City Matters thread

[Tim of the Oak]

I can clarify exact number of match day members, but it’s definitely over 100k and closer to 125k

Thanks very much Lee.

 

[CityMatters-LeeB]

Can someone give me a factual rationale for the 10 game personal attendance rule that has come direct from the club during discussion with City Matters please.

Clubs rationale is that if you have a season ticket, you should at least make 10 games in person
If you can’t they feel you should release your season ticket for others that are waiting for one and will go to every home game

 

[Blue Smarties]

Clubs rationale is that if you have a season ticket, you should at least make 10 games in person
If you can’t they feel you should release your season ticket for others that are waiting for one and will go to every home game

The thing is, the club aren’t selling full season tickets?

 

[Tim of the Oak]

The thing is, the club aren’t selling full season tickets?

There are plenty of Blues who are going to move from flexi to full season cards: I know Blues who are making sure they meet the 16 attendance in person criteria.

Was it really a full season card before this season when card holders didn’t need to attend a single game? I don’t want to see Blues, who aren’t touts, lose their season cards, but there is a clue in the name that attendance is expected.

The argument that full season cards have to let people miss as many games as they want to is a confusing one.

I’m no big fan of the 10 game rule so if it got ditched so be it.

 

[CityMatters-LeeB]

The thing is, the club aren’t selling full season tickets?

The club see a flexi as a season ticket

Not justifying it, and I know many do not see it as a season ticket, but the club do

 

[Saddleworth2]

Clubs rationale is that if you have a season ticket, you should at least make 10 games in person
If you can’t they feel you should release your season ticket for others that are waiting for one and will go to every home game

And what is city matters view of that rationale?

So if I fail to make ten games this season but resell all the other games on the club exchange and my season ticket is taken from me for next season are the club guaranteeing that it will be sold as a genuine season ticket to another fan? No. Thought not. It will be sold as a match ticket like all the others surrounding us in the east stand.

 

[BLUE THUNDER]

Clubs rationale is that if you have a season ticket, you should at least make 10 games in person
If you can’t they feel you should release your season ticket for others that are waiting for one and will go to every home game

Just lip service from the club.
“Release” your season ticket which then becomes Flexi or just a match day ticket.It’s pretty obvious they’re trying to reduce the number of full season tickets to flexi or lower. Gives them more control over seating which equates to more $$ for them and their ticketing partners.
A lot of loyal generational Blues left with a bitter taste in their mouths. Short sighted by the club.

 

[jrb]

The club see a flexi as a season ticket

Not justifying it, and I know many do not see it as a season ticket, but the club do

I’m not having a go at you Lee as you are obviously doing a great job and following on from the great job Alex did.

The directors see normal season tickets, which are still in the majority, but are steadily dwindling, declining, and are being phased out by the directors as an irrelevance, an inconvenience, and a hinderance to more match day revenue. The directors and their managers are very savvy, clever, football and business people who know exactly what a proper season ticket is, and what they are doing. The directors have created a new type of season ticket, namely Flexi Gold, on purpose, that will maximise additional season ticket revenue every season.

 

[jrb]

Clubs rationale is that if you have a season ticket, you should at least make 10 games in person
If you can’t they feel you should release your season ticket for others that are waiting for one and will go to every home game

So why have lapsed season tickets due to people giving up their season tickets, sadly passing away, or for other reasons, not been given to fans who want a season ticket, but have been sold as match day seats, and hospitality seats instead?

Sadly a friend of mine passed away. His season ticket became available. His seat is sold as a match day seat ticket. There is a different person sitting in his seat every home match, making the club more money. That is replicated throughout the stadium.

 

[Corky]

So why have lapsed season tickets due to people giving them up their season tickets. sadly passing away, or for other reasons, not been given to fans who want a season ticket, but have been sold as match day seats, and hospitality seats instead. That’s bullshit Lee. I’m not having a go at you mate.

Sadly a friend of mine passed away. His season ticket became available. His seat is sold as a match day seat ticket. There is a different person sitting in his seat every home match, making the club more money. That is replicated throughout the stadium.

That is a poor example. The seats that are seasons tickets change every season and it is the overall numbers that are important.

Sadly the club doesn't share numbers, only very rough round figures now and again.

 

[jrb]

That is a poor example. The seats that are seasons tickets change every season and it is the overall numbers that are important.

Sadly the club doesn't share numbers, only very rough round figures now and again.

That’s correct. But season tickets have always stayed at a level. Normal season tickets are now being systematically phased out. When were normal season tickets last issued by the club at the start of the season ticket sales window? Of the new 4000 season tickets that are being made available by the club, all of them are Flexi-Gold season tickets. There isn’t a single normal season ticket being made available to the fans by the club.

Why doesn’t the club give the fans a choice of a normal season ticket or a Flexi-Gold season ticket out of those 4000 season tickets being made available?

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

The club see a flexi as a season ticket

Not justifying it, and I know many do not see it as a season ticket, but the club do

I wonder if the club see a difference between a full time job role and a part time one.

 

[CityMatters-LeeB]

Will try to answer each point in one post if able to adequately

In relation to the city matters view on flexi, it was proposed by city matters prior to me joining as an option alongside traditional season tickets

Personally it’s being used by about 2000 people out of the full allocation of season ticket holders, so is an option, but most want a traditional season ticket

Re the 10 game attendance, as a practice city matters, like I’m sure all fans would want, is we want to see every seat being used for every game, with a great atmosphere in the stadium

My option on the 10 game policy, is it was poorly thought out and introduced and needs full scrutiny through the season.

City still have a higher percentage of season ticket holders compared to our rivals in the premier league and this will go up next season with the new season tickets (albeit flexi) in the north stand

In relation to where the season tickets are it’s not always the case that a season ticket that for whatever reason is not renewed is not like for like put back on sale to a new season ticket holder
That’s due to new season ticket holder might choose to sit elsewhere

 

[Saddleworth2]

y option on the 10 game policy, is it was poorly thought out and introduced and needs full scrutiny through the season.

I’m not sure what that means in practice Lee. Those of us that will struggle to meet the criteria because of distance or illness or whatever would like clarity prior to that. Should we assume that if we make 8 or 9 games we will have our season ticket taken from us irrespective of the fact we have sold all other games on the exchange?

Have City Matters challenged the 10 game policy and asked for it to be binned in favour of simply setting a target for seats being filled either in person or by sales via the exchange? That would seem less draconian and more sensitive to fans individual circumstances.

 

[Centurions]

So why have lapsed season tickets due to people giving up their season tickets, sadly passing away, or for other reasons, not been given to fans who want a season ticket, but have been sold as match day seats, and hospitality seats instead?

Sadly a friend of mine passed away. His season ticket became available. His seat is sold as a match day seat ticket. There is a different person sitting in his seat every home match, making the club more money. That is replicated throughout the stadium.

Obviously a seat isn't tied to an expired season ticket so you can't claim that it's disappeared forever as only the club know the numbers and they're not telling (more openness would be useful). The club have clearly decided to act on tickets that haven't been used or perhaps only for big games, so FG tickets are the way forward for them with the option to upgrade to full ST's down the line if they're being used fully.

BTW, I do apologise for calling you bitter, that was badly worded by myself as you didn't deserve that (there are one or two on here it'd apply to though).

 

[crystal_mais]

My sons have stopped going this year as City wouldn't give thema season ticket. For the last 10 years we have had 3 generations of my family at the game, 5 of us in total. Now there's just me. City broke the lifelong chain this summer through similar policy to yours, and caused by my dad's sudden broken hip.

Mate sorry to hear this. It's a shame and if they're not careful they will lose the soul of the club.

 

[shnaghaicityfish]

Will try to answer each point in one post if able to adequately

In relation to the city matters view on flexi, it was proposed by city matters prior to me joining as an option alongside traditional season tickets

Personally it’s being used by about 2000 people out of the full allocation of season ticket holders, so is an option, but most want a traditional season ticket

Re the 10 game attendance, as a practice city matters, like I’m sure all fans would want, is we want to see every seat being used for every game, with a great atmosphere in the stadium

My option on the 10 game policy, is it was poorly thought out and introduced and needs full scrutiny through the season.

City still have a higher percentage of season ticket holders compared to our rivals in the premier league and this will go up next season with the new season tickets (albeit flexi) in the north stand

In relation to where the season tickets are it’s not always the case that a season ticket that for whatever reason is not renewed is not like for like put back on sale to a new season ticket holder
That’s due to new season ticket holder might choose to sit elsewhere

Don’t suppose they had any comment on prior purchase requitrement for junior members? I emailed the club but just got the ticket site criteria quoted back. I understand (but don’t necessarily agree with) the restrictions on new adult members but seems crazy for kids. Frustrating when there’s 1000 tickets available for Leeds and we’d happily buy 2 new kids memberships but still wouldn’t be able to buy tickets.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Don’t suppose they had any comment on prior purchase requitrement for junior members? I emailed the club but just got the ticket site criteria quoted back. I understand (but don’t necessarily agree with) the restrictions on new adult members but seems crazy for kids. Frustrating when there’s 1000 tickets available for Leeds and we’d happily buy 2 new kids memberships but still wouldn’t be able to buy tickets.

You could try ringing the ticket office tomorrow and see if they will show some flexibility. The staff are helpful once you get through.

 

[CityMatters-LeeB]

I’m not sure what that means in practice Lee. Those of us that will struggle to meet the criteria because of distance or illness or whatever would like clarity prior to that. Should we assume that if we make 8 or 9 games we will have our season ticket taken from us irrespective of the fact we have sold all other games on the exchange?

Have City Matters challenged the 10 game policy and asked for it to be binned in favour of simply setting a target for seats being filled either in person or by sales via the exchange? That would seem less draconian and more sensitive to fans individual circumstances.

So yes, City Matters have asked twice for the club to drop the policy, club have decided to keep the policy

I understand the frustration in not knowing, we have asked about all possibilities and club answer is we will have to wait and see

 

[Saddleworth2]

So yes, City Matters have asked twice for the club to drop the policy, club have decided to keep the policy

I understand the frustration in not knowing, we have asked about all possibilities and club answer is we will have to wait and see

Ok Lee. It is what it is. It would be easier just to say fuck it as attending a game is a weekend away and £300 each time but it’s hard to let go of a lifetime love. We will continue to do our best and see where that takes us.