AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
The Away Supporters Membership Scheme (AMS) was a system introduced by Brighton and Hove Albion in November 2000 as an attempt to ensure that only genuine fans were able to attend away matches.
[H=2]Background[/H]
There were some incidents of disorderly fan behaviour at Brighton away matches during the first half of the 2000-01 season that led to an FA investigation. When Albion lost to a last-gasp goal at Chesterfield on October 21st 2000, four arrests were made and there were reports of coin-throwing and spitting at stewards and officials.[FOOTNOTE]Albion crack down on troublemakers The Argus - 29 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] The FA left the file open but did not impose any punishment; Albion took their own measure and banned two supporters. Fighting also broke out between rival supporters in several pubs before the FA Cup first round tie against Aldershot on November 18th 2000.[FOOTNOTE]Albion fans riot The Argus - 20 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] In addition, the supply of tickets at away games was often insufficient to meet demand as the club enjoyed a successful campaign. For example, Aldershot provided 2,000 tickets for the FA Cup tie which sold out within hours to the club’s 4,000+ season ticket holders.[FOOTNOTE]Albion to get switched on The Argus - 15 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE]
[H=2]Scheme Launch[/H]
The scheme was launched in November 2000. It applied to all away matches that the home club made “all ticket” for Brighton supporters. The club’s stated intentions for introducing the scheme were to provide a fair mechanism to allow season ticket holders and supporters who went regularly to away matches to obtain tickets where space would be limited; and to help ensure that the excellent standards of fan behaviour at Withdean would be maintained at away matches.[FOOTNOTE]Away Supporters membership scheme BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 23 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] The scheme was effective from the FA Cup second round tie at Scunthorpe on December 9th 2000.
[H=2]Scheme Details[/H]
All supporters (including season ticket holders) were required to complete an Application Form.[FOOTNOTE]ASMS Application Form BHAFC[/FOOTNOTE] No payment was required from season ticket holders, but non-season ticket holders were required to make a payment of £10 (£5 for under-16s and OAPs). Initially it was announced that this payment would be required each season, but subsequently the club changed this to be a one-off payment.
A further initial intention was to award a point to a member of the scheme for each away scheme match attended. Where demand was likely to exceed supply, this loyalty point system would be operated to reward regular away attenders. After lobbying from supporters and supporters groups, this point system was dropped by the club.
Members of the scheme were also given priority for home cup match ticket allocations (over non-scheme members).
[H=2]Implementing the Scheme[/H]
When the scheme was first introduced, the club allocated tickets by category and date. Tickets would first go on sale on a set date to season ticket holders in the scheme; then the next day to non-season ticket holders; and finally the next day to new applicants until all tickets were sold.[FOOTNOTE]Ticket details for holiday period BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 7 December 2000[/FOOTNOTE]
By March of 2001 the club had modified this process. Now, tickets were awarded to each category in a set proportion, ie 70% to season ticket holders and 30% to non-season ticket holders.[FOOTNOTE]Argyle Ticket update BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 21 March 2001[/FOOTNOTE]
For the start of the 2002-03 season, ticket allocations were made on a simple first-come first-served basis, irrespective of season ticket status.[FOOTNOTE]Pompey Ticket News BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 25 July 2002[/FOOTNOTE]
By December 2004 there were over 15,000 members of the AMS.[FOOTNOTE]Nice letter from Martin Perry this morning North Stand Chat: Post #7 - 21 December 2004[/FOOTNOTE] Brighton were drawn to play at Tottenham in the FA Cup third round on January 8th 2005, a game which saw massive interest from fans and demand for tickets far greater than the available supply. A number of season ticket holders were unsuccessful in applying for tickets, and subsequently complained to the club.[FOOTNOTE]New Away Ticket Policy North Stand Chat - 8 February 2005[/FOOTNOTE] As a result, the club made a further amendment to the allocation system employed by the scheme and announced that 50% of available tickets would be earmarked for season ticket holders, who would have 7 days to make their application, with the remaining 50% then available to non-season ticket holders.
During the 2006-07 season the club decided to implement a further change; they identified various cup matches as being priority games. In the event of an attractive fixture later in the campaign, supporters with ticket stubs from these priority games would be at the front of the line. In the event, Brighton were drawn to face West Ham away in the FA Cup third round on January 6th 2007. As it was an away fixture, the club announced that AMS members with a ticket stub from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy area quarter-final match at Millwall earlier in the season had priority for a ticket (the 50/50 split between season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders still applied).[FOOTNOTE]Club Statement North Stand Chat: Post #80 - 6 January 2007[/FOOTNOTE]
[H=2]Replacing the Scheme[/H]
On April 4th 2007 the club announced that the AMS was being replaced for the following season by a new scheme of [WIKI]Gold, Blue and White Membership[/WIKI].[FOOTNOTE]New Membership Scheme Announced BHAFC - 4 April 2007[/FOOTNOTE] This new scheme was designed to ensure that all season ticket holders were given priority for high interest away games, whilst maintaining some of the benefits of the away membership scheme that had operated for 7 years.
[REFLIST][/REFLIST]
[CATEGORY]Albion Membership Schemes[/CATEGORY]
[H=2]Background[/H]
There were some incidents of disorderly fan behaviour at Brighton away matches during the first half of the 2000-01 season that led to an FA investigation. When Albion lost to a last-gasp goal at Chesterfield on October 21st 2000, four arrests were made and there were reports of coin-throwing and spitting at stewards and officials.[FOOTNOTE]Albion crack down on troublemakers The Argus - 29 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] The FA left the file open but did not impose any punishment; Albion took their own measure and banned two supporters. Fighting also broke out between rival supporters in several pubs before the FA Cup first round tie against Aldershot on November 18th 2000.[FOOTNOTE]Albion fans riot The Argus - 20 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] In addition, the supply of tickets at away games was often insufficient to meet demand as the club enjoyed a successful campaign. For example, Aldershot provided 2,000 tickets for the FA Cup tie which sold out within hours to the club’s 4,000+ season ticket holders.[FOOTNOTE]Albion to get switched on The Argus - 15 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE]
[H=2]Scheme Launch[/H]
The scheme was launched in November 2000. It applied to all away matches that the home club made “all ticket” for Brighton supporters. The club’s stated intentions for introducing the scheme were to provide a fair mechanism to allow season ticket holders and supporters who went regularly to away matches to obtain tickets where space would be limited; and to help ensure that the excellent standards of fan behaviour at Withdean would be maintained at away matches.[FOOTNOTE]Away Supporters membership scheme BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 23 November 2000[/FOOTNOTE] The scheme was effective from the FA Cup second round tie at Scunthorpe on December 9th 2000.
[H=2]Scheme Details[/H]
All supporters (including season ticket holders) were required to complete an Application Form.[FOOTNOTE]ASMS Application Form BHAFC[/FOOTNOTE] No payment was required from season ticket holders, but non-season ticket holders were required to make a payment of £10 (£5 for under-16s and OAPs). Initially it was announced that this payment would be required each season, but subsequently the club changed this to be a one-off payment.
A further initial intention was to award a point to a member of the scheme for each away scheme match attended. Where demand was likely to exceed supply, this loyalty point system would be operated to reward regular away attenders. After lobbying from supporters and supporters groups, this point system was dropped by the club.
Members of the scheme were also given priority for home cup match ticket allocations (over non-scheme members).
[H=2]Implementing the Scheme[/H]
When the scheme was first introduced, the club allocated tickets by category and date. Tickets would first go on sale on a set date to season ticket holders in the scheme; then the next day to non-season ticket holders; and finally the next day to new applicants until all tickets were sold.[FOOTNOTE]Ticket details for holiday period BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 7 December 2000[/FOOTNOTE]
By March of 2001 the club had modified this process. Now, tickets were awarded to each category in a set proportion, ie 70% to season ticket holders and 30% to non-season ticket holders.[FOOTNOTE]Argyle Ticket update BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 21 March 2001[/FOOTNOTE]
For the start of the 2002-03 season, ticket allocations were made on a simple first-come first-served basis, irrespective of season ticket status.[FOOTNOTE]Pompey Ticket News BHAFC via brighton-mad.co.uk - 25 July 2002[/FOOTNOTE]
By December 2004 there were over 15,000 members of the AMS.[FOOTNOTE]Nice letter from Martin Perry this morning North Stand Chat: Post #7 - 21 December 2004[/FOOTNOTE] Brighton were drawn to play at Tottenham in the FA Cup third round on January 8th 2005, a game which saw massive interest from fans and demand for tickets far greater than the available supply. A number of season ticket holders were unsuccessful in applying for tickets, and subsequently complained to the club.[FOOTNOTE]New Away Ticket Policy North Stand Chat - 8 February 2005[/FOOTNOTE] As a result, the club made a further amendment to the allocation system employed by the scheme and announced that 50% of available tickets would be earmarked for season ticket holders, who would have 7 days to make their application, with the remaining 50% then available to non-season ticket holders.
During the 2006-07 season the club decided to implement a further change; they identified various cup matches as being priority games. In the event of an attractive fixture later in the campaign, supporters with ticket stubs from these priority games would be at the front of the line. In the event, Brighton were drawn to face West Ham away in the FA Cup third round on January 6th 2007. As it was an away fixture, the club announced that AMS members with a ticket stub from the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy area quarter-final match at Millwall earlier in the season had priority for a ticket (the 50/50 split between season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders still applied).[FOOTNOTE]Club Statement North Stand Chat: Post #80 - 6 January 2007[/FOOTNOTE]
[H=2]Replacing the Scheme[/H]
On April 4th 2007 the club announced that the AMS was being replaced for the following season by a new scheme of [WIKI]Gold, Blue and White Membership[/WIKI].[FOOTNOTE]New Membership Scheme Announced BHAFC - 4 April 2007[/FOOTNOTE] This new scheme was designed to ensure that all season ticket holders were given priority for high interest away games, whilst maintaining some of the benefits of the away membership scheme that had operated for 7 years.
[REFLIST][/REFLIST]
[CATEGORY]Albion Membership Schemes[/CATEGORY]