[Albion] LoyaltyPointGate - discussion with the club

[Thunder Bolt]

Nothing wrong with the scheme, just the people that run it (The Club).
Not just last night but all season the fans have been ahead of the Club...

Think this thread was started so those "true" fans could all crow about how they went last night..

You think? How often do you find out the exact number of attendees at an away match, rather than tickets sold. The number was given out last night, almost as if the club had asked for it.
Knowing something is happening is difficult to prove until it has happened. Now it has, the club has the info and will be getting the data to deal with it.

 

[drew]

The tickets went on sale a day early. The date was changed. The tickets also sold out very quickly so that people I know who are regulars couldn't get tickets, so your guess at getting a ticket was easy is wrong.

A complaint was made about the day being changed, and when some players comps were returned, it was made known and the person who made the complaint managed to get the tickets needed. There were about 30 tickets which were advertised on Nsc, but unfortunately people like [MENTION=46]Lush[/MENTION] were at work, and couldn't get one then.

700 people bought tickets, not the odd one or two, or even 50. 700 tickets were wasted last night and decent fans who wanted to go, couldn't, because their fellow fans cheated them.

I'm not going to condone those that didn't go (I had a better view because of it!) but the claim that 'decent' fans didn't go is a bit rich. Why weren't these decent fans going to games over the last few seasons because if they had then they would have more loyalty points? How many travelled to Oxford last year for the cup game (no worries about tickets as it was POTG but remember there were plenty of empty seats)?

 

[drew]

Nothing wrong with the scheme, just the people that run it (The Club).
Not just last night but all season the fans have been ahead of the Club...

Think this thread was started so those "true" fans could all crow about how they went last night..

Not sure what that means as both Leicester and Watford were packed out. Didn't go but assume the same for Bournemouth on Friday.

 

[Insel affe]

Collecting tickets from a different venue is a no go surely.
I busted a bollock to get there last night, leaving work as late as possible, driving 3.5 hours on crap roads, eventually walking into the ground at 7:42pm.
If I had to collect en route I would have potentially missed a large part of the game.
It would cause chaos at the chosen venue as well. Potentially 3,000 supporters turning up to collect a ticket.
Also you have to take into account the multiple ways in which people travel to the game. Could one location be found near a train station, main road, coach park...

Oh my goodness your right....

Oh hang on, it didn't stop thousands upon thousands of fans in days gone by when it was pay on the gate, or at worst queuing at the club ticket office in the rain two weeks before the match.

Your argument is about convenience, travel & work, get a grip it's a first world problem.

 

[jamie the seagull]

Not sure what that means as both Leicester and Watford were packed out. Didn't go but assume the same for Bournemouth on Friday.

I did go to both Leicester & Watford. Empty seats all along my row in each Match.

 

[jamie the seagull]

You think? How often do you find out the exact number of attendees at an away match, rather than tickets sold. The number was given out last night, almost as if the club had asked for it.
Knowing something is happening is difficult to prove until it has happened. Now it has, the club has the info and will be getting the data to deal with it.

I went to Leicester & Watford & Barnet.....I could see it long before last night....

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'm not going to condone those that didn't go (I had a better view because of it!) but the claim that 'decent' fans didn't go is a bit rich. Why weren't these decent fans going to games over the last few seasons because if they had then they would have more loyalty points? How many travelled to Oxford last year for the cup game (no worries about tickets as it was POTG but remember there were plenty of empty seats)?

I'm classing [MENTION=46]Lush[/MENTION] as a decent fan, because I've known her for many years and know she has posted on here several times about last night's game and being unable to get a ticket.
The tickets going on sale a day early caught out Liz Costa, because she was away in Wales (it was the international break) and no news of the ticket sales changing dates. She got back on the Friday, and the tickets had all gone on Thursday. She also gets three other tickets for disabled fans on the coach, so they were missing out too. Because she put in a complaint about the change of date, she was informed of the player comps that were returned and got them then. This is someone who goes to every single game and would beat anyone's loyalty total.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I went to Leicester & Watford & Barnet.....I could see it long before last night....

You could 'see it' but you don't need to prove it. The club is getting the data from Bournemouth and can deal with it with proof.

 

[Eeyore]

No big deal really is it? If you wanted a ticket you could have got one for this game easily so if you missed out I think it's your own fault. A lot of the people that moan about tickets don't try hard to get one. Be quick off the blocks and you'll be ok but you can't expect a ticket for every away game if you don't go to many.

It seems to me the club created the issue by offering lots of points for cheap tickets. It was clear what would happen and frankly I don't blame people for wanting more points to attend away matches.

Storm in tea cup. Let's focus on supporting the team on Saturday or moaning depending on what kind of fan you are!

I don't have a season ticket as I cannot get to that many games for a variety of reasons. This basically means that if I can attend an away game it's unlikely I'll be able to get a ticket this year. There will only be the odd exception. Last night could have been one. Except for the 600 odd who bought but didn't go.

So people were prevented from attending. It's not on.

 

[darkwolf666]

It's pretty simple.

The club created a system that encourages and rewards certain behaviours that were totally predictable. And some fans have used it as such. The club are therefore to blame.
I don't think that's debatable.

I had a ticket for last night and had two friends who i was going to share the journey with pull out last minute. So when work asked me to work late I didn't put up much of a fight as travelling to a game on my own, to sit on my own, which I had only laid out 10 pounds for didn't seem like a compelling proposition. Personally if I were the club I'd simply stop incentivising cheap cup games with loyalty points. But to penalise people for using a system of your own design would be a joke

So that's 3 of the mixing 600 accounted for

 

[Superphil]

I did go to both Leicester & Watford. Empty seats all along my row in each Match.

Mine too, Watford had about six empty seats in front of us.

 

[dstanman]

So, who was thinking of getting a Swansea ticket and not attending just to get 15 points to increase your chances of attending a higher profile game but now changing your mind which I expect would have been £2/point compared to £1/point (assuming ticket is £30 for 15 points), not the same as Bournemouth I know but people will think twice now. So hopefully will increase the chances of people outside the first days sales having the chance of getting a ticket
The club got the points wrong on this occasion, and people always look for any advantage they can get that’s life. This will be a learning curve for the club which they will learn from but can’t see how they can change the rules repesectivity for one game given that the T&Cs appear to contradict themselves without looking at non-attendance of other games which include the Barnet home game and even to the number of home games a ST holder attends
Some people would already of taken advantage of the additional points they got and been able to buy West Ham tickets today. So, if you remove the 10 points, do you also cancel their West Ham tickets as technically they may not have had enough points to buy them
Think all the club can do is for every away game from now on is to widen the points threshold by 10, that way no one will gain an advantage by not attending and maybe give those who did attend a bonus 5 points

 

[darkwolf666]

I don't have a season ticket as I cannot get to that many games for a variety of reasons. This basically means that if I can attend an away game it's unlikely I'll be able to get a ticket this year. There will only be the odd exception. Last night could have been one. Except for the 600 odd who bought but didn't go.

So people were prevented from attending. It's not on.

I am in the same boat as you, as I would imagine are a lot of other people. I think over time we will stop trying to get tickets, leaving the greedy few safe with their loyalty points and tickets they don't intend using!

For me scrap loyalty points completely... as ultimately I think they are slowly driving away fans who can't attend regularly and ultimately will become counter-productive.

 

[Mancgull]

I'm not going to read all this thread but in response to the OT I think the club have to be careful of going over board on this. The supporters who bought tickets and didn't go obviously didn't take the match very seriously but tactically took the option to buy the loyalty points. It could very easily be said that the club didn't take the match too seriously either and tactically used it to play some squad members and give them game time, blooding a couple of youngsters, thereby not totally fulfilling their obligation either.
We knew this was likely, but the club must also have known that some supporters wouldn't go. To impose a sanction after the match would be a bit disingenuous.
I didn't buy a ticket btw.

 

[Ernest]

I'm not going to read all this thread but in response to the OT I think the club have to be careful of going over board on this. The supporters who bought tickets and didn't go obviously didn't take the match very seriously but tactically took the option to buy the loyalty points. It could very easily be said that the club didn't take the match too seriously either and tactically used it to play some squad members and give them game time, blooding a couple of youngsters, thereby not totally fulfilling their obligation either.
We knew this was likely, but the club must also have known that some supporters wouldn't go. To impose a sanction after the match would be a bit disingenuous.
I didn't buy a ticket btw.

If you didn't attend the match then you don't get loyalty points, no other thing is acceptable as you stopped others going

 

[Everest]

Great had a ticket but used a friends who had a spare rather than going back home to get it before traveled

If points are taken away especially after being subjected to that last night I will not be a happy boy.

Think yourself lucky if you're not banned for using a non-transferable ticket bought for someone else.

 

[whosthedaddy]

Not surprised the loyalty points system was abused last night, it was ripe for it happening.

It's especially annoying for those Albion fans that don't get to see their team play that often (for whatever reason) only to see the fixture sell out quite quickly. They miss out on tickets then see only half the fans attending on the day of the game when they themselves could have gone and supported their team.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

So, who was thinking of getting a Swansea ticket and not attending just to get 15 points to increase your chances of attending a higher profile game but now changing your mind which I expect would have been £2/point compared to £1/point (assuming ticket is £30 for 15 points), not the same as Bournemouth I know but people will think twice now. So hopefully will increase the chances of people outside the first days sales having the chance of getting a ticket
The club got the points wrong on this occasion, and people always look for any advantage they can get that’s life. This will be a learning curve for the club which they will learn from but can’t see how they can change the rules repesectivity for one game given that the T&Cs appear to contradict themselves without looking at non-attendance of other games which include the Barnet home game and even to the number of home games a ST holder attends
Some people would already of taken advantage of the additional points they got and been able to buy West Ham tickets today. So, if you remove the 10 points, do you also cancel their West Ham tickets as technically they may not have had enough points to buy them
Think all the club can do is for every away game from now on is to widen the points threshold by 10, that way no one will gain an advantage by not attending and maybe give those who did attend a bonus 5 points

I fell asleep two sentences in.
You really should post more.





Or perhaps not

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'm not going to read all this thread but in response to the OT I think the club have to be careful of going over board on this. The supporters who bought tickets and didn't go obviously didn't take the match very seriously but tactically took the option to buy the loyalty points. It could very easily be said that the club didn't take the match too seriously either and tactically used it to play some squad members and give them game time, blooding a couple of youngsters, thereby not totally fulfilling their obligation either.
We knew this was likely, but the club must also have known that some supporters wouldn't go. To impose a sanction after the match would be a bit disingenuous.
I didn't buy a ticket btw.

'Some' supporters isn't what happened. More supporters didn't go, than did go. It was hundreds.

 

[Lush]

Here's an idea. Loyalty means a strong commitment to something - so loyalty points earned during a season are only added at the end.

The total will then apply for the whole of the following season, whatever league we're in.