Memberships (2023/24)

[Shadow Puppets]

20 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Which is still basically what I’m saying (ability to rotate names each game rather than the same for the whole season) and if so probably ends the argument stone dead. It’s a legitimate way for different people to go during a season on company/corporate tickets.

Yeah, but what I'm saying is, what's wrong with that? That's not the problem, and probably a fair "perk" for people spending that much money every year.

 

Also, from my experience, the vast majority of hospitality clients I have met are families... families who happen to have a bit of money from a successful company they run. They're just as big a fan as those in general admission, but with no ability to build loyalty points. So it makes sense to give them access to a hospitality ballot.

 

The problem with how people have abused the general away ticket allocation is the problem, and it should be easily solvable.

Also... I'm not sure if this has been mentioned so far, but apparently our ticketing this season has been outsourced to a 3rd party company due to lack of staff/expertise in our department. Which probably explains some of the stranger, less fan-focused, decisions. I'm sure that will change with time.

[bobbydazzla]

10 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Yeah, but what I'm saying is, what's wrong with that? That's not the problem, and probably a fair "perk" for people spending that much money every year.

 

Also, from my experience, the vast majority of hospitality clients I have met are families... families who happen to have a bit of money from a successful company they run. They're just as big a fan as those in general admission, but with no ability to build loyalty points. So it makes sense to give them access to a hospitality ballot.

 

The problem with how people have abused the general away ticket allocation is the problem, and it should be easily solvable.

Also... I'm not sure if this has been mentioned so far, but apparently our ticketing this season has been outsourced to a 3rd party company due to lack of staff/expertise in our department. Which probably explains some of the stranger, less fan-focused, decisions. I'm sure that will change with time.

 

If this ticketing fiasco is being run by a 3rd party ticketing specialist, then I question how they have a viable business.

Because their system is absolutely appalling and a group of nursery age kids jacked up to their eyeballs on Fruit Shoots and Smarties could produce something more logical and fit for purpose.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[Shadow Puppets]

Just now, bobbydazzla said:

 

If this ticketing fiasco is being run by a 3rd party ticketing specialist, then I question how they have a viable business, because it's absolutely appalling and a group of nursery age kids jacked up to their eyeballs on Fruit Shoots and Smarties could do better.

 

 

No doubt.

 

Could explain why the hospitality / media stuff is all running smoothly though (the club still definitely run that side).

[bobbydazzla]

1 minute ago, Shadow Puppets said:

No doubt.

 

Could explain why the hospitality / media stuff is all running smoothly though (the club still definitely run that side).

 

If they genuinely care about supporter relationships then Eales, Dan Ginger, Sarah Medcalf and Yvette Thompson need to start engaging with fans and fan groups about this ticketing shite.

 

It's happening under their leadership and it's infuriating a massive section of matchgoing supporters

 

And if Mehrdad and Amanda don't know how pissed off fans are getting, they need to be made aware

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Can imagine any third party will find it almost impossible to get any use out of the archaic systems we have. 

 

I've been called in to work on some horrific websites and often you just can't do what you want due to the awful setup you inherit. Then there's the communication between the new people and anyone who was involved in the old system. 

[LFEE]

23 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

Yeah, but what I'm saying is, what's wrong with that? That's not the problem, and probably a fair "perk" for people spending that much money every year.

 

Also, from my experience, the vast majority of hospitality clients I have met are families... families who happen to have a bit of money from a successful company they run. They're just as big a fan as those in general admission, but with no ability to build loyalty points. So it makes sense to give them access to a hospitality ballot.

 

The problem with how people have abused the general away ticket allocation is the problem, and it should be easily solvable.

Also... I'm not sure if this has been mentioned so far, but apparently our ticketing this season has been outsourced to a 3rd party company due to lack of staff/expertise in our department. Which probably explains some of the stranger, less fan-focused, decisions. I'm sure that will change with time.

There’s nothing wrong with that if it’s me you are asking? I’m on the same side of the argument regards that.
 

From what I can see in here is the ones upset on here are part of a coach travel/multiple ST holder (Simon?) cartel.

 

I posed questions yesterday about this operation and individual to those vocal about the unfairness of the new away system and none of them have responded.

[Shadow Puppets]

16 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

 

If they genuinely care about supporter relationships then Eales, Dan Ginger, Sarah Medcalf and Yvette Thompson need to start engaging with fans and fan groups about this ticketing shite.

 

It's happening under their leadership and it's infuriating a massive section of matchgoing supporters

 

And if Mehrdad and Amanda don't know how pissed off fans are getting, they need to be made aware

 

 

I think the strength of feeling isn't as big as you are making out, to be honest. In general conversations with mates most seem fairly understanding of the rule changes and why they needed to be implemented, although acknowledge that there are issues that need ironing out.

[LFEE]

3 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

 

I think the strength of feeling isn't as big as you are making out, to be honest. In general conversations with mates most seem fairly understanding of the rule changes and why they needed to be implemented, although acknowledge that there are issues that need ironing out.

Yeah the bigger picture I think people are understanding of the changes. I always feel it’s the technology both at the ground and the website/booking IT the biggest gripe.

 

Regaining some sort of ability to choose where you sit would probably quietened 80% of gripes if not more.

[bobbydazzla]

15 minutes ago, Shadow Puppets said:

 

I think the strength of feeling isn't as big as you are making out, to be honest. In general conversations with mates most seem fairly understanding of the rule changes and why they needed to be implemented, although acknowledge that there are issues that need ironing out.

 

Were your mates failing to get tickets last season and are now getting tickets?

 

Most people I know were getting tickets fine last season and are now struggling to either get a ticket, or sit where they want to sit  

 

I genuinely don’t know anyone who has anything positive to say about this seasons ticketing 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[Earp]

I'd like to understand why we have to pay £37 for the privilege of just applying for a ticket. The membership fee used to give members first dabs at tickets left after STs. Given now that membership numbers have no ceiling, we get fuck all benefit from it  I now have the same chance of getting a ticket as someone who has never been to a match. This just can't be right.

[SteV]

56 minutes ago, Earp said:

I'd like to understand why we have to pay £37 for the privilege of just applying for a ticket. The membership fee used to give members first dabs at tickets left after STs. Given now that membership numbers have no ceiling, we get fuck all benefit from it  I now have the same chance of getting a ticket as someone who has never been to a match. This just can't be right.

That hasn’t really changed from last season though, in terms of there was no criteria to who could be a member. The only criteria was effectively being quick enough to buy one before they capped them.

 

Whilst I do completely emphasise with those who have got tickets regularly in the past, and are now struggling, this is the reality of supporting a major football club in the modern era, where demand outstrips supply.

 

I may be wrong, but I’d be surprised if any of our contemporaries do anything in the way of capping their membership numbers.

[JLC]

I had quite a few spares last season via membership apps. Three ballots so far and no joy. I apply for my family as have a ST of my own

 

I suspect one of the reasons the club have no limits on the membership numbers is so they can gauge demand/numbers should they look at new stadium plans

[mondonewc]

29 minutes ago, SteV said:

That hasn’t really changed from last season though, in terms of there was no criteria to who could be a member. The only criteria was effectively being quick enough to buy one before they capped them.

 

Whilst I do completely emphasise with those who have got tickets regularly in the past, and are now struggling, this is the reality of supporting a major football club in the modern era, where demand outstrips supply.

 

I may be wrong, but I’d be surprised if any of our contemporaries do anything in the way of capping their membership numbers.

I remember someone sharing the way Tottenham handled it which seemed infinitely better than our current approach. 

[SteV]

3 minutes ago, mondonewc said:

I remember someone sharing the way Tottenham handled it which seemed infinitely better than our current approach. 

Yeah, I wouldn’t dispute that (just going off the limited info from the post you’re referring to).
 

I’d hope that in time we’d maybe go to something similar in terms of tiered memberships. But due to the fact that ticketing processes and procedures at NUFC had just more or less had zero work put into them in over the previous 10 years, I think it would have been very difficult for the club to have implemented something like that at this stage.

 

It might seem like a bit of a shambles at present, but you’d feel that long term it will improve into a more coherent system (difficult to fully get behind at present I know…).

 

Having said that, as everyone knows, the problem never comes close to going away until we have more capacity one way or another.

[mondonewc]

1 minute ago, SteV said:

Yeah, I wouldn’t dispute that (just going off the limited info from the post you’re referring to).
 

I’d hope that in time we’d maybe go to something similar in terms of tiered memberships. But due to the fact that ticketing processes and procedures at NUFC had just more or less had zero work put into them in over the previous 10 years, I think it would have been very difficult for the club to have implemented something like that at this stage.

 

It might seem like a bit of a shambles at present, but you’d feel that long term it will improve into a more coherent system (difficult to fully get behind at present I know…).

 

Having said that, as everyone knows, the problem never comes close to going away until we have more capacity one way or another.

It's almost coming up to two years now since the takeover though tbf, that's not an insignificant amount of time to address a pretty key area of the running of the club. 

There's clearly a fundamental issue in terms of meeting demand, and that's fine and understandable, that's not an easy fix for sure. However, many of the issues fans are experiencing are pretty basic errors on the club's behalf that should have been resolved in this timeframe, many of the solutions the club has come up with during this time have made things worse not better. 

[Shadow Puppets]

7 minutes ago, SteV said:

Yeah, I wouldn’t dispute that (just going off the limited info from the post you’re referring to).
 

I’d hope that in time we’d maybe go to something similar in terms of tiered memberships. But due to the fact that ticketing processes and procedures at NUFC had just more or less had zero work put into them in over the previous 10 years, I think it would have been very difficult for the club to have implemented something like that at this stage.

 

It might seem like a bit of a shambles at present, but you’d feel that long term it will improve into a more coherent system (difficult to fully get behind at present I know…).

 

Having said that, as everyone knows, the problem never comes close to going away until we have more capacity one way or another.

 

Tiered memberships would just bring with it more question marks over people paying more getting more benefits (not that I have a problem with that). There aren't many perfect solutions, but some incremental changes would help for sure.

[Infatuation Junkie]

It’s shit/thread

[SteV]

6 minutes ago, mondonewc said:

It's almost coming up to two years now since the takeover though tbf, that's not an insignificant amount of time to address a pretty key area of the running of the club. 

There's clearly a fundamental issue in terms of meeting demand, and that's fine and understandable, that's not an easy fix for sure. However, many of the issues fans are experiencing are pretty basic errors on the club's behalf that should have been resolved in this timeframe, many of the solutions the club has come up with during this time have made things worse not better. 

Speaking as a ST holder, rather than a Member, so perhaps not best qualified to give an opinion, I don’t really disagree with the overall premise of what they’re doing, given the overarching problem of it being impossible to get anywhere near meeting current demand.

 

Clearly, I wouldn’t dispute there’s issues that are adding to people’s frustration though. It seems the ‘resale’ element of things is becoming more of a shambles as the games go on. I know people on here are probably benefiting from it more than the ballots (which is nice to see), but having people spend hours and hours hitting F5 in the hope of being able to scramble a ticket at some point, does not feel like a coherent procedure.

 

How much of this kind of thing is a legacy of what they’ve been presented with from the past regime, who knows?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Think they've created another problem now, which is the inability to assess 'loyalty' in the future. The only way I can see it being done is based on the number of ballots you entered, which I guess is the closet approximation we have. 

[SteV]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Think they've created another problem now, which is the inability to assess 'loyalty' in the future. The only way I can see it being done is based on the number of ballots you entered, which I guess is the closet approximation we have. 

Yep, agreed. 
 

Although how much they could have used previous purchase history prior to this, I’m not sure? We saw numerous instances with the cup final where people were saying saying they’d been to X number of games, but the tickets had been bought by a ST holder or another member as a +1 or whatever, so they had no recognition for it. 
 

Probably why they appear to be mad keen on knowing the ‘named person’ in possession of any ticket now. That’ll help down the line you would think. But, again, as you say, people can’t always buy the tickets to demonstrate that now.

[Scoreboard82]

19 hours ago, Fezzle said:

Nobody is talking about home games for a few pages now....... 

I returned a an away ticket a couple of seasons ago and got a refund off the club no problem. Just told them I was unable to go. Maybe they take a different stance these days. Who knows?

[LFEE]

18 minutes ago, Scoreboard82 said:

I returned a an away ticket a couple of seasons ago and got a refund off the club no problem. Just told them I was unable to go. Maybe they take a different stance these days. Who knows?

They don’t. The very fact you can’t transfer something gives you the right to a refund.

 

1 hour ago, JLC said:

I suspect one of the reasons the club have no limits on the membership numbers is so they can gauge demand/numbers should they look at new stadium plans

This is definitely the main reason as I see it along with generating extra revenue.

 

Others fans acting as middlemen doesn’t give the club a true picture of demand hence the decision to gain slightly more control both home & away.

[Earp]

Given my opinion expressed in relation to the ticketing process it's obvious I failed in both the ballot and resale for PSG so any spares gratefully accepted........

[Wallsendmag]

3 hours ago, Earp said:

I'd like to understand why we have to pay £37 for the privilege of just applying for a ticket. The membership fee used to give members first dabs at tickets left after STs. Given now that membership numbers have no ceiling, we get fuck all benefit from it  I now have the same chance of getting a ticket as someone who has never been to a match. This just can't be right.

 

I think if you are selling an unlimited amount of memberships, and I have no problem with that as plenty of other clubs do it and it's a good way to generate money, you must also have some sort of loyalty programme in place to run alongside it.

 

Currently anyone, NUFC fan or not can become a member and have exactly the same chance of gaining access as a NUFC of many years amd that can't be right when demand is so high.

[TheGuv]

1 minute ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

I think if you are selling an unlimited amount of memberships, and I have no problem with that as plenty of other clubs do it and it's a good way to generate money, you must also have some sort of loyalty programme in place to run alongside it.

 

Currently anyone, NUFC fan or not can become a member and have exactly the same chance of gaining access as a NUFC of many years amd that can't be right when demand is so high.

Yup. It ain’t rocket science.