Meeting with Paul Barber/Martrin Perry/Paul Camillin last night re safe standing

[GreersElbow]

In regards to the ticket exchange, why can't they have a system (in a second, i'll explain) in which if a fan sells a ticket to another fan, then the fan holding the ticket holds a duty to let the club know of the change in details?

Whilst this may be complicated if it's purchased last minute, however.

If person X sells a ticket to person Y, person X should inform the club that person Y has the ticket, and the club updates the details to know who's in the seat now. This would mean that the club knows who is in the seat now, and any potential problems the person who originally held the ticket cannot be held accountable for the actions of person Y, as they now have information regarding person Y. Obviously this is a very basic idea, and could be amended. But what's peoples' thoughts on the concept?

 

[Foolg]

You have - possibly inadvertently - put your finger on it. Comparisons with Withdean. It's a gift horse for a club now in superior facilities desperate to charge more for everything. However, Withdean prices were the biggest rip-off in the history of football, so it isn't a great comparison point. We only put up with sitting in the rain miles from the pitch at £25 a pop in League Two without rioting because we knew how stiffed the club had been, how skint it was, and that the alternative was going under.

Tempting as it is, don't ever compare the Amex value for money to Withdean. Compare it to other clubs/stadiums in the Championship.

This.

Fulham are a decent Premiership side, and theie FA cup game against Blackpool is £15 and £5 juniors (Prem v Championship). Also, tickets for Fulham v Wigan are £25 and kids tickets are £1. Compared to say, Brighton v Barnsley, where its £30 plus £10/15 for a junior ticket if I remember correctly. I only know this because they email me ever since I went to their Europa League games for £10.

However on the flip side, look at what we're being charged/will be charged at Leeds/Palace/Ipswich. None of which come close to the Amex.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

 

[Buckley's Mad Eye]

Attila, I have to say this...it sounds as if every single serious issue that you have raised, reflecting some serious concerns from fans (pricing/ticket exchange greed/standing), has been politely rejected/thown out/kicked into the long grass. It's like a Sir Humphrey Appleby masterclass from Barber and Perry. Reading your report back, can you see that?

Exactly as I read it too. Still no harm in trying eh?

 

[Springal]

This.

Fulham are a decent Premiership side, and theie FA cup game against Blackpool is £15 and £5 juniors (Prem v Championship). Also, tickets for Fulham v Wigan are £25 and kids tickets are £1. Compared to say, Brighton v Barnsley, where its £30 plus £10/15 for a junior ticket if I remember correctly. I only know this because they email me ever since I went to their Europa League games for £10.

However on the flip side, look at what we're being charged/will be charged at Leeds/Palace/Ipswich. None of which come close to the Amex.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Do Fulham have a £105m+ mortgage they have just taken on though? And they also have the luxury of Premiership money etc so not exactly a great reflection.

 

[Buckley's Mad Eye]

In regards to the ticket exchange, why can't they have a system (in a second, i'll explain) in which if a fan sells a ticket to another fan, then the fan holding the ticket holds a duty to let the club know of the change in details?

Whilst this may be complicated if it's purchased last minute, however.

If person X sells a ticket to person Y, person X should inform the club that person Y has the ticket, and the club updates the details to know who's in the seat now. This would mean that the club knows who is in the seat now, and any potential problems the person who originally held the ticket cannot be held accountable for the actions of person Y, as they now have information regarding person Y. Obviously this is a very basic idea, and could be amended. But what's peoples' thoughts on the concept?

Just a matter of inputting a fan number, but can you see the club doing that for free?

 

[StillHateBellotti]

You have - possibly inadvertently - put your finger on it. Comparisons with Withdean. It's a gift horse for a club now in superior facilities desperate to charge more for everything. However, Withdean prices were the biggest rip-off in the history of football, so it isn't a great comparison point. We only put up with sitting in the rain miles from the pitch at £25 a pop in League Two without rioting because we knew how stiffed the club had been, how skint it was, and that the alternative was going under.

Tempting as it is, don't ever compare the Amex value for money to Withdean. Compare it to other clubs/stadiums in the Championship.

Leeds v Ipswich, standard adult £26, most expensive i could find £36
charlton, standard matchday tickets £20, £22, £25, Prime match day £22, £25, £30.
Ipswich most expensive £42.50 for a cat a Game.
Bristol City £25-£30

these are adult prices, can't be arsed to look at any more

very similar pricing, not much to argue about.................

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

This.

Fulham are a decent Premiership side, and theie FA cup game against Blackpool is £15 and £5 juniors (Prem v Championship). Also, tickets for Fulham v Wigan are £25 and kids tickets are £1. Compared to say, Brighton v Barnsley, where its £30 plus £10/15 for a junior ticket if I remember correctly. I only know this because they email me ever since I went to their Europa League games for £10.

Fulham have access to an income stream (Sky) which means that home gate receipts are not their major source of income, unlike the Albion. I don't have the exact figures to hand but the current Sky deal is likely to be worth £40M+pa to them and this increases significantly from next season.
Ticket prices for FAC games are subject to negotiation between the clubs involved but, like both Fulham and Wigan, Blackpool are directly supported by Sky but in the form of the 4 yr parachute payments; this will be worth £16M in 2012/13, perhaps making them less likely to want a "high" FAC ticket price.

 

[attila]

PB did say that he realises that tickets are passed around between family and friends and that this will continue (it'll happen more and more as games happen less and less on Saturdays at 3pm, moving games to Friday nights/late kick offs on Sats should be made ILLEGAL as far as I'm concerned, but I'm sure some people don't mind) It's the commercial ticket exchange he objects to.
If it comes to the point where enough people are angry enough to want to make a serious stand on any of these issues then, with our history of campaigning, I think the club knows it'd have to take us seriously. All I did last night was confirm that the channels of communication are still well and truly open, which some people have been doubting. Face to face communication is always the best as well - message boards and social media are great in some ways but can never replace that..

 

[El Presidente]

It's the commercial ticket exchange he objects to.

It's not a commercial ticket exchange though. NSC does not make a penny out of it, tickets can only be exchanged at face value.

The NSC ticket exchange is by the fans and for the fans. Many STH are unable to make 23 matches a year, especially those of us who live 250 miles from Brighton, and have had their plans messed about by the club (Millwall being moved from Boxing Day to next Tuesday comes to mind),

 

[Racek]

Serious issue ?

Some people can't afford £30 a month. So what, the club is not a charity, if people cannot spare £30 a month for a season ticket, then they have greater priorities in life they should be worrying about.

Standing, who should pay for the alterations for this? Why would the club want to start massive re-building, ripping out something they just spent £100m+ on, within 3 years or so of the finished article?

I agree Newcastle might show they have pushed it too far and should have bought them down a bit, but they are not massively wild. I paid £28 for my usual seat, but that is pretty much what I had expected for a Premiership side in the FA Cup, so no drama.

If I was a fan of another club, I'd be pissing myself at some of the reactions on this board.

Great post.

 

[Ernest]

Would campaigns make any difference now ? Can't see any of the JCL's who have latched onto the club being particularly bothered by things and there are a lot more of them now than those who tipped up to Gillingham and Withdean

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

It's not a commercial ticket exchange though. NSC does not make a penny out of it, tickets can only be exchanged at face value.

The NSC ticket exchange is by the fans and for the fans. Many STH are unable to make 23 matches a year, especially those of us who live 250 miles from Brighton, and have had their plans messed about by the club (Millwall being moved from Boxing Day to next Tuesday comes to mind),

Ths. If anything our spare was/is banged out at £20, hardly making a profit and the club have already had the ST money in advance.

 

[somerset]

If it comes to the point where enough people are angry enough to want to make a serious stand on any of these issues then, with our history of campaigning, I think the club knows it'd have to take us seriously..

Would have been good if you had delicately dropped that into the conversation..... might have got them thinking about their current unmoving position on the range of issues currently on the table.

 

[Titanic]

Do Fulham have a £105m+ mortgage they have just taken on though?

No idea... but nor do the Albion.

 

[Bold Seagull]

This.

Fulham are a decent Premiership side, and theie FA cup game against Blackpool is £15 and £5 juniors (Prem v Championship). Also, tickets for Fulham v Wigan are £25 and kids tickets are £1. Compared to say, Brighton v Barnsley, where its £30 plus £10/15 for a junior ticket if I remember correctly. I only know this because they email me ever since I went to their Europa League games for £10.

However on the flip side, look at what we're being charged/will be charged at Leeds/Palace/Ipswich. None of which come close to the Amex.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

For a proper comparison, it's £42 for an adult to see Starlight Express at the Brighton Centre....

 

[Titanic]

For a proper comparison, it's £42 for an adult to see Starlight Express at the Brighton Centre....

Are you going to go 23+ times this year then??

 

[Stu1]

PB did say that he realises that tickets are passed around between family and friends and that this will continue (it'll happen more and more as games happen less and less on Saturdays at 3pm, moving games to Friday nights/late kick offs on Sats should be made ILLEGAL as far as I'm concerned, but I'm sure some people don't mind) It's the commercial ticket exchange he objects to.
If it comes to the point where enough people are angry enough to want to make a serious stand on any of these issues then, with our history of campaigning, I think the club knows it'd have to take us seriously. All I did last night was confirm that the channels of communication are still well and truly open, which some people have been doubting. Face to face communication is always the best as well - message boards and social media are great in some ways but can never replace that..

I think you have done a great job with this issue, at the end of the day the club will carry on charging those prices whilst people continue to pay them end of!

I gave up my season ticket this season because of the amount of games I missed due to them not being 3pm and the cost was becoming ridiculous with the travel on top it makes it very hard to get back to Leeds on any other day other than on Saturday at 3pm.

I now just go to away games and one or 2 home games, I have also started watching rugby league where you stand,get a great atmosphere you can turn up when you like and have a pint whilst watching the game have face to face banter with away fans all for twenty quid.Standing is fine, Leeds pack around 8000 in the main south stand including women and children so this idea of it not working and breeding a nation of idiots just because they stand is ridiculous

 

[Bold Seagull]

Are you going to go 23+ times this year then??

If only they'd stay here that long...

 

[c0lz]

It's not a commercial ticket exchange though. NSC does not make a penny out of it, tickets can only be exchanged at face value.

The NSC ticket exchange is by the fans and for the fans. Many STH are unable to make 23 matches a year, especially those of us who live 250 miles from Brighton, and have had their plans messed about by the club (Millwall being moved from Boxing Day to next Tuesday comes to mind),

Exactly, they are really making a mountain out of a mole hill and most of it is there own doing by moving far to many games this season, commercial lol.

 

[Triggaaar]

One interesting variation was that Paul Barber said 'it's people who make an atmosphere, regardless of whether they are standing or sitting'

He's wrong. 100%, completely and utterly wrong. Sure, some people will shout even if they're at the Withdean (well done the 10 of you in H block), but many of us won't lead the chanting, we'll only join in, and it's a lot more fun singing as you jump around a little.

Very friendly meeting, the channels are still well and truly open

Good, then we can explain how wrong he is. We had (by definition) a larger percentage of die hard fans at the Withdean, yet it was quieter than a library. He needs to understand that those same people make a lot more noise, given the right environment.

Incidentally NO increased revenue through increased North Stand capacity since loads of other factors including size and number of exits, number of toilets and various other safety issues mean accomodation would remain the same as a standing area (hence decreased prices would mean lower revenue)

Firstly, if there's no increased numbers, then I don't see why Albion fans would demand cheaper prices. Are you telling me that if the North was split in two, half seats and half standing, that the standing area wouldn't sell out - no. Secondly, did we really build the exact bare minimum of toilets etc for the number of fans in the North? I'd like to see evidence of this, it sounds made up, purely because the club aren't interested in safe standing (because they don't see how important it is).