Ticket Sales via the Internet Shambles

[MikeyPops]

I have posted this on the "Ask the Club" section. Not sure if the club will respond. So I thought I would post it on The Big Board to see if I get any response here.

This has been a total nightmare for a lot of people, me included. I have 1000 points so I have been trying all day (Wed 13th) since opening time, 1000hrs, to purchase our (me, my wife and my sister via friends and family) tickets for the Spurs match. I appreciate that there is great demand but even when I was able to get past the first hurdle of "Click and Try Again" logging on to my account was very hit and miss. Logged on and was told I do not have any points! Tried several times (more like hundreds) again and finally got in, now correctly stating I have 1000points. Clicked on "Home Buy Tickets now", got the "Sold Out" notices. Looked through NSC and noticed one customer clicked on "Add My Reserved Seats" so I tried it and boom, there they are, all 3 home games - Eastbourne, Spurs and Gillingham, our 3 customers numbers with 1 ticket already allocated to each name for each game, listed at the adult prices. Now the problem starts to get even more complex. We are only able to attend the Spurs match and my wife wants my grandson to attend his first Albion football match instead of herself. How do we change my wife's adult ticket into a child ticket, which is at half the price of an adult ticket? There does not appear to be the facility to do so on the internet site. Do I risk paying the adult price and try to get the money back from the Club? At least I can rest easy now though, knowing that the club has actually reserved tickets for us, but why did they not tell us that tickets would be reserved for us? This would of saved a lot panic buying. This ticket process has been a combination no information and dis-information. I only hope that Gus has the team performing a lot better than this shoddy ticket purchase procedure when Doncaster Rovers arrive.

All in all I have now been trying to purchase, on and off throughout the day, 2 adult tickets and 1 child ticket for the Spurs match for nearly 14 hours without success. Pretty poor show really.

 

[Razi]

At least I can rest easy now though, knowing that the club has actually reserved tickets for us, but why did they not tell us that tickets would be reserved for us? This would of saved a lot panic buying.

Every STH has their individual seats reserved for them. However, for both the Spurs & SSC games, there is a limited capacity (less than the number of STHs). So when this capacity is hit, no further tickets will be available.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure on the process of swapping a STH adult seat for a child ticket. It's certainly not possible online.

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

Thats because you need a private seat licence to officially xfer your seat to someone else. Best you can do is pay full price at the mo and loan the smartcard to your child at thia game.

I think over time the club will have to rethink this area.

Sent from Windows Phone 7 using Board Express

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

All that information is on the website, and only sth's can buy tickets for the spurs game now, which your grandson isn't. You'll have to wait until they go on general sale to get a child-price ticket for him.

 

[Sir Norman Gull]

I emailed the club about my son's ticket showing as an adult-within 24 hours they had changed it to U18 and everything was tickety boo!

 

[bridge]

When I purchased my season ticket I was told that tickets can easily be upgraded or downgraded if sth can't make the match. I was told to call the ticket office a couple of days before a match and they will do what is required.

 

[MikeyPops]

I emailed the club about my son's ticket showing as an adult-within 24 hours they had changed it to U18 and everything was tickety boo!

Just managed to purchase our Spursallocation of tickets (all adult). Is your son a season ticket holder?

 

[Sir Norman Gull]

Yes

 

[Notters]

I've never heard of anyone downgrading a ticket before.....

 

[bomber130]

Have posted this before but just in case you didn't see it. I had to go to the stadium yesterday as I didn't get any form of confirmation that my tickets had been purchased. When I got arrived there were two people in front of me and managed to sort my querie out very quickly. I was also able to purchase my sons ticket as he like you could not get on line. Suggest if you have some time today to get to the stadium. Hope this helps.

 

[TKC]

I think there has been a general lack of information coming from the club about everything. However this process was very well informed and simple to do. I had a problem loging into my account so I made a phone call, 40 mins on hold and sorted. Very pleased.

I suspect things are always difficult the first time you do them. Will be easier the second time you buy a ticket!

 

[Curly5194]

I wish people would stop complaining. Problems and delays are bound to occur the first couple of games because its a new system to a lot of new STH. Also, this chaos is unlikely to ever occur again for home games because after the ramp up games, i.e. Spurs and SSC all STH will be guaranteed their seat, so people won't be quite so anxious to get on line and buy tickets so early. I went on line at 10.00am yesterday and had my tickets booked by 10.08am. Its the luck of the draw and how quickly you "refreshed" the web page to get an available space. Everything takes time and as I said above, this chaos is unlikley to ever occur again!

To clarify - obviously STH will only have to go on line to book cup games (hence the comments above).

 

[Tory Boy]

I spent hours trying to get through, either via phone or net, but I then decided that I might try a visit to a new building I have seen rise up at Falmer, and it took me 10 minutes to get sorted.

TB

 

[Rugrat]

I wish people would stop complaining. Problems and delays are bound to occur the first couple of games because its a new system to a lot of new STH. Also, this chaos is unlikely to ever occur again for home games because after the ramp up games, i.e. Spurs and SSC all STH will be guaranteed their seat, so people won't be quite so anxious to get on line and buy tickets so early. I went on line at 10.00am yesterday and had my tickets booked by 10.08am. Its the luck of the draw and how quickly you "refreshed" the web page to get an available space. Everything takes time and as I said above, this chaos is unlikley to ever occur again!

To clarify - obviously STH will only have to go on line to book cup games (hence the comments above).

I actually understand the complaints and I've tons of sympathy for the non STH's (such that I have been for years) but then I know the club will extend capacity just as soon as they can. As for the Spurs game I gave up yesterday - just couldn't spend any more time at it. Went in this morning, straight on .. click click .. job done.

 

[HH Brighton]

Whilst I appreciate the problems facing the club having to setup a ticketing system for considerable more supporters I do think this has been a total shambles. So far I have had the following problems.

1)Logged into the ticketing system when it went live to find I have zero loyalty points. Rang the office and it seems I now have two accounts. Ticket office says its now sorted.
2)Both my children also had two accounts.
3)One of my childrens accounts say’s he’s an adult.
4)Took me 1 hour and 10 minutes to order tickets on the phone yesterday and one of my childrens accounts still said he was an adult.
5)Logged into ticketing system this morning and both my kids have an additional 50 points from ordering tickets but mine still says 1000.

Come on this is basic stuff that is being cocked up and now I need to contact the office again !!!!!

 

[CHAPPERS]

I have posted this on the "Ask the Club" section. Not sure if the club will respond. So I thought I would post it on The Big Board to see if I get any response here.

This has been a total nightmare for a lot of people, me included. I have 1000 points so I have been trying all day (Wed 13th) since opening time, 1000hrs, to purchase our (me, my wife and my sister via friends and family) tickets for the Spurs match. I appreciate that there is great demand but even when I was able to get past the first hurdle of "Click and Try Again" logging on to my account was very hit and miss. Logged on and was told I do not have any points! Tried several times (more like hundreds) again and finally got in, now correctly stating I have 1000points. Clicked on "Home Buy Tickets now", got the "Sold Out" notices. Looked through NSC and noticed one customer clicked on "Add My Reserved Seats" so I tried it and boom, there they are, all 3 home games - Eastbourne, Spurs and Gillingham, our 3 customers numbers with 1 ticket already allocated to each name for each game, listed at the adult prices. Now the problem starts to get even more complex. We are only able to attend the Spurs match and my wife wants my grandson to attend his first Albion football match instead of herself. How do we change my wife's adult ticket into a child ticket, which is at half the price of an adult ticket? There does not appear to be the facility to do so on the internet site. Do I risk paying the adult price and try to get the money back from the Club? At least I can rest easy now though, knowing that the club has actually reserved tickets for us, but why did they not tell us that tickets would be reserved for us? This would of saved a lot panic buying. This ticket process has been a combination no information and dis-information. I only hope that Gus has the team performing a lot better than this shoddy ticket purchase procedure when Doncaster Rovers arrive.

All in all I have now been trying to purchase, on and off throughout the day, 2 adult tickets and 1 child ticket for the Spurs match for nearly 14 hours without success. Pretty poor show really.

So basically your gripe is that it took you a while (as it did everyone though I can't see anyone complaining that the dealy has caused them to miss out on a ticket to ANY game), then you didn't understand the system (which is a tad confusing I give you) and then you couldn't transfer an adult ticket to a child even though that child is not a STH. Sounds like you've not got a GREAT deal to moan about and maybe you need to have a little more patience if you ask me.

 

[MikeyPops]

I actually understand the complaints and I've tons of sympathy for the non STH's (such that I have been for years) but then I know the club will extend capacity just as soon as they can. As for the Spurs game I gave up yesterday - just couldn't spend any more time at it. Went in this morning, straight on .. click click .. job done.

There must be something really wrong with the systems the ticket office are using. This isn't Wembley, 86,000 capacity, this is Amex selling 12,000 tickets. And there lies the major problem for both the Ticketing people and all the 2011/12 season ticket holders. The person, authority or committee that decided to limit this match to only 12,000 should be held responsible. The FA cup final is history, the last game at the Goldstone and Withdean is now history, the play off finals are now history. We are talking about today. I have heard from football people high up mention that July 30th will go down as the biggest day in the history of the club, a club who are now rightly looking to the future with great optimism. Over the last 12 years membership to the "Albion STH club" has been restricted to about 4,500. The club has always had potential to double triple, quadruple that depending on their success on the field. Now again they are on the upward climb with bigger prizes to be had, ie the Premiership. Football and the football public has changed and improved over the last 12 years and we expect a better service for the amount of money and time we now put in.

Question to the person who decided to limit this match to only 12,000. If it had to be limited capacity why wasn't it possible to limit it to 15,000, so that all 2011/12 STH's were guaranteed to be there for the grand opening. This would of limited the amount panic buying going on. Obviously not all STH's would of taken up their allocation which would of been good news for those who cannot afford a ST or for what ever reason were unable to get one at the time. And secondly a thought to ponder. This has been declared a ramp up game, where at the end of it, Albion will recieve a certificate stating that they are able to cope with a match day at the new stadium. However, the Spurs match will only have tested the club on how to cope with a limited capacity game of 12,000. The following week when Doncaster Rovers arrive there will be 22,500 to look after. Will Albion be able to cope with that amount? The Spurs match should of been full capacity, I believe there is or rather was the demand for it. It would of made the club up to £500,000 in gate money alone and kept a lot of new STH's stress free and given 10,500 other Albion fans the chance to join in the carnival.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Does the 12,000 tickets include 1901ers who I thought had this game included in their monthly payment ? , with the away support the capacity for the game will be around 17,000 unless I've misread numerous articles in the media.

 

[CHAPPERS]

There must be something really wrong with the systems the ticket office are using. This isn't Wembley, 86,000 capacity, this is Amex selling 12,000 tickets. And there lies the major problem for both the Ticketing people and all the 2011/12 season ticket holders. The person, authority or committee that decided to limit this match to only 12,000 should be held responsible. The FA cup final is history, the last game at the Goldstone and Withdean is now history, the play off finals are now history. We are talking about today. I have heard from football people high up mention that July 30th will go down as the biggest day in the history of the club, a club who are now rightly looking to the future with great optimism. Over the last 12 years membership to the "Albion STH club" has been restricted to about 4,500. The club has always had potential to double triple, quadruple that depending on their success on the field. Now again they are on the upward climb with bigger prizes to be had, ie the Premiership. Football and the football public has changed and improved over the last 12 years and we expect a better service for the amount of money and time we now put in.

Question to the person who decided to limit this match to only 12,000. If it had to be limited capacity why wasn't it possible to limit it to 15,000, so that all 2011/12 STH's were guaranteed to be there for the grand opening. This would of limited the amount panic buying going on. Obviously not all STH's would of taken up their allocation which would of been good news for those who cannot afford a ST or for what ever reason were unable to get one at the time. And secondly a thought to ponder. This has been declared a ramp up game, where at the end of it, Albion will recieve a certificate stating that they are able to cope with a match day at the new stadium. However, the Spurs match will only have tested the club on how to cope with a limited capacity game of 12,000. The following week when Doncaster Rovers arrive there will be 22,500 to look after. Will Albion be able to cope with that amount? The Spurs match should of been full capacity, I believe there is or rather was the demand for it. It would of made the club up to £500,000 in gate money alone and kept a lot of new STH's stress free and given 10,500 other Albion fans the chance to join in the carnival.

I was going to reply to this but I can't be bothered. You have you facts completely WRONG.

 

[Bozza]

There must be something really wrong with the systems the ticket office are using. This isn't Wembley, 86,000 capacity, this is Amex selling 12,000 tickets. And there lies the major problem for both the Ticketing people and all the 2011/12 season ticket holders. The person, authority or committee that decided to limit this match to only 12,000 should be held responsible. The FA cup final is history, the last game at the Goldstone and Withdean is now history, the play off finals are now history. We are talking about today. I have heard from football people high up mention that July 30th will go down as the biggest day in the history of the club, a club who are now rightly looking to the future with great optimism. Over the last 12 years membership to the "Albion STH club" has been restricted to about 4,500. The club has always had potential to double triple, quadruple that depending on their success on the field. Now again they are on the upward climb with bigger prizes to be had, ie the Premiership. Football and the football public has changed and improved over the last 12 years and we expect a better service for the amount of money and time we now put in.

Question to the person who decided to limit this match to only 12,000. If it had to be limited capacity why wasn't it possible to limit it to 15,000, so that all 2011/12 STH's were guaranteed to be there for the grand opening. This would of limited the amount panic buying going on. Obviously not all STH's would of taken up their allocation which would of been good news for those who cannot afford a ST or for what ever reason were unable to get one at the time. And secondly a thought to ponder. This has been declared a ramp up game, where at the end of it, Albion will recieve a certificate stating that they are able to cope with a match day at the new stadium. However, the Spurs match will only have tested the club on how to cope with a limited capacity game of 12,000. The following week when Doncaster Rovers arrive there will be 22,500 to look after. Will Albion be able to cope with that amount? The Spurs match should of been full capacity, I believe there is or rather was the demand for it. It would of made the club up to £500,000 in gate money alone and kept a lot of new STH's stress free and given 10,500 other Albion fans the chance to join in the carnival.

I'll bother replying in case other people either believe the same as you, or believe what you have said as being factual.

1. The capacity for the Spurs game is 17,000, not 12,000.
2. 12,000 tickets are available for season ticket holders. The remainder are going to 1901ers (c3000) who get their seats by default and Spurs fans (c1200). The remainder will be for club staff, friends, family and dignitaries etc.
3. The Spurs game is a ramp up event, with the Sussex Senior Cup Final being the first, with an artificially low capacity of 10,000. It is very sensible, if not mandatory, to build up to a full capacity in this way.

(And you says "If it had to be limited capacity why wasn't it possible to limit it to 15,000, so that all 2011/12 STH's were guaranteed to be there for the grand opening". This is also wrong. If the capacity was 15,000 not all season ticket holders and 1901ers would be able to get a ticket if they all wanted to.)