Are the problems with 1901 that there's too many fans there?

Buzzer · Sep 2, 2013

On Saturday when we equalised I could see from my front row WSU seat almost the entire 1901 celebrate as passionately as the rest of us. Loads of singing, flicking Vs at Millwall fans. It proves that it's overwhelmingly proper fans with a bit of dosh and not the corporate atmosphere the club thought they would get.

Do the 1901ers think that might be a factor in what seems to be behind the way that the all-singing, all-dancing 1901 experience you were all promised is being dumbed down? I wonder if Barber knows he has a captive market and also making presumptions about what football fans want and will put up with.

I'm probably wide of the mark here but there's no denying the demographic of 1901 isn't what the club had in mind. Its not a criticism of 1901ers. I think it's brilliant that corporates can't get a look in.

clippedgull · Sep 2, 2013

Martin Perry I believe had a vision where the 1901 would be full of corporates shelling out non stop for the catering facilities, when in fact a large percentage are just well heeled fans that are not on expenses that can be written off. I sense a redesign of the 1901 come contract renewal time.

The Merry Prankster · Sep 2, 2013

I think that everyone involve at the club knows that a redesign would be the best thing but no one has the cojones to tackle it head on.

seagullsovergrimsby · Sep 2, 2013

The club can jack up the prices after the 5 years are up on the current deal that punters signed up for. The club will spin it as an option to relocate to the periphery without the massive price increase.

Blue Valkyrie · Sep 2, 2013

seagullsovergrimsby said:
The club can jack up the prices after the 5 years are up on the current deal that punters signed up for. The club will spin it as an option to relocate to the periphery without the massive price increase.

It would seem that this is an obvious solution and would at least be discussed by the board nearer the time.

Superphil · Sep 2, 2013

When we were first presented the 1901 Club idea, it was most definately a "Premium Club" for fans, like Buzzer says, for fans with a little bit more to spend, it really wasn't sold to us as primeraly a Corporate thing. Of course, the connertation was there that it could/would be used as a Corporate thing, but the key selling point was as "Club Seats" for fans. The company that set it up had done the same elsewhere, in the UK and I think Australia, and the idea was to provide that little bit extra, for fans, with fine dining as an option, exlusive bars, and other benefits like the ticket exchange which we've had from day one.

I really don't think Martin Perry would have been thinking it was going to be wall to wall suits and corporate, as he was part of many of the presentations, and he could see who was sat there in the "audience", and who was signing up.

Ernest · Sep 2, 2013

I thought 1901 people has a 'ilfe' licence for their seat ? So they could hold the club to ransom if they wanted to move them. Might get very messy

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

Blue Valkyrie said:
It would seem that this is an obvious solution and would at least be discussed by the board nearer the time.

Let's just examine that a bit. So, the 1901ers in the centre blocks are offered 1901 seats on the "periphery" at a lower price rise than those in the centre blocks, right? That makes sense; BUT where are these "periphery" seats going to come from? They are already occupied by 1901ers already....

The Board will undoubtedly want to create a true corporate area at the end of the current contract if we're in the PL as the revenue could easily be in the range £150-£300/seat/game (with a full hospitality package) and the obvious place to put that area is in the middle 2-3 blocks. The problem with implementation is that I can't see where they will move the 1901ers who currently occupy those seats to....

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

Ernest said:
I thought 1901 people has a 'ilfe' licence for their seat ? So they could hold the club to ransom if they wanted to move them. Might get very messy

Some have "life" (50 year) licences; others have 5-year licences. I don't know the mix. There are lots of ways that the club could honour the licence but really upset the holders. e.g. "OK, you're currently paying £91.20/month for your gold licence. The new price is £600/month". Nothing in the licence that stops them doing that and they would then indeed have a very messy situation.

Kalimantan Gull · Sep 2, 2013

No, its wonderful that the 1901 is full of proper fans, and I'm envious of those who are able to take advantage of it.

I'm sure from Barber's perspective, yes its a problem.

But frankly, saving the best seats in the house for corporates entertaining their clients is a travesty. Give em an area over above the south or somewhere.

Kalimantan Gull · Sep 2, 2013

Superphil said:
When we were first presented the 1901 Club idea, it was most definately a "Premium Club" for fans, like Buzzer says, for fans with a little bit more to spend, it really wasn't sold to us as primeraly a Corporate thing. Of course, the connertation was there that it could/would be used as a Corporate thing, but the key selling point was as "Club Seats" for fans. The company that set it up had done the same elsewhere, in the UK and I think Australia, and the idea was to provide that little bit extra, for fans, with fine dining as an option, exlusive bars, and other benefits like the ticket exchange which we've had from day one.

I really don't think Martin Perry would have been thinking it was going to be wall to wall suits and corporate, as he was part of many of the presentations, and he could see who was sat there in the "audience", and who was signing up.

Out of interest, how do non-1901 members access your ticket exchange?

seagullsovergrimsby · Sep 2, 2013

Goldstone1976 said:
Some have "life" (50 year) licences; others have 5-year licences. I don't know the mix. There are lots of ways that the club could honour the licence but really upset the holders. e.g. "OK, you're currently paying £91.20/month for your gold licence. The new price is £600/month". Nothing in the licence that stops them doing that and they would then indeed have a very messy situation.

Are the "life" licences transferrable to outlying blocks ? Will the club waive a "admin" fee to relocate licence holders ?

Titanic · Sep 2, 2013

seagullsovergrimsby said:
The club can jack up the prices after the 5 years are up on the current deal that punters signed up for. The club will spin it as an option to relocate to the periphery without the massive price increase.

That's probably why they are keeping the North end of the middle tier available.

seagullsovergrimsby · Sep 2, 2013

Titanic said:
That's probably why they are keeping the North end of the middle tier available.

Is that shelf area over NWC included as well ?

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

seagullsovergrimsby said:
Are the "life" licences transferrable to outlying blocks ? Under the current T&Cs - no. However, the club has the right at the absolute discretion of the club to vary the T&Cs at one month's notice if, inter alia, "...it is in the best interests of the Scheme..." Also, nine months before the end of the 5-year term the club will "...notify the member of the T&cs (if any) upon which it is prepared to make the seat(s) available to the member following expiry of the term...." So, the club can whatever it wants, whenever it wants. The real question is therefore entirely commercial - just how much will they want to upset existing members in order to do whatever they want to do. I've discussed this with various people at the club and the response has always been along the lines of...We're aware that there are problems in 1901, we're focussing on them atm. If we're in the PL at the end of the 5 years, expect large price increases, but we know the mix of our current membership in 1901 and will bear that in mind and will try to come up with a solution that suits everyone.

Will the club waive a "admin" fee to relocate licence holders ?

I'd have thought that would be the least of their concerns if they force or effectively force (through exorbitant price increases) existing members out of their seat!

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

Kalimantan Gull said:
Out of interest, how do non-1901 members access your ticket exchange?

I don't think there is a "ticket exchange" as such. At least I haven't found one! What there is is the ability for a 1901 member to transfer their seat to another named person on a game by game basis by email. The club have a facility online for you to enter an email address. Once done, that email address receives a print at home ticket and the member's card is deactivated for that game.

Superphil · Sep 2, 2013

Kalimantan Gull said:
Out of interest, how do non-1901 members access your ticket exchange?

It was a part of the offer when we signed up, if I can't go to a game, I can give my ticket for that game to someone else, using the ticket exchange feature on the tickets site, or members site. i.e., if I can't go to the next game, you give me your email address, I log on, go the the manage games page, put in your name, and email address, you get an email that you print out and bring to the game. My smartcard is deactivated for the game, and you have access to my seat, and the Overcharge Lounge.

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

Titanic said:
That's probably why they are keeping the North end of the middle tier available.

Thus losing the revenue from those seats for the next three years??

The whole thing is extremely complex. I get the feeling that the club have kicked the medium term future of 1901 in to the long grass until the end of the current 5-year deal or promotion, whichever comes sooner; instead focussing on getting the offering right in the meantime.

seagullsovergrimsby · Sep 2, 2013

Goldstone1976 said:
I'd have thought that would be the least of their concerns if they force or effectively force (through exorbitant price increases) existing members out of their seat!

The club can say they are saving customers £100 by making no charge to sort out the necessary changes :smile:

Goldstone1976 · Sep 2, 2013

seagullsovergrimsby said:
The club can say they are saving customers £100 by making no charge to sort out the necessary changes

And I'm sure the member who has moved seat from, say, the edge of the centre circle to, say, the corner will be delighted to have saved the admin fee incurred when s/he didn't want to move in the first place! :wink:

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