[Albion] new away fan ID/ticketing system

[Herr Tubthumper]

If it’s the same game I went to we won

I also went to Darlington when we lost.

 

[nwgull]

I also went to Darlington when we lost.

I went to Darlington to watch us lose in January 1998, at a time when we had probably the worst team in our 121 year history and I was a student and should've been saving my money and studying for my finals. How many superfan points do I get for that?

 

[Eeyore]

I went to Darlington to watch us lose in January 1998, at a time when we had probably the worst team in our 121 year history and I was a student and should've been saving my money and studying for my finals. How many superfan points do I get for that?

A Saturday away jolly in Cleveland ? What I would give for that.

I went to the Zenith Data Cup first round match in Plymouth that went to extra time. This meant I didn't get back till the following morning and had to sleep on bone shaker of a train.

(I think this is going to become NSCs 'Four Yorkshireman' sketch.

 

[Andy1611]

So say I buy two tickets for an away game, one allocated to me, one allocated to a friend, then one of us short notice can no longer attend. What are we supposed to do with the spare? Normally I'd offer it to a mate who's also an Albion fan but isn't a ST holder and only goes to games every now and then. But now we can't as the ticket won't have his name on it and we risk a ban. So options now are return the one ticket and one of us goes alone, or we return both and don't go at all?

This seems completely unnecessary and harsh. Whole system for away tickets needs looking at and changing to make it fairer for everyone.

 

[Giraffe]

So say I buy two tickets for an away game, one allocated to me, one allocated to a friend, then one of us short notice can no longer attend. What are we supposed to do with the spare? Normally I'd offer it to a mate who's also an Albion fan but isn't a ST holder and only goes to games every now and then. But now we can't as the ticket won't have his name on it and we risk a ban. So options now are return the one ticket and one of us goes alone, or we return both and don't go at all?

This seems completely unnecessary and harsh. Whole system for away tickets needs looking at and changing to make it fairer for everyone.

That is (in a nutshell) the problem. I reckon about 5% on average will go missing. It's a shame the club can't offer the option to refund up to say 72 hours before the game. Put them up for sale immediately (to collect to avoid the post issue).

 

[Wozza]

Normally I'd offer it to a mate who's also an Albion fan but isn't a ST holder and only goes to games every now and then. But now we can't as the ticket won't have his name on it and we risk a ban.

You want a 'fair system for everyone' but how is that scenario fair on an Albion fan with loads of loyalty points who missed out?

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I’ve read most of the comments on this thread and understand to a point why the club are taking a stance on this issue, as I have no idea how many people are actually buying tickets then passing them on, for whatever reason. Maybe we need a poll, lol. Anyway the fact remains that tomorrow afternoon, people that have a ticket and are planning to travel to Liverpool for the game will, for some reason not be able to attend. I genuinely cannot see why these tickets / seats should be left unused. There are plenty of NW Brighton fans, myself including who would happily go to Anfield if tickets became available on the day. I am a loyal and long standing fan of forty years and have also raised my son to support the Albion despite living 15 minutes from Anfield. If the club want to stop genuine exiled fans from potentially being given an unused ticket, then that’s their prerogative but it seems odd that they haven’t put something in place to then resell said tickets, even on the day, similar to the ticket exchange. Why can’t returned away tickets be sold at the same place where fans are now being asked to collect? What if I turned up tomorrow and went to the ticket booth or collection point, couldn’t they just sell me an unused / uncollected ticket five minutes before KO? The club could literally sell the ticket twice. The Scouse Seagulls all have fan numbers and purchase history, so I can’t see why this couldn’t be done.

 

[Wozza]

it seems odd that they haven’t put something in place to then resell said tickets, even on the day, similar to the ticket exchange. Why can’t returned away tickets be sold at the same place where fans are now being asked to collect?

Is it odd though? Do other clubs do this?!

The main issue, I think, is that they're paper tickets.

And away allocations are already problematic for the club, with the Albion having to estimate demand in advance, pay for tickets upfront on a non-return basis etc.

Also, if you gave fans the right to return, many more would buy on the off chance that they might go, or that an end-of-season match might be important etc. It would cause its own problems.

 

[Giraffe]

You want a 'fair system for everyone' but how is that scenario fair on an Albion fan with loads of loyalty points who missed out?

But in genuine instances like this, would you rather an empty seat, or an Albion fan? Because that is effectively the choice. I'm with your intention but the reality is where people can't go on the day (which because we have to purchase so far in advance is bound to happen) it seems like a waste. It's probably cutting a 3,000 allocation by 100+.

 

[Wozza]

But in genuine instances like this, would you rather an empty seat, or an Albion fan? Because that is effectively the choice. I'm with your intention but the reality is where people can't go on the day (which because we have to purchase so far in advance is bound to happen) it seems like a waste. It's probably cutting a 3,000 allocation by 100+.

It's impossible to determine genuine instances.

Let's face it, most of us will have quietly passed-on unusable tickets with good intentions at some point.

But many others were taking the p1ss, literally asking for or promoting 'spares' in public forums - and they've f**ked it for everyone.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Is it odd though? Do other clubs do this?!

The main issue, I think, is that they're paper tickets.

And away allocations are already problematic for the club, with the Albion having to estimate demand in advance, pay for tickets upfront on a non-return basis etc.

Also, if you gave fans the right to return, many more would buy on the off chance that they might go, or that an end-of-season match might be important etc. It would cause its own problems.

I think I mean odd, in that unused paper tickets are literally sitting in an envelope to be collected on the day. Why can’t they be sold just before KO. Maybe away fans wouldn’t get a full refund or anything at all, but if the ticket is there and unused why not sell it again. I’m sure the original fan would they rather someone else cheered on the Albion in their place and the club get additional money.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

But in genuine instances like this, would you rather an empty seat, or an Albion fan? Because that is effectively the choice. I'm with your intention but the reality is where people can't go on the day (which because we have to purchase so far in advance is bound to happen) it seems like a waste. It's probably cutting a 3,000 allocation by 100+.

Yes, as an exiled fan it’s the 100 no shows on the day that seems a shame that the tickets can’t be passed on or bought again on the day of the match.

 

[Wozza]

I think I mean odd, in that unused paper tickets are literally sitting in an envelope to be collected on the day. Why can’t they be sold just before KO. Maybe away fans wouldn’t get a full refund or anything at all, but if the ticket is there and unused why not sell it again. I’m sure the original fan would they rather someone else cheered on the Albion in their place and the club get additional money.

I feel your pain as an exiled Seagull, but....

The vast majority of tickets are sent out in advance, so are scattered around Sussex and beyond, not sitting in a pile at the away venue.

And clubs would never back any kind of system which would encourage ticketless fans turning up on the off-chance of getting in!

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

So say I buy two tickets for an away game, one allocated to me, one allocated to a friend, then one of us short notice can no longer attend. What are we supposed to do with the spare? Normally I'd offer it to a mate who's also an Albion fan but isn't a ST holder and only goes to games every now and then. But now we can't as the ticket won't have his name on it and we risk a ban. So options now are return the one ticket and one of us goes alone, or we return both and don't go at all?

This seems completely unnecessary and harsh. Whole system for away tickets needs looking at and changing to make it fairer for everyone.

When you say everyone are you including me ? Because I don’t think you are. What the club have just done is fair for me and everyone else taking part in the loyalty points scheme. If you can’t take the risk of mates dropping out last minute then don’t buy a ticket or get better mates.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

When you say everyone are you including me ? Because I don’t think you are. What the club have just done is fair for me and everyone else taking part in the loyalty points scheme. If you can’t take the risk of mates dropping out last minute then don’t buy a ticket or get better mates.

Sorry, are you suggesting that if a friend gets Covid, has an accident, a bereavement or their car breaks down then they aren’t very good mates and they need to be replaced?

 

[JBizzle]

I'm probably commenting without a proper understanding so feel free to disregard if so, but anyone who travels away is a representative of Brighton & Hove Albion and although not "owned" by the club, the club does bear responsibility for their behaviour i.e covering any damage to stadia or reputational damage for fan arrests etc. If the club is having to to work with the home team to identify who has caused said damage, it's not unreasonable to have a degree of control over who has tickets. By that I mean "wants to know that the name on the ticket matches the hand carrying it in".

I struggle to believe that this is just a random assault on fans freedom, rather a reaction to fans getting tickets through non-conventional means and behaving badly afterwards.

It's no surprise that the fans whining about this on Twitter are also coincidentally the same fans who think Potter should be booed because he didn't ask their permission before going to Chelsea and take offence at any tiny infraction on their football going experience. After all, it IS all about them. I find it a little odd that the dynamic seems to be that the club now has to solely serve the needs of that small group of persistent whiners, otherwise they'll have a mini-meltdown on twitter with [MENTION=37966]Zamora[/MENTION]4Ever and [MENTION=7540]beano[/MENTION]1901 or whatever.

 

[jackalbion]

It's impossible to determine genuine instances.

Let's face it, most of us will have quietly passed-on unusable tickets with good intentions at some point.

But many others were taking the p1ss, literally asking for or promoting 'spares' in public forums - and they've f**ked it for everyone.

100% but I think a deeper look should be made into some of those posts, and which type of home tickets they have, I think the club will be surprised.

 

[drew]

100% but I think a deeper look should be made into some of those posts, and which type of home tickets they have, I think the club will be surprised.

Perhaps what the club should be doing is buying up some of these tickets on social media and stopping the problem at source!! They'll know who the ticket was sold to and punish accordingly.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Sorry, are you suggesting that if a friend gets Covid, has an accident, a bereavement or their car breaks down then they aren’t very good mates and they need to be replaced?

Its called a dry sense of humour given that’s the scenario that seems frighteningly prevalent amongst NSC and Facebook posters. I’m tired of the entitlement around some people in high tiers dishing out tickets to mates as they please and then claiming victim status when found out. I am also implying that if these things are happening maybe once or twice for someone as would probably be the case then the outrage is perhaps a little contrived. I’m presuming your concern is about tomorrow. Tickets went to Albion + but only just and only restricted view tickets.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Its called a dry sense of humour given that’s the scenario that seems frighteningly prevalent amongst NSC and Facebook posters. I’m tired of the entitlement around some people in high tiers dishing out tickets to mates as they please and then claiming victim status when found out. I am also implying that if these things are happening maybe once or twice for someone as would probably be the case then the outrage is perhaps a little contrived. I’m presuming your concern is about tomorrow. Tickets went to Albion + but only just and only restricted view tickets.

Ok fair enough, I didn’t detect any humour, so I thought I would ask. I actually agree with most of what you’ve said and I also don’t mind the club clamping down, even if it means I almost certainly won’t be messaged for tomorrow’s game. In the long run I think there will be less tickets bought up by the top tiers, so more will be available for Albion+ and purchase history fans, of which I am one of four. I just think there could be a way of getting genuinely unused away tickets to local exiled fans without it being unfair to people with more loyalty points. The Scouse Seagulls have bought for City away and no doubt we won’t have a problem going to Goodison later in the season either. UTA.