[Albion] Family Standers – quick query

[AZ Gull]

Yes, she's on the waiting list now so we'll see how much progress we make ... and hope she doesn't start supporting Spurs while we wait

And yes, current ticket expires at the end of the season. It's annoying because the club seems to think the order of play should be this:

1. Move two adult season tickets somewhere else in the ground and cancel the child ticket.
2. Put daughter on waiting list and wait indefinitely.
3. When she reaches the top of the queue they will then try to relocate us and find three seats somewhere else. (Back in the family stand? Who knows)

Just seems like a lot of bureacracy and aggravation, and ultimately more expense for us, and the sense that the club really doesn't mind alienating loyal fans as long as it sticks to a fairly arbitary protocol.

I'm feeling that the way forward may just be to cancel the season tickets and try to attend games as and when. As someone who hasn't missed a home game for years, and tries to get to an increasing number of aways, that feels like a weird thing to be saying. Definitely feeling expendable right now.

(Sorry for coming across as a victim. I realise people have bigger problems.)

To be absolutely honest, in my opinion you ARE playing the victim here. Now that the club does have a waiting list, it would be completely wrong to simply allow an existing season ticket to be transferred into a new name (whether family member, friend or whatever). That is EXACTLY what the waiting list is for. People are waiting (and paying, I will remind you) for a seat to become available. As someone you has spent three years on the waiting list myself, I would be extremely pissed off if I knew that seats became available but the club willingly transferred them into a different name (of a family member who had never been on the list).

I fully appreciate it is somewhat inconvenient for your family situation, but the club is absolutely doing the right thing here.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I think this is highlighting to the club by requiring photo ID now and prompting these queries, how many people 'use' other peoples tickets.

Don't be surprised if at some point in the future we get photos on season tickets.

Of course it will be disguised as stopping 'undesirables' getting in and poor normal fans will just have to comply as well.

Makes me wonder if they bought photo tickets in from 21/22 I wonder how many current season tickets would have to be surrendered?

I know there are quite a few people who "share" a ticket. The people who sat next to me until two seasons ago split two seats between six of them and took turns. I pay half of my mate's daughter's ticket (well, it's in her name) so my daughter can use it half the time. We did that because there was only one seat free near us.

There are also many who buy tickets in the name of their business (for tax purposes if nothing else) and that would be pretty hard to enforce photo ID on. In fact I had that very argument with someone on here over Palace away tickets since one of the companies was a 1901 ticket but shared as a "perk".

 

[Wozza]

There are also many who buy tickets in the name of their business (for tax purposes if nothing else) and that would be pretty hard to enforce photo ID on.

Ha. Leaving aside everything else, the club would very happy to stop non-1901 tickets being used for business purposes.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Ha. Leaving aside everything else, the club would very happy to stop non-1901 tickets being used for business purposes.

The ones I know of ARE in 1901.

If there are oiks doing it then why doesn't the club just refuse the name or ask them to change next time they renew?

 

[Worthing exile]

They'd also need the staff to check the photo against the person standing in front of them on an individual basis, and fans would have to be really patient to stand in a queue waiting their turn.

The logistics would be horrible.

Retinal scans are far easier to implement and there'd be no room for debate about the identity.

While I am being patted down there is plenty of time for another steward to check my photo.

 

[schmunk]

The ones I know of ARE in 1901.

If there are oiks doing it then why doesn't the club just refuse the name or ask them to change next time they renew?

1901 tickets are freely transferable on a game-by-game basis, exactly for the purpose of business entertaining.

 

[Wozza]

The ones I know of ARE in 1901.

Oh. 1901 owners are allowed to allocate as they see fit, aren't they?

Can transfer ownership too, of course - going back to original post.

 

[The Wookiee]

We've had three season tickets in the family stand since the Amex opened. Originally they were for me and two sons.

A few years ago, eldest son lost interest and his ticket was transferred to my wife's name. Club was happy to oblige. Obviously we paid a bit more.

In recent years, middle son has been less available for games due to part-time job and college work so his younger sister has been borrowing his ticket. Yes, I know that's not really allowed, but believe me she spends far more on food and merch than her brother ever did. So I don't feel like anyone's been cheated.

Now we've asked if we can formally transfer the ticket into her name. The answer is no: she'll have to get on a waiting list. The policy has changed.

My response was, this isn't a case of us trying to help somebody queue-jump. It's a straightforward transfer between siblings, aged 17 and 15, in the family stand. But the club won't budge.

That leaves us with two tickets for the family stand that we can't use as adults without kids, a season ticket that's not being used by anybody, and three family members who can no longer go to games.

I know this is all complicated anyway by Covid restrictions, but I'm rather upset by the lack of flexibilty being shown by the club. Their view is that unlimited transfers between family members effectively shuts out newcomers. But we're not talking about a permanent family monopoly on our three seats. All we want is to keep the family going to games together, in our familiar seats, when restrictions are lifted. And when our daughter is 18 we'll be moving elsewhere anyway.

I'm not looking for sympathy or starting a campaign. But maybe others have had similar experiences and agree that the club should consider allowing season tickets in the family stand that can be shared between siblings.

Could you put tickets up on ticket exchange and then buy two adult tickets in another part of the ground for you and your wife

 

[dazzer6666]

No, just the three of us. We've got to know people around us of course but we're not part of any friends or family arrangement.

Feels sad, because going to the Amex has always been a family thing for us. It wouldn't feel fair going to games if we can't sit with one of the kids, which we were hoping to do for two more seasons at least.

Many games have 'season ticket guest' ticket availability, so often quite easy to get an additional ticket ahead of general sale.........

 

[Doonhamer7]

I remember reading that when Man Utd had an amnesty a few years ago they had over 2,000 dead season ticket holders that family members had been using. They were all allowed to transfer their names as a one off. So I wonder how many new zombies they have now

 

[BNthree]

Could you put tickets up on ticket exchange and then buy two adult tickets in another part of the ground for you and your wife

Trouble with that is you sell at season ticket cost price and but at match price. To not lose money they could phone supporter services and get the adult tickets transferred elsewhere in the stadium for a small admin fee.

However it is possible to sit in family stand without kids. It's just not possible to buy adult tickets there without also buying a kids ticket. Often see season ticket holders in family stand without kids if it is an evening match.

 

[dazzer6666]

I remember reading that when Man Utd had an amnesty a few years ago they had over 2,000 dead season ticket holders that family members had been using. They were all allowed to transfer their names as a one off. So I wonder how many new zombies they have now

Loads at the Amex. They mostly sit in WSL.

 

[Goldstone1976]

While I am being patted down there is plenty of time for another steward to check my photo.

Thereby doubling the number of stewards...

 

[Monkey Man]

Could you put tickets up on ticket exchange and then buy two adult tickets in another part of the ground for you and your wife

Yes, that's a possibility, though really what we're trying to achieve is allowing three of us to go together, as we've been doing for years. Football's a family thing for us, not a mum-and-dad thing. Yet.

On a related note, which has been mentioned by other posters, we all know people who share season tickets for various reasons, or occasionally borrow them, and very often that's because people work awkward shifts or have family reasons for not attending every game. If we're getting towards a time when ID is checked, the club is going to be waving goodbye to some very loyal and long-standing supporters. There aren't enough general sale tickets available to accommodate all these people, unless my maths is wrong. Maybe it is.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Trouble with that is you sell at season ticket cost price and but at match price. To not lose money they could phone supporter services and get the adult tickets transferred elsewhere in the stadium for a small admin fee.

However it is possible to sit in family stand without kids. It's just not possible to buy adult tickets there without also buying a kids ticket. Often see season ticket holders in family stand without kids if it is an evening match.

I thought match price at the moment was the same as STH price ? When Covid is over there should be no more requirements for photo ID.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yes, that's a possibility, though really what we're trying to achieve is allowing three of us to go together, as we've been doing for years. Football's a family thing for us, not a mum-and-dad thing. Yet.

On a related note, which has been mentioned by other posters, we all know people who share season tickets for various reasons, or occasionally borrow them, and very often that's because people work awkward shifts or have family reasons for not attending every game. If we're getting towards a time when ID is checked, the club is going to be waving goodbye to some very loyal and long-standing supporters. There aren't enough general sale tickets available to accommodate all these people, unless my maths is wrong. Maybe it is.

It will be a very sad day if ID checks become normal after this pandemic. Lets just hope things revert back to how it was once this thing has hopefully gone by 2021/22.

 

[herecomesaregular]

An unfortunate consequence of success = waiting list. Still annoys me that first season and a few after (until promotion) I had two season tickets in my name as me#1 and me#2. Of course at time club encouraged me to buy 2 (wanted the money) but now "policy and procedures" don't allow it due to success/waiting list. All fair do-es of course but my friend took over the ticket and I forgot he was reaching 65 and now it flashes concession up on the barrier... bummer if he can't make it to the game.
People love to state FACT on here. The fact is there will be many thousands of fans who have been sharing tickets and covid/ID checks will derail this.

The club ought to think of a one off amnesty perhaps to sort this out? This could be the time to do it.....

 

[Bold Seagull]

An unfortunate consequence of success = waiting list. Still annoys me that first season and a few after (until promotion) I had two season tickets in my name as me#1 and me#2. Of course at time club encouraged me to buy 2 (wanted the money) but now "policy and procedures" don't allow it due to success/waiting list. All fair do-es of course but my friend took over the ticket and I forgot he was reaching 65 and now it flashes concession up on the barrier... bummer if he can't make it to the game.
People love to state FACT on here. The fact is there will be many thousands of fans who have been sharing tickets and covid/ID checks will derail this.

The club ought to think of a one off amnesty perhaps to sort this out? This could be the time to do it.....

You'll be able to upgrade it 6 times a season.

 

[herecomesaregular]

You'll be able to upgrade it 6 times a season.

Tried that when he couldn't come - put the person off when the upgrade price was £27! I would have been better changing the name of the whole ticket (because you could at the time, foc, because again weren't that successful at the time and no waiting list) to another adult not nearing 65...

 

[Bold Seagull]

Tried that when he couldn't come - put the person off when the upgrade price was £27! I would have been better changing the name of the whole ticket (because you could at the time, foc, because again weren't that successful at the time and no waiting list) to another adult not nearing 65...

You need to get a name you want the 2nd ticket in on the waiting list and you'll likely be able to do it in April, if not then the following season. I don't really see how it's the club's fault that people don't think ahead to their tickets ticking over price thresholds. These regulations are now in their 4th season. Although can see how many might not think about it until they suddenly realise it might be a problem.