Individual Match Tickets - 2024/25

blueparrot said:
I've never quite understood why they changed the Match day ticket system,maybe about 7/8 years ago. Back in the day they didn't put all the tickets on sale in the summer. Tickets for games went on sale a few weeks before,usually when the TV rearrangements were announced.There were points windows used,not huge ones maybe 500 and 1000. So no huge scramble of people getting in filling their boots while others wait based on nothing but luck.
Seems to me a far better fairer and less stressfull system,and cost spreading too.
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There are two reasons for this - by far the biggest is that the club want to make more revenue and this does that in various ways by extending the fan base, however the second is that there is a perception amongst some influential fans that its 'not fair' to block new fans from being able to buy tickets. I don't buy this at all. The loudest voice, which comes from season ticket holders are protected at the moment, but members aren't anymore. Points were absolutely the fairest route to sell matchday tickets and the club have been allowed to change this, around Covid years.
 
blueparrot said:
Think the extension is an opportunity to reset.If 3 or 4000 seats are kept for Match day it will ease a lot of the pressure. Hopefully there is enough thought going into Match day sales and keeping seats Matchday only in various blocks around the stadium in any future relocation windows. There would still be plenty of games for those new members without points to get tickets, just not the big games but they could build points towards that.
Don't think it's entirely manufactured by the club the success was always going to attract new fans wanting to go to games and they have responded by extending again, it's how they allocate those extra seats now that they will be judged on.
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We’ll have to agree to disagree on this, irrespective of how many “new” fans have been attracted, tickets could be sold at separate junctures throughout the season, when they are changed for TV would be my suggestion, and the biggest games, United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. could be sold on a sliding points scale. The fact they do none of these things or something similar, suggests to me that it’s manufactured.
 
Midd-Blue said:
There are two reasons for this - by far the biggest is that the club want to make more revenue and this does that in various ways by extending the fan base, however the second is that there is a perception amongst some influential fans that its 'not fair' to block new fans from being able to buy tickets. I don't buy this at all. The loudest voice, which comes from season ticket holders are protected at the moment, but members aren't anymore. Points were absolutely the fairest route to sell matchday tickets and the club have been allowed to change this, around Covid years.
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Yes, I can see why they want new members to have a chance. Just looked there are a few tickets left for a few games,slim pickings I get, but there would be tickets for those with few or no points to build up some points,not to mention early round cup games. The fact there are still a few tickets left shows though introducing about 3/4000 new Matchday seats when extended would ease all the pressure for most games.
 
I really don’t like this system of selling tickets. It would be much easier to sell tickets a few weeks before a game, like they always used to do

Most people, including myself haven’t been paid yet this month, so I wouldn’t be able to justify buying loads of match day tickets.

I think this system actually forces out a lot of people.
 
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How hard is it to say - there are 10000 tickets available. 5000 go on open sale so these new fans we want can come and spend the game with their back to the pitch taking selfies and posting on Instagram and the other 5000 go on a sliding points scale and is sold in a different window to those nasty legacy fans. Not ideal in that loyalty is rewarded less than it could be but at least to a degree both sides of the argument are catered for
 
Beaker said:
We’ll have to agree to disagree on this, irrespective of how many “new” fans have been attracted, tickets could be sold at separate junctures throughout the season, when they are changed for TV would be my suggestion, and the biggest games, United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. could be sold on a sliding points scale. The fact they do none of these things or something similar, suggests to me that it’s manufactured.
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I suspect this week's sales windows were designed to nudge more regular fans into making early purchases of singles for games that don't sell as well. From City's perspective everyone is happy then - the loyal/local fan isn't as bothered about the opposition, and knows he's got at least some tickets. The tourist gets a big day out at a glamour fixture. And the club knows seats are filled when we're playing Forest on a Wed night, that the tills will be ringing at the gift shop on derby day, and that they can say everyone's had a chance, because we'll release another chunk three weeks before the game. For us it can be a cruel, expensive and time-consuming process, and I've many times questioned the sustainability of chasing one-offs who bring no more atmosphere, at the expense of people who would come time and again for life, but we can't ignore some of the pressures City will feel they're under as a business - a relatively small ground with a high proportion of season ticket holders, a need to prove to the authorities that we can keep raising income at the gate, and a fanbase whose size, reach and age was impacted by the Swales' years. All that said, we've all had moments, if we've been around long enough, when the City gods have smiled on us, and I commend City Matters and the supporters groups for all the work they've done to make things just that bit better for us as we wait to see what the new stand will bring.
 
Cheadle_hulmeBlue said:
I really don’t like this system of selling tickets. It would be much easier to sell tickets a few weeks before a game, like they always used to do

Most people, including myself haven’t been paid yet this month, so I wouldn’t be able to justify buying loads of match day tickets.

I think this system actually forces out a lot of people.
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There were well over 100,000 places in the queue throughout the day.

Releasing everything this early allows international fans to plan games ahead to sort flights and accommodation.

Unfortunately for a club that publicly brags about being Americas most watched team, this is their main consideration.
 
jamielowndes said:
There were well over 100,000 places in the queue throughout the day.

Releasing everything this early allows international fans to plan games ahead to sort flights and accommodation.

Unfortunately for a club that publicly brags about being Americas most watched team, this is their main consideration.
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Not really, releasing them early goes back a fair few years now,I'd guess at least 8 maybe more. When they were easy to get tickets with no queuing even the derby,first and last games were easy.It's only really last season and this it's become an issue.
 
blueparrot said:
Not really, releasing them early goes back a fair few years now,I'd guess at least 8 maybe more. When they were easy to get tickets with no queuing even the derby,first and last games were easy.It's only really last season and this it's become an issue.
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Didn't the "all games" release come in after Covid in 2021?

But agree that it's last season that it went crazy. I said earlier in the thread, it's almost certainly the Haaland factor.
 
jamielowndes said:
There were well over 100,000 places in the queue throughout the day.

Releasing everything this early allows international fans to plan games ahead to sort flights and accommodation.

Unfortunately for a club that publicly brags about being Americas most watched team, this is their main consideration.
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Spot on. I can only realistically attend Saturday games. And you get the best prices for flights if you book a few weeks in advance. So, once I knew the game was definitely on the Saturday, I had to wait for tickets to go on sale to Cityzen members I secured my Ipswich ticket at midday after being number 42,990 in the queue at 10 a.m..I then got flights from Dublin to Manchester for €48; if you left it until the week of the game, you could treble that, at least. We don't all live half an hour from the ground, unfortunately.
 
bluenova said:
Didn't the "all games" release come in after Covid in 2021?

But agree that it's last season that it went crazy. I said earlier in the thread, it's almost certainly the Haaland factor.
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No it was a few years before that,think I was on holiday in Croatia first time which puts it 7 or 8 years ago as we went twice.
 
well i like the system

i like the fact that i can plan ahead

i like the fact that i can manage to get tickets. its not easy and i didn't get the games i wanted. but i wanted 6 and got 6.

i do 6 every year. it works for my life balance.

in the past it was tricker as those with the points (the haves) stopped those without the points (the have nots) from becoming the haves. what we have is fairer on everyone. normally i'm quite right leaning and it feels like our ticketing is more left leaning. feels like we've gone from a tory system to a labour one. all equal and all that poppycock.

the big games, finals etc, still favour those with points. so the benefit is still there.

i've been a junior blue (does that even exist anymore?) and a season ticket holder. and then a game by game merchant. but i just love this preseason ticket sale. the best system i've seen.

i can understand why those with lots of points don't like it. but i just think this is fairer.

just stating my point of view as most seem to criticise it and i think it needs some balance.
 
jimharri said:
Spot on. I can only realistically attend Saturday games. And you get the best prices for flights if you book a few weeks in advance. So, once I knew the game was definitely on the Saturday, I had to wait for tickets to go on sale to Cityzen members I secured my Ipswich ticket at midday after being number 42,990 in the queue at 10 a.m..I then got flights from Dublin to Manchester for €48; if you left it until the week of the game, you could treble that, at least. We don't all live half an hour from the ground, unfortunately.
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I’m the opposite, my 3 or 4 trips to UK/Europe are booked 12 months in advance, so I just rely on the PL Fixture Gods as to which fixtures I get.

Except for Chelsea in January, all my games are against 2nd 3rd tier teams, so no problem getting tickets even though I was 61000 in the queue.

For Chelsea I kept doing the refresh thing, and eventually got a seat in my cart at the 40+th attempt.

I would have qualified for Arse, Dippers & Scum, but they’re on dates I’m not over.

Now just need to see what the CL Draw Gods give me for rnd 3 & 7.
 
jimharri said:
Spot on. I can only realistically attend Saturday games. And you get the best prices for flights if you book a few weeks in advance. So, once I knew the game was definitely on the Saturday, I had to wait for tickets to go on sale to Cityzen members I secured my Ipswich ticket at midday after being number 42,990 in the queue at 10 a.m..I then got flights from Dublin to Manchester for €48; if you left it until the week of the game, you could treble that, at least. We don't all live half an hour from the ground, unfortunately.
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You’re arguing against your own point here. We know the Ipswich game is on the Saturday, as is the Brentford game and the Arsenal game is a Sunday, so great, release the tickets for those games.

However, we don’t as yet know the date and time of every other game for the rest of the season, so hold those back until we do. There would usually be a good six weeks between the tickets going on sale and the game being played if it was done this way.
 
bluenova said:
Wow - shows how things have changed. I've got purchases for some big games bought throughout the year as late as the 2019/20 season.
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Yes, before Covid the summer sales didn't cause any panic because most games had tickets available well into the season and lesser games all the way up to the match. I do think if they add 3-4000 extra match day seats all but the 3 bigger games and last game will be frrely available after the summer sale.
 
Lord Blue said:
well i like the system

i like the fact that i can plan ahead

i like the fact that i can manage to get tickets. its not easy and i didn't get the games i wanted. but i wanted 6 and got 6.

i do 6 every year. it works for my life balance.

in the past it was tricker as those with the points (the haves) stopped those without the points (the have nots) from becoming the haves. what we have is fairer on everyone. normally i'm quite right leaning and it feels like our ticketing is more left leaning. feels like we've gone from a tory system to a labour one. all equal and all that poppycock.

the big games, finals etc, still favour those with points. so the benefit is still there.

i've been a junior blue (does that even exist anymore?) and a season ticket holder. and then a game by game merchant. but i just love this preseason ticket sale. the best system i've seen.

i can understand why those with lots of points don't like it. but i just think this is fairer.

just stating my point of view as most seem to criticise it and i think it needs some balance.
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A points system is much fairer in my opinion, as a person who doesn’t have a high amount of points I’d rather miss out on a game to a local who will enjoy the game and get involved rather than a YouTuber. Where you do have a point is the barrier to becoming a have rather than a have not. Personal opinion, should be done on a points system with the twist being points expire. If points lasted say 3 seasons and if you regularly keep going you kind of hit a natural ceiling, if you stop going it removes your right to jump the queue for a big game because you served your time way back when.
 
A17DRE said:
A points system is much fairer in my opinion, as a person who doesn’t have a high amount of points I’d rather miss out on a game to a local who will enjoy the game and get involved rather than a YouTuber. Where you do have a point is the barrier to becoming a have rather than a have not. Personal opinion, should be done on a points system with the twist being points expire. If points lasted say 3 seasons and if you regularly keep going you kind of hit a natural ceiling, if you stop going it removes your right to jump the queue for a big game because you served your time way back when.
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I agree with you on the rolling points, they go after three or even five years. I wouldn’t necessarily sell all games on a points basis either, the games against United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. first and last of the season yes points, but the majority open to all match day members, easy to get on the ladder that way, but you have to serve a few games before getting tickets for the biggies.
 
Lord Blue said:
well i like the system

i like the fact that i can plan ahead

i like the fact that i can manage to get tickets. its not easy and i didn't get the games i wanted. but i wanted 6 and got 6.

i do 6 every year. it works for my life balance.

in the past it was tricker as those with the points (the haves) stopped those without the points (the have nots) from becoming the haves. what we have is fairer on everyone. normally i'm quite right leaning and it feels like our ticketing is more left leaning. feels like we've gone from a tory system to a labour one. all equal and all that poppycock.

the big games, finals etc, still favour those with points. so the benefit is still there.

i've been a junior blue (does that even exist anymore?) and a season ticket holder. and then a game by game merchant. but i just love this preseason ticket sale. the best system i've seen.

i can understand why those with lots of points don't like it. but i just think this is fairer.

just stating my point of view as most seem to criticise it and i think it needs some balance.
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There is no fairness about out it ,its complete pot luck, both a fan with zero points or 10000 points can end up with zero tickets depending on where the system puts you in the que .
 
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Alot of people still about the United, Liverpool and Arsenal games that went on sale.

Anyone else think should have started the criteria off at 10+ Premier League games in the last two seasons and worked it's way down instead of starting off at 5+ Premier League games which in truth is pretty low over the course of two seasons.

I know it's tough but there's no point getting worked up about it, It's something that's out of our control unfortunately.
 
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