4,000 Villa tickets sold so far

[Bozza]

Some big clubs use exactly the same ticketing system as us. You might notice how familiar these look...

Liverpool, Everton, Man City and Newcastle.

On their away games page, Newcastle say:

Tickets for Away Games are subject to a minimum number of Loyalty Points – each time you attend an Away Game you will receive one Loyalty Point. You can view your current Loyalty Point balance by clicking on the Purchase History tab.

As I say, I believe the club do already have a system in place already that will adequately cope with loyalty in terms of regularity of away attendance. The problem is that our fan base is such that we don't sell out away games, meaning away games don't need to be all ticket, meaning that such a system can not currently record away attendance for all games due to the proliferation of pay on the day.

 

[teaboy]

You cannot join Yellow, you only get Yellow by being a season ticket holder.

Very slowly now...

If the scheme (as his Lordship says) was to stop Season Ticket Holders from missing out on tickets, then how can ANYONE who is NOT a season ticket holder able to join the scheme? The club KNOW who the Season Ticket Holders are - they're the ones with season tickets. EVERYONE else is NOT a season ticket holder.

To stop season ticket holders missing out on tickets, sell them to the season ticket holders first. The club already has that list (see above).

That is the ONLY level of 'membership' needed to solve the problem. The other levels (blue, white, junior, etc) are not needed to stop season ticket holder missing out on tickets. Allowing ANYONE with the cash to jump the queue DOES NOT HELP SOLVE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM THAT THE SCHEME WAS SET UP TO ADDRESS (season ticket holders missing out on tickets).

 

[patchamalbion]

it would be great if anyone could get down the shop about 4-5 today and ask for an approx figure on tickets available for tomorrow

 

[Bozza]

On the Blue membership = same priority as season ticket holders, teaboy does kinda have a point. Especially since the club indicated that blue membership was to be prioritised after season ticket holders in a Football League document.

The Club promise to improve the application process for prestigious away and home cup matches with the introduction of a three-tier membership scheme which will give season ticket holders (exclusive Gold members) priority for tickets. The Blue membership will give supporters who are not season ticket holders the opportunity to join the scheme at the second level. All existing Away Membership Scheme members will be given White membership upon application.

The away membership scheme is now obsolete and the White membership scheme came into operation on August 31, 2007. Although the three-tier application process was not needed for any major cup games during the 2007/08 season, it was implemented for several ‘local derby’ matches where it was anticipated demand would outstrip supply. Season ticket holders (Gold members) appreciated their top priority status and the Blue membership attracted around 3,000 members, who enjoyed second priority for these matches. The introduction of the White membership has allowed the Club to cleanse our database to ensure that genuine supporters have a reasonable chance to buy tickets for prestigious matches.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

If you are not a season ticket holder, you can join the scheme, as a White member. But - as we will see tomorrow - this won't guarantee a ticket.

Even season ticket holders can't be guaranteed a ticket for an away cup game against, say, Salisbury

 

[Arthur]

JPT away defo sold out as my mate couldn't get a ticket? And there was the whole fuss of the TV cameras being in the stand taking up seats?

Pretty sure it didn't. We only decided to go on the night and I certainly don't recall getting a ticket on the night being an issue.

Do remember there being so hoohar about the TV cameras though.

 

[Easy 10]

But they have, haven't they?

The problem is that because our away following is such that supply > demand for most of our away games, the club do not have anything approaching an accurate record of away attendance (which we seem to be deeming 'loyalty' for the sake of this debate).

3 big games in 6 years is not "often enough", in my opinion, to justify an all-singing all-dancing away attendance computerized recording system to sort the ticketing.

You've got STH's, then a two-tiered membership scheme. That should suffice.
However, where I think the club HAVE dropped a bollock somewhat is in allowing brand new members (ie those who have joined up since Villa came out of the pot) the same chance as existing members. Thats not very fair.

 

[kingcole]

3 big games in 6 years is not "often enough", in my opinion, to justify an all-singing all-dancing away attendance computerized recording system to sort the ticketing.

You've got STH's, then a two-tiered membership scheme. That should suffice.
However, where I think the club HAVE dropped a bollock somewhat is in allowing brand new members (ie those who have joined up since Villa came out of the pot) the same chance as existing members. Thats not very fair.

agreed

 

[Djmiles]

JPT away defo sold out as my mate couldn't get a ticket? And there was the whole fuss of the TV cameras being in the stand taking up seats?

Yup Luton away definately sold out.

I remember people on here offering £50 for tickets because they missed out.

 

[Bozza]

3 big games in 6 years is not "often enough", in my opinion, to justify an all-singing all-dancing away attendance computerized recording system to sort the ticketing.

You've got STH's, then a two-tiered membership scheme. That should suffice.
However, where I think the club HAVE dropped a bollock somewhat is in allowing brand new members (ie those who have joined up since Villa came out of the pot) the same chance as existing members. Thats not very fair.

Two points...

1. We do have an all-singing all-dancing away attendance computerized recording system to sort the ticketing. See my post above - we run the same system as much larger clubs who have to cope with supply>demand ticketing situations far more regularly than we do.

2. (As I keep saying) The specifics of the Albion's away travelling support is such that we can not take advantage of some of the all-singing all-dancing features as a significant number of our fans pay-on-the-day and rarely, if ever, get tickets from the Albion and as such would not accrue loyalty points.

 

[teaboy]

On the Blue membership = same priority as season ticket holders, teaboy does kinda have a point. Especially since the club indicated that blue membership was to be prioritised after season ticket holders in a Football League document.

The Club promise to improve the application process for prestigious away and home cup matches with the introduction of a three-tier membership scheme which will give season ticket holders (exclusive Gold members) priority for tickets. The Blue membership will give supporters who are not season ticket holders the opportunity to join the scheme at the second level. All existing Away Membership Scheme members will be given White membership upon application.

The away membership scheme is now obsolete and the White membership scheme came into operation on August 31, 2007. Although the three-tier application process was not needed for any major cup games during the 2007/08 season, it was implemented for several ‘local derby’ matches where it was anticipated demand would outstrip supply. Season ticket holders (Gold members) appreciated their top priority status and the Blue membership attracted around 3,000 members, who enjoyed second priority for these matches. The introduction of the White membership has allowed the Club to cleanse our database to ensure that genuine supporters have a reasonable chance to buy tickets for prestigious matches.

So 'genuine supporters' of Brighton and Hove Albion are only those who have paid for the priviledge...

 

[sam86]

Guys, tomorrow, white members, can they only buy 1 ticket? What is the limit? Cheers.

 

[Richy_Seagull]

yea, just one each, if there are any left by then

 

[Mendoza]

Guys, tomorrow, white members, can they only buy 1 ticket? What is the limit? Cheers.

Its only one ticket per member of any colour isnt it?

You can buy more than one ticket as long as you have details of other white members, and you can buy them on their behalf

 

[kingcole]

So 'genuine supporters' of Brighton and Hove Albion are only those who have paid for the priviledge...

Yes Absolutely.

There are those supporters who look up the results
There are those who go to the odd game
There are those who joined membership schemes
There are those who are season ticket holders.

Notice the level of financial comitment increases at each stage.

Support, whether you like it or not does mean financial support. BHA are a business. Get real, stump up for blue and gty a tic, get white and take your chances tomorrrow, but currently you are well down the pecking order matey....

 

[teaboy]

You can buy more than one ticket as long as you have details of other white members, and you can buy them on their behalf

That sounds like a nice secure system. No room for abuse there...

 

[Napper]

Why oh why we don't just use the Caps system England use I'll never know.

1 cap for a home
2 caps for away

Those with most caps get the tickets
Season tickets as they pay up front would sit on minimum of 23 caps so mostly be ahead of everyone


EDIT * FALLS DOWN WHEN AWAY GAME NOT ALL TICKET ! DO'H

 

[Mendoza]

That sounds like a nice secure system. No room for abuse there...

There is not a single system in the world that cannot be abused...

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Just paid my lapsed blue membership over Skype phone. Scottish bloke very helpful. Then bought 2 tickets using the friends and family scheme. It aint that difficult really.

 

[sten_super]

Why oh why we don't just use the Caps system England use I'll never know.

1 cap for a home
2 caps for away

Those with most caps get the tickets
Season tickets as they pay up front would sit on minimum of 23 caps so mostly be ahead of everyone


EDIT * FALLS DOWN WHEN AWAY GAME NOT ALL TICKET ! DO'H

But, in all cases, tickets are available from the ticket office in advance. If you explain that people should book online in advance if they wish the game to count towards their loyalty points, and that anyone paying on the gate will not have the points added to their account, then shirley people can't complain, can they?
*knowing full well that they will find SOMETHING to moan about*