the West Tier.

Presumably the West Tier holds more, so why not open that? Are we going to have a similar situation next Wednesday when the East Tier has 100 singles left so they won't open the West Tier?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Indeed it is... e-mail from Paul Barber:

"Dear [Moshe]

Thank you for your email.

The answer to your question is very simple: economics.

We have cut ticket prices and included travel, while retaining just 45% of revenues. We are also playing a League 2 team who we have played at the Amex previously.

We failed to get close to breaking 20,000 for a 3rd Round game against our biggest Premier League rivals having opened the entire stadium.

And, yes, we can think of lots of reasons why the crowd was much lower than hoped for this this game. It was however still a one-off cup match against our biggest rivals!

Fortunately, a live TV fee and ticket prices much higher than those being charged for Coventry’s visit, ensured that the club didn’t make an embarrassing loss on this game.

So, in short it makes no sense for us to open all of the stadium - a hugely costly exercise when only 45% of revenues are retained by our club and ticket prices have been set low.

As we have said from the day tickets went on sale for Coventry - over a week ago - upper tiers will be open subject to sales. We’d be delighted to open at least one.

Up to yesterday, we still had many lower tier tickets left. Once they are all but sold, we will look to open the East Upper tier. Sales will determine whether we open West Upper.

Also, I’m afraid it is absolute nonsense to suggest the club hasn’t promoted the game - there were 6 separate references in Saturday’s home match programme alone!

Added to website coverage, social media coverage, national and local media reports, as well emails to our database, I can assure you the game has been well promoted.

Also, the FA Cup 5R is a “fixture weekend” for Premier League clubs - meaning no other games are prior scheduled - so the majority of fans look out for a game on this weekend.

Far from being “mean spirited”, all supporters have had the opportunity to buy tickets in 3 different home areas for over a week. We don’t guarantee to open all areas.

However, to further assist and accelerate sales and open more areas of the stadium sooner, season ticket holders could also buy 4 tickets each from day 1!

Finally, it doesn’t make any sense to make untruthful statements about “overwhelming demand” - there hasn’t been. Entirely as expected, sales have been slow and steady.

Let’s hope we can get an upper tier open this weekend - and fill it. It is after all a great opportunity for us to reach an FA Cup quarter final for the first time since 1985!

Best wishes, Paul"

I don't find much to disagree with in that letter although I'd disagree with pretty much all the palace stuff. There were a number of exceptional circumstances with that match and the high price didn't help either.

 

[herecomesaregular]

He's a man who loves the sound of his own email.

 

[Maximus]

I think we would all agree with that, right up to the point of the timing. When you have only less than a 1,000 tickets available in the lower tiers, all in the corners that is the time to open an upper tier.

Also seems odd to chose the East Tier ahead of the West Tier.

Presumably the West Tier holds more, so why not open that? Are we going to have a similar situation next Wednesday when the East Tier has 100 singles left so they won't open the West Tier?

Presuming that the decision is based on the East Upper being at the same level as the 1901, so 'level 2' would be full before opening WSU, which is higher.
Also, the TV cameras face ESU, so may look better for the highlights?

 

[Nixonator]

I think we would all agree with that, right up to the point of the timing. When you have only less than a 1,000 tickets available in the lower tiers, all in the corners that is the time to open an upper tier.

Also seems odd to chose the East Tier ahead of the West Tier.

Presumably the West Tier holds more, so why not open that? Are we going to have a similar situation next Wednesday when the East Tier has 100 singles left so they won't open the West Tier?

TV cameras.

 

[sharpey38]

So if we were to get home tie in the next round providing we win, what is the point in opening the ground as it a costly excerise? Surely 45% of something is more than 0% of nothing

 

[Simster]

He's a man who loves the sound of his own email.

Bit glib. The guy doesn't have to respond to every little petty issue fans have with the club, and in the grand scheme of things, this is absolutely trivial.

 

[Return of the Rev]

It's a classic example of the club treating people as customers and not supporters, they really seem out of touch on this issue.