Nice letter from Martin Perry this morning...

[fatboy]

Every time this argument about ticket allocation comes around, it is very obvious that a large percentage of NSC do not go away, by the fact they are so against any priority ticket allocation, as it might harm their chances of getting a ticket for the games they do bother to turn up for.

Exactly.

 

[Curious Orange]

The way I see it, it's pretty simple - without season ticket sales we would have no team to watch...5,000 season ticket holders (approx) x £425 (approx) = £2,125,000 GUARANTEED income pre-season

Nobody is denying the financial stability us season ticket holders give the club. But that is no reason to deny those people who cannot afford season tickets going to any away game. Don't forget that Falmer needs 12,000 people in it every home game for the club to break even, 5,000 season ticket holders will not do that. The club needs to keep the non-season ticket holders interested and attract new supporters where it can. The Tottenham game is an ideal platform for doing just that. In the long term we need the "big game Charlies", as people unfairly call them, to become regular supporters at Falmer; denying them a fair opportunity to get tickets for games such as this will just put them off becoming regulars in the long run, which is not a clever idea.

 

[Simster]

The reason regular away fans should be prioritised is simple, as they are the ones that go and when games like Spurs come up, it is in a way a thank you for the effort, but making sure they have a ticket. The players and management go on about how much they appricated the support they get away from home, well then make sure these people are at the big games, as well as the run of the mill we turn up to.

Every time this argument about ticket allocation comes around, it is very obvious that a large percentage of NSC do not go away, by the fact they are so against any priority ticket allocation, as it might harm their chances of getting a ticket for the games they do bother to turn up for.

All well and good but:

a) that doesn't pay the club's bills
b) I suspect a lot of season ticket holders have gone away regularly in the past but maybe have more pressing things to do than go to football EVERY SINGLE week.

I'm neither a STH or an away fan regular, so my opinions are not based on any self interest.

 

[The Auditor]

The reason regular away fans should be prioritised is simple, as they are the ones that go and when games like Spurs come up, it is in a way a thank you for the effort, but making sure they have a ticket. The players and management go on about how much they appricated the support they get away from home, well then make sure these people are at the big games, as well as the run of the mill we turn up to.

Every time this argument about ticket allocation comes around, it is very obvious that a large percentage of NSC do not go away, by the fact they are so against any priority ticket allocation, as it might harm their chances of getting a ticket for the games they do bother to turn up for.

Regulars home or away shouldnt miss out on "The Big Games" because those "true" albion fans crawl out of the woodwork.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Nobody is denying the financial stability us season ticket holders give the club. But that is no reason to deny those people who cannot afford season tickets going to any away game. Don't forget that Falmer needs 12,000 people in it every home game for the club to break even, 5,000 season ticket holders will not do that. The club needs to keep the non-season ticket holders interested and attract new supporters where it can. The Tottenham game is an ideal platform for doing just that. In the long term we need the "big game Charlies", as people unfairly call them, to become regular supporters at Falmer; denying them a fair opportunity to get tickets for games such as this will just put them off becoming regulars in the long run, which is not a clever idea.

In all fairness, thse 'big game Charlies' never really went to the Goldstone, the play off year the average was only about 8500. So what is there to suggest that they will actually become regulars at a new ground? Surely you have to keep your existing customer base happy in the first instance to retain them and implement other schemes to encourage new business.

 

[Titanic]

If you piss off and lose a current season ticket holder, you potentially lose £450'ish of guaranteed income per year for many years to come.

If you piss off any away only supporter, it's one voice in a crowd - and little money for the club.

I know which one I would try to keep happy if it was my business.

 

[The Auditor]

Nobody is denying the financial stability us season ticket holders give the club. But that is no reason to deny those people who cannot afford season tickets going to any away game. Don't forget that Falmer needs 12,000 people in it every home game for the club to break even, 5,000 season ticket holders will not do that. The club needs to keep the non-season ticket holders interested and attract new supporters where it can. The Tottenham game is an ideal platform for doing just that. In the long term we need the "big game Charlies", as people unfairly call them, to become regular supporters at Falmer; denying them a fair opportunity to get tickets for games such as this will just put them off becoming regulars in the long run, which is not a clever idea.

yes as long as the big game charlies are at the bottom of the pecking order

 

[Simster]

Out of interest, how many people advocating priority for our away support have got spouses and children - with the limited time and money that goes with that?

If I was a STH, I'd certainly want to be a "big game Charlie" or whatever for a one off - but I simply don't have time to go to Sunderland away out of some misguided duty.

 

[Elms]

Nobody is denying the financial stability us season ticket holders give the club. But that is no reason to deny those people who cannot afford season tickets going to any away game. Don't forget that Falmer needs 12,000 people in it every home game for the club to break even, 5,000 season ticket holders will not do that. The club needs to keep the non-season ticket holders interested and attract new supporters where it can. The Tottenham game is an ideal platform for doing just that. In the long term we need the "big game Charlies", as people unfairly call them, to become regular supporters at Falmer; denying them a fair opportunity to get tickets for games such as this will just put them off becoming regulars in the long run, which is not a clever idea.

Well in this instance, the 'big game Charlies' look to have denied me a ticket (either that or the postal service), so I am one p!ssed off season ticket holder. I agree the club need to widen their net in preparation for Falmer, but I think it's more important to look after those who are currently helping make that dream a reality.

You haven't got a spare ticket by any chance...?!?!

 

[Saint Lennard]

Nobody is denying the financial stability us season ticket holders give the club. But that is no reason to deny those people who cannot afford season tickets going to any away game. Don't forget that Falmer needs 12,000 people in it every home game for the club to break even, 5,000 season ticket holders will not do that. The club needs to keep the non-season ticket holders interested and attract new supporters where it can. The Tottenham game is an ideal platform for doing just that. In the long term we need the "big game Charlies", as people unfairly call them, to become regular supporters at Falmer; denying them a fair opportunity to get tickets for games such as this will just put them off becoming regulars in the long run, which is not a clever idea.

12000 to break even.......... and where did you get that privileged information from?

 

[Titanic]

Fag packet calculations... shoot me down if they are way off!

Assuming our running costs are the same - park and rides, policing, stewarding etc...

We have been losing about £2m a season at Withdean.

To cover that, at todays ticket prices would need about 10,000 per home match.

Assuming we will also have LARGE MORTGAGES etc... to pay, then 12000 seems pretty minimal... only paying off £1m a year.

all wild speculation - and informed opinion gratefully received!

 

[Curious Orange]

You haven't got a spare ticket by any chance...?!?!

Just the one ticket I'm afraid, which I'll be using.

And no, I would not have been pissed off if I'd missed out, just as I wasn't pissed off when I missed out on a ticket to Bournemouth last season, or Reading a few seasons ago. Somebody else got to enjoy their days out, and I still got to see the next home match.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I am not interested in the debate as to whether season ticket holders or regular away fans should get first option on away tickets, I think that they both contribute to the club. As a season ticket holder who thinks he will not get a ticket to WHL, I wouldn't begrudge a ticket to one of the souls who travel regularly to the less glamorous outposts to get behind the stripes. I have some irritation at, what appear to be, a fair number of people who cherry pick the really big days out but wouldn't be seen dead at Rotherham or covered in a bin liner in the South Stand. If you had asked me pre-playoff final I would gave argued that we should be looking to use these games to widen the fanbase and that we should be looking to encourage new fans to attend them. However 30,000 fans attending one of the greatest days in our history has not had any impact on our home attendances at all. I think that the club should reward loyalty and with the testing months and years ahead that must become a major priority.

I suppose what I am saying is that the club should look to find away of allocating tickets to these tastier fixtures that rewards those that attend games regularly (home and/or away). Finding an equitable, and not too complex, system should not be beyond them. I dunno, maybe I am being a bit simplistic.

 

[El Presidente]

12000 to break even.......... and where did you get that privileged information from?

If you have been following the public inquiry you would know this of course.

 

[Elms]

I am not interested in the debate as to whether season ticket holders or regular away fans should get first option on away tickets, I think that they both contribute to the club. As a season ticket holder who thinks he will not get a ticket to WHL, I wouldn't begrudge a ticket to one of the souls who travel regularly to the less glamorous outposts to get behind the stripes. I have some irritation at, what appear to be, a fair number of people who cherry pick the really big days out but wouldn't be seen dead at Rotherham or covered in a bin liner in the South Stand. If you had asked me pre-playoff final I would gave argued that we should be looking to use these games to widen the fanbase and that we should be looking to encourage new fans to attend them. However 30,000 fans attending one of the greatest days in our history has not had any impact on our home attendances at all. I think that the club should reward loyalty and with the testing months and years ahead that must become a major priority.

I suppose what I am saying is that the club should look to find away of allocating tickets to these tastier fixtures that rewards those that attend games regularly (home and/or away). Finding an equitable, and not too complex, system should not be beyond them. I dunno, maybe I am being a bit simplistic.

 

[The Auditor]

I am not interested in the debate as to whether season ticket holders or regular away fans should get first option on away tickets, I think that they both contribute to the club. As a season ticket holder who thinks he will not get a ticket to WHL, I wouldn't begrudge a ticket to one of the souls who travel regularly to the less glamorous outposts to get behind the stripes. I have some irritation at, what appear to be, a fair number of people who cherry pick the really big days out but wouldn't be seen dead at Rotherham or covered in a bin liner in the South Stand. If you had asked me pre-playoff final I would gave argued that we should be looking to use these games to widen the fanbase and that we should be looking to encourage new fans to attend them. However 30,000 fans attending one of the greatest days in our history has not had any impact on our home attendances at all. I think that the club should reward loyalty and with the testing months and years ahead that must become a major priority.

I suppose what I am saying is that the club should look to find away of allocating tickets to these tastier fixtures that rewards those that attend games regularly (home and/or away). Finding an equitable, and not too complex, system should not be beyond them. I dunno, maybe I am being a bit simplistic.

you are right but the feeling among the dissenters is that the club just want to offload the tickets with minimum admin regardless of who the go to

 

[Curious Orange]

you are right but the feeling among the dissenters is that the club just want to offload the tickets with minimum admin regardless of who the go to

Which is no bad thing given our financial position.

 

[The Auditor]

Which is no bad thing given our financial position.

Are you in business?...then the loyal customers piss off and future sales fall

 

[Titanic]

The 'loyal customers' that you should be concerned about are the ones that keep your business afloat... in this case the Season Ticket holders.

 

[Curious Orange]

Are you in business?...then the loyal customers piss off and future sales fall

I expect there will be about 6,000 very happy customers at White Hart Lane on January the 8th.