[Albion] FAB Euro Ticketing meeting

[schmunk]

My question is probably more a statement - Please could the club not allow guest tickets to be purchased before all tiers of loyalty points / STHs have been completed. For example, the FA Cup Semi, those with enough points were allowed to buy guest tickets before those with less points. Just doesn't seem fair.

Is that right? I don't remember that being the case - I thought it went through all of the ST blocks, then MA+ (in tiers?), then ST guests down through the ST blocks, then MA+ guests (if it got that far?)

 

[Gazwag]

It's mad to think that a lot of brighton fans willing to travel independently will be immediately pitched into competition with each other for travel and accommodation arrangements the second the draw is made.

Stupid capitalism!

Isn't that what happens will normal away games where only a certain amount of advance train tickets are available

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

We understand that many other PL clubs, who regularly play in Europe, only allow tickets to be collected at the away ground by the ticket holder with ID. Is that something you plan to do?

This is my question/concern. I’d hate for someone to buy a ticket simply to use as a “look at me” around the workplace etc with no intention of going. (this used to happen in the 80s in the England travel club when only about 500 fans would travel to Sofia/Tirana etc and the tickets were only about two quid.

Also, there will be no names checks from a couple of shop staff standing by the away end so the passing of tickets will be a free for all.

 

[Springal]

Also, there will be no names checks from a couple of shop staff standing by the away end so the passing of tickets will be a free for all.

I really, really hope the club make it 100% collection only, day of the game in the city

 

[Mr Bridger]

The way these things work. I’ve got 3 England trips booked without ticket allocations even being known, let alone draws made.

Proper fans will travel ticketless if they want to go

Exactly this, I’ve travelled to Russia, Azerbaija, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland and Japan to watch England, all pre booked trips without knowing if we had a ticket. Worry about that later.

Cant remember what game it was, but we went online to book flights at half time because England were winning and meant we’d qualified for something.

 

[portlock seagull]

Specifically, can you ask if members of NSC since or before 2003 have priority?

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

The club should reward loyalty using the current scheme.

We should also offer away teams more than 5% in reciprocal deals.

 

[drew]

We understand that many other PL clubs, who regularly play in Europe, only allow tickets to be collected at the away ground by the ticket holder with ID. Is that something you plan to do?

Either the club do this or they continue with the random ID checks to ensure those that are entitled to and have purchased a ticket are the ones that use them. (Could be done in conjunction with an away ticket exchange).

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Specifically, can you ask if members of NSC since or before 2003 have priority?

I’m not sitting next to Dave The Eeeeeeegle

 

[Napper]

travelling regardless , its about being there

 

[Official Old Man]

As you seem to know far more about this, can you please confirm where these 75 seats are in the Lower West (Block and Rows would be useful).
Assuming that these are likely to be close to half way line, I doubt that people in these seats will be happy if they are pushed into a corner, with a much poorer view than they currently enjoy.

I've worked this out for you. There will be 1500 empty seats in the south stand. Therefore, starting from the south west corner, you move each person 3 blocks to their right. This will leave 1500 seats or 3 blocks in the lower west. As UEFA and away club will want the best tickets, we'll now need to move the middle 3 blocks of the upper west down into the lower west. Further, extra seating will be needed for press & TV so TB, PBOBE and families will be moved to the 'shelf' in the north west corner. There, sorted.
PS I was jesting.

 

[Arthur]

I really, really hope the club make it 100% collection only, day of the game in the city

I really hope they don't. It's a ballache at England games now but people have just accepted it because there is no other option. Naples (apart from the ridiculous checks getting into the ground) meant you could enjoy the day without having to worry to get to X hotel to queue up for an hour.

Anyone who gets a ticket will go surely?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I doubt Seagulls Travel would get ATOL protected quickly, they could ‘partner’ with someone but it’d be cost on cost. In all honesty these pre packaged travel trips are expensive but can be convenient for a day trip, but I doubt many would pay £350+ for a 20 hour day trip. Certainly not fill a plane if allocations are small

I would prefer a 'day trip' and I'm sure many are also in the position where you have to minimise time off work due to lack of holiday allocation, loss of money or other reasons.

By the time you add a hotel, flights and getting to and from the nearest airport, DIY with an overnight stay is unlikely to be much cheaper - especially as the airlines will no doubt increase the price of flights to those destinations as soon as the fixtures are announced and local hotels will follow suit.

 

[studio150]

Surely, as these will be cup games, nobody is guaranteed their 'own' seats anyway. I guess the club will just block out however many seats UEFA demand for each game and when the tickets go on sale, they simply won't be available to purchase.

But for cup games where (near) capacity crowds are expected, ST holders currently get a short period of time to secure their ST seat

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

But for cup games where (near) capacity crowds are expected, ST holders currently get a short period of time to secure their ST seat

Not for these games. UEFA, sponsors etc take a load of tickets. For STH to be accommodated some will have to be in different seats and there are unlikely to be many non STH tickets.

 

[studio150]

Not for these games. UEFA, sponsors etc take a load of tickets. For STH to be accommodated some will have to be in different seats and there are unlikely to be many non STH tickets.

So is it going to be a scramble when tickets go on sale for home games, with a queuing system so you could end up anywhere, or will the loyalty points system come into play for a home game

 

[Was not Was]

The Fan Advisory Board are meeting with the club next week to discuss what plans they have already made for ticketing the "European Tour"

The meeting is an opportunity for the club to explain the planning they have done to date and for us to ask questions on behalf of the fans.
We have been listening to fans concerns with questions received by email, at meetings, and through social media. We have come up with the following list of questions to ask.


European Away games
Will the club use the same loyalty points system as they do for PL away games?

Will there be travel + ticket packages?
If so, will these give travelling fans access to match tickets aside from loyalty points?

We know we only get 5% ticket allocation in Europe.
Will players tickets, club staff tickets and sponsors tickets come out of this 5%?

Knowing that demand will out strip supply, will the club automatically agree to take on the full allocation?

Would a fan be able to buy tickets for all three away games in a package if they have the qualifying loyalty points?

We understand that many other PL clubs, who regularly play in Europe, only allow tickets to be collected at the away ground by the ticket holder with ID. Is that something you plan to do?

Are the club making any provision for Albion fans who travel without tickets?

Home games

Will fans buying home tickets be prioritised as for FA Cup games? (i.e. Season tickets, Season ticket guests, Albion member+ etc)

What will pricing be for Euro home games? Same as PL Cat A, Cat B, etc ?

Will Euro ticket prices include travel ?

How will you ensure away fans are not able to get tickets in the home seats?

Will away fans be able to buy corporate hospitality and gain access that way?

For Europa League Games, is the stadium handed over to UEFA in the same way it was for the Euros? (e.g. Euro signage, and only Heineken beers)

Are the club making any provision for visiting fans who travel without tickets?


If you have a question that we have overlooked, please reply to this thread by Sunday evening. I will feedback on this thread after the meeting and the official meeting minutes will be posted on the FAB page of the club website and the Fan Advisory Board's independent website www.bhafc-fab.co.uk

Barry, thanks for coming here and asking.

I'd suggest two questions, both in anticipation of demand for away tickets likely to exceed supply:

1. (as someone suggested elsewhere) will they agree to offer each of our group stage opponents a reciprocal deal, where the away team gets 10% of capacity in tickets, rather than the mandated 5%? And to carry on offering this if we make it to knockout stages, if it's a success?
2. will the club work out a way of giving a larger number of fans who follow the Albion away a chance to attend *one* away game during the group stage? Let's say we have three games, with 2000 tickets, 1500 and 900 tickets because of the varying size of the grounds: either 2000 fans get to see the Albion away in Europe (if they use the same approach as for domestic away games), or up to 4400. Those with the most points should get first dibs on which game they choose, of course.

I'm interested in how other away fans feel about my second suggestion here. I know so many people who want to be able to see one Albion game in Europe

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Either the club do this or they continue with the random ID checks to ensure those that are entitled to and have purchased a ticket are the ones that use them. (Could be done in conjunction with an away ticket exchange).

Collecting tickets from the team hotel would make a lot of sense. It works very well for England.

 

[Superphil]

But for cup games where (near) capacity crowds are expected, ST holders currently get a short period of time to secure their ST seat

Surely when cup games are sold, if you're in the bit of the ESL or SW corner and have a season ticket, then you get moved if the away team takes their full 15% allocation. So you don't get your seat, though you might get priority on buying tickets elsewhere in the ground.

 

[Arthur]

Barry, thanks for coming here and asking.

I'd suggest two questions, both in anticipation of demand for away tickets likely to exceed supply:

1. (as someone suggested elsewhere) will they agree to offer each of our group stage opponents a reciprocal deal, where the away team gets 10% of capacity in tickets, rather than the mandated 5%? And to carry on offering this if we make it to knockout stages, if it's a success?
2. will the club work out a way of giving a larger number of fans who follow the Albion away a chance to attend *one* away game during the group stage? Let's say we have three games, with 2000 tickets, 1500 and 900 tickets because of the varying size of the grounds: either 2000 fans get to see the Albion away in Europe (if they use the same approach as for domestic away games), or up to 4400. Those with the most points should get first dibs on which game they choose, of course.

I'm interested in how other away fans feel about my second suggestion here. I know so many people who want to be able to see one Albion game in Europe

It's an interesting idea but logistically sounds like a lot of work and would properly piss off those at the top of the loyalty point tree.

The England way of doing things is 70% of tickets goes to the top point holders then the remaining 30% goes in a ballot to everyone else who applies. That could be viable but again it would take some working out and the club aren't going to have a huge amount of time to put in place (because the ticket office are busy writing names on tickets....but that's another issue).

Collecting tickets from the team hotel would make a lot of sense. It works very well for England.

It doesn't work very well. You have no choice and it's a ballache. Malta was a perfect example. England fans were plotted up all over the country but had to get to one hotel St Julians which was nowhere near the ground consequently St Julians became completely mobbed on match day.

If I'm going abroad I want to taking in the local culture (sat in a bar getting pissed) not queuing up to get a ticket.