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[Albion] Luton/Spurs/Sheff Utd away tickets



Bozza

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Jul 4, 2003
55,912
Back in Sussex
Thats an interesting one. This works for me as I can't go to all home games. But in reality you really should only get the points if you turn up, it's the same difference as buying an away ticket and not turning up right?
Maybe, but the current rules are very clear that STH points are earned for holding a STH not for attending.

I don't doubt that the club would be in contact with those who have a usage pattern/non-pattern that suggest they're not holding a ST with the intention of attending the majority of games.
 




Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
10,967
This should help, although I think some bits of it are out of date...


If this season is your first season as a STH, you'll have 50 ST points, so your balance would be the points accrued this season, halved + 50. So if you reach 200 points this season from attending games other than league home games then, yes, you'll start on 150 next season...

View attachment 172531
Can you clarify whether "consecutive seasons" has to include the previous season?
i.e. if you gave up your long-standing season ticket last season, but buy one next, do you start again, or is your previous 8+ years at the Amex retrieved?
 


Bozza

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Jul 4, 2003
55,912
Back in Sussex
Can you clarify whether "consecutive seasons" has to include the previous season?
i.e. if you gave up your long-standing season ticket last season, but buy one next, do you start again, or is your previous 8+ years at the Amex retrieved?
I believe, from what others have said on here, that any break at all resets the counter back to 0.
 








dazzer6666

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Mar 27, 2013
52,939
Burgess Hill
Can you clarify whether "consecutive seasons" has to include the previous season?
i.e. if you gave up your long-standing season ticket last season, but buy one next, do you start again, or is your previous 8+ years at the Amex retrieved?
Definitely start from zero…..one of our group did.
 


Uh_huh_him

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2011
10,967
I believe, from what others have said on here, that any break at all resets the counter back to 0.
So from a loyalty points perspective, you're better off carrying on buying individual home games throughout the next season (95pts), than re-renewing (0pts) ?
 


RM-Taylor

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Jan 7, 2006
15,279
Assume there’s a lot of Sheff Utd left and the final third of the allocation not been released yet
 




Bozza

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Jul 4, 2003
55,912
Back in Sussex
So from a loyalty points perspective, you're better off carrying on buying individual home games throughout the next season (95pts), than re-renewing (0pts) ?
No, because 1 STH point > a zillion Albion+ points.
 


Titanic

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Jul 5, 2003
39,193
West Sussex
So from a loyalty points perspective, you're better off carrying on buying individual home games throughout the next season (95pts), than re-renewing (0pts) ?

But you are then not a Season Ticket Holder... and only have 'Member Points' whatever use they are!
 


Bozza

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Jul 4, 2003
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Assume there’s a lot of Sheff Utd left and the final third of the allocation not been released yet
Screenshot 2024-01-10 at 11.33.33.png
 




How many people turned up to Stoke to get points? Given we took around 1,000 to West Brom just 2 seasons ago I'd imagine the answer is quite a few. Likewise, how many will make the effort who otherwise wouldn't to capture the points for Sheffield united in the cup and league?
Possibly but I think many more just went to have a good time, these are glory days for the club now and last season, obviously many more are going to be attracted now than at Potter's xG bemoaning height. And cup games on sale to everyone is just lovely and simple rather than having to cope with tiers and algorithms
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,726
On the Border
When people mention the tiering, and specifically the threshold for Tier 2, being unfair the assumption seems to be to make Tier 2 smaller so higher points holders have a better chance of getting one of the scarce tickets.

You could make a case that rather than reducing the size of Tier 2, the number of fans in Tier 1 could be increased - maybe set it to the top 10% (c2,500) or make it exactly 3,000 given that is most PL away allocations.

That would mean, for most games, all Tier 1s would be guaranteed a ticket should they want one, but for lower allocations, the top group of fans all have an equal chance, although not guaranteed.
This is a non-starter in my view, as it effectively closes the door further to those that are not in T1, as fewer tickets are available and they struggle to move up the tiers.

Then as others have used on T2 points range for the Luton game, no doubt someone who is on 600+ points and hasn't missed a game home or away for years (other than covid games) will be more than pleased to miss out on Brentford, Bournemouth or similar to someone who has far fewer points.

Do we really want to go down the route of say 10% of away tickets for those that have the highest points, and then the rest are just a lottery where you have to tick a box to say you want a ticket, and the club just pick at random, and you may or may not be lucky.

While some may see the current system as unfair (normally in relation to their own situation) it is transparent and works well for the vast majority of games.
 


Guinness Boy

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Jul 23, 2003
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Hmmm, I'm not too sure about that one.

Even with that, some would still feel hard done by being a point outside of that revised threshold.

I may be wrong, but it's only Luton, 'Muff & Brentford isn't it really?

I was also concerned once, overhearing a conversation between a senior club official and his mate, a rank and file punter, saying he could get him a ticket for X game, just let him know.

There is no perfect solution however.
I agree with everything else you've written, but surely on the highlighted bit, "senior club officials" have a complimentary allocation just like players and coaches, and can allocate that to who they please?

Back in the day, if you were lucky enough to be in the right place when the players arrived, there were comps being handed out to randoms right off the bus. Jock the kit man was always good for one and I once got one off Larry May at Birmingham.
 




ROSM

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Dec 26, 2005
6,334
Just far enough away from LDC
Back in the day, if you were lucky enough to be in the right place when the players arrived, there were comps being handed out to randoms right off the bus. Jock the kit man was always good for one and I once got one off Larry May at Birmingham.
Those were the days! Pay on the gate most away games so have a choice to find a pub or see the players arrive and potential jock comp tickets

Most pubs were inhospitable for away fans if near the ground.
 


It feels like an issue with the current approach is that there's no science behind tier 2, if it's 25% of season ticket holders it's always going to be about 4000 people, which is bigger than any away allocation. So if you're a STH who does a few aways but not all, there's very little incentive to get into Tier 2 as it doesn't really get you anything other than a lottery ticket.
Does that really stack up? You are taking Luton as the standard when it's the outlier fixture. Being in Tier 2 helps with a lot of games with bigger allocations than Luton (well it certainly has for me this season)
 


Good thread. Re; points raised by S.T.U cgull / post #224. (I currently thought I was tier 1 but Luton told me otherwise).

I have been actively trying to get my son (Under 18) deep into guaranteed tier 2 territory (which of course is a constant game) so that he may have a fighing chance of getting to another Euro away game. He's gone from 220 to 295 this season. I'm not going to lie. it's cost me a fortune (but we've had a lot of fun.. Villa away aside). It's hard to do because when they are younger, they start off with less points and you can't get them on the points ladder very easily. You do have to do less favourable games, long trips... which of course is where the loyalty is rewarded.

The case for narrowing the tier 2 band/points is a valid one though I think because, to take my son 75 points up the LP table (Aug to now) is a sizable outlay. Each game probably averages out a £100 for him alone (match ticket, coach/train, food/drink etc.). For him this has meant x8 away games this season so far – which is pushing x3 times the amount his actual season ticket costs me.

Now, I know loyalty is not just mesaured by a financial outlay – but effort and time and support.. and of course going away with the Albion is just brilliant. But I think people of who have invested all the above (e.g. spent north of £800) to get into a strong position – it just seems a bit unfair to be lumped with people who are on the lower ladders of tier 2 (having maybe done 2-3 aways).

Or to put it simply, I do agree with many on here that the tier band is too wide presently, and puts people who are deep into tier two territory (or even within touching distance of tier 1) into a bunfight/melting pot with a completely different set of fans who can't, or have not invested as much. Overall, I feel the LP system is fair. It rewards super fans who dedicate themselves to every away game.. I have zero problem with that. Tier 2 bands could be improved though IMHO. A Tier 2A / Tier 2B? (cut-offs will always be pi**ed off though eh).

It's the price of success I guess (a rising tide.. and all that). It's not too hard to see that soon we could have a situation where tier 2 becomes a literal handful of tickets. Think someone said the other day, there are now approximately +3000 fans with +300 points.:oops:
But that's good the +300 point thing - more Albion fans going away is a sign we are becoming a bigger club.

Myself and my son have gone on a very similar points journey to your son of late. Not having been to an away game for many years (apart from in home ends with oppo supporting mates), my son nagged me to go and so my first points-awarding away game for years was Man U on Sept 16th. Yesterday I was in Tier 1 for one of the games for the first time ever, a shift I guess from Tier 3 or 4 in a matter of just over 3 months. So there is huge mobility in the current system, it's not a closed shop. The catch, as you clearly state, is the outlay is a lot.

From my perspective, the fact that Tier 2 was so reachable from my initial Tier 3/4 level encouraged me to start the journey. There would have been less initial incentive to get going if it was at such an elite level as Tier 1. I think we should encourage more Albion families to start this journey. So what if it means the loyalty points Tier levels jump hugely - it means more are enjoying our football.
 


Terry Butcher Tribute Act

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2013
3,286
Does that really stack up? You are taking Luton as the standard when it's the outlier fixture. Being in Tier 2 helps with a lot of games with bigger allocations than Luton (well it certainly has for me this seaseason
It was a terribly made point. It is not that difficult to get to T2 with a Season ticket and the only incentive once in it unless you want to go every game is to do a handful of games to stay in it. It's a massive tier.
 




Doug-ees-evil

Active member
Nov 18, 2011
68
But that's good the +300 point thing - more Albion fans going away is a sign we are becoming a bigger club.

Myself and my son have gone on a very similar points journey to your son of late. Not having been to an away game for many years (apart from in home ends with oppo supporting mates), my son nagged me to go and so my first points-awarding away game for years was Man U on Sept 16th. Yesterday I was in Tier 1 for one of the games for the first time ever, a shift I guess from Tier 3 or 4 in a matter of just over 3 months. So there is huge mobility in the current system, it's not a closed shop. The catch, as you clearly state, is the outlay is a lot.

From my perspective, the fact that Tier 2 was so reachable from my initial Tier 3/4 level encouraged me to start the journey. There would have been less initial incentive to get going if it was at such an elite level as Tier 1. I think we should encourage more Albion families to start this journey. So what if it means the loyalty points Tier levels jump hugely - it means more are enjoying our football.
In total agreement with all that. It certainly is not a closed shop (was not the point I was making) and I too have had a ball going to these games with my lad and seeing him (and me) climb the LP ladder. These are indeed the glory days and practically every game (whereever, whenever) is a sell-out... just phenomenal. If I'd had gone to 2-3 more away games last year as well – both him and I would be in terrific position.

I still think the T2 pool has got a little too wide though recently and a small tweak to an otherwise entirely fair system would be welcome.
Apart from that, loving the journey, riding the waves. Enjoying these precious golden BHA times.
 


Herr Tubthumper

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Jul 11, 2003
60,093
The Fatherland
Brief response. STH tiers are set thus:

Tier 1: The allocation
Tier 2: 25% of STHs
Tier 3: 50% of STHs
Tier 4: All STHs

cc: @Giraffe
Do you know if the percentages are from all STs? Or those left after Tier 1 and so on?

Either way, this seems a fair balance between loyalty and opportunity.
 


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