Falmer pay on gate?

[portlock seagull]

You obviously haven't been following the thread that closely. The reasoned arguement being put forward is that a small number of fans cannot be arsed to pick up a phone. Surely that would sway any Public Inquiry.

Translated = people disagreed with me so I take a simpleton's approach and focus on the line of argument that suits me best

 

[sten_super]

Brentford is "pay on the Gate" thank God, I wouldn't go near the place if it wasn't.

I'm surprised that BHAFC are trying to apparently save the cost of handling cash.

I'm assuming that you (and GTA49er possibly, I'm not sure how far back that quote is from) didn't bother to read any of the actual thread then.

Let me break it down for you;
THE PLANNING PERMISSION DOES NOT ALLOW US TO HAVE PAY-ON-THE-GATE FACILITIES.
That is the reason that they will not be present at the stadium. Whether the club subsequently challenge that (assuming they have some grounds for a challenge, which they seemingly don't at the moment) only time will tell.

 

[drew]

Translated = people disagreed with me so I take a simpleton's approach and focus on the line of argument that suits me best

You could play devil's advocate and argue that it is a simpleton that would just turn up at a football ground and expect to pay at the gate. Why is it so hard to ring the club or go online and book your ticket upto an hour before kick-off and then collect it at the ground.

Pay at the gate would be ok in an ideal world but that's not where we currently live.

 

[portlock seagull]

You could play devil's advocate and argue that it is a simpleton that would just turn up at a football ground and expect to pay at the gate. Why is it so hard to ring the club or go online and book your ticket upto an hour before kick-off and then collect it at the ground.

Pay at the gate would be ok in an ideal world but that's not where we currently live.

It isn't for me. But it isn't as convenient for others - hence the arguments presented on this thread. Hence why it's not beyond the realms of possibility that one day it might need to be changed. Stop looking at this is such a black and white fashion and you'll see there's some grey around

 

[drew]

It isn't for me. But it isn't as convenient for others - hence the arguments presented on this thread. Hence why it's not beyond the realms of possibility that one day it might need to be changed. Stop looking at this is such a black and white fashion and you'll see there's some grey around

I don't know what the situation will be in 5 or 10 years time but at the present, we have to live with the rules we have got.

You say it's not convenient for some, who are these people? I don't know anyone who hasn't got a phone, either landline or mobile. Internet access is increasing. At the end of the day, the club cannot cater for every single eventuality.

FFS, lets get the place built and then start playing there and then we can see where we go after that. Is it likely to change, probably not if the only arguement that people put forward is one of low crowds.

 

[portlock seagull]

I don't know what the situation will be in 5 or 10 years time but at the present, we have to live with the rules we have got.

You say it's not convenient for some, who are these people? I don't know anyone who hasn't got a phone, either landline or mobile. Internet access is increasing. At the end of the day, the club cannot cater for every single eventuality.

FFS, lets get the place built and then start playing there and then we can see where we go after that. Is it likely to change, probably not if the only arguement that people put forward is one of low crowds.

FFS, do you want names and addresses??! Haven't you read any of the previous posts?!! Do you not accept that the more means of payment there are the more customers you open yourself to. I give up with. You're still at school (or missed it)...

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

You could play devil's advocate and argue that it is a simpleton that would just turn up at a football ground and expect to pay at the gate. Why is it so hard to ring the club or go online and book your ticket upto an hour before kick-off and then collect it at the ground.

Pay at the gate would be ok in an ideal world but that's not where we currently live.

Last Saturday my son decided late on he wanted to go to the game:

(1) Couldn't get a concession price on the website. (He was 16 in July, so needs the U21 price)

(2) Phoned the ticket office which is an 0845 number -from his mobile. Was on hold for 15 minutes, and was subsequently chaged over £7.00 for the call.(Total cost of an Under 21 Ticket over £25.00 including booking fee and phone call)


So,

First of all make it possible to buy concessions online, but more importantly have a system a la cinema where you can book tickets speedily without being put on hold for 15 minutes on an expensive line. Collect tickets from a booth at the ground.

Don't ring from a mobile you say - so what about those who get in the car (we don't live in Brighton) and make the call whilst en route.

I hope the club reads this thread, as at the moment it appears there are going to be far too many hoops to jump through for the casual 5-10 games a season fan to encourage them to get tickets at Falmer.

If we can't deal with selling tickets when we get 5,000 the it worries me how we will hope with 3 - 4 times that number.

But the club's Marketing and Advertising is pretty poor - I have friends who still think it's not worth trying to get tickets for Albion games as it's always sold out!

 

[Billy the Fish]

Access will mainly be by smartcard. All season ticket holders will be given a card and those attending a match will also use a card. The first time you go to the ground, if there is no time to deliver a card, you may be given a paper ticket. On subsequent occasions you will use a card. The card can be activated up to kick off for a particular game by phone, text, internet or attending a park and ride site.

From ask the project office forum

 

[gullshark]

As good and useful as pay on the gate is, nowadays with the internet and mobile phones then it's so easy to ring / book a ticket just before the game.

Years ago we didn't have that.

 

[RM-Taylor]

[Sorry to be a complete numpty]

Well what about visiting supporters? Surely more fans attend when they can actually pay at the ground (from a ticket office similar to what they have at Huddersfield - we sold about 150 tickets I think in advance and then 1,200 odd paid on the day) then having to buy a ticket. Away fans will travel and pay on the day, they'll probably pay the steward to let them in.

 

[The Large One]

First of all make it possible to buy concessions online, but more importantly have a system a la cinema where you can book tickets speedily without being put on hold for 15 minutes on an expensive line. Collect tickets from a booth at the ground.

Don't ring from a mobile you say - so what about those who get in the car (we don't live in Brighton) and make the call whilst en route.

I hope the club reads this thread, as at the moment it appears there are going to be far too many hoops to jump through for the casual 5-10 games a season fan to encourage them to get tickets at Falmer.

I was having a natter with Paul Rogers last night about this and that, and I mentioned people's concerns with the new ticketing system at Falmer.

The thing you mention first there is precisely the system (or one of the systems) that will be implemented - he even mentioned it to be 'cinema-style'.

Regarding you coming by car, if you don't have a ticket, you won't be able to get into the car parks at the University or Falmer School anyway, which would then pre-suppose that you will go to the Park & Ride, where you CAN buy your ticket.

As regards the casual fan, the club has already said on ATPO what happens about that.

There is very little point comparing ticket sales at Withdean to Falmer, as completely different systems will be in operation for the two venues.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

[Sorry to be a complete numpty]

Well what about visiting supporters? Surely more fans attend when they can actually pay at the ground (from a ticket office similar to what they have at Huddersfield - we sold about 150 tickets I think in advance and then 1,200 odd paid on the day) then having to buy a ticket. Away fans will travel and pay on the day, they'll probably pay the steward to let them in.

Away fans will either:-

1. Use the Park & Ride (and buy a ticket there); or
2. Travel by coach (and get a ticket as part of the coach deal); or
3. Travel by train (and have access to a ticket at Brighton or Lewes stations); or
4. Buy their ticket by phone / internet; or
5. Be able to use their home club's smartcard (if, for example, we are playing Everton or one of the other clubs that will be using the same ticketing system that we will be using).

 

[RM-Taylor]

Away fans will either:-

1. Use the Park & Ride (and buy a ticket there); or
2. Travel by coach (and get a ticket as part of the coach deal); or
3. Travel by train (and have access to a ticket at Brighton or Lewes stations); or
4. Buy their ticket by phone / internet; or
5. Be able to use their home club's smartcard (if, for example, we are playing Everton or one of the other clubs that will be using the same ticketing system that we will be using).

Thank you Lord B

 

[drew]

Last Saturday my son decided late on he wanted to go to the game:

(1) Couldn't get a concession price on the website. (He was 16 in July, so needs the U21 price)

(2) Phoned the ticket office which is an 0845 number -from his mobile. Was on hold for 15 minutes, and was subsequently chaged over £7.00 for the call.(Total cost of an Under 21 Ticket over £25.00 including booking fee and phone call)


So,

First of all make it possible to buy concessions online, but more importantly have a system a la cinema where you can book tickets speedily without being put on hold for 15 minutes on an expensive line. Collect tickets from a booth at the ground.

Don't ring from a mobile you say - so what about those who get in the car (we don't live in Brighton) and make the call whilst en route.

I hope the club reads this thread, as at the moment it appears there are going to be far too many hoops to jump through for the casual 5-10 games a season fan to encourage them to get tickets at Falmer.

If we can't deal with selling tickets when we get 5,000 the it worries me how we will hope with 3 - 4 times that number.

But the club's Marketing and Advertising is pretty poor - I have friends who still think it's not worth trying to get tickets for Albion games as it's always sold out!

I think the problem here was not the inconvenience of not being able to pay on the gate but the fact that your son couldn't get a concession on the website. (By the way, did he access that from his mobile as well?)

I agree that it should be possible to get a concession ticket online and that is something the club need to address. However, if they did, I would anticipate that they could only sell them to registered supporters, ie they know that you fit the category of the ticket you're buying and would probably need some sort of ID at collection of the ticket.

As regards getting in the car and making the call en route, just call before you get in the car. Surely that is simple enough!

 

[Curious Orange]

Away fans will either:-

1. Use the Park & Ride (and buy a ticket there); or

I bet that'll cause complaints at Mill Road... unless they have a van that gradually moves up the hill to sell tickets, you certainly couldn't force people to buy tickets before entering the car park as that'd cause worse congestion on the A23 roundabout than there is now!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I bet that'll cause complaints at Mill Road... unless they have a van that gradually moves up the hill to sell tickets, you certainly couldn't force people to buy tickets before entering the car park as that'd cause worse congestion on the A23 roundabout than there is now!

It's not a question of "forcing" away fans to buy tickets "before entering the car park".

Tickets will be available to HOME fans and AWAY fans at all park and ride sites.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think most away fans...even those that live in Brighton will be booking in advance...

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I think most away fans...even those that live in Brighton will be booking in advance...

I'm sure you're right. They have, after all, got used to doing that over the past ten years.

 

[Curious Orange]

It's not a question of "forcing" away fans to buy tickets "before entering the car park".

Tickets will be available to HOME fans and AWAY fans at all park and ride sites.

I'm not sure that you've quite understood my (possibly badly made) point about Mill Road Lord B, namely that it is a road rather than a car park, and a rather steep one to boot - so the positioning of the ticket booth is rather important. You could have it at the entrance to the site, but I reckon that'd be a bad idea - you already have to wait for all the numpties who don't think the words 'ROAD CLOSED' apply to them to turn around, so adding people who are after tickets to the queue to get in really would back the queue out onto the roundabout at least (source of complaints number 1). A better option would be to allow people to park first, but then where would you place the booth? If it is at a fixed position it'll inevitably mean some people traipsing up and down the aforementioned hill (or vice versa) to get a ticket and then catch the bus (source of complaints number 2). So that is why I suggested a moving booth that moves up the hill ahead of the parked cars, though how practicable that'd be I do not know.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I think the problem here was not the inconvenience of not being able to pay on the gate but the fact that your son couldn't get a concession on the website. (By the way, did he access that from his mobile as well?)

I agree that it should be possible to get a concession ticket online and that is something the club need to address. However, if they did, I would anticipate that they could only sell them to registered supporters, ie they know that you fit the category of the ticket you're buying and would probably need some sort of ID at collection of the ticket.

As regards getting in the car and making the call en route, just call before you get in the car. Surely that is simple enough!

Yes, not being able to buy a concession online is wrong, but that is not the point here - the point is when ringing the ticket office on a Saturday morning he was on hold for at least 15 minutes. This is when he have crowds of 5,000.

No, he did not access the website from his mobile. The £7.00 was simply the cost of the phone call to the ticket office.

Of course it would be best to call before leaving, but unless the club change the ticket ordering system/number of people atthe Ticket office (as TLO implies they are going to do) then that will not always be possible.

As an aside, when I was in USA recently, there were people selling tickets for events from a mobile ticketing system that was hand held. You gave your card over and tickets were printed out there and then. Perhaps this could be possible at places like Mill Road.

One further comment on Falmer - there was a good picture recently in the Argus of the work going on at Falmer with a short little piece to go with it. Could the club let the rest of Sussex know what's going on - there are loads of local rags to be filled every week - places like Hastings and Horsham, Eastbourne, Seaford, Haywards Heath etc all have local papers - why not keep the public informed about what's going on?

Just might generate some interest and get a few lapsed fans interested in the club again?