[Albion] Will the ticket exchange open? - yes it will!

[amexer]

And, in fairness to the club, they discussed proposals for this season with me (and, possibly, others) and I was very much in favour of them.

At the time I didn't anticipate missing any games this season so I didn't pay the £20 sharing fee at renewal time, and assumed the exchange would kick in if there was an odd game I couldn't make.

For whatever reason or reasons - and Covid must be a big part of it - demand for tickets has clearly reduced quite significantly so the exchange can no longer be relied upon to fill empty STH seats as was the case in the past, which leaves us with all these seats likely to remain empty today.

Thats a real surprise this scheme agreed after consulting with you and maybe others. Didnt you differentiate when talking to them people that wanted to share for whole season and those that may or may not miss occasional game. Like you, dont expect to miss a game but if one of our group does, have seen it is an opportunity to get my wife or a friend there for once a year visit and really dont see why this should cost us an additional £45. I went to test match with friends ticket, My wife has purchased tickets for gigs at Dome and doesnt even know who she will be going with. Should be same at football. Sorry but pay nearly £800 for my ST and least club can do is to let me pass it on if I cant attend.

 

[peterward]

This has been discussed a billion times now.

Ultimaitely, the club wants non-STH to buy tickets rather than blagging them for free. Given the Amex has been sold out (maximum revenue) - or very close - for each game so far, you have to say the policy is working. But, yes, some STH may think twice about buying next season.

Personally, I think the £20 charge for STH to share is ridiculous, but expecting buyers to be an Albion+ member (£25 for one but potentially several games of football) is reasonable.

If the former was free, STH would encourage more of the latter - making more money, and filling seats more often.

The attitude of "It's my ticket, I'll do what I want with it" is misguided though. Like an annual train ticket, that's never really been the case.

(The ticket upgrade path is still available - six times a season - for transferring kids/OAPS to adults.)

I get your points, but like others have said the fact you can only give it to myalbion+ and have to pay for the privilege, I personally think will contribute significantly to the empty seats and loss of matchday revenue..... I dont think its about preventing people "trying to blag" a matchday ticket rather than buy one....where is the evidence of this?

Its a new revenue stream, a money grab to get people to pay to give their seat and someone else to pay to take what has already been paid for....... I do agree that if someone wants to go consistently then its probably better that they are myalbion+, but I think it ill thought through personally.

Mr circumstance, I'm sure is similar to many others, in that we have pair of seats (me and my younger brother), others will have other friends or family members next to them.

Often the ability for me not to be able to attend will be a late call out from work, then trying to find a myalbion+ member who isnt a STH (I know one only), or me having to spend the time to hold someones hand and do it all, so my brother doesnt have to go alone is a pain in the hole, and guess what, he doesnt want to go on his own particulary. he'd much rather ask another family member or maybe even a friend who has never been before and could be a potential new lifelong Albion fan. He works at a special needs teenage centre in Seaford and before lockdown took a few of the kids there with him when I couldnt go.
So they go will likely nearly always go empty now, whereas they wouldnt hardly ever before. One size fits all, on the basis of zero evidence... You pre pay for a meal at a restaurant, you cant go and you have to pay for a friend to be able to eat in your place and they have to pay to get the meal transferred that you already paid for and guess what? nobody turns up.

Nobody is going to get one of our pair of tickets, who was prepared to pay to go alone, but is instead trying to blag a freebie to come with us, for a start I want to go and will to every game where I am off on matchday.......... I am happy to give my seat to a friend/family member or to be used like a special needs kids from my brothers workplace, when I cant go for and to do so for free (though its not free as I already paid for it) , - so my brother can go with someone and to the pubs etc first without doing so alone, they will both spend a decent amount in the concourse. But I'm not going to try and find myalbion+ members and I know just one, and try and pursuade them to pay to use my ticket...... I never had to before this season, so it will often go empty and when it has this season in the 2 games, one my brother went alone and the other he didnt fancy going alone and didnt go either when I cancelled the day before due standby call out from work.

Its not about money for me (it is entirely for the club imho), its restrictions that make it nigh on impossible to allow my fully paid for seat to be used or even given away to a close friend or anyone, without hurdles/time and both having to pay for the privilege. I want my seat to simply be used, it always was before and now it will only be sporadically because of the change of policy

If I get kicked for lack of use of my seat cest la vie, I'll go to every match I can (from the midlands), and I have no means to give it away under the new money grab scheme.

 

[Bozza]

I feel sorry for my new STH neighbour at the front of the WSU.

It looks like he's going to turn up today and have two empty seats either side of him. He'll think he smells or something...

 

[Wozza]

I have no means to give it away under the new money grab scheme.

That's the crux. Rightly or wrongly, the club has decided it doesn't want you to 'give it away'. (And, legally, it was never yours to give away, but let's not go there).

A lot of fans bring the loss of matchday revenue (from empty seats) into the equation. I think we can all agree that if the current scheme doesn't work for club finanically, they will soon change it!

 

[BNthree]

This has been discussed a billion times now.

Ultimaitely, the club wants non-STH to buy tickets rather than blagging them for free. Given the Amex has been sold out (maximum revenue) - or very close - for each game so far, you have to say the policy is working. But, yes, some STH may think twice about buying next season.

Personally, I think the £20 charge for STH to share is ridiculous, but expecting buyers to be an Albion+ member (£25 for one but potentially several games of football) is reasonable.

If the former was free, STH would encourage more of the latter - making more money, and filling seats more often.

The attitude of "It's my ticket, I'll do what I want with it" is misguided though. Like an annual train ticket, that's never really been the case.

(The ticket upgrade path is still available - six times a season - for transferring kids/OAPS to adults.)

Bit hard for folks to buy tickets if the club are so reluctant to sell the ones that could be available on the Exchange.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wozza]

Bit hard for folks to buy tickets if the club are so reluctant to sell the ones that could be available on the Exchange.

The ST sharing policy and Exchange strategy both point towards the club prioritisng sales over resales.

 

[BNthree]

The ST sharing policy and Exchange strategy both point towards the club prioritisng sales over resales.

And that’s the problem!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I get your points, but like others have said the fact you can only give it to myalbion+ and have to pay for the privilege, I personally think will contribute significantly to the empty seats and loss of matchday revenue..... I dont think its about preventing people "trying to blag" a matchday ticket rather than buy one....where is the evidence of this?

Its a new revenue stream, a money grab to get people to pay to give their seat and someone else to pay to take what has already been paid for....... I do agree that if someone wants to go consistently then its probably better that they are myalbion+, but I think it ill thought through personally.

Mr circumstance, I'm sure is similar to many others, in that we have pair of seats (me and my younger brother), others will have other friends or family members next to them.

Often the ability for me not to be able to attend will be a late call out from work, then trying to find a myalbion+ member who isnt a STH (I know one only), or me having to spend the time to hold someones hand and do it all, so my brother doesnt have to go alone is a pain in the hole, and guess what, he doesnt want to go on his own particulary. he'd much rather ask another family member or maybe even a friend who has never been before and could be a potential new lifelong Albion fan. He works at a special needs teenage centre in Seaford and before lockdown took a few of the kids there with him when I couldnt go.
So they go will likely nearly always go empty now, whereas they wouldnt hardly ever before. One size fits all, on the basis of zero evidence... You pre pay for a meal at a restaurant, you cant go and you have to pay for a friend to be able to eat in your place and they have to pay to get the meal transferred that you already paid for and guess what? nobody turns up.

Nobody is going to get one of our pair of tickets, who was prepared to pay to go alone, but is instead trying to blag a freebie to come with us, for a start I want to go and will to every game where I am off on matchday.......... I am happy to give my seat to a friend/family member or to be used like a special needs kids from my brothers workplace, when I cant go for and to do so for free (though its not free as I already paid for it) , - so my brother can go with someone and to the pubs etc first without doing so alone, they will both spend a decent amount in the concourse. But I'm not going to try and find myalbion+ members and I know just one, and try and pursuade them to pay to use my ticket...... I never had to before this season, so it will often go empty and when it has this season in the 2 games, one my brother went alone and the other he didnt fancy going alone and didnt go either when I cancelled the day before due standby call out from work.

Its not about money for me (it is entirely for the club imho), its restrictions that make it nigh on impossible to allow my fully paid for seat to be used or even given away to a close friend or anyone, without hurdles/time and both having to pay for the privilege. I want my seat to simply be used, it always was before and now it will only be sporadically because of the change of policy

If I get kicked for lack of use of my seat cest la vie, I'll go to every match I can (from the midlands), and I have no means to give it away under the new money grab scheme.

If you change your attitude to it all, and look at it afresh, the new system CAN work really well.

Our example;

We have two ST but sometimes my other son is free to come - if he has no game himself.
We paid the £25 for a membership for him, for priority buying single match tickets, and for use of ticket transfers (and also got a ‘free’ gift, of a mobile phone power pack thing).

For each of the two games he’s been free to come, so far a friend of a friend has transferred his ticket to him, and we’ve bunged him £20.

So for us, the total cost has been £65 (membership plus 2 x £20) for two WSU adult tickets. Cheaper than face value already, even if we don’t do any more all season. More than likely there will be half a dozen more, at £20 a pop.

For the other gent, he’s paid the £20 to ‘upgrade’ his ST, and has already recouped double that, for games when he would have recovered nothing.

It’s not as good as having the ability to swap tickets about for free, but it actually works very well. And there is zero logistical hassle of posting / handing over a physical card.

 

[peterward]

If you change your attitude to it all, and look at it afresh, the new system CAN work really well.

Our example;

We have two ST but sometimes my other son is free to come - if he has no game himself.
We paid the £25 for a membership for him, for priority buying single match tickets, and for use of ticket transfers (and also got a ‘free’ gift, of a mobile phone power pack thing).

For each of the two games he’s been free to come, so far a friend of a friend has transferred his ticket to him, and we’ve bunged him £20.

So for us, the total cost has been £65 (membership plus 2 x £20) for two WSU adult tickets. Cheaper than face value already, even if we don’t do any more all season. More than likely there will be half a dozen more, at £20 a pop.

For the other gent, he’s paid the £20 to ‘upgrade’ his ST, and has already recouped double that, for games when he would have recovered nothing.

It’s not as good as having the ability to swap tickets about for free, but it actually works very well. And there is zero logistical hassle of posting / handing over a physical card.

Glad that it works well for you HKFC it really doesn't for me.

I personally don't know a single person who would like to go that isn't an Albion STH already. The one fella who is a myalbion+ linked friend is a mate of my brother's, though he can't go every week.

I have paid the £20 to transfer ticket thing, but because of the restrictions, and me neither knowing anyone or being able to do anything, approx half the home games will see my seat empty as I can't give it away nor sell it. Whereas previously it was always used with the associated match day ancillary revenue.

It's the clubs loss at the end of the day. I've always been a STH and always will unless they now kick me for none use. It was always used by me or another, and now it wont be often as them's the rules.

If you have one or two regulars like you do who'd gladly come, of course I can see how that works, but when you dont know anyone, there is no real option left other than empty seat and loss of potential match day revenue. My brother knows the one myalbion+ whose paid but no others.

I'd sooner give my seat back to the Albion to sell for free, but guess what...that's not allowed either!

 

[amexer]

If you change your attitude to it all, and look at it afresh, the new system CAN work really well.

Our example;

We have two ST but sometimes my other son is free to come - if he has no game himself.
We paid the £25 for a membership for him, for priority buying single match tickets, and for use of ticket transfers (and also got a ‘free’ gift, of a mobile phone power pack thing).

For each of the two games he’s been free to come, so far a friend of a friend has transferred his ticket to him, and we’ve bunged him £20.

So for us, the total cost has been £65 (membership plus 2 x £20) for two WSU adult tickets. Cheaper than face value already, even if we don’t do any more all season. More than likely there will be half a dozen more, at £20 a pop.

For the other gent, he’s paid the £20 to ‘upgrade’ his ST, and has already recouped double that, for games when he would have recovered nothing.

It’s not as good as having the ability to swap tickets about for free, but it actually works very well. And there is zero logistical hassle of posting / handing over a physical card.

God for you that it works but of course helps you know who is going to have ticket. Whether club like it or not it is high on conversation with supporters i meet at and away from ground. To avoid club avoiding many non renewals club will have to do something. My guess increase in ST cost and back to how it was. Will come over that they are doing a favour

 

[nickbrighton]

One of the issues is that there simply is not a scheme that will work for all 26K season ticket holders and the club.

The club are like it or not, a business as well as a club, and they quite rightly have to do whatever they can to at least not lose money.

W ith current government requirements to check a % of attendees for covid passes the lending your season ticket simply was a non starter as there has to be photo ID and name matching to tickets

There is this misunderstanding by a lot of people that the club "owes" us to make sure that everyones individual needs are met, which is simply impossible, and also the universal misunderstanding by the public of what current IT is actually capable of delivering, especially when things are changing quite rapidly still
As has been seen by some of the comments, the current system works fine for some, and not for others. Whatever system is put in place, it will work fine for some and not for others

The club is not a charity, it doesn't make money, and therefore HAS to make as much as it can when it can. The club will have the people to maximise ticket revenue (that is allowed, its not wrong, its what they are here to do) If they dont the club simply lose more and more money unnecessarily
There will be people at the club analysing every game and tweaking when the exchange opens. They are very good at it.

If we want a top performing Premier League team, stop being surprised when the club acts like a top premier league team.

The club cant possibly get it right all the time, but I think they get it right more often than not, and certainly more often than a lot of clubs

 

[Wozza]

One of the issues is that there simply is not a scheme that will work for all 26K season ticket holders and the club.

Indeed, and....

approx half the home games will see my seat empty as I can't give it away nor sell it.

Don't mean to be rude/inconsiderate, but let's be honest, season tickets aren't really designed for fans who can only make half the matches.

Actually, it sounds like you need to find a regular sharer. The current system would work very well for you then.

 

[peterward]

One of the issues is that there simply is not a scheme that will work for all 26K season ticket holders and the club.

The club are like it or not, a business as well as a club, and they quite rightly have to do whatever they can to at least not lose money.

W ith current government requirements to check a % of attendees for covid passes the lending your season ticket simply was a non starter as there has to be photo ID and name matching to tickets

There is this misunderstanding by a lot of people that the club "owes" us to make sure that everyones individual needs are met, which is simply impossible, and also the universal misunderstanding by the public of what current IT is actually capable of delivering, especially when things are changing quite rapidly still
As has been seen by some of the comments, the current system works fine for some, and not for others. Whatever system is put in place, it will work fine for some and not for others

The club is not a charity, it doesn't make money, and therefore HAS to make as much as it can when it can. The club will have the people to maximise ticket revenue (that is allowed, its not wrong, its what they are here to do) If they dont the club simply lose more and more money unnecessarily
There will be people at the club analysing every game and tweaking when the exchange opens. They are very good at it.

If we want a top performing Premier League team, stop being surprised when the club acts like a top premier league team.

The club cant possibly get it right all the time, but I think they get it right more often than not, and certainly more often than a lot of clubs

Hi Mr Barber!!

I agree with everything you say, except for the fact, that in my circumstance the club's new rules will end up with them making less money not more, as 8-10 matchday revenues are now lost. I have no interest in getting my seat money or selling, but I also can't give for someone to use and spend in the stadium.

You're part about the covid pass needing to be matched with the entry ticket isn't actually correct nor required I think. The club state that "if" they check, and so far they haven't yet for me and my brother...... That an official ID is needed to confirm the covid pass or negative certificate matches the ID of the person presenting the pass...... That's merely to prove the legal requirement if the covid scheme...... It has nothing to do with the actual stadium entry/seat ticket.

Whoever sits in whatever seat, they need to be able to properly confirm covid pass status

Whether you swap it to a myalbion+ member or if you had the ability to print/give it as before, that wouldnt have any bearing on the covid pass being proved to be authentic, a ticket doesn't do that, it needs a real world ID.

Once you've passed the covid check it matters not how you got the ticket, just that you've met the covid pass check criteria with real ID

 

[peterward]

Indeed, and....



Don't mean to be rude/inconsiderate, but let's be honest, season tickets aren't really designed for fans who can only make half the matches.

Actually, it sounds like you need to find a regular sharer. The current system would work very well for you then.

You're neither mate..... Moved away from Brighton 18 years ago, always used to still be able to drive, situation changed few years ago and now work a lot more weekends (not my choice)..... It was never a problem before this season as my seat was never empty. I paid the DD and me or an other would always go. I'll be here today and Man City.

If I could live nearer Brighton still I would, but I can't as work doesn't allow. If I'm kicked now
by the club because I can't go often enough fair enough, but it was never a problem before as seat was always used and 2 people there each home game spending money. My local based brother may also decide to bin his and go match to match? if that happens..... maybe he'll still go alone?.... I don't know, but it just worked before and now it doesn't.

I'm glad paying the DD and have never taken a single penny when I couldn't go, I just want the option to go as I always did when work allowed and the option to allow someone to use when I couldn't. I already had a bespoke workable share arrangement.

May be that will end and I'll get cancelled!

 

[nickbrighton]

Hi Mr Barber!!

I agree with everything you say, except for the fact, that in my circumstance the club's new rules will end up with them making less money not more, as 8-10 matchday revenues are now lost. I have no interest in getting my seat money or selling, but I also can't give for someone to use and spend in the stadium.

You're part about the covid pass needing to be matched with the entry ticket isn't actually correct nor required I think. The club state that "if" they check, and so far they haven't yet for me and my brother...... That an official ID is needed to confirm the covid pass or negative certificate matches the ID of the person presenting the pass...... That's merely to prove the legal requirement if the covid scheme...... It has nothing to do with the actual stadium entry/seat ticket.

Whoever sits in whatever seat, they need to be able to properly confirm covid pass status

Whether you swap it to a myalbion+ member or if you had the ability to print/give it as before, that wouldnt have any bearing on the covid pass being proved to be authentic, a ticket doesn't do that, it needs a real world ID.

Once you've passed the covid check it matters not how you got the ticket, just that you've met the covid pass check criteria with real ID

Like i said, for some it works, for some it doesnt. You being one of the ones it doesnt work for.

The point about the covid pass and name on ticket is that they DO check. a %. It may be small but its done I got checked last game. The club state that tickets arent transferable so if they dont match they can turn you away-

 

[Bozza]

One of the issues is that there simply is not a scheme that will work for all 26K season ticket holders and the club.

The club are like it or not, a business as well as a club, and they quite rightly have to do whatever they can to at least not lose money.

W ith current government requirements to check a % of attendees for covid passes the lending your season ticket simply was a non starter as there has to be photo ID and name matching to tickets

There is this misunderstanding by a lot of people that the club "owes" us to make sure that everyones individual needs are met, which is simply impossible, and also the universal misunderstanding by the public of what current IT is actually capable of delivering, especially when things are changing quite rapidly still
As has been seen by some of the comments, the current system works fine for some, and not for others. Whatever system is put in place, it will work fine for some and not for others

The club is not a charity, it doesn't make money, and therefore HAS to make as much as it can when it can. The club will have the people to maximise ticket revenue (that is allowed, its not wrong, its what they are here to do) If they dont the club simply lose more and more money unnecessarily
There will be people at the club analysing every game and tweaking when the exchange opens. They are very good at it.

If we want a top performing Premier League team, stop being surprised when the club acts like a top premier league team.

The club cant possibly get it right all the time, but I think they get it right more often than not, and certainly more often than a lot of clubs

I agree with all you say.

As I mentioned, I was given a run down on the plans for this season and I was in agreement with all of them. The one that I thought would receive the biggest pushback was e-tickets and, before the season, started there were a lot of moans about that.

As you say, there's never going to be a one-size-fits-all for c22,000 people with differing use cases. I thought the club's proposals covered the two main groups that I considered...

1. Those who, for years, have been sharing season ticket(s) between a group of friends and/or family. For these people, I thought the sharing process and fees were equitable and fair.

2. Those who go to most games, missing the occasional one. They could use the ticket exchange and, in the past, this has been a highly effective way of a seat being used and compensation being received.

But, as it has transpired the suppression of demand for tickets has hit this second group. Who would have thought that when the Albion are playing Arsenal at home, with a chance of going 1st/2nd in the Premier League, there's be a whole load of seats sitting empty?

So, I don't blame the club for this situation coming about, but I'd like to see some creativity used to try and mitigate it. As I said above somewhere, I'd happily donate my tickets to a cause that enabled some folk who might not be able to afford going to the Albion to get to a game. I actually did this, against the rules, a couple of seasons ago. I couldn't attend a game and gave my season tickets to a single mum I know. Her son was football mad but she hadn't been able to take him to a game, and it was lovely to be able to give them that opportunity.

 

[peterward]

I agree with all you say.

As I say, I was given a run down on the plans for this season and I was in agreement with all of them. The one that I thought would receive the biggest pushback was e-tickets and, before the season started there were a lot of moans about that.

As you say, there's never going to be a one-size-fits-all for c22,000 people with differing use cases. I thought the club's proposals covered the two main groups that I considered...

1. Those who, for years, have been sharing season ticket(s) between a group of friends and/or family. For these people, I thought the sharing process and fees were equitable and fair.

2. Those who go to most games, missing the occasional one. They could use the ticket exchange and, in the past, this has been a highly effective way of a seat being used and compensation being received.

But, as it has transpired the suppression of demand for tickets has hit this second group. Who would have thought that when the Albion are playing Arsenal at home, with a chance of going 1st/2nd in the Premier League, there's be a whole load of seats sitting empty?

So, I don't blame the club for this situation coming about, but I'd like to see some creativity used to try and mitigate it. As I said above somewhere, I'd happily donate my tickets to a cause that enabled some folk who might not be able to afford going to the Albion to get to a game. I actually did this, against the rules, a couple of seasons ago. I couldn't attend a game and gave my season tickets to a single mum I know. Her son was football mad but she hadn't been able to take him to a game, and it was lovely to be able to give them that opportunity.

Excellent point and I share that view entirely. I would much sooner give it to anyone and let them enjoy (though I do understand the club will prioritise selling it's own seats first versus fans charitable donations)..... Or that failing, I'd gladly donate my seat to the Albion to resell (if not already sold out) and they could make double..... I don't want it to go empty and I'd like to stay a STH for the many games I can attend and because I've been a STH my whole life.

It's just a lot of red tape and like you and Nick say, one size unfortunately doesn't fit all.

 

[ManOfSussex]

I made a late decision not to go today and put my ticket on the exchange at about 1330 and there were quite a few seats available in my block in the west upper when I did and someone's already bought it?!

 

[dazzer6666]

Like i said, for some it works, for some it doesnt. You being one of the ones it doesnt work for.

The point about the covid pass and name on ticket is that they DO check. a %. It may be small but its done I got checked last game. The club state that tickets arent transferable so if they dont match they can turn you away-

The number of empty seats so far this season indicates it’s not working for quite a lot………

 

[amexer]

I agree with all you say.

As I mentioned, I was given a run down on the plans for this season and I was in agreement with all of them. The one that I thought would receive the biggest pushback was e-tickets and, before the season, started there were a lot of moans about that.

As you say, there's never going to be a one-size-fits-all for c22,000 people with differing use cases. I thought the club's proposals covered the two main groups that I considered...

1. Those who, for years, have been sharing season ticket(s) between a group of friends and/or family. For these people, I thought the sharing process and fees were equitable and fair.

2. Those who go to most games, missing the occasional one. They could use the ticket exchange and, in the past, this has been a highly effective way of a seat being used and compensation being received.

But, as it has transpired the suppression of demand for tickets has hit this second group. Who would have thought that when the Albion are playing Arsenal at home, with a chance of going 1st/2nd in the Premier League, there's be a whole load of seats sitting empty?

So, I don't blame the club for this situation coming about, but I'd like to see some creativity used to try and mitigate it. As I said above somewhere, I'd happily donate my tickets to a cause that enabled some folk who might not be able to afford going to the Albion to get to a game. I actually did this, against the rules, a couple of seasons ago. I couldn't attend a game and gave my season tickets to a single mum I know. Her son was football mad but she hadn't been able to take him to a game, and it was lovely to be able to give them that opportunity.

Well 2) would not work if person I go with missed one game and I wanted to use ticket to take someone to a game. Unless of course they informed me when going on X and I sat by my computer at same time. Of course I think like so many other events our tickets have been paid for and should subject to passing contact details be able to be passed on easily. It is looking like my wifes once a year trip to Amex is gone. Unless of course she agrees to sit somewhere else and the farce of a stranger next to me