Membership Scheme - Fancy going to an away game next season?

[Highbury_Blade]

Balham, since you're on 1st name terms with them, can you try and find out the reasoning behind it?

 

[Selly]

Frankly, United, this is a disgrace. Why would you turn down support? I've been to away games with fans of other clubs and they've always enjoyed the day out with the Blades.

Balham = pissed off.

Absolute utter and f**king disgrace. Seriously what on earth are they thinking???

 

[Balham]

Balham, since you're on 1st name terms with them, can you try and find out the reasoning behind it?

First name terms with [email protected] ... but I'll give it a go!

 

[Linz]

The only way around it would be to use a medium by which one could speak to other United fans who perhaps know of season ticket holders who are not going to be going to away matches and would avail themselves of a customer number...

 

[Selly]

The only way around it would be to use a medium by which one could speak to other United fans who perhaps know of season ticket holders who are not going to be going to away matches and would avail themselves of a customer number...

If only there were such a facility available in the form of a collective talking group of (mostly) like minded individuals on the Internet.

I might get Presty on the case for a web site...

Of course that doesn`t change the fact that one should not have to jump through hoops to evade a f**king stupid system...

 

[Balham]

The only way around it would be to use a medium by which one could speak to other United fans who perhaps know of season ticket holders who are not going to be going to away matches and would avail themselves of a customer number...

Unless United then insist on posting each ticket individually...which I wouldn't put past them.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

The only way around it would be to use a medium by which one could speak to other United fans who perhaps know of season ticket holders who are not going to be going to away matches and would avail themselves of a customer number...

Ah but Linz, do you think it's morally correct for a Season Ticket holder to obtain an away ticket for a non Season Ticket / membership holder who goes to one or two games a season which could effectively stop someone with, say, 6,000 loyalty points and has purchased a membership ?

 

[FleaPitBlade]

I might get Presty on the case for a web site...

Dont expect to be able to find it on Google....

 

[Balham]

Part 3:

The person who may be able to give you the reasoning behind the decision is on holiday until Monday. I will forward your e-mail on to her and hopefully she will reply as soon as possible.

I am sorry that I cannot offer any further help at this time.

Thanks again Lynn

Either they're avoiding answering or they're not sharing the information. I'm looking forward to hearing the reasoning on Monday!

 

[Rodders]

Has anyone told United that Lenners is banned from here yet so they can stop trying this shit?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

"Her"

Had to be a woman's decision

 

[Selly]

"Her"

Had to be a woman's decision

Presumably Emma Wylie then? Assuming she is still at the Lane...

 

[Linz]

Of course that doesn`t change the fact that one should not have to jump through hoops to evade a f**king stupid system...

Of course... but as with anything, there are ways and means of getting around it. Which makes it even more stupid.

Ah but Linz, do you think it's morally correct for a Season Ticket holder to obtain an away ticket for a non Season Ticket / membership holder who goes to one or two games a season which could effectively stop someone with, say, 6,000 loyalty points and has purchased a membership ?

I'd imagine the loyalty point system to still be in place for the order in which people can buy tickets. A season ticket holder who has had a season ticket since the loyalty points system came in would have at least:

2011/12 - 2700 points
2010/11 - 2700 points
2009/10 - 2700 points
2008/09 - 2700 points
2007/08 - 2700 points
2006/07 - 3000 points

So 16500 points. I'd say that whether they personally chose to go to the game or not, they'd earnt the right to buy a ticket and make the decision as to what to do with it.

"Her"

Had to be a woman's decision

I'd hazard a guess that it'd be Emma Wylie in that case.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

So 16500 points. I'd say that whether they personally chose to go to the game or not, they'd earnt the right to buy a ticket and make the decision as to what to do with it.

I'd hazard a guess that it'd be Emma Wylie in that case.

Didn't really answer the question though Linz. Would YOU be happy depriving someone who, say, 'deserved' a ticket on the basis of having more loyalty points (and had purchased a membership card) than the person you got the ticket for who, by their own admission, only goes to one or two games a season and flaty refused to buy a membership.

Didn't realise Emma had that much power these days, explains why she didn't reply to my e-mail last week though !

 

[Highbury_Blade]

SUFC can literally fuck right off. I was really looking forward to having some great away days with the LB's this season, but now when picking up tickets i've now got to wonder who's ponied up for membership before i can get a group of tickets together. Absolute fucking disgrace

 

[Balham]

SUFC can literally fuck right off. I was really looking forward to having some great away days with the LB's this season, but now when picking up tickets i've now got to wonder who's ponied up for membership before i can get a group of tickets together. Absolute fucking disgrace

I'm hoping that when (if?) I get a response from the ticket office, I can talk some sense into them. Fine, insist on having membership but why require it for every single ticket?

Make it optional at most, then it can be used (as it has been in the past!) to allocate the tickets which are going to be popular (Wednesday, Chesterfield). Don't use it to keep the number of Blades who turn up to Bournemouth on a Tuesday night in December below 100.

I agree entirely too that this is going to make buying tickets for a group an absolute ballache. Why don't they go the whole hog and ask for my passport number, shoe size and mother's maiden name whenever I book tickets?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

I think the best thing to do, will be to email the box office en masse on Monday, when whoever it is that's decision it was gets back, and maybe get them to overturn this ridiculous decision

 

[bladesadviser]

Two further points from me
I have never tried to get away tickets to go to pigsboro as its a 400 mile round trip the same as home matches and the club can sell as many as they get to season ticket holders. I equally wouldn't do it for Chesterfield for the same reason. However I was looking to go Orient, MK Dons, Brentford, Wycombe, Charlton, Yeovil, Colchester etc. I can't imagine I am depriving a load of other fans who want to make those long trips
Also if we get off to a bad start the team might find themselves running out and waving to a empty away end

 

[Linz]

Didn't really answer the question though Linz. Would YOU be happy depriving someone who, say, 'deserved' a ticket on the basis of having more loyalty points (and had purchased a membership card) than the person you got the ticket for who, by their own admission, only goes to one or two games a season and flaty refused to buy a membership.

My personal view is that people are going to do it, whether I think it's right or not. People do it now with the loyalty points system so I don't see why bringing in another level of requirement would stop "non-Blades" going.

I just think it's daft, and I speak as someone with the best part of 30k loyalty points who should never struggle to get away tickets as long as the system remained in place. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned... hardly going to sell out most places, especially considering the division we're in. I know they want to create incentives to be a member of the club in some way, either via STs or these memberships, but they should add extra value to these schemes to make them attractive, not hold fans to ransom.

If they wanted to stop "non-Blades" from going to games, they have a database and a loyalty points system. If they don't want away tickets to go on general sale, why not just cut off the sales to those with over 2000 points or whatever. If you're under however many points, you can buy a membership which would boost your loyalty points total. 2000 points is about 20 games in 5 years. Of course there would be a few who would fall below it but it is a least a little fairer and based on how many games you have been to previously... not just who is most willing to cough up £15.

The only person who wins is the financial bloke. The losers are the fans, the players who want the support and the clubs we'd be visiting who'd be seeing less gate income.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

My personal view is that people are going to do it, whether I think it's right or not. People do it now with the loyalty points system so I don't see why bringing in another level of requirement would stop "non-Blades" going.

I just think it's daft, and I speak as someone with the best part of 30k loyalty points who should never struggle to get away tickets as long as the system remained in place. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned... hardly going to sell out most places, especially considering the division we're in. I know they want to create incentives to be a member of the club in some way, either via STs or these memberships, but they should add extra value to these schemes to make them attractive, not hold fans to ransom.

If they wanted to stop "non-Blades" from going to games, they have a database and a loyalty points system. If they don't want away tickets to go on general sale, why not just cut off the sales to those with over 2000 points or whatever. If you're under however many points, you can buy a membership which would boost your loyalty points total. 2000 points is about 20 games in 5 years. Of course there would be a few who would fall below it but it is a least a little fairer and based on how many games you have been to previously... not just who is most willing to cough up £15.

The only person who wins is the financial bloke. The losers are the fans, the players who want the support and the clubs we'd be visiting who'd be seeing less gate income.

I agree that it will happen and it wasn't a personal slight against you or anyone, just interested to see people's views. Whenever a system is in place, people will find ways round it if they don't conform, such is life.

I also think that next season, if people want away tickets they will get them in most cases. Some will be completely pissed off and not bother with a membership, but I guess we're talking about a small minority here so the club will probably be reasonably happy that they are justified in doing it for whatever reason they come up with.

 

[Balham]

My view, as I said above, is that membership should provide an advantage but shouldn't be the be all and end all. If my brother wants to come with me to a game (he's not a massive fan), it's going to add 75% to the cost of his ticket.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

My view, as I said above, is that membership should provide an advantage but shouldn't be the be all and end all. If my brother wants to come with me to a game (he's not a massive fan), it's going to add 75% to the cost of his ticket.

Yep, I was planning on initiating my two young nephews into the 'Blades Way' this season, PNE away would have been ideal for their 1st trip but that would now cost £25 a piece for them. It's another point to add to the list, if the club are looking to bring in young fans then why make it harder for parents to do it. OK, they'll argue about free season tickets for home games but not everyone has an ST or can make Sheffield at least once a month.

 

[Balham]

Seems like there's a vein of similar thought here. If anyone wants to PM me views that they're happy for me to share with SUFC then I'm happy to do that.

 

[Selly]

Seems like there's a vein of similar thought here. If anyone wants to PM me views that they're happy for me to share with SUFC then I'm happy to do that.

My views are firmly expressed withing this thread (albeit in colourful language), feel free to take my comments from here as gospel re the views of SellyOakBlade

 

[rotweissler]

Just how much do SUFC hope to make out of "Membership"?

£15k? £20k? is it really worth the animosity its causing?

FTM

 

[Selly]

Just how much do SUFC hope to make out of "Membership"?

£15k? £20k? is it really worth the animosity its causing?

FTM

Given that the vast majority of people will actually attend 8 or more home games, and thus SUFC will actually (arguably) be out of pocket in those cases, the only people that SUFC will make money from is those that don`t attend home 8 games but want to attend aways games.

even if that is 500 people, its only £7.5k they would make. My impression is that they won`t get 500 of those members, as many will use Linz's suggestion...

 

[rotweissler]

well I'll use Highburys suggestion

be at Exeter, Yeovil & Bournemouth in the home end and use the £15 to upgrade to better seats

FTM

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

As the club receive no benefit whatsoever from away ticket sales (I don't think), it does cost the club money to process a transaction for purchasing an away ticket (how much, I've no idea). Arguably, a season ticket or membership holder has paid towards the cost of these transactions but non ST/membership holders haven't so it's a way of re-couping their 'costs'.

I can understand why the club may want (or need) to have all ticket holders on the database but financially, that's the only reason I can think of.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

You pay a £1 booking fee every time you purchase a ticket by card. I highly doubt the box office pay the card companies £1 to cover the cost of the transaction.

 

[BusheyBlade]

The thing here is that if you will most likely only go to away games, there is no financial saving for buying a membership. If you go to some home games then you can recoup the cost of membership by going to enough games through the discount on tickets. I have emailed the club to ask about this and made the (perhaps somewhat theoritical) point that if the away games I want to go to all sell out before I get the chance of buying a ticket will they refund my membership? Perhaps if they are really insistent on doing this they should scrap the booking fee which Highbury mentions.