Should the Albion give loyalty points for season ticket holders attending?

[happypig]

If we have a big game this season it would be the playoff final (personally I don't think we'll make it) and we would get enough tickets that every STH would be able to get one.
If someone is so loaded that they can buy a ST and never go, then why shouldn't they get first dibs on a Wemberlee ticket ?
I can only assume that this is what the three seats to my right have done as they've not been to a single game all season (and the tickets aren't available for general purchase as I've looked for when relatives want to go).

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

If someone is so loaded that they can buy a ST and never go, then why shouldn't they get first dibs on a Wemberlee ticket ?

Because they're clearly not a fan?

 

[Knotty]

I think the point is there are some that have a season and hardly ever go so should they be entitled to the same priority purchase rights as someone who has been to every game! I have a season but admit that I have missed about 3 games this season for one reason or another. I think the principle that you get points for the purchase of a season ticket and then an additional amount for each actual attendance is a good one. I don't know that it would encourage more attendance by those that don't go regularly but would benefit those that do when it comes to prestigious away cup games.

I still can't agree with the principle which seems to say you are a supporter of a lesser grade if you can't attend a match. How can that be? Does the fact that I can't attend a match tarnish my 55 year history of supporting the Albion and attending home and away? Does my absence in some way affect the team's performance? Of course it doesn't. Does it affect other supporters' enjoyment of the game? Not in the slightest.

I would throw into that argument that the miles I (and others) travel to and from the Amex must be far more, and my fuel costs much greater, than for many who attend every game. Do I get a refund of lost loyalty points for that?

I thought Bozza's initial post was tongue-in-cheek but many seem to think it's a good idea. Unbelievable.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Being an Albion ST who rarely attends games is nature's way of telling you you have too much money shirley?

 

[Black Rod]

I've missed four home league games this season and only been to two away and I am going to Forest. Go on, hate me

 

[studio150]

Not a good idea, the season ticket holder has brought tickets for the whole season, and I fail to see why they should have points deducted for not attending a home game. There will be many valid reasons for this, as an example the first season at the Amex the Leeds home game, it was impossible for anyone commuting from London due to the landslide in the Croydon area which resulted in a 4 hour journey via Winchester, or if in a car the M23 was a car park from the M25 to Gatwick.

In addition there will be illness, work commitments, etc.

The ST holder has already shown a loyalty to the club by buying the season ticket in the first place.

If you want to punish ST holders, I would suggest that anyone who leaves early has their ticket revoked which is a far better way to reward loyalty. IMO those that get up and leave when we go 2 down at home should stay at home and have their points reset at minus 500

 

[Thunder Bolt]

If we have a big game this season it would be the playoff final (personally I don't think we'll make it) and we would get enough tickets that every STH would be able to get one.
If someone is so loaded that they can buy a ST and never go, then why shouldn't they get first dibs on a Wemberlee ticket ?

IF we got to Wemberlee, there would be plenty of tickets to go round. We didn't sell out in 2004 at the Millenium stadium.

 

[MattBackHome]

A bonus 1,000 loyalty points per match for the person who can get to the end of GOSBTS in the fastest time, and with the least timely clapping.

 

[drew]

Not a good idea, the season ticket holder has brought tickets for the whole season, and I fail to see why they should have points deducted for not attending a home game. There will be many valid reasons for this, as an example the first season at the Amex the Leeds home game, it was impossible for anyone commuting from London due to the landslide in the Croydon area which resulted in a 4 hour journey via Winchester, or if in a car the M23 was a car park from the M25 to Gatwick.

In addition there will be illness, work commitments, etc.

The ST holder has already shown a loyalty to the club by buying the season ticket in the first place.

If you want to punish ST holders, I would suggest that anyone who leaves early has their ticket revoked which is a far better way to reward loyalty. IMO those that get up and leave when we go 2 down at home should stay at home and have their points reset at minus 500

One minute you are saying don't punish people because they couldn't get to the ground because of a landslide but then you are happy to penalise people who have got to the ground but might have to leave early, possibly for train connections!!!!

 

[dougdeep]

No.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

They definitely should. We have a situation this week when there is every chance that someone who has only attended a handful or even no matches this season is going to the Forest game when others are missing out. They doesn't seem very fair to me. Yes they have given their money, but surely they should rank below someone who has actually attended every game.

That said, in general the loyalty scheme must be working much better than ever before because the number of threads bitching about not getting a ticket is much lower than for previous "BIG" games.

Some STHs who never go to away games have purchased a Forest ticket because they had enough loyalty points and have given them to mates who had no chance of getting a ticket in the first place because they had less than the required 1000 LP.

 

[Giraffe]

Some STHs who never go to away games have purchased a Forest ticket because they had enough loyalty points and have given them to mates who had no chance of getting a ticket in the first place because they had less than the required 1000 LP.

That is also true and fair or unfair depending on who they give it to. But you can't really do anything about that.

 

[Icy Gull]

I have missed over half the home games this season but there has been a bum on the seat for every first team game. Would I get first dibs on high profile BIG away games, even if I only make 5 or 6 away games a season? If so then I have to LOVE the idea

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Some STHs who never go to away games have purchased a Forest ticket because they had enough loyalty points and have given them to mates who had no chance of getting a ticket in the first place because they had less than the required 1000 LP.

Let's hope they get the same Forest stewards that we got the last time I visited. My allocated seat was near the front and for 80% of the game I had a steward standing in front of me who refused to move. Other Brighton fans had the same difficulties.

 

[Creaky]

We are now customers not fans.

The club is only interested in the revenue we generate - discouraging season ticket sales in any way is, I would suggest, not on Paul Barber's list of priorities all the time we are in the Championship and not filling the Amex for every game.

A scheme which encourages STH attendance at games may apply if we reach the Premier League, as it is likely that then there will be potential customers who would attend who cannot obtain tickets and the club will be losing out on the secondary income from drinks, food, programmes etc.

 

[sully]

Thats what my son does for me anyway !!

Might I ask for what purpose? It seems pointless to me, or is this system already in place and Bozza is trying to covertly alert us to it?

 

[drew]

We are now customers not fans.

The club is only interested in the revenue we generate - discouraging season ticket sales in any way is, I would suggest, not on Paul Barber's list of priorities all the time we are in the Championship and not filling the Amex for every game.

A scheme which encourages STH attendance at games may apply if we reach the Premier League, as it is likely that then there will be potential customers who would attend who cannot obtain tickets and the club will be losing out on the secondary income from drinks, food, programmes etc.

Where are they discouraging season ticket sales? Those that have a season and don't go, only miss out when it comes to getting tickets for priority games which are likely to be away games and cup finals! They would still get the priority booking for their seat for home cup games which they can choose to take advantage of.

I don't go to many away games but I see no problem with someone that maybe goes to all the away games building up enough loyalty points over the season to put them ahead of a season ticket holder who has only gone to 2 or 3 home games throughout the entire season when it comes to priority for limited away fan allocations. However, the away fan should not get priority over season ticket holders who are regularly at the Amex. What constitutes 'a regular' at the Amex would be up for debate. My view would be someone who has been to at least two thirds of home games as a minimum.

Finally, can we stop with the customer v fan crap! I would remind you of how fans were treated in the 70s and 80s when clubs knew fans would take what ever was thrown at them including watching football behind fencing!!!!

 

[ofco8]

Yes it should. Although most I know either sell their ticket or give it someone else when they can't attend.
That is ok by me as I like to see Amex as full as possible.

 

[fat old seagull]

Good point.

Pressure pads to be installed on all seats then. An expensive measure, I'm sure, but useful.

VibratingPressure Pads would be more than useful. They might also encourage early arrival and late departures.

 

[ants4t]

How about reducing the penalty of the points deduction if you put the ticket up for the ticket exchange, that way the club have the option to sell the seat on if it sells out of it's general allocation.