How can ticketing be improved next season?

[Proposition Joe]

East Side capacity reduced to 85% by LBWF, safety concerns. That's why re never get close to 9271 capacity. Hope the club makes a decision on the stadium asap. If it were me I'd modernise the East undercroft to get capacity up and make the away section variable in size on a match by match basis.

If the club have not challenged LBWF "experts" on their thinking behind this then they should. Didn't Devlin say that they had the same problem at Brentford? How did they get it sorted there?

They built a new stadium.

[Cheshunto]

Nobody of their right mind is arguing against free carer tickets.

Plenty on here who are not in their right mind who would argue black was white .

[tuffers#1]

Can we not just fight for who gets dibs on seat position 1st .

[brentwoodo]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

[aylesburyos]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

Is the club losing money though as tickets paid for but not used? Maybe less sales of crisps, snacks etc though

[faith1234]

Lower the ticket prices even if we get promoted and also what about a family package what about £5 pounds off the ticket price when you bring to children with you

[faith1234]

Offer a drink and a signed program as part of the deal there is so much orient can do

[Long slender neck]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

The club will know but got any evidence its mostly kids not turning up? I know a few old farts who didnt turn up on Saturday.

[brentwoodo]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

Is the club losing money though as tickets paid for but not used? Maybe less sales of crisps, snacks etc though

If the ticket is being sold for £49 or £99 for the whole season, that same unused seat could be sold for up to £20 for just one match, My take is therefore the unused seat is losing the club money.

[tuffers#1]

Just sell season cards at 1 price with a discount for oaps kids disabled & unemployed of 25 -30 %

[brentwoodo]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

The club will know but got any evidence its mostly kids not turning up? I know a few old farts who didnt turn up on Saturday.

It does seem that most of the unused seats are in the family area, ie The North Stand, apart from the 15% of capacity the club can't sell in the East Stand. The kids not turning up has also been mentioned more than once in various interviews etc.

[Cheshunto]

It’s a fine balancing act with the Kids tickets.
If the club make them too expensive then Dad’s won’t buy them, but if they make them too cheap then the ‘value’ is diminished and maybe they get used 2 or 3 times a season as they aren’t deemed as valuable.
Maybe kids could be offered some kind of loyalty gift from the club shop if they attend a minimum number of games.
Be interesting to see what the club does as it’s not an easy solution.

[banqo]

Just let us all in for nothing - although some would probably moan about that as well.

[George M]

I quite understand the reasons for the club selling cheap Kids Season tickets although it does seem blatantly obvious that a substantial number of these kids are not turning up for matches, thus the so called sell out matches have numerous empty seats.

I'm not sure whether this idea has ever been suggested before but as the clubs are selling kids season tickets so cheaply, can't the club bring in an arrangement whereby part of the annual cost of the season ticket is charged as an up front cost or retainer(say half). Then, as each match comes up, the cheap seat needs to be taken up and paid for, by say a few days before the match, after which time the seat is released and goes on the open market for general sale.

I'm sure there may be reasons why this idea wouldn't work, but lets be honest, something needs to be done in view of all the revenue the club is losing here!!

The club will know but got any evidence its mostly kids not turning up? I know a few old farts who didnt turn up on Saturday.

I’m in the family stand with my two grandchildren. They attend 80% of games and those that they miss are because of school commitments or holidays

[gshaw]

It’s a fine balancing act with the Kids tickets.
If the club make them too expensive then Dad’s won’t buy them, but if they make them too cheap then the ‘value’ is diminished and maybe they get used 2 or 3 times a season as they aren’t deemed as valuable.
Maybe kids could be offered some kind of loyalty gift from the club shop if they attend a minimum number of games.
Be interesting to see what the club does as it’s not an easy solution.

Only give the discounted tickets as half season tickets... if they're used for over 50% of the time then it gets automatically renewed. If not it gets put back into the pot for someone else to buy.

[Max Fowler]

How 'empty' is the North on sold out games?

I've just watched the highlights back from Saturday to get an idea and it doesn't seem like there are that many more spare seats than in other parts of the ground?

Regardless, the issue in the North is adults buying a kids ST with no intention of using it purely to access the lower priced adult STs. Increase the adult ST prices to make them more consistent with other stands and I'm pretty certain the problem will go away.

[Max Fowler]

It’s a fine balancing act with the Kids tickets.
If the club make them too expensive then Dad’s won’t buy them, but if they make them too cheap then the ‘value’ is diminished and maybe they get used 2 or 3 times a season as they aren’t deemed as valuable.
Maybe kids could be offered some kind of loyalty gift from the club shop if they attend a minimum number of games.
Be interesting to see what the club does as it’s not an easy solution.

I've suggested similar in the past.

I still think we're overcomplicating the issue.

Cheaper kids STs to get kids hooked at an early age and secure our future fan base is essential. Giving away discounted season tickets to their parents/carers is not.

[PoundhillO]

It’s a fine balancing act with the Kids tickets.
If the club make them too expensive then Dad’s won’t buy them, but if they make them too cheap then the ‘value’ is diminished and maybe they get used 2 or 3 times a season as they aren’t deemed as valuable.
Maybe kids could be offered some kind of loyalty gift from the club shop if they attend a minimum number of games.
Be interesting to see what the club does as it’s not an easy solution.

Only give the discounted tickets as half season tickets... if they're used for over 50% of the time then it gets automatically renewed. If not it gets put back into the pot for someone else to buy.

That sounds a great basis of a sensible way forward, although I personally would suggest the percentage used should be closer to 80%, maybe somewhere in the middle around 65% would be a good place to start ?

[Max Fowler]

What do you care about the price of Season Tickets?

[Cheshunto]

It’s a fine balancing act with the Kids tickets.
If the club make them too expensive then Dad’s won’t buy them, but if they make them too cheap then the ‘value’ is diminished and maybe they get used 2 or 3 times a season as they aren’t deemed as valuable.
Maybe kids could be offered some kind of loyalty gift from the club shop if they attend a minimum number of games.
Be interesting to see what the club does as it’s not an easy solution.

Only give the discounted tickets as half season tickets... if they're used for over 50% of the time then it gets automatically renewed. If not it gets put back into the pot for someone else to buy.

That sounds a great basis of a sensible way forward, although I personally would suggest the percentage used should be closer to 80%, maybe somewhere in the middle around 65% would be a good place to start ?

80% is probably too high as the majority of kids don’t come to midweek games.
Think I read that there are some ‘ Easter Activities’ for kids in the North stand for the Harrogate game, which is nice and maybe could be done more often ………….If the football is crap at least the kids can get their faces painted and get some free sweets.

[Mylo Xyloto]

My idea

When you apply for a season ticket have 23 boxes and state which fixtures you’ll attend and which you would give up.

Better to see a supporters commitment at the outset.

[banqo]

My idea

When you apply for a season ticket have 23 boxes and state which fixtures you’ll attend and which you would give up.

Better to see a supporters commitment at the outset.

Don't think it's as easy as that.

[Long slender neck]

And can already resell your ticket on the exchange for games you cannot attend.

[Max Fowler]

You're all making this more complicated than it needs to be.

Do away with the heavily reduced adult ST in the North and you won't have people buying these kids STs needlessly.

[spen666]

You're all making this more complicated than it needs to be.

Do away with the heavily reduced adult ST in the North and you won't have people buying these kids STs needlessly.

How do you encourage families to come to games where families cannot afford full priced adult tickets as well as child tickets and all the pester purchases for kids like food / drink/ clubshop etc

If it appears expensive to get in ground, families will not attend and that is going to lose the club current income and more significantly future fans





Perhaps the solution is for families to prove existence of their children, by sending them in post to the ticket office, along with a stamped addressed envelope so the child can be returned once its existence has been validated. Postal applications only. Obviously welfare of children is at parent's risk

For the more right wing of you, we could have half time entertainment, with any adult found in North Stand that day without their child being summarily executed on the pitch

A win win situation, they offenders won't re-offend, and fans will get half time entertainment