Limit on Upgrades per Season

[Notters]

Its not and it isn't.

Indeed, not since withdean!

 

[The red pepper kid]

Why is there a need to have a limit? Anyone think of a good reason?

admistration charge--u are using the clubs staff resources ?--spelling naff

 

[Stumpy Tim]

admistration charge--u are using the clubs staff resources ?--spelling naff

There is an admin fee.

 

[jackanada]

I would expect that if the reason for all the upgrades is your child having a lengthy illness the club will listen. That the system initially bars you from an upgrade when you have upgraded 6 out of 7 times seems more than reasonable.

 

[jgmcdee]

Seems like a retrograde step by a club with falling attendances. There are 7 evening games this season either played or scheduled so far, and I'm sure there will be more if we stay up near the top of the table. For those with kids who can't make evening games and previously used the upgrade facility to bring along adults it will result in another empty seat.

This is only going to end up with fewer people in the stadium; why would the club want this?

 

[Discodoktor]

I get the club would rather have an adult ST than a child because the ticket costs considerably more.

Given the evidence on this thread (and my own daughter's ticket, who doesn't live with me so can't get to every game, is upgraded from time to time) - I reckon there is a pretty high volume of kids' tickets which are upgraded on a game by game basis, some quite frequently it seems. As others have said, if you have hit the 6 game limit at the beginning of November, it does suggest it should be an adult ticket not a child ticket that you have.

The slightly disappointing attendances, given our performances and league position, could have the club studying how often this is happening. If a large number of people are getting in for c£15 per match instead of £30+ then the club are sure to want to try and address that. The question is whether those same people would pay the full match day price. Many won't.

Yes many won't buy an adult season ticket. In our case the unlimited upgrade system works very well for the club.

The psychology of having an empty seat which you have already half paid for (child tickt)
versus
inviting a fringe fan to fill that seat ..

means we prefer to treat the fringe fan and they only have to pay for the upgrade.

Effectively it's bring your mate along for £15 but we have already subsidised them to make that happen. Trust me these fringe fans only come because they are invited. Generally fans don't go to matches by themselves.

(By fringe fan I mean neighbour, visiting friend, father in law, wife, friend who can't afford St, friend who fancies coming along not so regularly).

This happens when the child can't go and the fringe fan only pays for the upgrade.

Ask that fan to buy a full st spare. It's not going to happen. More than likely they won't even buy the child season ticket as they can't go to evening matches and sometimes they have other commitments on Saturday (playing football).

The 6 upgrade limit tkt system is not beneficial to the club in our case.

If adults are sneaking through on child tickets that a different issue and should be addressed accordingly.

 

[Beach Hut]

If adults are sneaking through on child tickets that a different issue and should be addressed accordingly.

I have seen several times when going into WSU stewards telling people to go to the ticket office when a childs season ticket is attested to be used. Think the colour coding gives it away when you go through the barrier.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I get the club would rather have an adult ST than a child because the ticket costs considerably more.

Given the evidence on this thread (and my own daughter's ticket, who doesn't live with me so can't get to every game, is upgraded from time to time) - I reckon there is a pretty high volume of kids' tickets which are upgraded on a game by game basis, some quite frequently it seems. As others have said, if you have hit the 6 game limit at the beginning of November, it does suggest it should be an adult ticket not a child ticket that you have.

The slightly disappointing attendances, given our performances and league position, could have the club studying how often this is happening. If a large number of people are getting in for c£15 per match instead of £30+ then the club are sure to want to try and address that. The question is whether those same people would pay the full match day price. Many won't.

It doesn't just apply to kids tickets, of course. I let a friend use my senior ticket three times, last season when I was away or ill. I realise the six upgrades would have covered this, but just making a point.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I have seen several times when going into WSU stewards telling people to go to the ticket office when a childs season ticket is attested to be used. Think the colour coding gives it away when you go through the barrier.

The light shines red and green instead of just green, on my ticket. I'm quite disappointed that I haven't been challenged, as I don't look old enough.

 

[Bozza]

There's a small 'booking fee' - I'm not sure how it is calculated though...

Customer Event Date/Time Price (fee)
RETURNED: Albion v Nottingham Forest
West Stand Upper
Venue: American Express Community Stadium
07/08/15
19:45 Under 18
£11.52 (£1.61)

Albion v Nottingham Forest
West Stand Upper
Venue: American Express Community Stadium
07/08/15
19:45 Adult
£23.91 (£0.00)

Booking Fee: £1.61
Total Price: £14.00

 

[Beach Hut]

The light shines red and green instead of just green, on my ticket. I'm quite disappointed that I haven't been challenged, as I don't look old enough.

So red/green is any STH other than an adult ?

 

[Bozza]

And I think the above illustrates the problem: a casual fan only had to pay £14 for a ticket for the Forest game.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So red/green is any STH other than an adult ?

I don't know what light shines for a kids ticket, but that's the combination for my oap ticket. I'm assuming the red light alerts the stewards that it's a concession.

 

[Discodoktor]

And I think the above illustrates the problem: a casual fan only had to pay £14 for a ticket for the Forest game.

What do you mean?

1) he sneaked in.
Or
2) he was invited along by others and was subsidised by them.

 

[mwrpoole]

Nope. Long term illness here.

As is frequently the case, rules brought in to target potential mis-use often end up penalising the wrong people. Our beloved welfare system has done this time & time again. I would have thought the club would be more sympathetic if someone was to upgrade say 4 or 5 games in one go rather than match by match.

 

[Bozza]

What do you mean?

1) he sneaked in.
Or
2) he was invited along by others and was subsidised by them.

That he only had to pay £14 for the game instead of, say, £32.

You're correct in that, essentially, he had been subsidised by the season ticket I buy for my daughter who can't come to every game.

So the question is, would they have paid £32 if the £14 option wasn't available? I guess some will and some won't. If the club is now imposing this limit it suggests to me that they believe a lot of casual fans are getting in cheaply using this upgrade option and that they also believe they will gain as more will buy a match day ticket than won't when 6 match limits are reached.

To me, the slightly farcical thing is that I think the middle ground is a good compromise for everyone: for the upgrade, charge the difference between the prorated ST amount for the seat for the match and the actual match day ticket price. This would cost, in my example, c£20 and the club get full match day ticket value for the seat. The farcical aspect of this comes in that this is exactly what the old ticketing system did before the 'upgrade'. It also allowed the card to be upgraded and negated the need for a paper replacement. Another feature downgrade that came with the ticketing system 'upgrade'.

 

[Discodoktor]

As is frequently the case, rules brought in to target potential mis-use often end up penalising the wrong people. Our beloved welfare system has done this time & time again. I would have thought the club would be more sympathetic if someone was to upgrade say 4 or 5 games in one go rather than match by match.

In our case it fails on club profit.

Then it fails on our small footbal social group and its extended fringe.

 

[Discodoktor]

That he only had to pay £14 for the game instead of, say, £32.

You're correct in that, essentially, he had been subsidised by the season ticket I buy for my daughter who can't come to every game.

So the question is, would they have paid £32 if the £14 option wasn't available? I guess some will and some won't. If the club is now imposing this limit it suggests to me that they believe a lot of casual fans are getting in cheaply using this upgrade option and that they also believe they will gain as more will buy a match day ticket than won't when 6 match limits are reached.

To me, the slightly farcical thing is that I think the middle ground is a good compromise for everyone: for the upgrade, charge the difference between the prorated ST amount for the seat for the match and the actual match day ticket price. This would cost, in my example, c£20 and the club get full match day ticket value for the seat. The farcical aspect of this comes in that this is exactly what the old ticketing system did before the 'upgrade'. It also allowed the card to be upgraded and negated the need for a paper replacement. Another feature downgrade that came with the ticketing system 'upgrade'.

So the club got £14 + child season tkt price + food mechanises etc

But they didn't get optimum

£32 + child season tkt price + extras

in our case and I suspect in others the new system would mean next year. They jeopardise both the child ticket and the fringe fan. Plus effect the social dynamics of football groups. Fringe fans in many scenarios do not go unless invited.

To me it doesn't make sense to the club it's not in their interest.

Let's wait for Barber to explain.

 

[chaileyjem]

in our case and I suspect in others the new system would mean next year. They jeopardise both the child ticket and the fringe fan. Plus effect the social dynamics of football groups. Fringe fans in many scenarios do not go unless invited.

To me it doesn't make sense to the club it's not in their interest.

Let's wait for Barber to explain.

I wonder how many fans (wish to ) upgrade more than 6 times a season out of our 19K season ticket holders ?
I suspect its handfuls outside of long term illnesses / unusual circumstances etc where i'd hope the club have a different policy.
The vast majority of cases where fans want to upgrade in groups etc , they will be able to across a season as it will be 5 times or less.
eg: mid week evening games given there's 5 across a season.
.

 

[upthealbion1970]

This is a pain, not going to go into details as to why but I haven't seen my son since march. He's had st at the Amex every season so far, I renewed hoping things would settle as I would see him again hoping to be able to put a bum on his seat until such time as I see him and he comes back to football again......

As others have said surely its better to have a bum on a seat that would not be there otherwise?