[Albion] Newcastle's slow ticket sales / new penalties for handing on tickets

[amexer]

It would be cheaper and make more sense to issue season tickets as cards rather than transferrable phone tickets, and that would ensure that whoever uses the ticket has to be either the owner, or someone the owner trusts. It would stop random touting.

I don't get this determination to ensure that casual fans don't get in. How many season ticket holders went to their first game as "guests" on a freebie because their pal couldn't go? I know of three season ticket holders at Burnley who started out with a free game on my ticket. If they hadn't been able to use it, then there is every chance they would never have got the bug.

Agree Certainly around us many originally came as freebie guest and liked the experience so purchased ST when one became available nearby.

 

[portlock seagull]

Up until our move back to Withdean in 1999 one of NSC's own was a STH at Anfield, he travelled from Sussex every week. I believe he gave it up then and has been an Albion STH ever since.

Typical JCL..

 

[portlock seagull]

Pretty slow sales all round for this game, I see there are more than 1300 for sale on our exchange at the moment, transport issues? Or are folks still on their holidays? Certainly a good chance for some who can't/don't normally go to get a home ticket.

Cost of living additional match day expenses eg £60 petrol, £10 a pie, because HAVE TO have gravy and mash with now, £5 for some cups of tea because can’t bring own FLASK in now… etc etc. All adds up soon enough. Then there’s the European tour coming up

 

[Littlemo]

If we want clubs to hold fans to account for poor behaviour, like when they are fighting or shouting abuse etc, then we have to understand that they need to know who it is is in the ground. I don’t doubt there are probably requirements around this from the FA/UEFA.

If the club are selling the ticket, or even if they are managing the resale, they can collect the information to know who is getting in. If the tickets can be passed around, how can they enforce stadium bans, or highlight individuals to the police with no details?

 

[amexer]

If we want clubs to hold fans to account for poor behaviour, like when they are fighting or shouting abuse etc, then we have to understand that they need to know who it is is in the ground. I don’t doubt there are probably requirements around this from the FA/UEFA.

If the club are selling the ticket, or even if they are managing the resale, they can collect the information to know who is getting in. If the tickets can be passed around, how can they enforce stadium bans, or highlight individuals to the police with no details?

Talk of bad behaviour is over the top. In ten year at Amex apart from swearing I have never come across trouble. Whenever buy a guest ticket never have to give a name

 

[Bozza]

An interesting read on Newcastle following Albion's lead on away ticket passing-on, and how it's dramatically slowed up away ticket sales for their opening away games of the season.

Newcastle's second away game of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign dropped to 10 loyalty points earlier today with a combination of internal and external factors slowing ticket sales significantly.​

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At the time of writing, there are still around 1,200 tickets available at the Amex Stadium, meaning there's a good chance the game could fall all the way to zero points.​

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The primary driver in the sluggish sales is the club's new draconian guidelines on away ticketing, which have introduced severe penalties for supporters who pass their tickets on to friends and family "unofficially".​

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This has caused quite the debate on social media since it became public knowledge, with the club, the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust (NUST), the Newcastle United Supporters' Club (NUSC), and individual fan accounts bearing the brunt of people's frustration.​

Full article: https://nufc.news/brighton-a-drops-to-10-loyalty-points

Kick-off time and the rail strike are clearly contributing factors, but the piece in the article about their Man City game illustrates that they had a lot of passing on of ticket going on previously.

They've just sold out...

Brighton (A) sells out at 1+ points within 20 minutes | NUFCFEED

Our fears about pockets of empty seats in the away section at the Amex Stadium a week on Saturday appear to have been unfounded, with the game now a complete sellout according to NUFC Home & Away Tickets on X (Twitter).

nufc.news

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Good for them. Not much point having quick sell outs to the wrong people. I wonder if some people like to buy friends with football tickets…I don’t know why some others seem proud (if that’s the right word for it) of fast sell outs.

 

[Uter]

They've just sold out...

Brighton (A) sells out at 1+ points within 20 minutes | NUFCFEED

Our fears about pockets of empty seats in the away section at the Amex Stadium a week on Saturday appear to have been unfounded, with the game now a complete sellout according to NUFC Home & Away Tickets on X (Twitter).

nufc.news

So there you go, they still sold out, despite the changes. And hundreds of fans who otherwise might not have stood a chance of getting a ticket are now able to attend.

 

[drew]

No profit is being made by my mate and the Emirates tickets, he's basically keeping the seat 'warm' so as not to lose. it. For the Anfield tickets, there is no money changing hands at all, it's all in the family.

I bet that it is still technically illegal and outside the T&Cs of the club. It's still queue jumping.

 

[drew]

It would be cheaper and make more sense to issue season tickets as cards rather than transferrable phone tickets, and that would ensure that whoever uses the ticket has to be either the owner, or someone the owner trusts. It would stop random touting.

I don't get this determination to ensure that casual fans don't get in. How many season ticket holders went to their first game as "guests" on a freebie because their pal couldn't go? I know of three season ticket holders at Burnley who started out with a free game on my ticket. If they hadn't been able to use it, then there is every chance they would never have got the bug.

Football isn't what it used to be. You can't just rock up and pay on the gate. Why should a casual fan get to jump the queue ahead of those that have paid into membership schemes, can't afford a season ticket, and then find any tom dick or harry is ahead of them at the whim of a STH who maybe sometimes can't be arsed to go unless of course it's one of the big clubs?

 

[amexer]

Football isn't what it used to be. You can't just rock up and pay on the gate. Why should a casual fan get to jump the queue ahead of those that have paid into membership schemes, can't afford a season ticket, and then find any tom dick or harry is ahead of them at the whim of a STH who maybe sometimes can't be arsed to go unless of course it's one of the big clubs?

It is not football that is different. It is the PL. Because it is different it does not make it all right. I am sure because Albion are in the PL with international interest they are now selling 1000s of memberships which is there sole aim. Nothing to do with wanting to know who is attending or previous system deprived members of tickets. Would assume majority of these members only attend the odd game. Despite the huge number of members none will be deprived of a ticket by a casual non member. There are tickets available on exchange for every game. I know this is right because I have never not been able to get a guest ticket when requested.
The fact is the club would like anybody going to odd game to have already spent £30ish on membership.

 

[Bodian]

They've just sold out...

I fear that Newcastle sold out some time ago.

 

[Littlemo]

Talk of bad behaviour is over the top. In ten year at Amex apart from swearing I have never come across trouble. Whenever buy a guest ticket never have to give a name

I was more talking about Newcastle tbf. Still, I think it still matters, if you buy a guest ticket, it’s linked to your name on the system isn’t it? So someone is accountable for that guest.

 

[chaileyjem]

The fact is the club would like anybody going to odd game to have already spent £30ish on membership.

Agreed. I'm sure they would like to grow the # of members. But If you'd been thinking about going to the next three Albion home games then put that membership form away because Bournemouth is on general sale and Newcastle and West Ham tickets were available either to Season Ticket guests (non members) or those with previous purchase history (non members).

 

[drew]

It is not football that is different. It is the PL. Because it is different it does not make it all right. I am sure because Albion are in the PL with international interest they are now selling 1000s of memberships which is there sole aim. Nothing to do with wanting to know who is attending or previous system deprived members of tickets. Would assume majority of these members only attend the odd game. Despite the huge number of members none will be deprived of a ticket by a casual non member. There are tickets available on exchange for every game. I know this is right because I have never not been able to get a guest ticket when requested.
The fact is the club would like anybody going to odd game to have already spent £30ish on membership.

Well that's your opinion. Mine is that they have a reputation they want to keep. If they wanted anybody to come in then they wouldn't have introduced the id checks for away games which came about because many of those arrested at away games turned out to have tickets they weren't entitled to. Back in the bad old days they were happy to let any moron enter the ground hence all the hooliganism. It is different now and I suspect if we were in the championship selling out every single game home and away it would be similar.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

See my post #25. We’ve extended family who’ve beaten the Albion system! Without using a spare phone.

Screenshots of QR codes is a wonderful thing .... unless you're PBOBE.

 

[amexer]

Well that's your opinion. Mine is that they have a reputation they want to keep. If they wanted anybody to come in then they wouldn't have introduced the id checks for away games which came about because many of those arrested at away games turned out to have tickets they weren't entitled to. Back in the bad old days they were happy to let any moron enter the ground hence all the hooliganism. It is different now and I suspect if we were in the championship selling out every single game home and away it would be similar.

The away system came in because there is a limited no of tickets and too many were going that were not entitled which deprived those that were. Not to keep out troublemakers. The bad old days were many years ago. In first 7 years at Amex because people were able to pass ticket on, many as you describe morons were able to enter. I still never saw any trouble. I am sure you are aware trouble at football grounds is usually restricted to outside or town centres
I repeat club have achieved there aim of of many of those going to the odd game also having paid £30ish for membership.

 

[METALMICKY]

Just to add, the ID checks and ticket handovers are done by travelling BHA staff, not home club staff so there’s little impact on the home admin.

How does one apply for that job? Job done at 2.59 sits down to enjoy free ticket for away game

 

[BNthree]

How does one apply for that job? Job done at 2.59 sits down to enjoy free ticket for away game

Could probably make a few quid selling uncollected tickets on the side too!!

 

[Weststander]

Could probably make a few quid selling uncollected tickets on the side too!!

How do you think Barber afforded his last Ferrari ?