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[Albion] The declining quality of my match day experience



Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,450
Oxton, Birkenhead
Well i'm not that fussed about it but it matters to some.
But the real winner is the fans as 3000 of (those surveyed) think Albion provide a better match day experience - in a dozen or so categories - than 18 other clubs in the Premier League. Thats a positive thing ?
Agreed ?

It’s a survey. Means nothing. Don’t think I have ever completed one. That comes from someone who enjoys going to the Amex.
 




ac gull

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
1,982
midlands
surveys are all relative - Amex is one of best grounds in premier league - we should score high - as should Man City and Spurs really

likes of Villa, Anfield, Everton, Man Utd, Arsenal are all quoted as iconic etc re PL marketing and are all varying degrees of worseness compared to Amex

As OP stated at Amex compared to few years ago, it can be argued things fell like have gone backwards, but if you have only ever been to PL matches at Amex you wouldn't notice the difference

Five years ago when going to Amex my personal Amex experience included

- guy sat near me happily had soup in flask and dished out food to all nearby ( he don't go anymore, hardly went after flask banned )
- could put bottle of water in jacket pocket with lid on whilst went to toilet ( now I could lob it at a player, or a PL newbie fan might so banned )
- could turn up early in Bridge car park and park where I liked with a view to best spaces for early escape ( now, or at Burnley game recently had 3 stewards telling me which space to go in, then made to open passenger window so everything on that seat got soaked to be told i was about 3 inches too close to white line so had to move - only due to fact large Porsche I was told to park next to was too close to me )
- on closeness point, seats in WSL do seem noticeably closer together aw we have monetised the gaps
- was a decent chance we may win, now about 20% to 25% chance, though we will have 66% possession and miss chances on a regular basis
- VAR, well I could write ten pages on this, suffice to say punters watching on TV know more than those paying for a ticket in ground, its a bit crap

Each of above on its own you can argue is a sign of progress / what comes with being a top ten PL team

Or you can like me decide "not for me Clive" and give up ST and pick and chose games - typically one a month for me and mainly away games

Though it does get very tiresome that giving up ST is seen on here as being "anti club" - for many on here it will be a very hard financial decision not taken lightly but for most when a choice between essentials re fuel, food and heating - then a ST may just not be easy to justify any more

Individually are above are not reasons on their own to give up a ST - but on balance some may decide to - others will point to

- record ST sales
- 1901 sold for 5 years
- we are 2nd in best PL day out survey ( obviously did you enjoy the home win not a question! )
- record ST waiting list
- first time ever in top division for five years, soon to be six
- being part of PL history etc etc

No right or wrong answers, but to me if you have known no different and become a ST in last 3 years you will have a different view to others
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,921
Brighton
Just a corrective to this thread and dozens like it in the last few months and also some regular posters who insist that you're better off going virtually anywhere other than the Amex for your football fix - nearly 3000 Albion fans were surveyed last month and Albion are in the top 2 or 3 clubs in the Premier League for a host of questions relating to the match day experience and overall they are second for match day experience out of the 20 clubs.

how welcome fans are made to feel upon entering the ground (2nd)
the matchday programme (3rd), announcements in the stadium (3rd),
Wi-Fi connectivity and mobile phone signal (2nd),
stadium cleanliness and toilet facilities (3rd),
quality and range of food and drink on offer (2nd).
provision of digital ticketing (1st)
performance of ticket office staff. (1st)
The family-friendly environment (2nd).
Stewards (2nd)
Reporting abuse and having it dealt with. (significantly more likely than other clubs)

Of course doesn't mean that thats the case for all fans and i'm sure it won't convince some regular NSC posters. But the idea that the match day experience is declining and thats what other fans think too is not borne out by the data.

Probably important to note that there's little to no crossover between the things that the survey have used to gauge matchday experience, and what a lot of people, and specifically the OP, are complaining about (at least not what you've highlighted above):

Nothing in that list about travel to and from the ground.
The closest to atmosphere is "family friendly environment'. I'm sure for a lot of fans 'family friendly' isn't what they're looking for in an atmosphere at football, but they also can't deny brighton do that well.
The spacing of the seats isn't there. Maybe the seats are clean, and the stewards are great at directing you to them, but the survey doesn't ask about leg room or elbow room or even a more vague 'comfort'.
It asks for how welcome fans feel on entering the stadium, not how welcome they feel at the end of the game.

The club do do all those things well, but most of them are not high on the list of how I define my matchday experience. While I'm not particularly feeling down about the matchday experience (most of my misery comes from what is on the pitch) I would imagine that many of those complaining also don't use 'the performance of the ticketing office staff' as a key determinant in their regular match day experience (I think the last time I had a direct dealing with ticket office staff was when I changed the account from which my season ticket is paid 5 years ago).
 
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chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
Probably important to note that there's little to no crossover between the things that the survey have used to gauge matchday experience, and what a lot of people, and specifically the OP, are complaining about (at least not what you've highlighted above):

I've just shared a pretty comprehensive survey of 3000 fans asking them about their match day experience on a thread about the quality of a fans match day experience - which Albion pretty much excel at and in a dozen or so categories.
The only response so far has been to mock it, say it "means nothing" or complain that its not really the match day experience being talked about on this thread.
Oh well.
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,644
Newhaven
The only response so far has been to mock it, say it "means nothing" or complain that its not really the match day experience being talked about on this thread.
Oh well.

What you have posted doesn’t really have much to do with what the OP has said.
Transport issues and fitting extra seats so there isn’t so much room, these are his main points.
 




chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
re; tjhe seats being closer to each other. In some areas of the ground they are. Not sure this is a secret. Barber said they'd done this to increase the capacity at the forum a few months ago.
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,644
Newhaven
re; tjhe seats being closer to each other. In some areas of the ground they are. Not sure this is a secret. Barber said they'd done this to increase the capacity at the forum a few months ago.

I’m still searching for the part where the OP mentioned the seats being a secret.
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
What you have posted doesn’t really have much to do with what the OP has said.
Transport issues and fitting extra seats so there isn’t so much room, these are his main points.

Its a comprehensive survey about the match day experience in a thread arguing that the OP's personal match day experience has declined !!
but agreed. there were no questions in the survey asking what we thought about the seats moving closer to each other.
 




BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,644
Newhaven
Its a comprehensive survey about the match day experience in a thread arguing that the OP's personal match day experience has declined !!
but agreed. there were no questions in the survey asking what we thought about the seats moving closer to each other.

Your survey results are great, hope that makes you feel better :D
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
I’m still searching for the part where the OP mentioned the seats being a secret.

I think for a while some fans on here speculated that this has happened but weren't quite sure extra seats was the reason. .
Of course it means, especially in the winter , that its not as comfortable or spacious as its been before if fans have coats on etc.
And issues to do with transport have been a nightmare this season for all sorts of reasons. Storms, kick off times, christmas, covid.
But i'm just sharing an opposing view on how people view their matchday experience - one thats positive. In a thread about the matchday experience.
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
Your survey results are great, hope that makes you feel better :D

They're 3000 fans like you and me , who filled it out and might have different views to posters on NSC.
I'm sharing them. No need to mock me for doing so. Thought people might want to read them.
 




Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,486
Worthing
I’m semi retiring from watching the Albion next season and quite looking forward to it…
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,644
Newhaven
They're 3000 fans like you and me , who filled it out and might have different views to posters on NSC.
I'm sharing them. No need to mock me for doing so. Thought people might want to read them.

I’m not mocking you, I thought you wanted somebody to say they liked your survey results :rolleyes:
No pleasing some people.

You came on here with your survey results and it was pointed out to you the survey didn’t really have much to do with what the OP had said, then you wasn’t happy with these replies :shrug:
 
Last edited:


Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,450
Oxton, Birkenhead
Probably important to note that there's little to no crossover between the things that the survey have used to gauge matchday experience, and what a lot of people, and specifically the OP, are complaining about (at least not what you've highlighted above):

Nothing in that list about travel to and from the ground.
The closest to atmosphere is "family friendly environment'. I'm sure for a lot of fans 'family friendly' isn't what they're looking for in an atmosphere at football, but they also can't deny brighton do that well.
The spacing of the seats isn't there. Maybe the seats are clean, and the stewards are great at directing you to them, but the survey doesn't ask about leg room or elbow room or even a more vague 'comfort'.
It asks for how welcome fans feel on entering the stadium, not how welcome they feel at the end of the game.

The club do do all those things well, but most of them are not high on the list of how I define my matchday experience. While I'm not particularly feeling down about the matchday experience (most of my misery comes from what is on the pitch) I would imagine that many of those complaining also don't use 'the performance of the ticketing office staff' as a key determinant in their regular match day experience (I think the last time I had a direct dealing with ticket office staff was when I changed the account from which my season ticket is paid 5 years ago).

Ask the ‘right’ questions, get the ‘right’ answers ?
 




Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,450
Oxton, Birkenhead
They're 3000 fans like you and me , who filled it out and might have different views to posters on NSC.
I'm sharing them. No need to mock me for doing so. Thought people might want to read them.

The survey doesn’t address the points raised by fans. By drawing attention to it you are reminding people of this fact. I had definitely forgotten about the pointless survey but now you mention it…..
 


South west gull

New member
Nov 3, 2021
1,008
surveys are all relative - Amex is one of best grounds in premier league - we should score high - as should Man City and Spurs really

likes of Villa, Anfield, Everton, Man Utd, Arsenal are all quoted as iconic etc re PL marketing and are all varying degrees of worseness compared to Amex

As OP stated at Amex compared to few years ago, it can be argued things fell like have gone backwards, but if you have only ever been to PL matches at Amex you wouldn't notice the difference

Five years ago when going to Amex my personal Amex experience included

- guy sat near me happily had soup in flask and dished out food to all nearby ( he don't go anymore, hardly went after flask banned )
- could put bottle of water in jacket pocket with lid on whilst went to toilet ( now I could lob it at a player, or a PL newbie fan might so banned )
- could turn up early in Bridge car park and park where I liked with a view to best spaces for early escape ( now, or at Burnley game recently had 3 stewards telling me which space to go in, then made to open passenger window so everything on that seat got soaked to be told i was about 3 inches too close to white line so had to move - only due to fact large Porsche I was told to park next to was too close to me )
- on closeness point, seats in WSL do seem noticeably closer together aw we have monetised the gaps
- was a decent chance we may win, now about 20% to 25% chance, though we will have 66% possession and miss chances on a regular basis
- VAR, well I could write ten pages on this, suffice to say punters watching on TV know more than those paying for a ticket in ground, its a bit crap

Each of above on its own you can argue is a sign of progress / what comes with being a top ten PL team

Or you can like me decide "not for me Clive" and give up ST and pick and chose games - typically one a month for me and mainly away games

Though it does get very tiresome that giving up ST is seen on here as being "anti club" - for many on here it will be a very hard financial decision not taken lightly but for most when a choice between essentials re fuel, food and heating - then a ST may just not be easy to justify any more

Individually are above are not reasons on their own to give up a ST - but on balance some may decide to - others will point to

- record ST sales
- 1901 sold for 5 years
- we are 2nd in best PL day out survey ( obviously did you enjoy the home win not a question! )
- record ST waiting list
- first time ever in top division for five years, soon to be six
- being part of PL history etc etc

No right or wrong answers, but to me if you have known no different and become a ST in last 3 years you will have a different view to others
AC gull brilliant analysis of current times .well said.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk
 


chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
The survey doesn’t address the points raised by fans. By drawing attention to it you are reminding people of this fact. I had definitely forgotten about the pointless survey but now you mention it…..

It covers off the clubs long term vision, listening to fans, food and drink, stewarding, forums and programmes, engagement with fans, racist and homophobic abuse, family areas, investment on the squad, and club ownership. All issues raised by fans and where I’ve seen multiple threads every single month I’ve been on NSC.
Not sure why you think it’s “pointless” but that’s up to you.
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
37,313
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
It covers off the clubs long term vision, listening to fans, food and drink, stewarding, forums and programmes, engagement with fans, racist and homophobic abuse, family areas, investment on the squad, and club ownership. All issues raised by fans and where I’ve seen multiple threads every single month I’ve been on NSC.
Not sure why you think it’s “pointless” but that’s up to you.

But it doesn't cover transport, proper atmosphere, a side that are set up to perform better at home than away and cost.

The four things that will eventually lead to me giving up my ST.

I couldn't give a shiny shit about my welcome to the ground.
 




chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,589
But it doesn't cover transport, proper atmosphere, a side that are set up to perform better at home than away and cost.

The four things that will eventually lead to me giving up my ST.

I couldn't give a shiny shit about my welcome to the ground.

I think it does actually cover some of those issues - there’s only a slice of it in the programme this week and on the club website.
Of course it doesn’t cover off Graham Potters tactics (although investment in the squad is a question) but I’d suggest it does cover off a whole bunch of issues you give a shiny shit about.
Anyway I’m just sharing it for context which leads inevitably to boring suggestions it’s something to do with me (it isn’t) , it’s rigged (it’s not) , it’s pointless (well it tells you lots of things but of course not everything) and now I’m being told you don’t give a shiny shit about it. Blimey. Just cos Albion came top of a few surveys where fans seem impressed with the pies.
 


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
19,557
Hurst Green
Only match day experience I'd improve is to look like winning a few more games. Start with a higher degree positiveness and the atmosphere will improve. The rest, travel, food, drink seat are all completely irrelevant imo
 


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