Away tickets

[Alex - City Matters]

We need to change the focus from squabbling amongst ourselves about a tiny piece of the pie, to reclaiming that pie from businesses and wealthy people who use the club as a means to entertain their clients (who couldn't care less about our club).

Sounds like something out the Communist Manifesto ;)

 

[GortonBlue62]

Agree with others - A five year roll over system / ballot is the only fair way of doing it I think.

Away games have become a closed shop and very difficult to get tickets for. Yes there are games on open sale, but they are more often then not midweek or too far for many.

the only way to go to away games for lots of people is by knowing someone with high points - that’s not right. Nigh on impossible to catch up points wise aswell

I don’t think people should have a divine right to tickets.

It’s a difficult one to solve.

Rolling system yes.

Away games are not a closed shop - see previous posts on how many (unfashionable) away days people could have done last season.

Nobody has a divine right to away tickets, but if you have over 22000 points you've worked hard for them by attending far away midweek games that require you to use up precious holidays.

It's only difficult in the sense that people like you have a hard time understanding the meaning of the word meritocratic.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Again though, this is where the argument begins and ends.

If you're not prepared to travel to night midweek games or to games that are far away, why should you take precedence over somebody that will?

Most people can’t travel to midweek games in London or say Swansea though. Just because you can afford it and are able too doesnt give you a divine right to tickets in my opinion. Fair enough if you disagree.

 

[Fame Monster]

Looks like the Twitter fan's poll on the changes has closed. 3000 people have voted so a pretty good yardstick. The majority in favour of the changes. I suspect even more will be next season if the changes allow a wider number/range of season-ticket holders to go and the away atmospheres become even better with even more young fans there. Early days but looks like City Matters have largely got it right.

 

[tedmak]

This has clearly been thought through by people with the mathematical intellect of a brick. It doesn't help anyone other than those already at the top of the points scheme whom it actually helps more not less as they can now (if they choose) only go to the more popular games leaving those that struggle to sell out without affecting their position. I guess that is the problem with getting an average Joe Bloggs to think these things through
Most people agree the issue is that demand is far greater for certain games (Liverpool/Utd/Bournemouth etc etc) and far less for games like Newcastle away midweek (apart from me - as thats my closest game...). And therefore the solution is to create more fairness
However : -
People who think they are getting 'further behind' in the existing system by not being able to buy certain away tickets simply don't understand basic maths.
If you can not buy a ticket for a game because of your points tally - then nor can anybody else on your points tally. You may be numerically further behind in terms of points at the end of the season (perhaps 10000 off top rather than 9000) but you are no further away in terms of numbers of people between you and the top and thats what matters
If we assume that this is 'points whores' - they are still going to buy tickets for Utd/Liverpool etc because they are more than likely going to go or, if they are inclined that way - flog on for a profit. And now they can never be caught because their points advantage is completely impenetrable
Perhaps this is step one and step two is to re-evaluate everybody in a year or two based upon how many aways they bought in the last couple of years. That would be slightly fairer although I doubt thought through

People who think they are getting 'further behind' in the existing system by not being able to buy certain away tickets simply don't understand basic maths.

I agree with what you say except for the highlighted part. Under the system last season, going to away games meant you could overtake the points tally of fans that didnt go to any away matches. Now - you will never be able to catch them (assuming you are on the same cup schemes). That is a relative loss (or a frustrated gain). This is already an issue I have with the cup runs where you can go to all the early rounds and then be jumped over for the latter stages (Europe especially).
Is now an issue for the league as well.

On a separate point, I notice that in all of the justifications/explanations for this change, I have not heard one example of another group that LOSES. No other group apart from away attendees. Scandalous, really.

 

[tedmak]

Looks like the Twitter fan's poll on the changes has closed. 3000 people have voted so a pretty good yardstick. The majority in favour of the changes. I suspect even more will be next season if the changes allow a wider number/range of season-ticket holders to go and the away atmospheres become even better with even more young fans there. Early days but looks like City Matters have largely got it right.

A twitter poll. PLEASE!!!

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Rolling system yes.

Away games are not a closed shop - see previous posts on how many (unfashionable) away days people could have done last season.

Nobody has a divine right to away tickets, but if you have over 22000 points you've worked hard for them by attending far away midweek games that require you to use up precious holidays.

It's only difficult in the sense that people like you have a hard time understanding the meaning of the word meritocratic.

So your saying to people just starting out that they can go to 3-4 games a year that are unfashionable, midweek and far away- btw you’ll never be able to catch up points wise and the the people on higher points just pass on tickets anyway.

Lots of games have become a closed shop and lots of fans have no chance at all of being able to go to games. Plenty of people think it is an issue- the club apparently aswell.

 

[colin's bell helmet]

So you know people who have a season card, don't go to home games, and do all aways?

I'm betting this particular demographic, if it isn't a figment of your imagination, is tiny and insignificant.

Nothing needed to change because points whoring is exaggerated, plenty of youngsters do plenty of aways and old buggers like me will eventually fade away.

Something only needed to change if you're (speaking generically, not aimed at you) too lazy to do the hard away days to earn your place at the glamour away games.

Not a figment of my imagination...I know quite a few people who don't have season tickets yet go to most aways if not all and don't bother with home games yet still acquire tickets even for the big home games. Do you not? Think most of the tickets come through supporters clubs though but I'm not wading into that argument again. Do you not agree there should be a limited amount of tickets available via a ballot so blues who can't attend every away game due to varying different reasons should be in with a shout of a ticket at some point through the season or should the same few thousand "loyal" fans get them every time until they choose to not go or die?

 

[Fame Monster]

Indeed - I voted on one of the when Moyes was the United manager. I voted for them to keep him.

I very much doubt United fans will be voting on something as technical as this. Yes, it's only a Twitter poll but 3000 people is a decent number to go off - about what we take to an away game! I hope there's another survey next season - ideally done by the club, to find out whether people are happy with the changes, not happy with the changes, or want further reform/ballot/rolling points system.

 

[Fame Monster]

Not a figment of my imagination...I know quite a few people who don't have season tickets yet go to most aways if not all and don't bother with home games yet still acquire tickets even for the big home games. Do you not? Think most of the tickets come through supporters clubs though but I'm not wading into that argument again. Do you not agree there should be a limited amount of tickets available via a ballot so blues who can't attend every away game due to varying different reasons should be in with a shout of a ticket at some point through the season or should the same few thousand "loyal" fans get them every time until they choose to not go or die?

We all know em mate.

I've got family members who go all round England and Europe now watching City now despite rarely going to a game before the Aguerroooo goal.