The Amex Stadium will be "cashless" according to the Argus!

[Robot Chicken]

"Aplogies in advance if this is fixtures".

Taken from the Argus:
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8318...Community_Stadium_will_be__cashless_/?ref=rss

American Express Community Stadium will be "cashless"

Brighton and Hove Albion’s new home at Falmer will be a cashless stadium.

Fans using the American Express Community Stadium will pay for merchandise, food and drink using smart cards modelled on London Underground’s Oyster card system.

Every fan visiting the new stadium, which will host its first league game in August next year, will be issued with their own personal smart card.

Season ticket holders will automatically have all league games uploaded on the cards, which are intended to shorten queues at the ground.

They will simply “top up” with the necessary credit for additional cup matches.

Fans will be able to put credit on their smart cards in the same way as mobile phones are topped up, allowing them purchase refreshments without fumbling around for loose change.

The smart cards will also store loyalty data, like the number of home and away matches an individual has attended, making the allocation of tickets for popular games less of an administrative headache for the club and supporter.

 

[Whitterz]

I saw this too. Surely they must have it wrong. Canty see people wanting to "top up" thier cards in order to buy a burger and a beer at half time...

 

[pishhead]

I saw this too. Surely they must have it wrong. Canty see people wanting to "top up" thier cards in order to buy a burger and a beer at half time...

Ajax have a similar system and it makes things a whole lot quicker, rather than having to give money and get change a simple swipe and its all done.

 

[Robot Chicken]

If I forget my smart card or it's a couple of quid short, will I be refused service??

 

[Whitterz]

Ajax have a similar system and it makes things a whole lot quicker, rather than having to give money and get change a simple swipe and its all done.

Yes, but we have alot of fans who are either inbreds or dense.

Cant see 82 year old Cyril, lifetime Goldstone old boy flipping out his smart card paying for things left right and centre. Its going to be a PAINFUL first few months for other supporters, and dare I say it , the staff.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

If I forget my smart card or it's a couple of quid short, will I be refused service??

You'll be refused entry anyway as it'll have your match "ticket" on it.

 

[Robot Chicken]

You'll be refused entry anyway as it'll have your match "ticket" on it.

Not necessarily. I have a smart card for this new season as I'm in the north stand. If I forget my card I can go to the ticket office and they will issue a paper ticket (after checking to see the card hasn't been used) for a £5 charge.

To have to remember to top it up with a few quid every time I go to the new stadium will be a pain in the arse.

Just thinking, there's no mention if this card will be used for buying a programme or Withdean Wager (Falmer Flutter?) ticket. So you'll still need to take cash along?!

 

[Manny]

I would have thought this was just an option. . for fans that want to go cashless. Surely there will have to be a cash option. What about away fans? what about someone who only ever attends one game? wouldn't be reasonable to issue a card to absolutely every one.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Not necessarily. I have a smart card for this new season as I'm in the north stand. If I forget my card I can go to the ticket office and they will issue a paper ticket (after checking to see the card hasn't been used) for a £5 charge. Seems fair enough

To have to remember to top it up with a few quid every time I go to the new stadium will be a pain in the arse. Do it less often perhaps, I don't top up my Oyster Card everyday/week but don't find it a pain anyway.

Just thinking, there's no mention if this card will be used for buying a programme or Withdean Wager (Falmer Flutter?) ticket. So you'll still need to take cash along?! I assume it'll be cashless throughout.

...

 

[BrightonSeagulls]

I really dont know, its a hard one, surely producing the cards and issuing them to absolutely everyone that goes to a game even if they only go to one will be difficult, also, away supporters wont have this card so they will make it half cash half card?, i wouls think there will be a cash option to be honnest.

 

[BrightonSeagulls]

if you were to go to a burger stand an see that your card doesn have much money on it, can you top it up at the burger stand?
:albion1:

 

[auschr]

there should always be a cash option

 

[DanielT]

Couldn't it just be linked to a debit/credit card/bank-account instead of topped up? They keep your details on a secure server and set up a standing order to take whatever you spend.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I would have thought this was just an option. . for fans that want to go cashless. Surely there will have to be a cash option. What about away fans? what about someone who only ever attends one game? wouldn't be reasonable to issue a card to absolutely every one.

Why wouldn't it be reasonable?

If you buy a fifty pence bus ticket in some European countries, it comes as a smart card.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

If I forget my smart card or it's a couple of quid short, will I be refused service??

It'll be a bit like leaving your wallet at home at the moment, or forgetting to put money in your trouser pocket.

The bastards won't let you have a half-time burger.

 

[Everest]

Not necessarily. I have a smart card for this new season as I'm in the north stand. If I forget my card I can go to the ticket office and they will issue a paper ticket (after checking to see the card hasn't been used) for a £5 charge.

Ermmmm, there won't be a ticket office at the stadium.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I would have thought this was just an option. . for fans that want to go cashless. Surely there will have to be a cash option. What about away fans? what about someone who only ever attends one game? wouldn't be reasonable to issue a card to absolutely every one.

I went to Man City and they don't have tickets, only cards, which they send you even if you only go to one match. You then get a new card every season and I assume it is the same for away fans (as we were in the home end). It is not a cashless stadium but I assume that the money will just be added to the card, like pre pay on Oyster Card as the article says. It sounds a good idea to me but might be a problem initially.

 

[clippedgull]

More details in the Argus this morning.

It won't be 100% cashless, there will still be options to pay for drinks,food etc with cash. It is hoped most fans will embrace the technology in order to help the queues reduce quicker.

Also this system for obvious reasons will not apply to away fans.

 

[Mendoza]

surely this wont be the case for AWAY fans?

that would be ridiculous getting all of them, every game to have a top up card. Will they get sent one instead of a ticket when they purchase from their ticket office?

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Can you top up your card with cash?