Statement from fan groups ahead of new season

[Centurions]

How many times is it in the new rules your ticket can go unused (not put in exchange, not passed on) before they block a renewal?
I know it's not likely, but as an anxiety driven person I need to know which mornings I drag myself off my sick bed and stagger to a game (if too late to transfer). Like when I got took to a+e in may with meningitis, just after season ended. If that was the night before a game now and maybe happened twice is th at ut, no renewal?I

(Mines never gone unused. But stress makes me want to know answers to scenarios before they haooen!)

I'm not certain of the number but in your case you can call them and try for a medical exemption (or whatever they call it).

 

[artfuldodger]

How many times is it in the new rules your ticket can go unused (not put in exchange, not passed on) before they block a renewal?
I know it's not likely, but as an anxiety driven person I need to know which mornings I drag myself off my sick bed I'd I'm suddenly I'll (or my son is) and stagger to a game (if too late to transfer). Like when I got took to a+e in may with meningitis, just after season ended. If that was the night before a game now and maybe happened twice is th at it, no renewal?I

(Mines never gone unused. But stress makes me want to know answers to scenarios before they haooen!)

3. You have to utilise the ticket 16 out of 19 times.

 

[dannybcity]

I wasn't aware of this rule, does that include Season Ticket holders on your Friends List? In the past we've just sent them to one of my friends I sit with and they just scan the other person in, like a kid for example.

Yes, you can't do that anymore.

I raised this with the club several times and I think they were surprised anyone would do it. Which is why this is the kind of thing people should be picking up with their City Matters reps. If people email it'll help City Matters to demonstrate the number of people it'll effect.

 

[kippaxkid74]

Didn't people who had proper medical reasons for it going unused last season 3 or so games get told they couldn't renew this season? Seem to remember some uproar in May about some genuine ill people who the club refused to make an exemption for?

That was a reply to centurions but I messed up the quote buttoin!

 

[Stephen230]

Are some of these changes even legal? Take the minimum ten game attendance one. If a person has paid their money to attend a game upfront but can't attend what right does the club have to demand an explanation, or penalise the person for not showing up? They paid for the seat it's their decision what they do with it surely?
If clubs hadn't sold themselves to tv then they might have a point, but people have lives outside of football and have to plan ahead. They do but tv then alters everything throwing those plans up in the air.
We all know this is the start of making it more and more difficult to retain a season ticket until eventually they are gone forever. Nobody likes being dictated to, attending a football game is supposed to be a pleasure not a chore.

If there's one thing you can probably rely on City getting right these days, it's legal advice.

I can't see anyway it could be against the law anyway. Maybe if they took your money and then refused you entry to a game you'd paid for, you'd have some sort of recourse. But the way it stands, you could fail to attend the first 18 games and there's no suggestion they wouldn't let you in for the 19th.

 

[PragueBlue]

I suspect many of these changes will be scrapped when the NS is finished and they have a lot more season tickets that they need to sell.

 

[Maccblue]

Im sorry, but I completely disagree. Every change to ticket terms and conditions are inkeeping with the trend set from the top. The club will have checked and rechecked every part of these changes. I you think the changes are unfair, then the fault lies higher up.

Well if that’s your opinion and it turns out to be true
I’d be even astounded by the lack of thought and consideration gone into this by so called ‘senior leaders’ that has impacted thousands of paying customers

 

[GOULDYBOBS]

Looks like my time is also coming to an end. I don't have an ST anymore and rely on tickets from blues on here or friends who can't make it. My mate who has been going for decades has already given his up. Said he feels disconnected from his club. He's been going with his dad and uncle since Maine Rd. He's going to choose a different lower league team but I'm not interested. It's city or ABU for me.
I understand I could purchase a membership from the club but I'm struggling financially and have mouths to feed.
Hope the half and halfers who take my place make some noise for the boys

 

[cmcm0808]

Yes season ticket holders on your F&F list. City’s argument is that season ticket holders already have a ticket so theyre obviously giving it someone else to use. The only thing that’s not been made clear is whether that includes cup games.

I see the clubs argument, if I'd have known about the rule I'd have chosen a different None Paid Member Friend. The burner phone idea seems to be making more sense every day.

 

[BLUE PEANUT]

I'd implore you not to cancel your season ticket. The club have performed plenty of U-turns recently following pushback from fans and it's quite possible they could do the same with the 10 game minimum in-person attendance.

If they don't back down, consider getting a cheap burner phone that supports NFC and downloading your season ticket on to it. Then when you can't attend and family/friends go in your place just hand them the phone to scan themselves in so no need to transfer the ticket to F&F. Of course, if you're moving out of the area then the logistics of getting the phone to them and back to you might be an issue.

This will work initially, but if(when) they bring in the facial recognition turnstiles it will not be a solution

 

[Moss Side's Finest]

Is it correct to say that they now will only accept NFC at turnstiles? So if my old man doesn't have NFC, he can't get in? I see they mentioned download of mobile tickets to Google Wallet, but to me that's still NFC, as my 25/26 SC in my wallet has no QR codes anymore, even though in the new turnstile video on the OS is shows what looks like a QR scanner on the new interfaces.

 

[Moss Side's Finest]

This will work initially, but if(when) they bring in the facial recognition turnstiles it will not be a solution

Have a selection of family and friend's face masks at home? Then simply take the corresponding mask with each ticket

 

[Blumooniac]

Oh for the days of turning up, pissed, ten minutes before kick off, paying on the door and charging up the Kippax steps with your mates.

 

[paulchapo]

Oh for the days of turning up, pissed, ten minutes before kick off, paying on the door and charging up the Kippax steps with your mates.

That my friend is how football should still be. Spontaneous and affordable, decided on a whim. No memberships, codes, threats to attend etcetera. It's supposed to be entertainment, a fun hobby, not a dictatorship.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

This says fan groups so where are the OSC?
Official Supporters Club?

Maybe waiting for the misinformation posted about the OSC at the end of last season to be corrected.

As I’ve said before
This 10 game rule and other stupid ideas will be the idea of some wet graduate straight out some rebadged polytechnic as a university with a 2-2 in events management.

Trying to make a name for themselves sucking up to the leadership team whilst having no thought or recognition of what the overall impact will be on thousands of individuals however they’ve had a pat on the back
Give your a heads a wobble city !

Good post mate. Unfortunately, it was also assisted by some other posters who mocked flexi-golders for only attending a minimum of 10 games per season.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Maybe waiting for the misinformation posted about the OSC at the end of last season to be corrected.

That’s a bit petty. But if you are correct can’t they make their own statement about helping to protect fans?

 

[Tim of the Oak]

I suspect many of these changes will be scrapped when the NS is finished and they have a lot more season tickets that they need to sell.

I think most of the changes show naivety in terms of sales tactics. City's offering is more flexible than several other top flight clubs but City's admin/management needed to recognise that we were starting from a far more flexible position and imposing restrictions would piss fans off. Especially when we will soon need to sell 7k or 8k more seats. All this benchmarking against other clubs that our Club supposedly does fails to recognise this context.

 

[jrb]

Whether they mean it or not the club are making it harder for fans to attend matches on the back of trying to increase match day revenues.

With the ticket price reductions after the protests the club have to somehow claw those lost match day revenues back.

Look out for more desperate ticketing policies and more draconian ticket sales policies in the future, so cheap season ticket seats can be clawed back by the club and resold as more expensive match day seat tickets and hospitality packages.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

That’s a bit petty. But if you are correct can’t they make their own statement about helping to protect fans?

I have no idea if that is correct or not. The facts are that Branches didn't get preference for flexi-golds and contrasting Esme Morgan with a Scandanavian Supporters Club, supposedly asking for flexibility, wasn't that helpful.

I think the changes to ticketing should have been suspended. I just don't like sections of our fanbase being targeted as I have said on her many times. I hope the ground is rocking on Saturday and we get a great win.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Whether they mean it or not the club are making it harder for fans to attend matches on the back of trying to increase match day revenues.

With the ticket price reductions after the protests, the club have to somehow claw those lost match day revenues back.

Look at more desperate ticketing policies and more draconian ticket sales policies in the future.

I think Danny and co have scored a few own goals for modest revenue gains, from increased match day memberships.

Where I am a bit conflicted is we have had match day memberships for donkeys years and IIRC I wouldn't have got a ticket for the Gillingham play off final without one. I think they would have been peanuts then though.