Loyalty Scheme

[Linz]

I suppose with the shenanigans with people trying to get tickets in the past couple of days and the prospect (however slim) of a raft of Premiership grounds to go to next season... it might be an idea to gauge what your thoughts are on the loyalty scheme.

We were discussing the possibility of a scheme like this way back in 2005 as a way of setting priority for high profile matches.

It was clear that United were becoming victims of their own success by having far too many ST holders to have priority based purely on that. Instead, a lot of priority that season was based on ST holders with stubs, which ended up being a bit of logistical nightmare.

The massive queues for Wednesday tickets that season also prompted debate.

The club responded to the criticism and introduced the loyalty scheme... but were again criticised for this coming in at the same time as promotion. This meant that those who could afford to go to all the expensive Premiership grounds notched up the points whilst others didn't.

Since our relegation from the Premiership, the loyalty scheme has very rarely been utilised. Wednesday, Barnsley, Arsenal away in the cup and Doncaster have been the only matches where those waiting for general sale weren running the risk of not getting tickets. Some away matches have even sidestepped the loyalty scheme altogether... Plymouth being one this season.

Those who go to the most games continue to get the points. I think for someone who has been to every game and renewed their STs early must be around 15000-16000 points.

Obviously, newcomers are never going to be able to compete for points. Again this leads to criticism that the club is not doing enough to make away matches viable to pick and choose fans. As mentioned before though, the flip side to this is the fact that very few matches need high loyalty points to secure tickets.

The same goes for exiles, but the membership scheme was created with them in mind and secures them priority before general sale.

For me personally, the loyalty scheme works in my favour. I make sacrifices to be able to go to away matches and know I can always get tickets. I'm just as likely to go to Home Park as I am Old Trafford. I've missed a couple of away matches for the last two seasons to save cash... but these were more based on grounds I've been to lots of times rather than the attractiveness of the game itself. This so far hasn't affected my priority because I've always had about 3k more points than I actually need for the first day sales.

If I did slip down a bit, I wouldn't complain... just choices I made.

So what do you think about the loyalty scheme?

Is it working?

How does it affect you?

If you don't like it, do you think there is some other scheme that would be feasible for the club to introduce?

 

[DazBlade88]

So what do you think about the loyalty scheme? For me, like yourself it's great. I'm on around 18,000 points at the moment so I'm never in doubt of getting a ticket.

Is it working? I think so, I don't want to sound like I'm on my high horse when I say it, but I've missed 1 away game in 5 years now, and when you go you always see the regulars who've been travelling up and down the country to watch us too, no matter what the price, distance or weather conditions, and they're always able to get tickets for the big games without the queuing and no fuss.

How does it affect you? It makes it easy for me, saves me having to queue aswell. I'm rarely in the ticket office longer than 10 minutes these days

 

[Linz]

...and when you go you always see the regulars who've been travelling up and down the country to watch us too, no matter what the price, distance or weather conditions, and they're always able to get tickets for the big games without the queuing and no fuss.

Yeah... you tend to get the same old faces everywhere. And it isn't the youths who claim they're the "diehards" either. For the most part, they're older fans who've done their time with the Blades and are taking their kids or even grandkids.

I'm sure some of the little kids would prefer a trip to the seaside at the weekend instead

I've been reading through the old threads and Berks mentioned a Saturday Season Ticket for those who can't make midweek games... I think this would be a good idea for those who have to travel and with the automated cards, I can't see why this couldn't be implemented.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

I've always wondered (sorry to be slightly off topic but this is probably the best thread to get an answer), how does the loyalty point system work for those with young children? I go to every home game with mine, now presumably they don't have as many points as me because of; a) the free season ticket offer, b) I often purchase additional tickets for friends and family and the points always get added to my account, c) tickets for cup games etc will probably just get added onto my account.

The program always says "one ticket per supporter", which has always put me off going down when they are restricting sales to loyalty point holders (even when I qualify). Do they make allowances for people with young kids (who are junior blades, junior ST holders, etc) and allow us to buy an additional ticket or two? I've always imaged they do but I've never seen it in writing anywhere and I'm scared of queueing for an hour to be told "no".

 

[derrywan]

I've been reading through the old threads and Berks mentioned a Saturday Season Ticket for those who can't make midweek games... I think this would be a good idea for those who have to travel and with the automated cards, I can't see why this couldn't be implemented.

that's why i had to give my season up in the end - so many midweek games and games moved for telly that I was getting none of the value of having a season. Although by assigning my ticket to an 8 year old lad he's now got loads of points and I've had to start the loyalty from scratch this season with a membership and away game points.

 

[Linz]

Do they make allowances for people with young kids (who are junior blades, junior ST holders, etc) and allow us to buy an additional ticket or two?

I have absolutely no idea to be honest with you

Might be worth an email to the club to check it out... [email protected] They shouldn't have owt better to do tomorrow than answer emails now they've flogged all the tickets

I should imagine that even the free tickets get loyalty points?

 

[rachyblade]

I dont have a problem with the scheme i've got enough points too for tickets. But I can see your point on 'newer' fans who havent picked up the points over the past couple of seasons.
If we did go up it might be an idea to scrap the points from previous seasons and just use this seasons points, this would screw me up as i havent been able to afford many away games this season but it would be better for other fans to give them a chance.

I think wolves did an away season ticket the last time they were in the prem.

 

[Berks_Blade]

Scheme sort of works, given that hardly any games sell out and so restrict people who haven't been able to build up points. And staggering the sales as they do must make it easier both for the ticket office, and for fans trying to get through on phone lines etc.

To stop it ever reaching a point where newer fans can't ever build up enough points to compete, I think that there should be a rolling total after 3-4 years (maybe at the end of next season) whereby at the start of a season, the points from the earliest previous year get knocked off.

My earlier suggestion of saturday STs are complicated by the fact that games can get switched for tv on only a few weeks notice, so that you can't say at the start of the season how many there'll be. But should be poss to do a scheme where maybe the club keeps a direct debit agreement, and automatically collect a suitable fee (say a couple of quid less than the single ticket price) for each saturday game. But probably not worth the time/effort it would take to work out the details for the number of travelling fans it would attract.

 

[jodman]

I personally think that the only benefit of the loyalty scheme, as has been alluded to in this thread already, is to provide the club with staggered waves of people queuing outside the ticket office for the big away trips rather then full on car park assaults as in years passed.

I get to about 70% of home games these days and maybe take in five away days a season and i can honestly say that i have had no problem what so ever getting tickets for games this season.

Incidently i have had a season ticket for 9 years before this season and when i checked my loyalty points earlier this year it turned out that i only had about 300 according to their system so they have obviously cocked up my points from previous seasons.

 

[bennicholson]

I think its a rite good idea it rewards the loyler fans with the first choice.
i remember playing Newcastle in the FA cup and standing with my dad for hours
ahh it was shite!!
but now theres hardly ever any ques.

 

[Samantha]

im replying off my mobile so apologies as it'll all be one long sentence. i have mixed views. i agree strongly that loyal fans should be rewarded. why should those who have been week in week out north south east and west miss out? however... i have to work every saturday and get the odd one off. home games aren't an issue but if i had a saturday off on an away day id want to go and id be annoyed if i couldn't cos not got enough points. it's not my fault i've not gone to others - i simply can't! generally im ok as got over 12000 but one day i won't have. so you can understand my mixed feelings!

 

[bricktop]

I think it has been an excellent idea and has worked very well for me and quite a few others and it means that my loyalty has finally been rewarded. I remember being massively let down in the promotion season when i missed out on a ticket for Wednesday away after being to the vast majority of away games and holding a season ticket as i couldn't get down in time after being at work, and to be quite honest it was a relief when this system came in, and i think it has worked out better for me than most other people.

Without blowing my own trumpet or being big headed i'm 31 years old, been a regular at United matches since i was about 5 or 6 years old and have done over 25 years of being a regular, in that time i have probably seen 700+ United matches all over the country and on over 70 different grounds. I know many of you on here will not know me, and its easy to talk up how loyal you are on message boards but Happy Hippy i know quite well as i have spent years sat near him on the kop and he could probably clarify this. I have probably reached the stage where i have seen enough games, and got enough experience of the Blades to be able to call myself a diehard supporter, and reached the point where i know and can speak to a lot of the regular away supporters having seen them on a regular basis for a good few years.

Over the last few seasons i have averaged out at about 35 games per season, doing the full season is a bit too much with the money involved and getting the time off work is not easy, but on the plus side i think i am well rewarded by the club in terms of being more or less guaranteed tickets for any game i wish to travel to and for me that can only be a good thing.

One thing that could be done to reflect the loyalty of supporters and to even it all up is to have the points on a rolling basis and i would say that a 5 year rolling basis would be fair for all and give some of the newer fans to catch up with some of the more experienced Unitedites, whilst people who went a few years back and have built up a lot of points but choose not to go as much now would not be able to get priority over a newer supporter who has not had the chance to build up as many games.

 

[Linz]

however... i have to work every saturday and get the odd one off. home games aren't an issue but if i had a saturday off on an away day id want to go and id be annoyed if i couldn't cos not got enough points. it's not my fault i've not gone to others - i simply can't!

But being devil's advocate here...

Just because someone chooses to have a job where they have to work Saturdays... why should they get the same priority as someone who has been to the match that day?

One thing that could be done to reflect the loyalty of supporters and to even it all up is to have the points on a rolling basis and i would say that a 5 year rolling basis would be fair for all and give some of the newer fans to catch up with some of the more experienced Unitedites, whilst people who went a few years back and have built up a lot of points but choose not to go as much now would not be able to get priority over a newer supporter who has not had the chance to build up as many games.

Aye... I see no problem with that.

 

[MAQ]

Following the start of this thread, i checked online as to how many points i have.

The site tells me i have 4250 LP, which if im honest is slightly less than i expected however not enough to get shirty about.

I personally think that the LP scheme is a good idea generally, however my personal opinion is that it doesnt matter what is done there are always ways around it.

 

[Samantha]

But being devil's advocate here...

Just because someone chooses to have a job where they have to work Saturdays... why should they get the same priority as someone who has been to the match that day?

believe you me it's not through choice!

 

[DazBlade88]

believe you me it's not through choice!

This might sound a bit stupid on my part, but how have you got a job that you haven't chosen yourself?

 

[Samantha]

This might sound a bit stupid on my part, but how have you got a job that you haven't chosen yourself?

I meant it's not through choice that I have to work Saturdays. I have to work 5 out of 6 days (not Sundays) and unfortunately I keep getting told I have to work Saturdays! I always ask for them off, but as you can imagine, that's the day everybody wants off. The place where I started off I was starting to get Saturdays off because I was working Sundays, but then had to transfer to another store, and that's when the Saturdays started. It's not ideal but at end of day it's a job!

 

[rachyblade]

how do you check online?

 

[Autumn]

Some interesting thoughts and views, but what happens if you've been a loyal fan for 17 years and had a serious illness over the last 5 years, hence no season ticket for 5 years and not many loyalty points?

does that not make me a loyal fan?

 

[Samantha]

how do you check online?

i think you have to ask ticket office to set you up with a password then you log in via online sales in ticket part of os

 

[Linz]

I've seen some interesting logic on this one, elsewhere I might say, with regards to Palace and Preston allocations.

Their argument is thus:

Anyone who has more loyalty points than them is a plastic fan and a part-timer.

The complainant goes to every game because they are a die-hard Blade, but doesn't have as many loyalty points as the plastic fans... because they aren't plastic.

The loyalty scheme should be scrapped, because they can't get tickets because all these plastic part-timer fans who only come out for big games have bought them all before they got chance.

Is anyone as confused as I am?

 

[keenzy]

I've not missed a game all season, and im a part timer and plastic for doing so?
GREAT!!!

 

[Gazza1984]

i think you have to ask ticket office to set you up with a password then you log in via online sales in ticket part of os

I not sure you have to do this.

I put my customer number in and said I had forgotten my password- they emailed me a new password and logged in just got under 9k- (gutted).

Try the link below.
http://www.sufc.talent-sport.co.uk/PagesPublic/Home/Home.aspx

 

[dansufc]

It would be good if the people behind the glass knew what they were doing, i have got about 2k less points than i should have, i think they've missed off the premiership season ticket i had. Will have to get it sorted.

 

[Monty's_Girl]

I not sure you have to do this.

I put my customer number in and said I had forgotten my password- they emailed me a new password and logged in just got under 9k- (gutted).

Try the link below.
http://www.sufc.talent-sport.co.uk/PagesPublic/Home/Home.aspx

I've just tried that and it worked for me, i have 9250 loyalty points but according to the online ticket system it looks like they have sold my seat again to someone else as it says reserved next to the match.

 

[Samantha]

I've just tried that and it worked for me, i have 9250 loyalty points but according to the online ticket system it looks like they have sold my seat again to someone else as it says reserved next to the match.

It's because you're a season ticket holder, it's reserved for you. It's because season ticket holders have so many days to claim their seat.

 

[Monty's_Girl]

It's because you're a season ticket holder, it's reserved for you. It's because season ticket holders have so many days to claim their seat.

Thanks Sam, was just thinking that might be why.

 

[Berks_Blade]

Just did as suggested and got emailed a password to check points. But by my reckoning I should have 10700 and they have me down as 10400. Can spot a couple of away games from last season they haven't recorded. Oh well, doubt it will make too much difference for getting Wembley ticket if we get that far.

 

[Linz]

I've got a question.

Has anyone missed out on tickets to a game they really wanted to go to because of the loyalty scheme?

Some interesting thoughts and views, but what happens if you've been a loyal fan for 17 years and had a serious illness over the last 5 years, hence no season ticket for 5 years and not many loyalty points?

does that not make me a loyal fan?

Sorry, only just seen this.

I suppose you could compare loyalty points to the Tesco Clubcard... same difference, the more you spend, the more you get.

Tesco aren't going to give you Clubcard points because you were, unfortunately, too ill to shop in their store. Likewise, United can't examine loyalty on these very personal circumstances. It has to be one rule for all or nothing at all.

The same with travelling a long distance to get to a match. Tesco don't give you more clubcard points if you travel 30 miles or 3 miles to get a loaf of bread. They do give you the opportunity to get clubcard points for petrol though. Likewise, the club reward those who travel with the club to encourage this form of transport (overseen by the Police and insured).

If you fill up at Sainsburys before you travel to Tesco, you can't go whinging that you don't earn extra points for it

 

[Robbie]

I suppose you could compare loyalty points to the Tesco Clubcard... same difference, the more you spend, the more you get.

Tesco aren't going to give you Clubcard points because you were, unfortunately, too ill to shop in their store. Likewise, United can't examine loyalty on these very personal circumstances. It has to be one rule for all or nothing at all.
)

So what about the previous 17 years? Do you get nothing for that?