[Albion] LoyaltyPointGate - discussion with the club

[drew]

It seems all that matters to The Club is The Amex years fans anyone who followed them in the crap times are no longer worthy of anything

You are making the assumption that those that supported the club then aren't still supporting the club now and going to away games! If all they have done is being a season ticket holder over that period, do you think they should have priority over people who have had a season ticket over that period and have gone to away games!

And why do you limit it to Withdean. What about those that had season tickets at the Goldstone. Fact is there has to be a cut off at some point and the Amex years are pretty much those of the new regime.

 

[drew]

It's a loyalty scheme.

Simple solution. Reward those loyal to the club.

Those who have held season tickets the longest, go in the top category. The club must know who purchases away tickets, so offer them first to those who have had season tickets the longest, and the following bands in line with time season ticket has been held.

So all those who had season tickets since Withdean, go in the top band. The lowest band will be new season ticket holders.

Paul Barber in the past has stated we are a business, and away tickets do not bring revenue to the club. So whilst unfortunate, those who just go away, that they will lose out. But those who spend their money at the Albion will have have a better chance.

Because as Bournemouth has proved the current system is unfair. People in the top ban, can buy tickets, and then just sell them on. So anyone outside the top band, is unlikely ever going to have enough points to go away.

The problem with this system is that you can have people who never go to away games but have had a season ticket for 17 years yet someone who has had a season ticket for 10 years and has regularly supported the club away from home is behind them in the pecking order for the glamour games.

I don't know because the stats aren't available but I would guess that the vast majority of fans in the top tier have been fans for quite a few years.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I think we've conclusively proved we are are customers rather than fans and I would have thought Paul Barber would have been pleased by this. The fact that he thinks "goodwill" is involved anymore is ironic to say the least. If he doesn't like the fact that his system didn't work this time, change the system don't moan at the customers. The club have systematically ground away at old fashioned concepts like goodwill in the pursuit of professionalism and Premier League Readiness. You reap what you sow.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think we've conclusively proved we are are customers rather than fans and I would have thought Paul Barber would have been pleased by this. The fact that he thinks "goodwill" is involved anymore is ironic to say the least. If he doesn't like the fact that his system didn't work this time, change the system don't moan at the customers. The club have systematically ground away at old fashioned concepts like goodwill in the pursuit of professionalism and Premier League Readiness. You reap what you sow.

Nicely, concisely and eloquently put.

 

[sully]

You are making the assumption that those that supported the club then aren't still supporting the club now and going to away games! If all they have done is being a season ticket holder over that period, do you think they should have priority over people who have had a season ticket over that period and have gone to away games!

And why do you limit it to Withdean. What about those that had season tickets at the Goldstone. Fact is there has to be a cut off at some point and the Amex years are pretty much those of the new regime.

I think the only issue is that if you have a gap, nothing previous is taken into account.


The real issue that has arisen, though, is not using tickets. The only response is to only award points for the use of the ticket, but this still doesn't guarantee the points going to the right person if Mr Unscrupulous decides to sell tickets on to mates in order to stay in the top bracket.

There's no foolproof answer, but I think [MENTION=805]Kalimantan Gull[/MENTION]'s proposal is the one that would work best, as it ensures that a closed shop won't develop too quickly. I think that ultimately it would still develop, though, as those in the top bracket are still incentivised to purchase tickets even if they can't go themselves.

I'm just glad it's not me having to come up with a cunning plan - or implement it. Unfortunately, there are always those who won't play fair.

 

[sully]

Fact remains any scheme will leave sections disappointed.

If it's those who buy tickets and don't attend, then I can live with that!

I also think that some sort of deduction should be made for non-attendance of home games by season ticket holders. I certainly wouldn't feel inclined to complain if I wasn't at the game and didn't get credited for it, even if there was a good reason for my absence. The loyalty should be about being there.


If the club want to do something about this, they can probably match serial abusers and "have a word". It is quite possible that the people who harvested points for Bournemouth did precisely the same for the Barnet game.....

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

it's a loyalty scheme.

Simple solution. Reward those loyal to the club.

Those who have held season tickets the longest, go in the top category. The club must know who purchases away tickets, so offer them first to those who have had season tickets the longest, and the following bands in line with time season ticket has been held.

So all those who had season tickets since withdean, go in the top band. The lowest band will be new season ticket holders.

Paul barber in the past has stated we are a business, and away tickets do not bring revenue to the club. So whilst unfortunate, those who just go away, that they will lose out. But those who spend their money at the albion will have have a better chance.

Because as bournemouth has proved the current system is unfair. People in the top ban, can buy tickets, and then just sell them on. So anyone outside the top band, is unlikely ever going to have enough points to go away.

closed shop
regards
DR

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I think we've conclusively proved we are are customers rather than fans and I would have thought Paul Barber would have been pleased by this. The fact that he thinks "goodwill" is involved anymore is ironic to say the least. If he doesn't like the fact that his system didn't work this time, change the system don't moan at the customers. The club have systematically ground away at old fashioned concepts like goodwill in the pursuit of professionalism and Premier League Readiness. You reap what you sow.

It isn't Paul Barber's system, but Tony Bloom's. Tony planned it himself.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

It isn't Paul Barber's system, but Tony Bloom's. Tony planned it himself.

and ?
regards
DR

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Not really. This has happened at two games, Barnet and Bournemouth. The other two away games were sold out and well attended. Barnet is irrelevant as anyone could go so that leaves Bournemouth. Problem solved as a) we're out of the that cup and b) club won't make the same mistake in the FA Cup (surely!).

What this is really about is still the issue that those with too few points can't get to the glamour games, not a reserve team cup fixture (although I'm sure a load of fans will claim otherwise).

Seriously mate, why are you still arguing? This is my post on the day of the cup draw

Well f*ck you all, I'm going to go

This is my closest away of the season at a little under four hours from my house, and as I had zero squared chance of a ticket for the league game I'm damn well going to go and cheer Incey and the rest this time around.

So you STH gannets better steer well clear...

Problem not solved as 700 people bought tickets and didn't go, and several hundred more people who went wouldn't have gone if there hadn't have been loyalty points - I'd have surely got a ticket if there hadn't been loyalty points awarded

Maybe I'm unique and the only Brighton fan who feels like this, but then at least stop arguing with me and accept I'm pissed off and go and find someone else to be holier than thou at

 

[BN9 BHA]

Seriously mate, why are you still arguing? This is my post on the day of the cup draw



Problem not solved as 700 people bought tickets and didn't go, and several hundred more people who went wouldn't have gone if there hadn't have been loyalty points - I'd have surely got a ticket if there hadn't been loyalty points awarded

Maybe I'm unique and the only Brighton fan who feels like this, but then at least stop arguing with me and accept I'm pissed off and go and find someone else to be holier than thou at

All makes sense to me, I did see one post from an Albion fan that actually lives near Bournemouth, he couldn't get a ticket for the cup game.

Do you live in Cornwall?

 

[sully]

All makes sense to me, I did see one post from an Albion fan that actually lives near Bournemouth, he couldn't get a ticket for the cup game.

Do you live in Cornwall?

I think the drive he's referring to is from the Lizard. (His location says "Central Borneo / The Lizard").

Having briefly lived on the Lizard myself, I can confirm that Bournemouth is the nearest Premier League ground. I was amazed how far even Bristol was (190 miles) - and people from Somerset consider themselves "West"!

 

[McTavish]

The problem with this system is that you can have people who never go to away games but have had a season ticket for 17 years yet someone who has had a season ticket for 10 years and has regularly supported the club away from home is behind them in the pecking order for the glamour games.

I don't know because the stats aren't available but I would guess that the vast majority of fans in the top tier have been fans for quite a few years.

I don't see that that is a problem at all. Surely fans who have supported the team away for non-galmour ties should get priority when the glamour ties come round over those who never go to away games. It's a form of JCLism - "I've supported The Albion for 17 years but never been away but as it's Arsenal I quite fancy it now."

 

[Goldstone1976]

700 people bought tickets and didn't go Agreed, and several hundred more people who went wouldn't have gone if there hadn't have been loyalty points Huh? No evidence for this, afaik - I'd have surely got a ticket if there hadn't been loyalty points awarded Out of interest, how many LP do you have? I assume that your ST LP are zero (or close to), meaning that you would be relying on member's points? If so, I'm not sure you would have got a ticket anyway. Dunno, maybe you would, but I'm sceptical of that.

...

 

[Bigtomfu]

I don't buy this. If you bought a ticket for Barnet and didn't turn up and those 15 points were the difference between you having 255 points and 270 points then you would have been entitled to buy tickets for West Ham and Arsenal in the last few weeks as a direct result. And if you had gone ahead and bought those tickets you didn't really deserve, you would have stopped someone else going to Arsenal and West Ham. I would say that's arguably a greater moral crime than stopping someone seeing the reserves at Bournemouth!

Ok I'll bite. This was my situation except I had every intention of going to the Barnet game then got unexpectedly held up at work in London and could no longer attend.

I've since benefitted by being able to buy tickets to both Arsenal and West Ham. Should I do the honourable thing and hand them back to the club for some vouchers (which I can't spend on a shirt because they don't have any in for another month...)?

 

[adub68]

Albion away attendances in recent years for the EFL cup (ex Spurs). All of the games in the southern half of the country given the split in early rounds:

Oxford 677
Southend 692
Walsall 411
Swindon 628
Burton 683
Avg 618
Bmuff 652

I have a lot of sympathy for those who can't get tickets for away games at the moment and sure there will have been a number of people who got blocked by others with more loyalty points who purchased for points only or for option value depending on the Friday game but based on previous attendances personally I remain unconvinced that there was demand for another 673 tickets from those who were only interested in attending rather from some also who were interested in getting some points themselves and who may or may not have attended but for whatever reason didnt get manage to get a ticket.

The club should take responsibility here for denying certain people the chance to get tickets. Otherwise they open a can of worms on non attendance by certain season ticket holders at home games (4 next to us have less than 50% occupancy rate in last 6 years), Barnet, Huddersfield etc. There should have been no loyalty points for this game or a first come first served general sale for this game justified by the fact that hardly anyone tends to go to these games and therefore it should not have been the "must" attend game that 70 pages of debate seems to suggest.

Personally I was more annoyed with the performance and the approach taken when we went 1 down than the empty seats (and would gladly give up my points for this game given the anger of some)

 

[Goldstone1976]

Should I do the honourable thing and hand them back to the club for some vouchers (which I can't spend on a shirt because they don't have any in for another month...)?

You're forgetting that away tickets are non-returnable, non-transferable, and non-refundable.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Ok I'll bite. This was my situation except I had every intention of going to the Barnet game then got unexpectedly held up at work in London and could no longer attend.

I've since benefitted by being able to buy tickets to both Arsenal and West Ham. Should I do the honourable thing and hand them back to the club for some vouchers (which I can't spend on a shirt because they don't have any in for another month...)?

I'm not sure why that's biting. You didn't go to the game. All you did was pay some money which means you shouldn't get points. Hopefully the club will bring in a system that only rewards attendance as it doesn't actually matter what the reason for non attendance is. Sorry if this sounds harsh but the club are seeking to reward those that actually go to matches.

 

[Giraffe]

Albion away attendances in recent years for the EFL cup (ex Spurs). All of the games in the southern half of the country given the split in early rounds:

Oxford 677
Southend 692
Walsall 411
Swindon 628
Burton 683
Avg 618
Bmuff 652

I have a lot of sympathy for those who can't get tickets for away games at the moment and sure there will have been a number of people who got blocked by others with more loyalty points who purchased for points only or for option value depending on the Friday game but based on previous attendances personally I remain unconvinced that there was demand for another 673 tickets from those who were only interested in attending rather from some also who were interested in getting some points themselves and who may or may not have attended but for whatever reason didnt get manage to get a ticket.

The club should take responsibility here for denying certain people the chance to get tickets. Otherwise they open a can of worms on non attendance by certain season ticket holders at home games (4 next to us have less than 50% occupancy rate in last 6 years), Barnet, Huddersfield etc. There should have been no loyalty points for this game or a first come first served general sale for this game justified by the fact that hardly anyone tends to go to these games and therefore it should not have been the "must" attend game that 70 pages of debate seems to suggest.

Personally I was more annoyed with the performance and the approach taken when we went 1 down than the empty seats (and would gladly give up my points for this game given the anger of some)

Agree with all of this.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

I've been to about 20 away games over the last two seasons. Or have I?

All this talk about "must attend to actually get points" is all well and good, and correct. However, what bothers me is that this kind of talk has only just begun to surface. Why?