I know I must be sounding like a right bore......with Paul Barber reply

[Rugrat]

See my post above. It is absolutely true.

Sorry to doubt your mate but I'd say that's total bollox.

I was the Marketing Director for the main shirt sponsor of a PL team and it as a key promotional channel for us .... we didn't get anything like that and nor did the lesser sponsors, who mostly had boxes and then a few prime seats. It as 10 years ago so maybe times have changed but not to that extent ... plus who are all these sponsors

Nor does it answer the loads of seats in WSU/ESU/WSL/ESL etc that are not appearing

 

[Goldstone1976]

I happen to know someone who works for one of the major sponsors in a senior capacity, and there are a very large number of tickets allocated to them for sale amongst staff for each game. Now the take up of this has tailed off over the past two years, I assume the club would like to renegotiate that particular allocation. But the sponsor wants to maintain their allocation in case of promotion to the premier league.

It would appear from PB's note that their ticketing system is not without problems as well which clearly exacerbates the issue.

That's very useful input; thanks.

You say that the allocation is so that they can "sell" them to staff; do you mean "sell" (if so, any idea what, if any, discount off face value) or "give"?

To be clear, I have no problem with a sponsor getting an allocation of tickets - that's just part of the deal. It would be better, of course, if they could return any unused tickets sooner rather than later so they can be sold openly, but this would only work on a game by game basis if the sponsor is intent on holding onto their contractual allocation so that they would continue to have them if we're promoted. They'd be pretty stupid to give up 50% (I made that number up) of their allocation permanently now, what with a playoff place looking possible....

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

See my post above. It is absolutely true.

I've heard this too from an employee of the company which sponsors the club , it was part of the sponsorship deal. If the Albion is promoted these tickets will sell like hotcakes to the plastics with a bit of plastic

 

[Goldstone1976]

I've heard this too from an employee of the company which sponsors the club , it was part of the sponsorship deal. If the Albion is promoted these tickets will sell like hotcakes to the plastics with a bit of plastic

Right.

 

[Greavsey]

Sorry to doubt your mate but I'd say that's total bollox.

I was the Marketing Director for the main shirt sponsor of a PL team and it as a key promotional channel for us .... we didn't get anything like that and nor did the lesser sponsors, who mostly had boxes and then a few prime seats. It as 10 years ago so maybe times have changed but not to that extent ... plus who are all these sponsors

Nor does it answer the loads of seats in WSU/ESU/WSL/ESL etc that are not appearing

Right so imagine the club at the time being near the bottom of league 1 negotiating with a global blue chip organisation who had never been involved in football sponsorship before or felt a great need to. You don't think the club had their pants pulled down at all??
Believe what you like but think the contract might be slightly different if Barber had negotiated it rather than Uncle Dick, and then Ken Brown.

 

[Greavsey]

That's very useful input; thanks.

You say that the allocation is so that they can "sell" them to staff; do you mean "sell" (if so, any idea what, if any, discount off face value) or "give"?

To be clear, I have no problem with a sponsor getting an allocation of tickets - that's just part of the deal. It would be better, of course, if they could return any unused tickets sooner rather than later so they can be sold openly, but this would only work on a game by game basis if the sponsor is intent on holding onto their contractual allocation so that they would continue to have them if we're promoted. They'd be pretty stupid to give up 50% (I made that number up) of their allocation permanently now, what with a playoff place looking possible....

They sell their allocation at face value. Remember contract was negotiated at a time when no one knew what demand would realistically be and so it would be pretty embarrassing if staff couldn't get access to tickets.

 

[Goldstone1976]

They sell their allocation at face value. Remember contract was negotiated at a time when no one knew what demand would realistically be and so it would be pretty embarrassing if staff couldn't get access to tickets.

Got it. Thanks.

Any idea when the ticket allocation part of the deal is up for renewal/renegotiation?

 

[Rugrat]

Right so imagine the club at the time being near the bottom of league 1 negotiating with a global blue chip organisation who had never been involved in football sponsorship before or felt a great need to. You don't think the club had their pants pulled down at all??
Believe what you like but think the contract might be slightly different if Barber had negotiated it rather than Uncle Dick, and then Ken Brown.

I was a SM at Amex too so I'm fairly well up on things there. But I'm not going to argue the point, I cant evidence my knowledge so will withdraw from this one

 

[Stat Brother]

If the club are bound by agreement to sell the remaining 'other' tickets last.

To make all this pretty much go away, I still maintain all it takes is a simple banner across the ticket pages saying words to the effect of:-

'All remaining and returned tickets will go on sale from [inset date], at 9am'.

Follow that up with the usual club announcements the day before, and job done.

 

[Goldstone1976]

If the club are bound by agreement to sell the remaining 'other' tickets last.

To make all this pretty much go away, I still maintain all it takes is a simple banner across the ticket pages saying words to the effect of:-

'All remaining and returned tickets will go on sale from [inset date], at 9am'.

Follow that up with the usual club announcements the day before, and job done.

Stat Bro - you're solution would be better than nothing, I agree, but the date that the club could publish would have to be just after the last date that sponsors etc are contractually obliged to return any unused tickets. In reality, presumably some are returned before the last possible moment, meaning that for the period running up to the last possible moment there would still be tickets coming onto the site sporadically... no?

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I happen to know someone who works for one of the major sponsors in a senior capacity, and there are a very large number of tickets allocated to them for sale amongst staff for each game. Now the take up of this has tailed off over the past two years, I assume the club would like to renegotiate that particular allocation. But the sponsor wants to maintain their allocation in case of promotion to the premier league.

It would appear from PB's note that their ticketing system is not without problems as well which clearly exacerbates the issue.

Simple to sort, they just sit down for an hour and 'give back' those for the current season that will clearly be under-utilised whilst retaining the full allocation for future years.
Fir example, if a sponsor has a whole block of 650 and for Wigan last year used 150 everyone could agree NOW that a more than adequate 400 could be still retained & the 250 reallocated fir general sale & so on

 

[Goldstone1976]

Simple to sort, they just sit down for an hour and 'give back' those for the current season that will clearly be under-utilised whilst retaining the full allocation for future years.
Fir example, if a sponsor has a whole block of 650 and for Wigan last year used 150 everyone could agree NOW that a more than adequate 400 could be still retained & the 250 reallocated fir general sale & so on

I agree that that would be a simple solution, but what's in it for the sponsor? They (temporarily, until the end of the season) give back some of their allocation (which I don't think anyone is saying is 650, are they??), and get what in return? Presumably they wouldn't just do it out of altruism, so the quid pro quo would be a reduction in the cash they give BHA? If so, BHA may think the current situation is better than a definite reduction in revenue...

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

If the club are bound by agreement to sell the remaining 'other' tickets last.

To make all this pretty much go away, I still maintain all it takes is a simple banner across the ticket pages saying words to the effect of:-

'All remaining and returned tickets will go on sale from [inset date], at 9am'.

Follow that up with the usual club announcements the day before, and job done.

Any casual fan who doesn't know all the intricacies of our ticketing arrangements is bound to check again if this info is put on the webpage instead of giving up and thinking the game is sold out.

 

[Acker79]

Have I understood this correctly? Please tell me if I've got the wrong end of the stick - I may well have: The club keeps at least 1300+ tickets - that are mostly situated right next to the away fans - aside, just in case the sponsors might want them at the very last minute? And that's why people can't hand over money to buy them instead?

If I've understood that correctly, then that's...just not in any way likely to be true, it's it?

No. The club have given various tickets for all areas of the ground to various sponsors/corporate partners etc. This means some areas appear sold out. When sponsors/partners return these they are released for general sale for home fans.

The club also tend to give away clubs one chunk of their allocation, and hold the other. If the away club have sold a large number of them they will either give them the rest of their allocation, or sell them direct to away fans.

If the away club aren't selling that many, and the police or whoever aren't requesting a larger separation between the home and away fans, then they are also released to general sale for home fans.

 

[Giraffe]

Okay, I asked him of he would break down the allocation to sponsors etc.

His response below suggests to me that it is significant. Very significant. Probably worth remembering though that these deals were probably agreed before his time.

Here is his note:

"Unfortunately, it's not possible for me to do that. It varies match by match - sometimes substantially - and some of the information is commercially sensitive and/or confidential. In most situations, anyone unable to find what they are looking for searching for tickets online is most likely to call us directly. If your friends are not doing that, please suggest they do. The ticket office will be happy to help."

 

[Giraffe]

I happen to know someone who works for one of the major sponsors in a senior capacity, and there are a very large number of tickets allocated to them for sale amongst staff for each game. Now the take up of this has tailed off over the past two years, I assume the club would like to renegotiate that particular allocation. But the sponsor wants to maintain their allocation in case of promotion to the premier league.

It would appear from PB's note that their ticketing system is not without problems as well which clearly exacerbates the issue.

This explains a lot. It's sad though. Clearly needs renegotiating because this is not for the good of the club to continue like this.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Okay, I asked him of he would break down the allocation to sponsors etc.

His response below suggests to me that it is significant. Very significant. Probably worth remembering though that these deals were probably agreed before his time.

Here is his note:

"Unfortunately, it's not possible for me to do that. It varies match by match - sometimes substantially - and some of the information is commercially sensitive and/or confidential. In most situations, anyone unable to find what they are looking for searching for tickets online is most likely to call us directly. If your friends are not doing that, please suggest they do. The ticket office will be happy to help."

Sounds like he's pissed off at the constant barrage of emails, and I don't blame him

 

[Superphil]

Talking of when contracts were awarded, when the Amex opened, the south stand didn't have the corners, and the away fans had the entire stance behind the goal didn't they? The S1E and S1F stands were previously away fans seats, so no sponsors/partners/broadcasters could have had them anyway. So how come when they put in more seats and filled in the corners, they handed over 1300+ Prime behind goal seats to these hangers-on? Should have given them the corner, and let the real fans have behind the goal. Sorry but The whole thing doesn't quite smell right.

 

[Stat Brother]

Oh I nearly forgot:-

"In most situations, anyone unable to find what they are looking for searching for tickets online is most likely to call us directly"

Affirmation baby.



Sorry, but in my defence you all would have done the same.