[Football] Giving up my season ticket.

[southstandandy]

I love all levels of football and this season due to a variety of factors decided to move to following my local non league side. Yes, the football isn't a patch on watching the professional game but I am enjoying it far more, so for me its a more enjoyable experience. Walking to the ground, beer by the pitch, matches on Saturdays, standing, no VAR, local lads playing for the love of the game not for the money, and a sence that I'm supporting football at a more grass roots level now.

I'm delighted the Albion are where they are (having been a ST holder for 35 of the previous 37 years, and yes I was at Gillingham too) and will still go to a few games at the Amex but I now just prefer the non league experience. No plastic fans at Shoreham just locals supporting our true local team and football on a Saturday. Bliss.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I find this such a depressing thread. I keep checking back in to see if people are doing a 360 but each time it’s just more people writing several paragraphs about why they’re giving up. I guess everyone has different scenarios and decisions to make but it absolutely stuns me that so many are just walking away. Imagine supporting this club through all the shït we’ve been through just to throw in the towel when we’re in the best position we’ve ever been.

Many people that have said they are giving up their season ticket haven’t said they are never going again, some including the OP have said they will still buy a ticket and go to games when it suits.

It’s not compulsory to have a season ticket to support the Albion. Tickets now seem to be easy to buy for individual games and I’m sure it makes sense for some to do this rather than have a ST and miss several games because the kick off isn’t a Saturday 3pm.

I was thinking of giving up my season ticket, as mentioned on this thread, but with 2 Saturday 3pm home games coming up I have decided to carry on.

 

[timbha]

I was thinking of giving up my season ticket, as mentioned on this thread, but with 2 Saturday 3pm home games coming up I have decided to carry on.

Not sure I understand your logic here. When were you planning to give up your ST?

 

[BN9 BHA]

Not sure I understand your logic here. When were you planning to give up your ST?

I’m very close to giving up, I don’t want to but the lack of home 3pm kick offs this season isn’t helping.
I’ve been going to non league games for many years and definitely enjoy just nipping out on a Saturday afternoon to watch a match without worrying about trains etc.

The above is what I posted before on this thread.
What I meant was I wasn’t happy with only having 1 3pm Saturday home game so far this season, i was planning on not renewing if we continued to have home games on tv. As the Burnley and Villa games are Saturday 3pm I’ve had a rethink.

 

[timbha]

The above is what I posted before on this thread.
What I meant was I wasn’t happy with only having 1 3pm Saturday home game so far this season, i was planning on not renewing if we continued to have home games on tv. As the Burnley and Villa games are Saturday 3pm I’ve had a rethink.

Ok, that’s good. I can tell your heart is with the Albion and are happy to find a reason to continue having a ST!!

It’s not always easy to get to Albion matches, and local non league teams can be much more convenient, but when the Albion get a good result and you are there it’s the best feeling in the world. Even when queuing for the train home in the pissing rain!

 

[BN9 BHA]

Ok, that’s good. I can tell your heart is with the Albion and are happy to find a reason to continue having a ST!!

It’s not always easy to get to Albion matches, and local non league teams can be much more convenient, but when the Albion get a good result and you are there it’s the best feeling in the world. Even when queuing for the train home in the pissing rain!

I definitely don’t want to stop going, I’ve got a good seat in the WSU next to 3 family members, the others would be confused if I suddenly stopped going seeing as I’ve been going longer than them.
I wouldn’t dream of going to a non league game if the Albion were kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday at home.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Was that when Robbie Reinelt scored in a rehearsal for Hereford? If it was I remember those cows!!

Think it was.

We left school early, jumped on a train and caught the Costa Express up there

 

[BN9 BHA]

We left school early, jumped on a train and caught the Costa Express up there

The game was on a Saturday.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

The game was on a Saturday.

Must have been a different season, I went mid week

 

[BN9 BHA]

Must have been a different season, I went mid week

The following season we played them away on a Tuesday evening, the match also finished 1-1

 

[Lower West Stander]

I've received an email from the club asking me to fill in a survey. It notes I haven't been attending matches. One of the questions about non attendance is multi choice so I gave four answers, covid, times of kick-off, travel, and ill-health.
It also asked on a scale of 1-10 on how likely I am to renew. It was 6 today. If covid infection rates go down, then it's more likely I will renew.

I have too.

And I have been attending matches. Only missed the first two games of the season.

Great stuff again from the club…..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Wardy's twin]

I got one.... I put 1 down for my renewal as I have not made my mind up but I can't see me renewing having not been to a game. I wrote to them separately with some ideas which are a bit off the wall but do become more feasible depending on the numbers. TV season ticket, allocating part of South Stand as COVID safe i.e. full masking etc and additional checks and cleaning and also some sort of deal about a season ticket holiday for where I sit i.e. a year off but offered it for season 23/24. Also mentioned about putting seats for sale out earlier but get a smaller return and being to give ticket to a number of people defined on my F&f list for no extra charge.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Many people that have said they are giving up their season ticket haven’t said they are never going again, some including the OP have said they will still buy a ticket and go to games when it suits.

It’s not compulsory to have a season ticket to support the Albion. Tickets now seem to be easy to buy for individual games and I’m sure it makes sense for some to do this rather than have a ST and miss several games because the kick off isn’t a Saturday 3pm.

I was thinking of giving up my season ticket, as mentioned on this thread, but with 2 Saturday 3pm home games coming up I have decided to carry on.

Yup, this (bit in bold). Have been watching the Albion since early 80's but never crossed my mind to get a ST til the mid-Withdean era when the alternative was to get entered into a ticket ballot for each home game, and who could be doing with that. Of course the pre-opening of the Amex was an exciting time and choosing 'your' seat seemed as much as an emotional commitment as a financial one. But that was ten years ago, and this is now. Completely different football world, and not all aspects for the better. IMHO like

 

[zefarelly]

Likewise [MENTION=33581]THPP[/MENTION] started watching late 70's, ST never entered the thought train until Gillingham and we got confirmation of Withdean. Gave it up 15 years ago

I just go when I can these days, which isn't often enough, but that's life priorities.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Yup, this (bit in bold). Have been watching the Albion since early 80's but never crossed my mind to get a ST til the mid-Withdean era when the alternative was to get entered into a ticket ballot for each home game, and who could be doing with that. Of course the pre-opening of the Amex was an exciting time and choosing 'your' seat seemed as much as an emotional commitment as a financial one. But that was ten years ago, and this is now. Completely different football world, and not all aspects for the better. IMHO like

I agree with this. I was always a regular at home with a sprinkle of aways up until the Amex, due to always being a shift worker and not being able to afford a season ticket. I only got (2) seats for the Amex because I was frightened of missing out as I hugely underestimated all the JCLs (where did they suddenly come from?!) and I got the 2nd one because one of my best friend's had recently taken her own life and I was like, feck it, life's too short I'm getting two! And it was a marvellous decision.

Had a season ticket since then but have had to give it up this season (oh the irony, our best ever team had to be now didn't it?!). At first I felt terrible like I'd given up the Albion entirely. But I've also realised that committing to every home game can be a bit much and also too much of a good thing. I was kindly given free tix for the Palace and after my little break I must say I cannot bloody wait!!

Personally, I think there is too much emphasis on a season ticket nowadays and too much of a price differential between season ticket match price and adhoc one off matches. The high price of a single match actually puts me off more than I thought it would and could well lead me to drifting away further.
I realise the much cheaper game price of a season ticket model is a good financial model for the club but I'm not sure longer term. Fans have many commitments and interests nowadays outside of football and also do younger fans really want to commit so much?

 

[dazzer6666]

Many people that have said they are giving up their season ticket haven’t said they are never going again, some including the OP have said they will still buy a ticket and go to games when it suits.

It’s not compulsory to have a season ticket to support the Albion. Tickets now seem to be easy to buy for individual games and I’m sure it makes sense for some to do this rather than have a ST and miss several games because the kick off isn’t a Saturday 3pm.

I was thinking of giving up my season ticket, as mentioned on this thread, but with 2 Saturday 3pm home games coming up I have decided to carry on.

Makes total sense - economically, where I sit the ST effectively gives me about 4 games 'free' (compared with buying game-by-game) - as it's unlikely I'll miss more than a couple and I like where we sit it makes sense to keep it from that perspective but it's very easy to see now that non ST-holders (particularly if they go regularly anyway) could easily attend any home game, and all but the highest-demand away games, many of which have gone to general sale anyway. Easier occasional sharing would (I think anyway) mean more people retaining their STs - will be interesting to see what new (if any) arrangements are proposed with the upcoming renewals.

From the club's perspective, the relative ease of getting tickets naturally increases the number of people prepared to give them up - and once someone gives up a ST on this basis I would think it's far more likely they'll increasingly find excuses not to go (particularly with shitty KO times). With a big ST waiting list they could ride this out to some extent but not now.

 

[crookie]

Just checked back, we have had 1 Saturday away game moved for TV, Palace, and 7 home games. That is a crazy discrepancy. TV guys must love coming to the Amex, because some of the fixtures would have had no attraction to neutrals.

 

[drew]

I agree with this. I was always a regular at home with a sprinkle of aways up until the Amex, due to always being a shift worker and not being able to afford a season ticket. I only got (2) seats for the Amex because I was frightened of missing out as I hugely underestimated all the JCLs (where did they suddenly come from?!) and I got the 2nd one because one of my best friend's had recently taken her own life and I was like, feck it, life's too short I'm getting two! And it was a marvellous decision.

Had a season ticket since then but have had to give it up this season (oh the irony, our best ever team had to be now didn't it?!). At first I felt terrible like I'd given up the Albion entirely. But I've also realised that committing to every home game can be a bit much and also too much of a good thing. I was kindly given free tix for the Palace and after my little break I must say I cannot bloody wait!!

Personally, I think there is too much emphasis on a season ticket nowadays and too much of a price differential between season ticket match price and adhoc one off matches. The high price of a single match actually puts me off more than I thought it would and could well lead me to drifting away further.
I realise the much cheaper game price of a season ticket model is a good financial model for the club but I'm not sure longer term. Fans have many commitments and interests nowadays outside of football and also do younger fans really want to commit so much?

Don't quite get your comment about price differential. STH get about 4 games free. Take most of that away then it's almost what's the point. There is of course the convenience of knowing where you will be sitting each week and pretty much who will be sitting around you. Fair enough if people can't or don't want to commit, especially due to KO times but you can't have your cake and eat it. You either pay at the match day rate or you get the discounted price of a season ticket but you don't get both.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Nope not giving it up….yet

 

[BN9 BHA]

Just checked back, we have had 1 Saturday away game moved for TV, Palace, and 7 home games. That is a crazy discrepancy. TV guys must love coming to the Amex, because some of the fixtures would have had no attraction to neutrals.

It’s easy for them to just turn up and plug in the cameras.