It's a sparse crowd here tonight . I'd say 16000 or less through the turnstile .

[dazzer6666]

Not sure if it's an urban myth but I read a few years back that there was such a long waiting list for ManU season tickets that when an STH died, the family would often not inform the club but would keep the season ticket running for use by the family. If true, not only was the STH sometimes not present, they sometimes weren't even alive!

I think in WSL they leave them in the seats.

 

[Ernest]

Not sure if it's an urban myth but I read a few years back that there was such a long waiting list for ManU season tickets that when an STH died, the family would often not inform the club but would keep the season ticket running for use by the family. If true, not only was the STH sometimes not present, they sometimes weren't even alive!

A bit like the AMEX now, sometimes I doubt half of the crowd are still ALIVE

 

[Wozza]

It seems we're not the only ones with this problem, found this old article from last year from the Manchester Evening News...

It's not really a "problem", is it?

Also, fairly sure that it's a Premier League *rule* that clubs must state attendance as tickets sold rather than bums on seats.

It's exactly the same for gigs, theatre, cinema etc.

Some people REALLY need to get over it.

 

[Simster]

Not sure if it's an urban myth but I read a few years back that there was such a long waiting list for ManU season tickets that when an STH died, the family would often not inform the club but would keep the season ticket running for use by the family. If true, not only was the STH sometimes not present, they sometimes weren't even alive!

It's not an urban myth. A friend of a friend had a "family" season ticket at Anfield in the name of someone who had died five years prior to the conversation we were having!

 

[Diego Napier]

I've heard similar stories about Old Trafford & Anfield.

All this talk about attendances raises 2 thoughts for me:

Firstly, how things have changed; was actual attendance versus tickets purchased ever a topic for debate when we were at Withdean?

and second, which clubs have this kind of discrepancy and do their fans worry about it as much as some of ours?

 

[Let's Have A Winner!]

It's not really a "problem", is it?

Also, fairly sure that it's a Premier League *rule* that clubs must state attendance as tickets sold rather than bums on seats.

It's exactly the same for gigs, theatre, cinema etc.

Some people REALLY need to get over it.

Ok "issue" then, better? Personally it's not a problem for me in any way, but some might consider it to be...for example the powers that be who are trying to maximise revenue whilst thousands of ticket holders cannot be bothered to turn up for matches (before I get shot down I appreciate that not all no shows are due to apathy or dissatisfaction with the club!)...

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

It's not really a "problem", is it?

Also, fairly sure that it's a Premier League *rule* that clubs must state attendance as tickets sold rather than bums on seats.

It's exactly the same for gigs, theatre, cinema etc.

Some people REALLY need to get over it.

I am very much in the "need to get over it" camp. Call it bed-wetting, call it stupid, call it immature if you will. It is the most trivial, silly, non-issue you could every wish to waste 20 seconds posting about. I need to go out more. I need to not care. It affects my life in precisely zero ways. It is not a problem.

But.

The word 'Attendance' does not (and never will) mean how many tickets you've sold for something. It means how many people are there. Present. Attending.

 

[Wozza]

some might consider it to be...for example the powers that be who are trying to maximise revenue whilst thousands of ticket holders cannot be bothered to turn up for matches

I'm fairly sure that the "powers that be" know the actual attendance of each match.

 

[Brovion]

It's not really a "problem", is it?

Also, fairly sure that it's a Premier League *rule* that clubs must state attendance as tickets sold rather than bums on seats.

It's exactly the same for gigs, theatre, cinema etc.

Some people REALLY need to get over it.

You haven't quite followed this properly, have you?

 

[Wozza]

You haven't quite followed this properly, have you?

Oh, do tell me if I've missed something important.

 

[MattBackHome]

It seems we're not the only ones with this problem, found this old article from last year from the Manchester Evening News...

Crowds at Old Trafford are much lower than the official attendance announced by United on matchdays, according to new police data.

Figures from Greater Manchester Police revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the club did not have a crowd over 70,000 for a Premier League match this season, until last week’s derby with City. But United regularly announce attendances in excess of 75,000.

The police data shows the average Old Trafford attendance is 10,000 fewer than the figures announced.

The FOI request was lodged with Greater Manchester Police by Reds Away, which runs a travel and news website and blog for United fans. Reds Away said that – in common with most other clubs – United under FA rules must publish an ‘official attendance’, which includes those who bought a ticket whether or not they actually went to the game. Greater Manchester Police, however, keeps a record of actual numbers who pass through the turnstiles. The figures reveal a startling number of ticket-holders who do not show up.

The figures show that 66,005 fans watched the first Premier League home game against Fulham this season, but the club said the attendance was 75,352.

United announced the attendance at January’s clash with Southampton as 75,600, but the police figures show the actual crowd was 59,766 – a difference of 15,834.

Barring the recent derby, the largest actual crowd for a league game inside Old Trafford was 69,933 for the Liverpool game in January. United recorded an attendance of 75,501.

The data covers all competitions, including the Champions League.

The police figures reveal just 33,409 watched the Capital One cup game against Newcastle in September, with the club claiming a gate of 46,358.

The largest disparity was revealed at United’s Champion’s League game with Cluj in December. The GMP figures recorded a crowd of just 46,894, with the club claiming an attendance of 71,521.

This year’s record crowd came at the ill-fated Real Madrid Champions League tie last month, where the police figures reveal 72,299 fans attended. The club’s figure was 74,959, 2,660 higher.

As [MENTION=189]Wozza[/MENTION] says, it's not a problem.

All clubs have to announce pretendance and let the police know the attendance.

The only dispiriting thing about what you've posted is that Reds Away had to lodge a FOI request to actually get the attendances from Greater Manchester police. I reckon the Albion would be better served giving this info out themselves.

 

[Official Old Man]

Very good friend of mine, sadly passed away 7 years ago, had a Liverpool ST (he was from London). He was a member of the Essex Reds fan club and another member now uses his ticket and pays for it but still in the old name.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The largest disparity was revealed at United’s Champion’s League game with Cluj in December. The GMP figures recorded a crowd of just 46,894, with the club claiming an attendance of 71,521.

Big laughs

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It's not really a "problem", is it?

Agreed. I suspect the directors may have noticed that tickets sold/seats sat on are not the same.

 

[Brovion]

Oh, do tell me if I've missed something important.

Well it depends what you mean by 'important'. Lots of stuff (probably most stuff) discussed on NSC isn't 'important', but there have been issues raised on this thread that go beyond the simple fact of whether the 'attendance' figure announced is physical attendance or ticket sales.

I appreciate the linguistic absurdity doesn't worry you, and if STHs also get admittance to the Development Squad games the club must be delighted that over 23,000 people turn up for each home game to watch the youngsters play. No need to worry if that's how loyal the fans are.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

No need to worry if that's how loyal the fans are.

Is it a worry Brovion ?

 

[Brovion]

Is it a worry Brovion ?

I was just using it to illustrate a point. I'm sure the club don't actually announce the DS squad attendances as tickets sold because the absurdity would be too extreme.

 

[8ace]

Not sure if it's an urban myth but I read a few years back that there was such a long waiting list for ManU season tickets that when an STH died, the family would often not inform the club but would keep the season ticket running for use by the family. If true, not only was the STH sometimes not present, they sometimes weren't even alive!

They had an amnesty recently so people were allowed to transfer the ST from the named person to the person who actually used it.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Good observation.

In fact I would like to see a post-matchHove born&bred Attendance Guesstimate become a regular feature on here, to book-end his pre-match weather update

I'll do it here
http://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2014/11/08/brighton-hove-albion-half-time-with-hodges-6/36349

 

[The Birdman]

also how many fans give season tickets to friends when unable to attend themselves as an unofficial ticket exchange.
The club need to keep advertising how easy it to get a tickets as the casual fan still thinks it's an arse to get a ticket.
Also this is why the club has to bring in groups of kids from Schools football teams youth clubs etc as we have lost several generations of fans during the dark days ie Gillingham and even Withdean.
The Albion catchment area is fantastic and needs to be utilised and we need to build our fan base which has left Sussex area.