Well I suppose if we are free that day, there is always the chance one of the later season midweek away matches could be moved to this date, or even our home match v QPR if both teams are fixtureless.
I know I must be sounding like a right bore......with Paul Barber reply
- Thread starter kingcole
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Well I suppose if we are free that day, there is always the chance one of the later season midweek away matches could be moved to this date, or even our home match v QPR if both teams are fixtureless.
- Aug 8, 2005
- 26,646
I emailed Paul Barber on this, his reply is below and he is happy that I share this:
"Thank you for your e-mail.
First of all, there is no club policy to "hold back” seats from sale. I face this question regularly and I answer it the same every time: it’s absolute nonsense! It doesn’t make any sense for the club to withhold seats from general sale. We want to sell as many seats as possible as quickly as possible. We would rather have cheaper seats sold than more expensive seats left empty – so we will make all inventory available when we have it to sell.
Secondly, the club does however have obligations to club partners, sponsors, The Football League (and its sponsors), broadcasters, other clubs (for scouts and guests) and a range of other match to match ticketing commitments which means some tickets – in various parts of the stadium – are locked off from sale on our system. This is entirely normal and happens at every club. The higher the level of football, the larger number of tickets are reserved in this way as commercial demands increase.
It is common misperception amongst supporters that sponsors' tickets are always reserved in the best or most expensive areas of the stadium. In my experience elsewhere and at this club, sponsors and commercial partners often want their tickets to be drawn from a variety of different areas in the stadium. This includes cheaper seats as well as more expensive seats.
Tickets reserved for the various partners listed earlier may then be released back for sale at various times leading right the way up to kick off. So, yes, it is possible that cheaper seats may not be available one day and then available the next – and vice versa with more expensive or better seats becoming available later too. Unfortunately, the club cannot control when these seats are released back for general sale.
All we can do is make such tickets available when we have it confirmed they are not required for their original reserved use. These a manual process and so while it may not be instantaneous, it will be done as soon as practical by one of our senior supporter services staff.
There are two other occasions when certain seats may not be available: for security reasons (and this will be a decision taken by our safety officer in conjunction with our ticketing team and, occasionally, the police) where, for example, a larger than normal “sterile” area may be required (for a variety of operational reasons); and, finally, if we are estimating a particularly lower than usual attendance and, for cost management reasons, we decide not to open certain parts of the stadium.
With regard to your final point, unfortunately, turning up at the stadium and seeing an empty seat doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been sold. It’s possible it has been and the person hasn’t turned up to the game (unfortunately this happens at grounds up and down the country every week) or that it’s been allocated to a sponsor and simply not used (again, as frustrating as this is, it happens – but the seat is paid for so there’s nothing we can do).
Finally, this week, we are aware of a system issue where available seats have not been showing on our systems. We became aware of this earlier in the week and this was finally corrected yesterday. Jenny Gower, our head of supporter services, has since confirmed all currently available ticket inventory is showing on our system.
Please rest assured that there is no policy of withholding tickets from sale. We want to sell as many tickets as possible as quickly as possible to fill the Amex and meet our budgets. So please feel free to share my response with other supporters so that they may also be reassured as to our ticket selling policy.
Regards, Paul
Paul Barber
Chief Executive"
"Thank you for your e-mail.
First of all, there is no club policy to "hold back” seats from sale. I face this question regularly and I answer it the same every time: it’s absolute nonsense! It doesn’t make any sense for the club to withhold seats from general sale. We want to sell as many seats as possible as quickly as possible. We would rather have cheaper seats sold than more expensive seats left empty – so we will make all inventory available when we have it to sell.
Secondly, the club does however have obligations to club partners, sponsors, The Football League (and its sponsors), broadcasters, other clubs (for scouts and guests) and a range of other match to match ticketing commitments which means some tickets – in various parts of the stadium – are locked off from sale on our system. This is entirely normal and happens at every club. The higher the level of football, the larger number of tickets are reserved in this way as commercial demands increase.
It is common misperception amongst supporters that sponsors' tickets are always reserved in the best or most expensive areas of the stadium. In my experience elsewhere and at this club, sponsors and commercial partners often want their tickets to be drawn from a variety of different areas in the stadium. This includes cheaper seats as well as more expensive seats.
Tickets reserved for the various partners listed earlier may then be released back for sale at various times leading right the way up to kick off. So, yes, it is possible that cheaper seats may not be available one day and then available the next – and vice versa with more expensive or better seats becoming available later too. Unfortunately, the club cannot control when these seats are released back for general sale.
All we can do is make such tickets available when we have it confirmed they are not required for their original reserved use. These a manual process and so while it may not be instantaneous, it will be done as soon as practical by one of our senior supporter services staff.
There are two other occasions when certain seats may not be available: for security reasons (and this will be a decision taken by our safety officer in conjunction with our ticketing team and, occasionally, the police) where, for example, a larger than normal “sterile” area may be required (for a variety of operational reasons); and, finally, if we are estimating a particularly lower than usual attendance and, for cost management reasons, we decide not to open certain parts of the stadium.
With regard to your final point, unfortunately, turning up at the stadium and seeing an empty seat doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been sold. It’s possible it has been and the person hasn’t turned up to the game (unfortunately this happens at grounds up and down the country every week) or that it’s been allocated to a sponsor and simply not used (again, as frustrating as this is, it happens – but the seat is paid for so there’s nothing we can do).
Finally, this week, we are aware of a system issue where available seats have not been showing on our systems. We became aware of this earlier in the week and this was finally corrected yesterday. Jenny Gower, our head of supporter services, has since confirmed all currently available ticket inventory is showing on our system.
Please rest assured that there is no policy of withholding tickets from sale. We want to sell as many tickets as possible as quickly as possible to fill the Amex and meet our budgets. So please feel free to share my response with other supporters so that they may also be reassured as to our ticket selling policy.
Regards, Paul
Paul Barber
Chief Executive"
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
Sorry if my post sounded a bit like a rant at you, I just found the whole thread frustrating!
We will never know the numbers involved, mabye it's a handful and mabye it's hundreds. The point is why would you take the risk? And even if it's a handful that is a handful too many, even one person is unnecessary.
I think what you're saying is people should try harder, but that is impossible to fix. What everyone else is saying is release more tickets sooner so those who aren't prepared to try harder are able to spend their money with the club, and that is really easy to fix.
"Nonsense" ... well that's reassuring!
If anyone is thinking of going to the Wigan at the end of February better not hang around as not a whole lot left!
No probs.
Unfortunately picky stat is at the keyboard, so just one more small thing:-
'What everyone else is saying is release more tickets sooner'
What we're ALL saying is ...
I might be a moron but I'm not a fookin moron
- Aug 8, 2005
- 26,646
Indeed. It's a confusing issue. As the perception is very different to this.
GingerBeerMan
3-0
- Dec 29, 2011
- 8,037
Wigan is almost sold out by the looks of it
That's the issue, and it's disingenuous of PB to use such language as "nonsense"
The club may have good reason to do what they do and it's their prerogative, but the flat denial is bewildering at best
casbom
Well-known member
- Jul 24, 2007
- 2,584
...at the moment if ALL the Companies mentioned by P Barber retain their seats, then yes it's nearly sold out. However nearer the time once these Companies have had a look and decided not to attend/less people want to go etc then more seats will be made available. Simples.
Simple enough if people know.
Perhaps the drip-feed of returned tickets should be made obvious from all the marketing material, so the casual fans are aware of the need to keep checking back...
Or
- Some form of online queue / waiting list so people can be notified when tickets become available
- A set date where sponsors etc have to decide whether or not they want the tickets - so a date can be publicised where more tickets may become available
- (or both)
I wonder if Paul Barber has seen the actual availability at times. There may be, say, 300 tickets available for sale, but if they are all singles then to all intents and purposes there are zero tickets for sale for most people. It's a significant detail.
I wonder if Paul Barber has seen the actual availability at times. There may be, say, 300 tickets available for sale, but if they are all singles then to all intents and purposes there are zero tickets for sale for most people. It's a significant detail.
Superphil
Dismember
Block S1E has 730 seats
Block S1F has 650 seats
So they have offered 1380 seats in the south stand alone to sponsors/partners/broadcasters etc. Really, are there that many, who for every game return about 90% of them? Perhaps we should reduce the numbers we give these people, funny how a huge number suddenly became available for the Huddersfield game. 1380 seat equals the best part of £40K in ticket sales, that's getting on for £1M a season, to real fans, that would benefit the club financially. Rather than people/organisations who take the tickets, I assume a number of them are comps, and don't use them.
Peter Grummit
Well-known member
What surprises me is that there is evidence that this practice is putting off people buying tickets, but Paul Barber refuses to acknowledge this as an issue.
I fear it will be less of an issue next season, because judging by the number of seats sold (and therefore crowd figure reported) and the numbers who turn up, there has to be a fall-off in STHs/ sponsor arrangements - unless of course we get promoted.
PG
I fear it will be less of an issue next season, because judging by the number of seats sold (and therefore crowd figure reported) and the numbers who turn up, there has to be a fall-off in STHs/ sponsor arrangements - unless of course we get promoted.
PG
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
The Huddersfield Town official club website is saying that away tickets are available from their ticket office until midday tomorrow. After that time tickets can be booked through our ticket office by phone for the South Stand and also in person tomorrow from 9am until 2pm. The away following is likely to around the 500 mark.
Superphil
Dismember
Brighton website says the same
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
In the past the away club would only be selling tickets until midday on Thursday for a Saturday game , they told us how many they had sold and any unsold tickets were duly returned on the day.
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,117
I agree. Barber gets a lot of praise for writing long e-mails, but he seems to only say what he wants to rather than deal with the important issue.
The current system is obviously flawed but he isn't willing to admit that and do something about it.
Crowds at Withdean suffered for years due to the misconception that tickets were not widely available. Barber seems determined to repeat that mistake at The Amex.
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