Playoff tickets, First Leg

[nickwr37]

The Club gives florist fans Bramall Lane upper and corner 2,700 seats £20 quid. at florist, we get 2,000 and have to pay more or less a tenner more. what a bleeding mess up.
We have been shafted. admin/ticket office manager should be giving us an explanation of why they agreed. go on Radio Sheffield Sheffield praise and grumble.to explain.

All the proceeds from the play off ties go into one pot to distribute to the clubs involved. Us, Udders £20 max. Florest £29. Luuuton £32.

 

[Sean Thornton]

That doesn't 'explain' the decision. It just says that 'United decided to give Forest the upper tier of the Bramall Lane end due to safety concerns and after consultations with the relevant authorities.'

Eh?

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

Loads of tickets left, that's without even opening the rest of the lower tier or any of the restricted view on the kop. Now the rush is done, not looking like a sell out despite all the moaning.

It’s not a sell out yet because loads I know still having website issues. Loads wanting tickets but unable to do so with error message after error message on the basket section of the site.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Loads of tickets left, that's without even opening the rest of the lower tier or any of the restricted view on the kop. Now the rush is done, not looking like a sell out despite all the moaning.

It’s on TV, plenty will be happy watching that.

 

[wizadry]

i agree that this is a shit show from the ticket office(and someone needs sacking for it) but are there thousands of fans who want to go going to miss out ?

There are plenty of tickets left and some are in blocks so they can sit together. I am amazed the home tickets aren't close to selling out by now due to the cheap cost as I thought demand would easily outstrip supply. Hopefully they will sell out in the next couple of days and they will then release the remaining two blocks on the lower tier of the away end

It’s being discussed on here and pointed out why it hasn’t sold out yet, there’s obviously been a few issues as you quite rightly point out, what I will say though is there is no way we’d sell out for Fulham at home and not Notts Forest at home, the latter being a much bigger game and there are less tickets available for the Forest one. By the time the game has sold out I’m predicting a crowd of no more than 29,000 due to the wank seating arrangements.

 

[Ginger Gnome]

He doesn't actually include any facts in there though just parrots what a few on here did as guesswork without any specifics then has the cheek to praise how United have rewarded loyal fans, it's just a complete piece of arselicking that still doesn't actually explain anything.

Westfield corner can be segregated from the upper tier, they did it against Liverpool when Gerrard dived for a penalty, but that restricts the number of seats in the upper tier they can use (there'd still be more than the 2000 needed though)

It's on TV and overlaps with the FA Cup final (not sure why it's not a 2.30 kick-off to avoid that) so a few people who might have gone will settle for that if they run into any trouble with ticketing, if it doesn't sell out it's the club to blame, not the fans.

 

[Addison]

So as usual the Club take the cowardly route and leak details to the preferred journo. Problem is he's not very good at covering all the facts and leaves more questions open than closed. You have to question why the club employ a Communications Manager. In situations like this he should take the lead role but seems more content with producing videos of players.

There we have it confirmation it was SAG who insisted on the change. What happens thereafter seems to be a catalogue of errors by those responsible for ticketing. Some questions that have not been answered;

1. Why did the Club not speak with Florist before Saturdays game. Anyone doing the minimum amount of research would have realised Florist had started selling play off tickets without knowing their opponents in the week leading up to the final game of the season. A simple question of are you keeping to the minimum of 2,000 away tickets or leaving open the option for 1,000 more in your lower tier. Florist will sell out and unlike our Club they will put their fans first as they are entitled to do.

2. It was well known that play off clubs were keeping to the 2k figure as our neighbours in S6 were chattering about it and the dispute between MK Dons and Wycombe hit the press. Doesn't anyone in Communications at the Lane do the basics and keep up with whats happening in the media?

3. Where has the figure of 3,188 come from. BLUT and WC hold at least 4,250 if not more. Can't the Club just admit someone got it wrong and calculated a figure of 10% of capacity assuming the rule for play offs were similar to the FA Cup. Alternatively did some genius calculate this figure in the hope Florist would reciprocate with 3,000 for us which is 10% of their ground capacity?

4. Hemmingham touches on why didn't the Club not use the option to load onto season ticket cards like Florist did? Yes it affected the Westfield corner season ticket holders but a simple window exclusively for them to buy tickets at 12 mid day yesterday would have prevented yesterday mayhem whereby queues were extended outside the ground as a number of people were having difficulty with an ageing club website, internet issues and an impact on the elderly fan base who were not IT proficient and in some cases did not have smart phones.

5. Did someone in the ticket office decide it was in the too difficult box to have to deal with the back end of season ticket sales finishing on 7 May and get ready for a play off game? The result is their work has probably increased ten fold with all the queries, complaints, phone calls over this alternative system of printing paper tickets and phone updates rather than the established system of updating cards.

6. Is this lack of a planned approach the reason why there was no communication in advance of ticket sales alerting season ticket holders to the fact sales would commence immediately after the game. Or is it the usual reactive approach of lets just get something out there and hope not many complain. As a consequence the Club have upset a considerable number of season ticket holders, a key revenue group.

7. The point about loss of revenue for 1,188 ticket sales is covered by Hemmingham. Its irrelevant as all the money goes into one pot. Presumably someone at the Club was trying to push this strap line. What he doesn't cover is that Blades currently have not been allocated the whole of the BLLT only 2 sections of the 3 available. Is this another SAG decision?

Overall a complete shambles. Some pro active pre planning would have alleviated a lot of the problems being experienced but pro active doesn't seem to be in the DNA of SUFC off field operations.

 

[Panini]

I've done a quick scan of each stand and current availability is somewhere between 900 and 1,100.

South Stand - nothing left
Kop - 350 to 400 left
John Street - 68 left, not including wheelchair area
BLLT - 350 to 400 left
Shit corner - 150 left, all restricted view

Their 3,188 will sell out, with 1,500 empty in the Westfield and 1,000 empty on the BLLT so that puts the attendance at around 29,500 unless the rest of BLLT is put on sale.

 

[Tickhill Blade]

The logic of giving Forest 3100 rather than 2000 seats doesn't stack up. He argues that United wouldn't want to have 1100 unsold seats, but by putting them in the top tier they are creating approx 1500 unsold seats in the Westfield corner?

Then the £22000 those seats will generate will be split between the 4 playoff clubs. So £5.5k (which is probably a days wages for Brewster/Berge) or 1100 fewer Forest fans in the ground?

 

[nickwr37]

The logic of giving Forest 3100 rather than 2000 seats doesn't stack up. He argues that United wouldn't want to have 1100 unsold seats, but by putting them in the top tier they are creating approx 1500 unsold seats in the Westfield corner?

Then the £22000 those seats will generate will be split between the 4 playoff clubs. So £5.5k (which is probably a days wages for Brewster/Berge) or 1100 fewer Forest fans in the ground?

What income may be generated from 3188 travelling fans in food, drink etc? Gonna be real tough work for those at the kiosks who already struggle......Would expect they'll want to get in many ad early as poss to get them off the streets locally to prevent potential aggro kicking off.

 

[Tickhill Blade]

What income may be generated from 3188 travelling fans in food, drink etc? Gonna be real tough work for those at the kiosks who already struggle......Would expect they'll want to get in many ad early as poss to get them off the streets locally to prevent potential aggro kicking off.

About 20p a head I reckon at the speed they pour pints And that goes to Compass anyway

 

[Panini]

I would suggest the 3,188 figure is simply the whole BLUT plus a bit of the Westfield Corner, but not much of it so they're still nowhere near gangway H of the SS.

I'd also suggest we did that instead of just sticking to 2,000 as a 'gesture' because we can't sell those seats to Blades anyway and as leverage, in hope Forest would reciprocate.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

I've done a quick scan of each stand and current availability is somewhere between 900 and 1,100.

South Stand - nothing left
Kop - 350 to 400 left
John Street - 68 left, not including wheelchair area
BLLT - 350 to 400 left
Shit corner - 150 left, all restricted view

Their 3,188 will sell out, with 1,500 empty in the Westfield and 1,000 empty on the BLLT so that puts the attendance at around 29,500 unless the rest of BLLT is put on sale.

Yep just did similar, totted up max of about 1300-1400 left. Might be more if they do end up releasing the other 2 Bramall Lane lower blocks.

It will definitely sell out, probably later today or tomorrow.

Anyone having website problems and still needing a ticket - I would strongly suggest getting on the phone to the ticket office, even if it does mean a wait in the phone queue.

 

[blade too long]

be harsh to batter the club for trying to be fair

decent 20 quid tickets
being fair as they could 10 per cent to the away side

if Forest decide they want to make another 190000 quid out of the fans pockets surely thats who need slating
and only giving 7.5 per cent of their capacity to us is mean and a bit of gamesmanship
shows they arent too confident about beating us stooping to this

 

[bladesmanluke]

It's a joke. If the councils SAG restrict the income of Sheffield United, they should compensate Sheffield United and the 3 other playoff clubs

 

[Varkanoid]

About 20p a head I reckon at the speed they pour pints And that goes to Compass anyway

Cue Forest fans complaining in the Post Match View how long it took for the staff to pour pints out of cans when serving. Not really the staffs fault either but when you have someone in front of you buying 4 pints it takes an age when you are starving for a Hendersons burnt dry sausage stodge. Still dont understand why they dont just give out a can and with a straw.

 

[LS16Blade]

The ‘explanation’ put out through Hemmingham, is embarrassing.

It encourages the reader to draw an inference that the decision to put away fans in the top tier was all down to SAG/SYP (a vague reference to“consultation”), but notably stops short of expressly stating that that was the actual cause of the decision. They can’t go that far because that would be untrue.

Ultimately, it is blatantly obvious -and the way this article is written with hints, supposition but few facts all but confirms it - that somebody within the club has dropped an almighty clanger, and completely misinterpreted the ticketing obligation to away fans.

And the fact that the club hasn’t owned the mistake whilst the ‘elephant in the room’, namely the bizarrely non-rounded up figure of 3,188 - not say, 3,200 or 3,250 or any other figure up to the 5,000 that can be accommodated in the upper tier and corner - is at large, is laughable.

It is insulting for the club to pretend this was anything other than incompetent misunderstanding of the rules.

One thing that does comes out of this debacle, I suppose, is that for those who were wondering, we now know that the Lane’s official capacity is now 31,880.

 

[Davalon]

Strange we've given Forest basically exactly 10% of the capacity.

Safety concerns my arse. Could have had 2,000 in the bottom tier with seats netted off at the front and sides.

 

[S64 Blade]

Strange we've given Forest basically exactly 10% of the capacity.

Safety concerns my arse. Could have had 2,000 in the bottom tier with seats netted off at the front and sides.

This is why I think the real reason is that someone assumed it was 10% for away fans and was wrong. Now putting out vague reasons, to try and cover up.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

My daughter, who is disabled, can't book wheelchair spaces online, so she spent most of yesterday trying to get through on the phone. I can't understand why the numbered wheelchair bays at the bottom of the family stand can't be available for online booking in the same way as seats are. I can see that the club might want to be sure that the purchaser is in need of a wheelchair seat, but there seems to be no logical reason why disabled fans can't have access to the simpler and quicker online booking system that the club recommends. Has anyone asked and had an answer to this question?

I'd be emailing the ticket office, who will most likely pass it on to the Disability Support Officer. They're usually very good at replying promptly. In these days of inclusivity, I'm sure they'll be keen to hear your concerns.

 

[Terry Poole]

We are mugs. You negotiate before giving them extra tickets! United fans will miss the game because of this!

 

[Davalon]

This is why I think the real reason is that someone assumed it was 10% for away fans and was wrong. Now putting out vague reasons, to try and cover up.

No question imho.

If you look at the facts, this argument simply doesn't stack up.

Could easily put 2k Forest fans in the bottom tier with netting off front rows and a few side seats. The capacity in there is around 2,900.

Also if this was the truth, I'm pretty sure a clear explanation from both the club and one or two on here would have been forthcoming very quickly.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

What are you on about ....

Whoops

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Forest have only got just over 3,000 the BLLT is being sold to Blades.

Fwiw I agree with those who think United have misread the rules for playoffs as the higher of 2000 or 10% rather than lower. Whenever SAG have been involved in the past the club have always clearly communicated the decision being out of their hands. Seems inexplicable in an environment such as professional football to make such a mistake but human error happens in all walks of life.

Yeah I realise that now.

 

[Blade59]

Just don't get the explanation. particualrly the unsold tickets due to segregation issues. Surely these would be no different to last Saturday or any other sell out crowd in the past. The wording seems to be deliberatly wooly to avoid pointing at where the real responsibility lies. My original thought was SAG but I am now not so sure and leaning to the view it is just incompetence on United's part in the interpretation of the rules.

 

[Frankie as in Howard]

We need some kind of statement from the club as the upset this has caused will not be forgotten by anyone who has lost there seat (especially family and friend groups who have lost there seats and now have to plan buying seats for the group! With some who can't be bothered watching on tele instead)
Putting them on sale within minutes of Saturdays match! Gazumped many season ticket orders (my and my brothers seats had gone before we new what was happening.)
To upset most ticket holders is not good business

I think that throughout this thread, and on twitter, and Facebook, and on radio phone ins, that we have proven that we are a set of whining, whinging, moaning, supporters.
I had to move from Westfield corner season ticket seats with lad, to John Street, did I moan, of course not I just got on with it, I looked at the positives of reaching the play offs, and £20 tickets.
add, it only took me 16 minutes on Sunday from start to finish.

Do I think the club have made mistakes, of course I do, starting with not placing Forest fans on bottom tier, like they do. Then charging them £20 when they charging us £29. Then not limiting them to 2,000 like they have, also like Sunderland and pigs did, which I feel must prove that it is a club decision not a SAG/Police decision.
However, the biggest cock up is the lack of communication in firstly not warning the fans that sales would start post match Saturday, and even worse not coming out and owning up to the cock up and offering an explanation on these points.

I read a post above where a bloke couldn't get his disabled granddad a ticket as it has been allocated to a forest fan, not sure about that as away fans have their own disabled section in the corner of away end bottom. But he ought to let the club know and the club should put them in the corporate seats.

 

[Frankie as in Howard]

Thanks Roy.

The logic is there to see and confirms bits and pieces posted on here, but it raises important questions.

1) Why is it not possible to segregate the BLUT from the Westfield Corner? It's bricked and shuttered off internally. Much larger grounds of a similar age to ours have 'split' ends shared between home and away fans. It's also possible to segregate the exits, so Blades coming out on Bramall Lane would be forced to turn left towards the Railway, and Forest turn right towards the Cricketers, but unable to turn down John Street.

Any extra security cost should be picked up by Forest considering their fans' behaviour have caused the issue. Should they refuse, we should've given them the BLLT but only the minimum 2000 with the front rows netted off so they're further from the pitch. If SUFC incur a small cost due to increasing security to placate SYP, for fear of a repeat, so be it. That's preferable to the situation we have now. Charge £25 instead to help offset that extra cost if necessary, everyone would've still been pleased with £25.

2) Why was it necessary to open the ticket window so soon after full-time on Saturday? The club aren't printing tickets so there's no time needed for posting them out etc. There should've been announcements on Saturday evening and Sunday telling fans to make sure their accounts are linked as tickets will be online only. Publish a 'how to' guide and keep directing people to it. Hold back starting sales until Tuesday if necessary, to give the ticket office all day Monday to assist those that haven't got themselves set up over the weekend.

3) Why is the ticket system infrastructure so inflexible? Even with points 1 and 2 not possible, a better system would've still avoided all the bollocks.

Sat 7th 5pm - ST holders can buy their own seats, except Westfield Corner ST holders. No transfers, no extras. No-one else can buy during this window.

Tues 10th 9am - Westfield Corner ST holders get their own window to buy seats elsewhere in the ground, either unused or ST holders who didn't buy their own seat for whatever reason. As this means all the inconvenience is picked up by Westfielders, their tickets are £15. Non-Westfield ST holders would be frozen from buying in this window, having already had 2.5 days to sort themselves out.

Thursday 12th 9am - Members without ST can now buy, with all other ST holders also now unfrozen to move seats if possible or if they didn't move quickly enough when it was their window.

Friday 13th 9am - general sale, available to all to buy or move seats

Overall, something has to change. Whether it's some kind of re-configuration of the Bramall Lane end to make it possible to segregate, or at the least a robust but flexible ticketing system where restrictions can be applied and removed to create a proper sales structure.

EDIT - for clarity, I'm a ST holder in the Westfield who has moved to the SS for this game.

I would give away fans from now on the Bramall Lane end/half of John Street, with just a small segregation in the centre, similar to Leeds or Spurs or Arsenal etc. This would be 3,000 or just under if the lost segregated seats were took off of the away side.
it means that our fans could have the whole top and bottom of Bramall Lane without a single seat being used for segregation.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I think that throughout this thread, and on twitter, and Facebook, and on radio phone ins, that we have proven that we are a set of whining, whinging, moaning, supporters.
I had to move from Westfield corner season ticket seats with lad, to John Street, did I moan, of course not I just got on with it, I looked at the positives of reaching the play offs, and £20 tickets.
add, it only took me 16 minutes on Sunday from start to finish.

Do I think the club have made mistakes, of course I do, starting with not placing Forest fans on bottom tier, like they do. Then charging them £20 when they charging us £29. Then not limiting them to 2,000 like they have, also like Sunderland and pigs did, which I feel must prove that it is a club decision not a SAG/Police decision.
However, the biggest cock up is the lack of communication in firstly not warning the fans that sales would start post match Saturday, and even worse not coming out and owning up to the cock up and offering an explanation on these points.

I read a post above where a bloke couldn't get his disabled granddad a ticket as it has been allocated to a forest fan, not sure about that as away fans have their own disabled section in the corner of away end bottom. But he ought to let the club know and the club should put them in the corporate seats.

Agree with most of that , you say yourself the club have got it wrong.
Maybe complaining,strongly will stop it happening again.
Not enough thought has gone into this
Ok football is not a normal business ! We deserved more consideration than what we have got.
Season Ticket Holders are the life blood of football clubs not forgetting of course fans who are paying as they go.

 

[Tickhill Blade]

I would give away fans from now on the Bramall Lane end/half of John Street, with just a small segregation in the centre, similar to Leeds or Spurs or Arsenal etc. This would be 3,000 or just under if the lost segregated seats were took off of the away side.
it means that our fans could have the whole top and bottom of Bramall Lane without a single seat being used for segregation.

I like that idea, John St is easy to segregate in the concourse and it would be fairly easy to divide the road outside. We could combine it with installing rail seating on the lower tier behind the goal for those that want to stand.

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

I’ve just had a look at every area available and my guess is there’s less than 800 tickets left.