Memberships (2024/25)

[TheGuv]

I think we’re going round in circles…

 

It’s obvious that some like the new model and some don’t. 
 

Some are saying 10am is unfair (it probably was - but it was a situation made unfair by people’s daily diary/work environment. One could argue there are ways around this - via family/friends or even taking day’s off etc. I used to nip to the loo if I was in the office  

 

A total side note. But when the 1000 STs were released last year, I planned to take day(s) off if required to camp out in the queue  But the Club chucked it on the online system instead and I missed out). C’est La Vie  
 

Others argue that those who did utilise the 10am to their own benefit showed their utmost desire to attend (because if they had the option at 10am, they made sure it worked for them).

 

My view is there HAS to be an alternative to a lucky dip. How the Club do it - is open to debate, but there has to be a debate.

 

 Just imagine the outcry if STs were to be balloted every year, or indeed every away ticket was to be balloted (and loyalty

points weren’t taken into consideration). I’m sure we’d all agree that would be unfair. So i’m not sure how membership should be any different (especially if we were to start from scratch in August 2023… to make it super duper fair moving forward).
 

This being the case, it’s the number 1 priority for the club to work out a fairer system moving forward. But crucially surely loyalty has to be rewarded moving forward?!

 

Another example:

 

It’s March 2026. Bobby Dazzla has entered the ‘ballot’ for every game for 3 years and was successful 30% of the time and had attended 20 League games in that time period. Newcastle are playing Man City in a title decider in May 2026 and Bobby is hopeful for a ticket. He is unsuccessful. 
 

However, Joe Bloggs decides he wants to have a chance at being at SJP for our first title win in 99 years. He buys his first membership in March 2026 and enters the ballot for the City game. After all, he’s a member and deserves just as much chance as Bobby?
 

Joe gets the ticket and Bobby doesn’t.
Who on here would think that’s ‘fair’?

 

Forget about the here and now, there’s also the future we need to be thinking about here. Clearly there is no thought process into this other than rinsing 85,000+? Fans of £37 and we’re all supposed to be happy about it.

[patrone]

Or Joe Bloggs in a Man City fan, that has zero chance to get a ticket from his club, so he happily gambles the £37 for a chance at one in with the home fans

[Guest]

I expect to be putting my ticket up for resale tomorrow evening although it is not 100% certain. No idea if the seat will become immediately available but just in case it does I will post on here just before I do and perhaps someone from the forum might be able to get it. 

[patrone]

Just now, Toontimes said:

I expect to be putting my ticket up for resale tomorrow evening although it is not 100% certain. No idea if the seat will become immediately available but just in case it does I will post on here just before I do and perhaps someone from the forum might be able to get it. 

Or add them to your friends and family? And cut out the middle man ?

[LFEE]

7 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

I think we’re going round in circles…

 

It’s obvious that some like the new model and some don’t. 
 

Some are saying 10am is unfair (it probably was - but it was a situation made unfair by people’s daily diary/work environment. One could argue there are ways around this - via family/friends or even taking day’s off etc. I used to nip to the loo if I was in the office  

 

A total side note. But when the 1000 STs were released last year, I planned to take day(s) off if required to camp out in the queue  But the Club chucked it on the online system instead and I missed out). C’est La Vie  
 

Others argue that those who did utilise the 10am to their own benefit showed their utmost desire to attend (because if they had the option at 10am, they made sure it worked for them).

 

My view is there HAS to be an alternative to a lucky dip. How the Club do it - is open to debate, but there has to be a debate.

 

 Just imagine the outcry if STs were to be balloted every year, or indeed every away ticket was to be balloted (and loyalty

points weren’t taken into consideration). I’m sure we’d all agree that would be unfair. So i’m not sure how membership should be any different (especially if we were to start from scratch in August 2023… to make it super duper fair moving forward).
 

This being the case, it’s the number 1 priority for the club to work out a fairer system moving forward. But crucially surely loyalty has to be rewarded moving forward?!

 

Another example:

 

It’s March 2026. Bobby Dazzla has entered the ‘ballot’ for every game for 3 years and was successful 30% of the time and had attended 20 League games in that time period. Newcastle are playing Man City in a title decider in May 2026 and Bobby is hopeful for a ticket. He is unsuccessful. 
 

However, Joe Bloggs decides he wants to have a chance at being at SJP for our first title win in 99 years. He buys his first membership in March 2026 and enters the ballot for the City game. After all, he’s a member and deserves just as much chance as Bobby?
 

Joe gets the ticket and Bobby doesn’t.
Who on here would think that’s ‘fair’?

 

Forget about the here and now, there’s also the future we need to be thinking about here. Clearly there is no thought process into this other than rinsing 85,000+? Fans of £37 and we’re all supposed to be happy about it.

Very good post. 
 

No system is perfect but I’ve always been of the belief that last years system was by and large the best one so no need to chuck the baby out with the bath water which the club has decided to do.

 

Would’ve been interesting if this was always going to be the plan or an overreaction from the loud minority.

 

I would’ve made small adjustments like each game the sale time was a different time and day. So rotating as the season went on between morning, evening, weekdays and weekends. That and updating the software to only allow the single login as opposed to multiple browsers. Then finally once you were through the queue I would’ve made the seat selection and assigning your memberships to them a lot more clearer and streamlined.

 

Give all that 12 months and have some diagnostics running so the club could learn what is going on and needed going forward.

 

Id be very surprised if anyone on here would prefer the current system to the one I’ve suggested.

[Minhosa]

5 minutes ago, patrone said:

Or add them to your friends and family? And cut out the middle man ?

If Toontimes couldn't attend due to unforeseen circumstances, he could either transfer his ticket to a mate (say from here...) 9 times and sell it back to the club 10 times and still not breach the rules, right?

[LFEE]

1 minute ago, Minhosa said:

If Toontimes couldn't attend due to unforeseen circumstances, he could either transfer his ticket to a mate (say from here...) 9 times and sell it back to the club 10 times and still not breach the rules, right?

Close. 10 to friends and 9 to club I believe.

[JackieDoor]

8 minutes ago, Toontimes said:

I expect to be putting my ticket up for resale tomorrow evening although it is not 100% certain. No idea if the seat will become immediately available but just in case it does I will post on here just before I do and perhaps someone from the forum might be able to get it. 

NUFC.com are saying they can't be resold, ones got from the ballot that is.

 

Fuck knows what's going on.

[LFEE]

Just now, JackieDoor said:

NUFC.com are saying they can't be resold, ones got from the ballot that is.

 

Fuck knows what's going on.

I think you are misunderstanding. You’d sell privately by adding people to your friends and family (Maxium 6 I think) and transfer up to 10 times. The other 9 games you’d have to sell to the club for resale and get 9x19ths of your ST refunded via the club and they will sell the 9 tickets for full match day price.

[patrone]

2 minutes ago, JackieDoor said:

NUFC.com are saying they can't be resold, ones got from the ballot that is.

 

Fuck knows what's going on.

That's correct

 

Only season tickets can be resold/given away.

 

Any others are non transferable 

[LFEE]

1 minute ago, patrone said:

That's correct

 

Only season tickets can be resold/given away.

 

Any others are non transferable 

Yes. Apologies @JackieDoor. I missed where you added Ballot. Thought you were referring to @ToontimesST selling dilemma. ??

[AyeDubbleYoo]

45 minutes ago, LFEE said:

You are talking about people who’ve went by and large for 10-20-30-40-50 years. On most occasions like myself making massive sacrifices in their life decisions wether it be relationships, jobs, living location etc to have the ability to afford and attend 19+ games a season. 
 

There is a world where some people deserve to go more than others. There maybe no clear measurement for it but it’s nothing to do with unfairness. At least not my definition of the word. I can understand more so if described as fortunate and unfortunate.

 

Also it’s worth noting the current ST levels are probably the lowest they’ve been since the 90’s with a much bigger ground now.

Yeah, I know what you’re saying, as long as people admit there is a hierarchy of fans.

 

The problem is we were talking about fairness, and whether it was fair for one supporter to miss out when another doesn’t. If that’s the parameters of the conversation then STs have to be considered too. 
 

Some people made sacrifices, some were just lucky. People could have bought a season ticket at any time in previous seasons but they made the decision that it was better not to. Some couldn’t buy one because of personal or financial reasons. 
 

None of this makes it easier to decide who should go and who shouldn’t. 
 

If we think that loyalty should matter then clearly a random ballot isn’t the way to go. It’s just interesting in football that there’s one group (ST holders) who are considered untouchable and another who have no rights. 
 

Also given the incredible demand, people who have a ST could be more accurately described as privileged than loyal. Thousands of people would step into their shoes if they could. It’s a very interesting position. 
 

To be clear this is more a theoretical point because I know that ST holders will always be there and I really want to become one ASAP

 

I just think it’s interesting to discuss it in an era where demand is so high. Traditionally you would think of STs as something the club needs to sell in order to guarantee income. And those people would be valuable because they’ll commit money that other fans won’t. 

[bobbydazzla]

1 hour ago, TheGuv said:

I think we’re going round in circles…

 

It’s obvious that some like the new model and some don’t. 
 

Some are saying 10am is unfair (it probably was - but it was a situation made unfair by people’s daily diary/work environment. One could argue there are ways around this - via family/friends or even taking day’s off etc. I used to nip to the loo if I was in the office  

 

A total side note. But when the 1000 STs were released last year, I planned to take day(s) off if required to camp out in the queue  But the Club chucked it on the online system instead and I missed out). C’est La Vie  
 

Others argue that those who did utilise the 10am to their own benefit showed their utmost desire to attend (because if they had the option at 10am, they made sure it worked for them).

 

My view is there HAS to be an alternative to a lucky dip. How the Club do it - is open to debate, but there has to be a debate.

 

 Just imagine the outcry if STs were to be balloted every year, or indeed every away ticket was to be balloted (and loyalty

points weren’t taken into consideration). I’m sure we’d all agree that would be unfair. So i’m not sure how membership should be any different (especially if we were to start from scratch in August 2023… to make it super duper fair moving forward).
 

This being the case, it’s the number 1 priority for the club to work out a fairer system moving forward. But crucially surely loyalty has to be rewarded moving forward?!

 

Another example:

 

It’s March 2026. Bobby Dazzla has entered the ‘ballot’ for every game for 3 years and was successful 30% of the time and had attended 20 League games in that time period. Newcastle are playing Man City in a title decider in May 2026 and Bobby is hopeful for a ticket. He is unsuccessful. 
 

However, Joe Bloggs decides he wants to have a chance at being at SJP for our first title win in 99 years. He buys his first membership in March 2026 and enters the ballot for the City game. After all, he’s a member and deserves just as much chance as Bobby?
 

Joe gets the ticket and Bobby doesn’t.
Who on here would think that’s ‘fair’?

 

Forget about the here and now, there’s also the future we need to be thinking about here. Clearly there is no thought process into this other than rinsing 85,000+? Fans of £37 and we’re all supposed to be happy about it.

And don’t forget to mention that from Oct 2021 to Aug 2023 Bobby Dazzla bought a ticket to every game and was usually in Strawberry Corner putting his full support behind the team, even in the days when relegation looked a certainty.

 

He’s also a former season ticket holder, went to away games in both top flight and 2nd tier and was at 1999 & 2023 cup finals. He’s supported the club for 35 years and stopped going to the match as a protest against the Ashley regime.

 

Joe Bloggs just likes to take selfies at big events and post them on Instagram.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, patrone said:

Or add them to your friends and family? And cut out the middle man ?

 

I already have a number of people recorded as friends and family but as others have said I can now only forward the ticket for a maximum of ten matches without being “flagged” (whatever that will result in!) so the resale option for the other 9 matches is the only way ahead to keep within the official guidelines. I should of course be able to forward my ticket on as many times as I want but I do not want to risk losing my ticket by doing that.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by Toontimes
Correction

[Kanj]

The ticket "rules" are fucking wild over there  

[OptimusSlime]

35 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Yeah, I know what you’re saying, as long as people admit there is a hierarchy of fans.

 

The problem is we were talking about fairness, and whether it was fair for one supporter to miss out when another doesn’t. If that’s the parameters of the conversation then STs have to be considered too. 
 

Some people made sacrifices, some were just lucky. People could have bought a season ticket at any time in previous seasons but they made the decision that it was better not to. Some couldn’t buy one because of personal or financial reasons. 
 

None of this makes it easier to decide who should go and who shouldn’t. 
 

If we think that loyalty should matter then clearly a random ballot isn’t the way to go. It’s just interesting in football that there’s one group (ST holders) who are considered untouchable and another who have no rights. 
 

Also given the incredible demand, people who have a ST could be more accurately described as privileged than loyal. Thousands of people would step into their shoes if they could. It’s a very interesting position. 
 

To be clear this is more a theoretical point because I know that ST holders will always be there and I really want to become one ASAP

 

I just think it’s interesting to discuss it in an era where demand is so high. Traditionally you would think of STs as something the club needs to sell in order to guarantee income. And those people would be valuable because they’ll commit money that other fans won’t. 

And the club is now in a position to Jack prices up because if the current ST holder can’t or won’t pay there is someone desperate to be queuing up to do so.

 

The club can make so much more money from the current stadium, people nowadays will pay big money to be part of big live events (and let’s face it in Newcastle PL football is the only show in town).

[Sima]

Wonder how ticket resales work from Season Ticket holders.

 

Do the club only give the ST holder the ST price divided by 19 and they sell at single ticket value?

Decent chunk made for them if so...

[Hovagod]

27 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

And don’t forget to mention that from Oct 2021 to Aug 2023 Bobby Dazzla bought a ticket to every game and was usually in Strawberry Corner putting his full support behind the team, even in the days when relegation looked a certainty.

 

He’s also a former season ticket holder, was a regular away in both top flight and 2nd tier and was at the 1999 & 2023 cup finals. He’s supported the club for 35 years and only stopped going to the match as a protest against the Ashley regime.

 

Joe Bloggs just likes to take selfies at big events and post them on Instagram.

 

 

 

What about if Bobby Dazzler works a job where it is impossible to get online at 10am during the week? 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Sima said:

Wonder how ticket resales work from Season Ticket holders.

 

Do the club only give the ST holder the ST price divided by 19 and they sell at single ticket value?

Decent chunk made for them if so...

Rules state you get 1/19 of season ticket value IF the ticket sells and no doubt the ticket will be sold for a higher price as you say.

[bobbydazzla]

2 minutes ago, Hovagod said:

What about if Bobby Dazzler works a job where it is impossible to get online at 10am during the week? 

Bobby Dazzla finds some friends or forum members who are able to be online at 10am during the week.

 

He links his supporter number to them and asks them kindly if they could buy his ticket.

 

[Hovagod]

Just now, bobbydazzla said:

Bobby Dazzla finds some friends or forum members who are able to be online at 10am during the week.

 

He links his supporter number to them and asks them kindly if they could buy his ticket.

 

Right, but you get the point. In this fictional scenario, it’s just as likely there’s somebody who’s being going for years who can’t get online at the time the tickets go on sale, and in that case they’re the ones that lose out to the gloryhunter selfie person 

[TheGuv]

1 minute ago, Hovagod said:

Right, but you get the point. In this fictional scenario, it’s just as likely there’s somebody who’s being going for years who can’t get online at the time the tickets go on sale, and in that case they’re the ones that lose out to the gloryhunter selfie person 

You’ve missed my point entirely though with my original scenario.

 

You’ve taken us right back to where we were at the start 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by TheGuv

[bobbydazzla]

9 minutes ago, Hovagod said:

Right, but you get the point. In this fictional scenario, it’s just as likely there’s somebody who’s being going for years who can’t get online at the time the tickets go on sale, and in that case they’re the ones that lose out to the gloryhunter selfie person 

But there’s a clear and legitimate work around for those people. You only had to know members who could be online at 10am, then link accounts. Lads in here were helping each other out for instance.

 

I couldn’t even get a membership in 2022/23 as they weren’t selling them post-takeover.

But I had friends with season tickets who I had to ask to let me use their +1

 

If you were determined to be there, there was usually a way.

 

Now there isn’t. It’s a lucky dip. 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[Hovagod]

4 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

You’ve missed my point entirely though with my original scenario.

 

You’ve taken us right back to where we were at the start 

 

 

 

Actually, mate, just re-read and you’re right. Didn’t register that thing about the relative amounts of ballot entries 

[JackieDoor]

So from tomorrow until before the match, you can go on the stadium plan and keep refreshing in the hope of a seat popping up from a ST holder who can't go?

 

I'm probably way off here