The Amex ticketing process - a chat with Paul Barber

[Bozza]

So should I want to just turn up on spec on the day at 2.45pm and pay on the gate, am I able to do that?


(not that I am actually going to, as I live much too far away and have other things to do)

Pretty much, yes - you'd buy your ticket at Brighton Station on your way through.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

So should I want to just turn up on spec on the day at 2.45pm and pay on the gate, am I able to do that?


(not that I am actually going to, as I live much too far away and have other things to do)

The club are selling tickets from the mobile shop at Brighton Station on matchdays. You can also purchase a ticket from the ticket office at The Amex but they want you to buy it by 2pm to avoid there being massive queues at the ticket office.

 

[Hiney]

I had to call the ticket office today.

I had two season tickets last season but had to give them up because of work issues. I can go tomorrow so wanted to buy for me and 2 of my children.

When I got through, I was advised that there was a block on my account because of 4 unpaid direct debits. I explained that I had cancelled because of work but they said I had never advised them in writing. We went backwards and forwards for a bit but eventually, due to the brilliant work by Oliver in the ticket office, we got it sorted.

My tickets for tomorrow are costing £30.01 - £25 for me, £5 for Fraser and 1p for Macy, because of some random offer that on on at the moment. They are also going to send out some goodies for the kids because of the inconvenience. This is irrelevant to the debate about availability, but it does show that decent customer service is alive and kicking in the ticket office, contrary to what many might think.

What is not so good Is that I had to pay £2.50 per ticket booking fee - that's a £5 booking fee for two of the tickets that actually cost £5.01

Mental

 

[edna krabappel]

For the sake of Bozza's newly rediscovered Albion mojo, let us all join hands and give a brief prayer for three points and (if it's not too greedy) an impressive performance against Huddersfield.

You know what to do, God

 

[Socialist Sid]

For the sake of Bozza's newly rediscovered Albion mojo, let us all join hands and give a brief prayer for three points and (if it's not too greedy) an impressive performance against Huddersfield.

You know what to do, God

Hey Crabbie, happy birthday.

 

[Brovion]

...

- The club do not hold back cheap tickets to try and force people into buying more expensive seats. They do, however, intentionally release blocks in sequence for reasons of operational efficiency. Any block that has had even one ticket sold has to be fully staffed and this costs. As such the club will only release a new block when earlier block(s) are close to full. This approach clearly makes sense.

....

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

You can't be bothered to make a phone call but can be bothered to post a gripe on here. Ummm....ok.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

I'd rather the club was at least straight up with the numbers - either way. Either announce the attendance figure as those actually "in attendance" or announce the figure as "tickets sold". Surely it can't be that difficult...

The club HAVE admitted they publicise tickets sold not persons attended. Even Darren Balkham said so on Albion roar a few weeks ago. Darren also said he knows how many people attend for safety reasons but club policy is tickets sold.

 

[Bozza]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

There was an issue with the ticketing system earlier this week that was unrelated to any process-driven release of tickets.

There should ALWAYS be availability for groups to buy online - if there isn't something has likely gone wrong.

 

[Bozza]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

There was an issue with the ticketing system earlier this week that was unrelated to any process-driven release of tickets.

There should ALWAYS be availability for groups to buy online - if there isn't something has likely gone wrong.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

Do you go through life with the same determined, I will succeed at all costs attitude?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

You can do this by buying tickets in person either at Brighton Station or, now, at the Amex on the day. Indeed, it's been possible to buy tickets on matchday via the Amex ticket office since the stadium opened.

 

[B.W.]

So they DO hold back tickets.

I wanted to attend my first match of the season on Saturday. My daughter's down from Manchester and as a Christmas treat it was mentioned that the four of us could go to the football like the old days, however I couldn't find four seats together on-line. Now I'm very much a casual fan these days so for a virtually meaningless (but still very expensive) match I'm not prepared to try other avenues such as phoning up the ticket office to check if the website was lying, and I'm certainly not prepared (or even able) to go to the club shop. I went on-line, the computer said 'no' so that was it. Saved myself the best part of £150 so I'm not really moaning - quite pleased in fact!

Until they can square that circle of new blocks not coming on-stream whilst there are a random number of seats left in the currently-available blocks they'll always lose sales.

This message a bit worrying TBH. The butterflies fluttering away with any kind of minor obstacle to purchasing tickets I mean.

 

[desprateseagull]

i do wish ticket prices were shown up front, rather than have to go searching each block for a price..

 

[Beach Hut]

There was definitely an issue this week with the whole on-line system as I had 4 x Derby tickets blocked and it advised reserved so had to ring the ticket office to actually buy them.

 

[Silkster365]

This message a bit worrying TBH. The butterflies fluttering away with any kind of minor obstacle to purchasing tickets I mean.

I think it's a very fair and honest post. This will be the case for 90% of casual non-STH fans and is something the club need to wake up to

 

[TSB]

i do wish ticket prices were shown up front, rather than have to go searching each block for a price..

Worth mentioning to the club, as they're working with the provider to improve things: would be fairly easy to implement I'd imagine.

 

[Brovion]

You can't be bothered to make a phone call but can be bothered to post a gripe on here. Ummm....ok.

I specifically said I WASN'T moaning, merely sharing my experience of the ticketing system in what seemed like the relevant place. But you're right, I couldn't be bothered to make a phone call and why should I? Like I said I wasn't that fussed about going and I would have thought that the information about availability would be the same regardless of whatever source I checked, so ringing the ticket office would have been a waste of time. (Although according to Bozza perhaps in this instance it wouldn't have been).

You can do this by buying tickets in person either at Brighton Station or, now, at the Amex on the day. Indeed, it's been possible to buy tickets on matchday via the Amex ticket office since the stadium opened.

Too risky. Even after reading Bozza's reply that the information I'd been given was wrong if we'd just turned up at Brighton station or the stadium could we have got four seats together?

 

[Brovion]

Do you go through life with the same determined, I will succeed at all costs attitude?

It depends! If the match was an important one then yes, I'd have made more effort, but attending a mid-season bog-standard League game against unfashionable opponents comes way down my list of 'worthwhile things to do on a Saturday afternoon'. I've just finished my Christmas shopping, ordered some stuff for myself off Amazon (which I know no one will give me) and as I'm on-line I thought I'd come on here. I'm going to check the score now ...

 

[Stat Brother]

You can't be bothered to make a phone call but can be bothered to post a gripe on here. Ummm....ok.

Do you go through life with the same determined, I will succeed at all costs attitude?

Where were you guys when I was getting my butt kicked for daring to suggest people who can't get instant gratification either come back later, or call the ticket office.

http://www.northstandchat.com/showt...ding-like-a-right-bore-with-Paul-Barber-reply

Anyone would think I was asking people to cut off limbs.