The issue with the ballot

[GuangzhouBlade]

Or possibly MY issue with the ballot…

The group I attend away matches with have between 40,000 and 55,000 points each.
2 of us managed to get tickets for Barnsley, Bournemouth and Luton and 2 did not.

What this Ballot has done is create even more of a closed shop whereby anyone who has 50,000 plus simply has to buy their ticket now even if they don’t plan on attending and can sell it on. This of course isn't everyone I’m sure most fans are on 55,000+ point because they have attended most games for 10+ years. But there is a growing number of away tickets for sale on facebook twitter etc at FV and even above FV.

All the allocations are now 10% smaller and its a well known fact that if we get 2,000 tickets, 2,000 never go on sale by the time club staff, players etc have have had their share (which I have no problem with btw, perks of the job) So a 2,000 ticket allocation could effectively be as low as 1500-1600 tickets.

Having 40-50,000 loyalty points means nothing now as you can’t get tickets for
enough away games to be able to “catch up” with those on 55,000 plus

You have exactly the same chance of getting a ticket as someone with 10,000 points.

Without wishing to overcomplicate the system surely a weighting could be applied to the ballot if it is indeed here to stay so those with a considerable number of points have a graater chance than those with very few points?

 

[pudseyblade]

There are lots of tweaks that could be made, but ultimately most people will just argue for the one that suits them best! I like the idea of a ballot, it does open it up somewhat. My personal tweak would be don't award ANY points for games that are on a Saturday with allocations < 2500.

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

There are lots of tweaks that could be made, but ultimately most people will just argue for the one that suits them best! I like the idea of a ballot, it does open it up somewhat. My personal tweak would be don't award ANY points for games that are on a Saturday with allocations < 2500.

Thats a good shout the number of points awarded for certain games is baffling at times. I remember in the league one days getting 50 points for Swindon on a Tuesday night.

 

[mattbianco1]

As someone who can get a ticket on the first day, i still feel that a rollover of points should come into play. By that i mean like a 3 or 5 year rolling points system where the oldest points drop off. Those that still go to every game will still have the top points and they'll never drop off as they continue to go.

Using this system would screw me though as i don't go to them all, i haven't been away this season yet, but my point accumulated over the past 15years means i'm still in the top band

 

[SwissBlade]

Or possibly MY issue with the ballot…

The group I attend away matches with have between 40,000 and 55,000 points each.
2 of us managed to get tickets for Barnsley, Bournemouth and Luton and 2 did not.

What this Ballot has done is create even more of a closed shop whereby anyone who has 50,000 plus simply has to buy their ticket now even if they don’t plan on attending and can sell it on. This of course isn't everyone I’m sure most fans are on 55,000+ point because they have attended most games for 10+ years. But there is a growing number of away tickets for sale on facebook twitter etc at FV and even above FV.

All the allocations are now 10% smaller and its a well known fact that if we get 2,000 tickets, 2,000 never go on sale by the time club staff, players etc have have had their share (which I have no problem with btw, perks of the job) So a 2,000 ticket allocation could effectively be as low as 1500-1600 tickets.

Having 40-50,000 loyalty points means nothing now as you can’t get tickets for
enough away games to be able to “catch up” with those on 55,000 plus

You have exactly the same chance of getting a ticket as someone with 10,000 points.

Without wishing to overcomplicate the system surely a weighting could be applied to the ballot if it is indeed here to stay so those with a considerable number of points have a graater chance than those with very few points?

To be fair I've got 40k+ and had no problem getting tickets to the games i wanted to - WBA and Hull, when i looked for Boro there were plenty available. Was due to be away for Barnsley so don't know what it went down to. It was always going to be high demand. Though in the past I never had any issues getting tickets for Barnsley away

I don't like the principal of the Ballot as i've mentioned before though, for similar reasons which you've mentioned, people just below the top clusters of Loyalty points will probably not get chance to build up their points into the 40,000 group as the tickets will always go to ballot. So the loyalty of those fans who've built up their points over the dark dark days will get lost amongst the new fans. And that doesn't make any sense

 

[Cheesebored]

Or possibly MY issue with the ballot…

The group I attend away matches with have between 40,000 and 55,000 points each.
2 of us managed to get tickets for Barnsley, Bournemouth and Luton and 2 did not.

What this Ballot has done is create even more of a closed shop whereby anyone who has 50,000 plus simply has to buy their ticket now even if they don’t plan on attending and can sell it on. This of course isn't everyone I’m sure most fans are on 55,000+ point because they have attended most games for 10+ years. But there is a growing number of away tickets for sale on facebook twitter etc at FV and even above FV.

All the allocations are now 10% smaller and its a well known fact that if we get 2,000 tickets, 2,000 never go on sale by the time club staff, players etc have have had their share (which I have no problem with btw, perks of the job) So a 2,000 ticket allocation could effectively be as low as 1500-1600 tickets.

Having 40-50,000 loyalty points means nothing now as you can’t get tickets for
enough away games to be able to “catch up” with those on 55,000 plus

You have exactly the same chance of getting a ticket as someone with 10,000 points.

Without wishing to overcomplicate the system surely a weighting could be applied to the ballot if it is indeed here to stay so those with a considerable number of points have a graater chance than those with very few points?

I honestly don't mean this as a dig but was your conscience pricked when you and your mates could easily get tickets with larger allocations in the Premier league?

 

[Blade.com]

Or possibly MY issue with the ballot…

The group I attend away matches with have between 40,000 and 55,000 points each.
2 of us managed to get tickets for Barnsley, Bournemouth and Luton and 2 did not.

What this Ballot has done is create even more of a closed shop whereby anyone who has 50,000 plus simply has to buy their ticket now even if they don’t plan on attending and can sell it on. This of course isn't everyone I’m sure most fans are on 55,000+ point because they have attended most games for 10+ years. But there is a growing number of away tickets for sale on facebook twitter etc at FV and even above FV.

All the allocations are now 10% smaller and its a well known fact that if we get 2,000 tickets, 2,000 never go on sale by the time club staff, players etc have have had their share (which I have no problem with btw, perks of the job) So a 2,000 ticket allocation could effectively be as low as 1500-1600 tickets.

Having 40-50,000 loyalty points means nothing now as you can’t get tickets for
enough away games to be able to “catch up” with those on 55,000 plus

You have exactly the same chance of getting a ticket as someone with 10,000 points.

Without wishing to overcomplicate the system surely a weighting could be applied to the ballot if it is indeed here to stay so those with a considerable number of points have a graater chance than those with very few points?

Have the Barnsley tickets gone on sale yet? If they have , missed that.

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

I honestly don't mean this as a dig but was your conscience pricked when you and your mates could easily get tickets with larger allocations in the Premier league?

Like others have said before everyone (myself included) will want a system that suits them. I accept that and just for the record I did manage to get Luton and Barnsley tickets.

In the past when I have missed out, (Bournemouth away in the Premier League springs to mind) I had no issue as people who got tickets had more points which is fair enough. Now I’m in a position where I have almost caught up points wise and the goal posts have been moved by the club overnight. I appreciate my gripe may only really resonate with those who have between 40 and 50 thousand points but its a gripe none the less

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

Have the Barnsley tickets gone on sale yet? If they have , missed that.

Sold out yesterday, 50,000 points needed if that makes you feel better or worse?

If you are on twitter its worth following SUFC Fan services as that seems the only place the club posts ticket news reliably.

 

[Blade.com]

Sold out yesterday, 50,000 points needed if that makes you feel better or worse?

If you are on twitter its worth following SUFC Fan services as that seems the only place the club posts ticket news reliably.

Bugger, worse. Usually get email saying so and so tickets on sale. Not one for that. Not on twitter. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Cheesebored]

Like others have said before everyone (myself included) will want a system that suits them. I accept that and just for the record I did manage to get Luton and Barnsley tickets.

In the past when I have missed out, (Bournemouth away in the Premier League springs to mind) I had no issue as people who got tickets had more points which is fair enough. Now I’m in a position where I have almost caught up points wise and the goal posts have been moved by the club overnight. I appreciate my gripe may only really resonate with those who have between 40 and 50 thousand points but its a gripe none the less

I think my point, as you allude to, is that there's never a point when everyone is going to be happy with the points system. I've attended games home and away for 35 + years with my mates and we're obviously at the higher end points wise but there comes a time when situations change. I'd love to be able to attend away games with my 2 lads but they have around 15,000 and 10,000 points respectively meaning its never going to happen unless we scam the system by using other people's points, something I don't personally agree with.

 

[Rodders]

I think my point, as you allude to, is that there's never a point when everyone is going to be happy with the points system. I've attended games home and away for 35 + years with my mates and we're obviously at the higher end points wise but there comes a time when situations change. I'd love to be able to attend away games with my 2 lads but they have around 15,000 and 10,000 points respectively meaning its never going to happen unless we scam the system by using other people's points, something I don't personally agree with.

Lad’s got 40,000 loyalty points coming from Guangzhou - he can go to any match he wants for me

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

I think my point, as you allude to, is that there's never a point when everyone is going to be happy with the points system. I've attended games home and away for 35 + years with my mates and we're obviously at the higher end points wise but there comes a time when situations change. I'd love to be able to attend away games with my 2 lads but they have around 15,000 and 10,000 points respectively meaning its never going to happen unless we scam the system by using other people's points, something I don't personally agree with.

Thats my biggest dissapointment with the changes they don’t really do anything to address the issue surrounding the next generation. They have alienated a certain proportion of fans who lets face it must have been somewhat loyal to have accrued 45,000 points and yet do nothing to get youngsters on board.

Presumably at the minute you can buy a ticket, then have to enter your two lads in the ballot and hope that by some mircale they both get tickets? You can’t book trains in advance because you don’t know if you will all get tickets? And if both your lads don’t get tickets you then have the faff of returning your ticket or one happy son and one in tears (age dependant)

 

[Rochdaleblade]

Surely if anyone is found to have sold tickets on, then their loyalty points could be reduced or cancelled. Obviously you can't police blokes it a pub but sending a screenshot to the club should be fairly easy to do.

 

[Blade.com]

Agree, same as you. Went to most Premier league games on my own because my daughter was always just short. But there was always lots of youngish children there. Not complaining ,it is how it is. Always wondered how they managed it though. But if people have lots of points its there perogative to do as they wish with them I suppose, after all to accumulate 50 odd thousand points it's cost a lot of money to get them.

 

[LJBlade]

I might be missing something here, why do those on 50,000+ points have to buy their ticket?

 

[Cheesebored]

Thats my biggest dissapointment with the changes they don’t really do anything to address the issue surrounding the next generation. They have alienated a certain proportion of fans who lets face it must have been somewhat loyal to have accrued 45,000 points and yet do nothing to get youngsters on board.

Presumably at the minute you can buy a ticket, then have to enter your two lads in the ballot and hope that by some mircale they both get tickets? You can’t book trains in advance because you don’t know if you will all get tickets? And if both your lads don’t get tickets you then have the faff of returning your ticket or one happy son and one in tears (age dependant)

I'm unsure regards seating arrangements for successful ballot applications. My youngest is 13 and if he was lucky enough to get a ticket in a ballot I wouldn't like to think he could end up next to the away fans like at Hull, on his own. (He'd probably enjoy it TBH but parental responsibility and all that). As an aside, we all attended the Hull game as points were obviously a non issue.

 

[Cheesebored]

I might be missing something here, why do those on 50,000+ points have to buy their ticket?

To carry on accruing points even if they can't attend.

 

[BettingBlade]

As someone who is less than 100 points short of 50,000, the ballot certainly isn’t of any use to me.

I’m not actually sure we even need a ballot while we’re in the Championship. Less than half the away games this season have actually gone to a ballot which surely in itself shows that it isn’t needed or certainly isn’t the most effective way of distributing tickets.

I’d be confident to say that if we’d been allocated the full stand at Barnsley, given the kick off time and the amount of tickets we would have got, it would have gone to general sale.

 

[BettingBlade]

As someone who can get a ticket on the first day, i still feel that a rollover of points should come into play. By that i mean like a 3 or 5 year rolling points system where the oldest points drop off. Those that still go to every game will still have the top points and they'll never drop off as they continue to go.

Using this system would screw me though as i don't go to them all, i haven't been away this season yet, but my point accumulated over the past 15years means i'm still in the top band

Another problem was that you used to get way more loyalty points per game than you get now. I’m sure it used to be 150 minimum for any away game, or certainly the majority of them.

But I’m pretty sure most clubs base ticket priority on recent attendance. I think Man U and the like have a requirement where you have to attended at least x amount of away games in the last 2 seasons. Or something like that anyway.

 

[TCW]

I'm in the bracket mentioned above (47,500+ points) and the ballot is slightly annoying as it takes a couple of hundred out of every allocation but I guess it's one of those things. Trying to do every home and away game this year and this might be the last one I struggle with. Fingers crossed for the ballot.

 

[LJBlade]

To carry on accruing points even if they can't attend.

But that's completely against the purpose of the point system. Anyone who has an issue with it is essentially saying that they want a system whereby they're always at the front of the queue for tickets. How are those with fewer points supposed to get themselves into a position where they can buy tickets.

 

[BettingBlade]

But that's completely against the purpose of the point system. Anyone who has an issue with it is essentially saying that they want a system whereby they're always at the front of the queue for tickets. How are those with fewer points supposed to get themselves into a position where they can buy tickets.

We’ve had three home cup games this season where less than half the ground was open. That wouldn’t be a bad start.

We’ve also had an away game at Hull that went to general sale so no one is missing out there. Most of the other away games have either been midweek, awkward to get to or smaller allocations.

There will be plenty of opportunity while ever we are in the championship for people to attend away games if they want to. It’s only when we’re in the Premier League that it’s a problem week in week out.

 

[Rodders]

But that's completely against the purpose of the point system. Anyone who has an issue with it is essentially saying that they want a system whereby they're always at the front of the queue for tickets. How are those with fewer points supposed to get themselves into a position where they can buy tickets.

I think that’s the point, that those at the front of the queue are buying tickets for those games they can’t get to, to ensure they are still at the front.
If they’re on social media doing it, get them grassed up!

 

[nopigfansintown]

Or possibly MY issue with the ballot…

The group I attend away matches with have between 40,000 and 55,000 points each.
2 of us managed to get tickets for Barnsley, Bournemouth and Luton and 2 did not.

What this Ballot has done is create even more of a closed shop whereby anyone who has 50,000 plus simply has to buy their ticket now even if they don’t plan on attending and can sell it on. This of course isn't everyone I’m sure most fans are on 55,000+ point because they have attended most games for 10+ years. But there is a growing number of away tickets for sale on facebook twitter etc at FV and even above FV.

All the allocations are now 10% smaller and its a well known fact that if we get 2,000 tickets, 2,000 never go on sale by the time club staff, players etc have have had their share (which I have no problem with btw, perks of the job) So a 2,000 ticket allocation could effectively be as low as 1500-1600 tickets.

Having 40-50,000 loyalty points means nothing now as you can’t get tickets for
enough away games to be able to “catch up” with those on 55,000 plus

You have exactly the same chance of getting a ticket as someone with 10,000 points.

Without wishing to overcomplicate the system surely a weighting could be applied to the ballot if it is indeed here to stay so those with a considerable number of points have a graater chance than those with very few points?

The ballot is a sticking plaster on a systematic problem that can only be "fixed" by a cut off point for loyalty points. This is what Blades fans voted for as the solution to that problem so that is that. The people losing out are those closest to the pre ballot "sell out". Something was always going to be done as realistically there is no organic way to climb the greasy pole.

 

[BettingBlade]

Something was always going to be done as realistically there is no organic way to climb the greasy pole.

I think that’s maybe more relevant in the Premier League. I think we will see far less away games being sold the first two brackets this season.

Bigger allocations often tend to go down to general sale too. I think when we’re in the Championship there’s much greater scope for building up points than in the Premier League.

I could understand the ballots more if we were selling out on the first day every game, but we’re not. So what’s happening instead is people near the top will be missing out on the games where actually their loyalty should be rewarded because the occasions where games sell out in the top 2,3,4 brackets will be less frequent this season than they were in the Premier League.

 

[Cheesebored]

We’ve had three home cup games this season where less than half the ground was open. That wouldn’t be a bad start.

I take your point but it would take for us to win the cup 5 years on the trot and no one with 40,000 points to attend to get levelled out. It's never going to happen.(Obviously this was a blatant estimation).

 

[BettingBlade]

I take your point but it would take for us to win the cup 5 years on the trot and no one with 40,000 points to attend to get levelled out. It's never going to happen.(Obviously this was a blatant estimation).

True but the argument starts when an away game has sold out quickly. The only time it’s been a major issue where it’s been literally impossible for anyone under 45k points get to any away game was for just over half a season in the Premier League.

Obviously there’s a different argument for younger fans but it’s been the case with low attendances in theearly cup games ever since I started supporting.

I’m not against reforming the loyalty points system, I’m just not sure how this current ballot system helps people build up points any more than a rolling system where points drop off in order to reward more recent loyalty. If the argument for reforming it is for fans to build up points, then I don’t think this ballot system will help with that.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

(Another) alternative is going in the ‘home’ area
At last count I was a member of 27 different clubs (including Northampton;Wimbledon; Slumderland; Burton; Stoke)
Not missed a game I wanted to attend (pre CV19)
1 or 2 have started charging a ‘membership’ fee (mostly 10 quid but can be more)

Probably shouldn’t be sharing this as I’ll end up sitting with coke addled fuck wits ( just like @ t’Lane)

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

(Another) alternative is going in the ‘home’ area
At last count I was a member of 27 different clubs (including Northampton;Wimbledon; Slumderland; Burton; Stoke)
Not missed a game I wanted to attend (pre CV19)
1 or 2 have started charging a ‘membership’ fee (mostly 10 quid but can be more)

Probably shouldn’t be sharing this as I’ll end up sitting with coke addled fuck wits ( just like @ t’Lane)