Season ticket anomaly

[One Love]

I have a season ticket with my son who is 19.

He has got a place at Uni next year so I requested upgrading a season ticket from U21 to adult knowing that there will be a lot of games next year he can't make. I am prepared to pay over the odds as the games he can make I will be over-paying.

I have been advised by the club that I have two options, upgrade 6 times then go on my own or cancel his season ticket.

Apologies if this has been discussed and I have missed it.

 

[blockhseagull]

Seems a bit off if you want to upgrade for the whole season..... might be an idea to speak to the ticket office manager ?

 

[Titanic]

That is definitely a 'tightening' of the rules... we were able to do exactly this with my son's ticket 3 years ago.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I have a season ticket with my son who is 19.

He has got a place at Uni next year so I requested upgrading a season ticket from U21 to adult knowing that there will be a lot of games next year he can't make. I am prepared to pay over the odds as the games he can make I will be over-paying.

I have been advised by the club that I have two options, upgrade 6 times then go on my own or cancel his season ticket.

Apologies if this has been discussed and I have missed it.

It has been discussed - very similar cases, at least.

It is an unfortunate side-effect of their (understandable, given the waiting list) hard stance on ST changes generally.

Seeing as you don't want to transfer his ticket, but just to effectively pay EXTRA to buy him an adult one rather than U21 it does seem daft.

Are you sure its a huge issue though, in your personal case?

There are only 19 home matches. A couple will be before Uni terms start, at least three are likely to be over the Xmas holidays, and a couple more at Easter. And that's all before any specific trips home your lad makes. He might easily make ten games. With your six upgrades, you're nearly there anyway?

(Edit - speaking from experience of how many matches my own first year Uni student eldest, was able to make this season)

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

This has been touched on, but in the context of checking up on away tickets. I have exactly the same dilemma. The Club will argue that there is a waiting list and those supporters should take priority on tickets not being used rather than having them given out to casual "mates". Hopefully, if your son can go to a few and you can upgrade a few as well, it will work out not too bad, but appreciate it means that you will have to go to games on your own..

 

[Nixonator]

This is what happens when the waiting list is 5k strong.

Seems absurd that you are offering to pay full price for an u21 ST but at the same time can understand the club's position that they would basically be saying it's ok to bring anyone on the ticket which is against policy.

Does infuriate me that these rules facilitate empty seats rather than putting bums on them.

 

[One Love]

It has been discussed - very similar cases, at least.

It is an unfortunate side-effect of their (understandable, given the waiting list) hard stance on ST changes generally.

Seeing as you don't want to transfer his ticket, but just to effectively pay EXTRA to buy him an adult one rather than U21 it does seem daft.

Are you sure its a huge issue though, in your personal case?

There are only 19 home matches. A couple will be before Uni terms start, at least three are likely to be over the Xmas holidays, and a couple more at Easter. And that's all before any specific trips home your lad makes. He might easily make ten games. With your six upgrades, you're nearly there anyway?

(Edit - speaking from experience of how many matches my own first year Uni student eldest, was able to make this season)

Thanks for that. That is helpful.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I honestly can see both sides of this coin.

On the one hand, your son has been a STH for at least a year (probably a lot more) more than those now on the ST waiting list. Given that you're prepared to pay full wack for the season, why shouldn't you be allowed to do so? After all, the club are in no worse financial position than if they sold that seat to another adult as a ST.

On the other hand, the club have announced a waiting list of 5k and the new ST allocation is 244. There's still 4.7k on the waiting list. They are presumably assuming that you'll take along an adult friend (who's not a STH and is lower on the ST waiting list than 244 - if they're on it at all) when your son can't go. Why else would you want to upgrade it to a full adult ST? Why should your friend get preferential treatment to a (part) ST over someone placed at 245 on the waiting list?

There's no easy answer to this that I can see. Incredibly irritating for sure, and arguably unfair. Arguably not unfair too though. A disgrace though? No, I don't think so - they have an impossible situation and they're trying to establish consistent workable rules in the new situation of having a 4.7k waiting list for ST.

I really feel for your situation.

 

[One Love]

I honestly can see both sides of this coin.

On the one hand, your son has been a STH for at least a year (probably a lot more) more than those now on the ST waiting list. Given that you're prepared to pay full wack for the season, why shouldn't you be allowed to do so? After all, the club are in no worse financial position than if they sold that seat to another adult as a ST.

On the other hand, the club have announced a waiting list of 5k and the new ST allocation is 244. There's still 4.7k on the waiting list. They are presumably assuming that you'll take along an adult friend (who's not a STH and is lower on the ST waiting list than 244 - if they're on it at all) when your son can't go. Why else would you want to upgrade it to a full adult ST? Why should your friend get preferential treatment to a (part) ST over someone placed at 245 on the waiting list?

There's no easy answer to this that I can see. Incredibly irritating for sure, and arguably unfair. Arguably not unfair too though. A disgrace though? No, I don't think so - they have an impossible situation and they're trying to establish consistent workable rules in the new situation of having a 4.7k waiting list for ST.

I really feel for your situation.

Disgrace was too strong, I've calmed down now

Surely there is no-one on here who never has a friend using a ticket not in their name. It must happen thousands of times every home game. I imagine the club would rather have occupied seats not empty ones.

 

[Bozza]

Disgrace was too strong, I've calmed down now

Surely there is no-one on here who never has a friend using a ticket not in their name. It must happen thousands of times every home game. I imagine the club would rather have occupied seats not empty ones.

Of course, yes. And if you don't have to change the ticket category you could get away with it on a long-term basis.

You need to get younger mates.

 

[Wardy]

Disgrace was too strong, I've calmed down now

Surely there is no-one on here who never has a friend using a ticket not in their name. It must happen thousands of times every home game. I imagine the club would rather have occupied seats not empty ones.

Of course it happens and short of having photo idea will continue to happen. However that does not change the fact that it is against the rules.

 

[Bozza]

My season ticket disgrace went something like this:

Me: Dear club - the seat next to me, that has been occupied by the same season ticket holder since we moved to the Amex, has been empty for most of this season. If the chap doesn't renew, could I take it for my son* please.

Club: No, put him on the waiting list.

Me: But I'm Bozza, I run NSC.

Club: Here's the link to join the waiting list.

Me: Seriously, don't you know who I am?

Club: Have you put him on the waiting list yet?


(* - this was nothing to do with us being in the Premier League, it's just that my 7-y-o finally gets football whereas before he didn't)

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Disgrace was too strong, I've calmed down now

Surely there is no-one on here who never has a friend using a ticket not in their name. It must happen thousands of times every home game. I imagine the club would rather have occupied seats not empty ones.

I'll change the thread title to Season Ticket query or anomaly, if you like?

Of course, yes. And if you don't have to change the ticket category you could get away with it on a long-term basis.

You need to get younger mates.

Or once the upgrades are exhausted, let the lad offer it to HIS mates?

 

[One Love]

My season ticket disgrace went something like this:

Me: Dear club - the seat next to me, that has been occupied by the same season ticket holder since we moved to the Amex, has been empty for most of this season. If the chap doesn't renew, could I take it for my son* please.

Club: No, put him on the waiting list.

Me: But I'm Bozza, I run NSC.

Club: Here's the link to join the waiting list.

Me: Seriously, don't you know who I am?

Club: Have you put him on the waiting list yet?


(* - this was nothing to do with us being in the Premier League, it's just that my 7-y-o finally gets football whereas before he didn't)

I presume when he has turned up, you've tapped him for his phone number so you can find out when he's not turning up and borrow if for your son.

 

[One Love]

I'll change the thread title to Season Ticket query or anomaly, if you like?

Yes, thank you

Or once the upgrades are exhausted, let the lad offer it to HIS mates?

Most of them are at Uni now too. I get on well with a lot of them but do I want to go to a game with them?

 

[Whoislloydy]

I'm surprised more clubs haven't followed Man U's stance on ST holders not using tickets.

If you cannot make the game you have to let them know and they re-sell the ticket for that game. I believe they are VERY harsh and often punish people. For example i'm pretty sure as a Man U ST holder you have to go to cup games (at extra cost) or risk losing your home ticket for the next game. But don't quote me on that, something I heard way back from a friend who travels from Worthing for every home game.

But I believe it is your ST you've paid for it so do what you want. But something does need to be done about the thousands of empty seats at home game sell outs.

 

[Bozza]

I'm surprised more clubs haven't followed Man U's stance on ST holders not using tickets.

If you cannot make the game you have to let them know and they re-sell the ticket for that game. I believe they are VERY harsh and often punish people. For example i'm pretty sure as a Man U ST holder you have to go to cup games (at extra cost) or risk losing your home ticket for the next game. But don't quote me on that, something I heard way back from a friend who travels from Worthing for every home game.

But I believe it is your ST you've paid for it so do what you want. But something does need to be done about the thousands of empty seats at home game sell outs.

They haven't because, before this coming season, the club had tickets to sell for nearly every game we played.

Next year: not so much, obviously.

We've yet to see if the club implement a proper ticket exchange (they must do though, surely) and the terms under which it will operate.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I'll change the thread title to Season Ticket query or anomaly, if you like?



Or once the upgrades are exhausted, let the lad offer it to HIS mates?

And in 2 years, the OP's son will need an adult ticket anyway, so for the final year at uni (assuming a 3 year course), the OP will have the desired solution...

 

[maglers]

Can't you just say he's turned 21?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Can't you just say he's turned 21?

The club will have his dob.

OP: ah, I'm sorry, I know I've just asked you if I can upgrade his ST to adult, but I've just realised that you have his dob wrong. He's 21.

Club: Hahahaha! Nice try. Besides which, it means that you've been underpaying for n years (assuming he's had a ST since before he was 18). That's fraud. See ya.