Stadium Turnstile Upgrades

[TheGhost]

So the fear on here is that the club are secretly plotting to monitor the faces of every seasoncard holder, at every game, with people refused entry due to their face not being recognised, while non sc ticket holders are allowed in?? Will we have to take our sunglasses off and stand patiently at the gate for 2 minutes while the system works like it currently does at the multi million pound systems airports use? What time should we arrive at the ground do we think?

What purpose would this serve other than eventually ousting most of the regular fanbase who might pass on their SC for a game or two every season? And will we have to supply a doctors note in the event of serious illness??

I accept that the powers that be at the club can be massive cunts when it comes to tickets and fans but is this a bit like theorising that the US government flew planes into the World Trade Center?

The facial recognition on my phone works with and without glasses/sunglasses. It works measuring different points on your face not just retina scanning.

The purpose is to track customer spend and use that data for marketing purposes, reduce the number of season ticket holders and ultimately to increase match day revenue. We’re miles behind all the other big clubs in this regard. The club will say it’s for safety, security and to speed entry to the ground. I don’t think it’s a big conspiracy theory.


Why the club don’t build big Box Park type venues to increase match day revenue I’m unsure?

 

[jrb]

The facial recognition on my phone works with and without glasses/sunglasses. It works measuring different points on your face not just retina scanning.

The purpose is to track customer spend and use that data for marketing purposes, reduce the number of season ticket holders and ultimately to increase match day revenue. We’re miles behind all the other big clubs in this regard. The club will say it’s for safety, security and to speed entry to the ground. I don’t think it’s a big conspiracy theory.


Why the club don’t build big Box Park type venues to increase match day revenue I’m unsure?

If FR is brought in by the club, they are denying it, it will mean the end of face value tickets, or cheaper tickets, or free tickets from BM, Face Book, Tik Tock, and other social media sites.

As you say, the club will rightly say it will speed up entry into the ground, it will improve safety, which is true, but ultimately it will give the club total control of tickets that aren't being used, or are unsold, that have to be sold via the clubs ticket exchange platform.

It will also get people to the 10 match ban faster if their ticket isn't used

How the club are going to implement FR via their 9 ticket touting resale partners will be an issue. As well as people coming for a one off game, and staying at the hotel, etc

 

[TheGhost]

If FR is brought in by the club, they are denying it, it will mean the end of face value tickets, or cheaper tickets, or free tickets from BM, Face Book, Tik Tock, and other social media sites.

As you say, the club will rightly say it will speed up entry into the ground, it will improve safety, which is true, but ultimately it will give the club total control of tickets that aren't being used, or are unsold, that have to be sold via the clubs ticket exchange platform.

It will also get people to the 10 match ban faster if their ticket isn't used

How the club are going to implement FR via their 9 ticket touting resale partners will be an issue. As well as people coming for a one off game, and staying at the hotel, etc

The ticket partners will simply request a photo and upload it onto City’s system.

The Oasis ticket sale was a game changer. In that it changed the perceptions of what hoops ticket buyers will do buy tickets for an event and secondly how the promoter can leverage demand to receive all of the income that would previously disappear into the secondary market.

Fans of football clubs, gig goers etc are going to get fleeced like never before.

 

[jrb]

The ticket partners will simply request a photo and upload it onto City’s system

Probably.

But some people won't bother.

Again effecting possible ticket sales

Bar the 3 family and friends option via your OS ticket page, which will have to have family and friends face pictures added, you won't be able to pass your ticket on or to sell it to another person outside of your 3 family and friends on the OS, let's say to a mate, who fancies the match you can't make, as their face won't be on the FR data base system. That also means your ticket won't be used, so that will go against you towards the 10 game attendance ban criteria.

As I've said, City are denying they are introducing FR for the fans. Hopefully that's true? If not, City will be trialing FR for the fans in the future. If FR is successful at City, and it isn't challenged by the fans, then it will be rolled out across every PL club.

It's a bit odd that only City are installing FR turnstiles. Maybe City have agreed with the other PL clubs at the secret meetings to trial FR first? We all know the PL clubs collude together at the secret meetings, when they are not trying to destroy each other.

 

[beermusic]

The facial recognition on my phone works with and without glasses/sunglasses. It works measuring different points on your face not just retina scanning.

The purpose is to track customer spend and use that data for marketing purposes, reduce the number of season ticket holders and ultimately to increase match day revenue. We’re miles behind all the other big clubs in this regard. The club will say it’s for safety, security and to speed entry to the ground. I don’t think it’s a big conspiracy theory.


Why the club don’t build big Box Park type venues to increase match day revenue I’m unsure?

Your phone only has to check your face though against the photo you supplied it with.

My understanding is that the mass systems check against a database of faces and the speed is to do with how large the database is ( which is why the passport ones take so long). There are supposedly still big issues with non-white and female facial recognition not to mention trans etc.

if it’s to enhance security you would have to ask all match per match ticket holders to supply a photograph which would be impractical and create data protection issues, not to mention be a massive increase in admin for the ticket office.

So for me it’s unlikely as I can’t see what the purpose is unless they really want to weed out people who are not attending matches and just keeping their cards active (which I agree needs to be looked at).

 

[stonerblue]

So the fear on here is that the club are secretly plotting to monitor the faces of every seasoncard holder, at every game, with people refused entry due to their face not being recognised, while non sc ticket holders are allowed in?? Will we have to take our sunglasses off and stand patiently at the gate for 2 minutes while the system works like it currently does at the multi million pound systems airports use? What time should we arrive at the ground do we think?

What purpose would this serve other than eventually ousting most of the regular fanbase who might pass on their SC for a game or two every season? And will we have to supply a doctors note in the event of serious illness??

I accept that the powers that be at the club can be massive cunts when it comes to tickets and fans but is this a bit like theorising that the US government flew planes into the World Trade Center?

Finally, a voice of reason.

 

[pride in battle]

The facial recognition on my phone works with and without glasses/sunglasses. It works measuring different points on your face not just retina scanning.

The purpose is to track customer spend and use that data for marketing purposes, reduce the number of season ticket holders and ultimately to increase match day revenue. We’re miles behind all the other big clubs in this regard. The club will say it’s for safety, security and to speed entry to the ground. I don’t think it’s a big conspiracy theory.


Why the club don’t build big Box Park type venues to increase match day revenue I’m unsure?

Er they are doing with the new stand, city square, coop live, etc

 

[TheGhost]

Your phone only has to check your face though against the photo you supplied it with.

My understanding is that the mass systems check against a database of faces and the speed is to do with how large the database is ( which is why the passport ones take so long). There are supposedly still big issues with non-white and female facial recognition not to mention trans etc.

if it’s to enhance security you would have to ask all match per match ticket holders to supply a photograph which would be impractical and create data protection issues, not to mention be a massive increase in admin for the ticket office.

So for me it’s unlikely as I can’t see what the purpose is unless they really want to weed out people who are not attending matches and just keeping their cards active (which I agree needs to be looked at).

The new system will simply ask you to take a photo of yourself using the selfie function on your phone or upload one. Glastonbury festival already does it to remove the secondary market altogether.

The only images the system needs to check against are the photos linked to the specific tickets that have been bought for that match - 53k maximum. Your photo will appear on the downloaded ticket.

The tech is already available. City just need to introduce it slowly. These are the first steps.

 

[WARBABY]

We all like a good conspiracy theory on here don't we

 

[Edghill OG]

If FR is brought in by the club, they are denying it, it will mean the end of face value tickets, or cheaper tickets, or free tickets from BM, Face Book, Tik Tock, and other social media sites.

As you say, the club will rightly say it will speed up entry into the ground, it will improve safety, which is true, but ultimately it will give the club total control of tickets that aren't being used, or are unsold, that have to be sold via the clubs ticket exchange platform.

It will also get people to the 10 match ban faster if their ticket isn't used

How the club are going to implement FR via their 9 ticket touting resale partners will be an issue. As well as people coming for a one off game, and staying at the hotel, etc

I imagine those buying tickets via their official/unofficial tout partners won't be required to do facial ID. Just like they aren't required to do the 5 game criteria that the rest of us have to. Or their ability to buy multiple tickets together unlike the vast majority of the fanbase.

Different rules seem to apply for those with larger wallets.

 

[beermusic]

The new system will simply ask you to take a photo of yourself using the selfie function on your phone or upload one. Glastonbury festival already does it to remove the secondary market altogether.

The only images the system needs to check against are the photos linked to the specific tickets that have been bought for that match - 53k maximum. Your photo will appear on the downloaded ticket.

The tech is already available. City just need to introduce it slowly. These are the first steps.

Interesting. I think the difference though with Glastonbury is that they don’t make anything off reselling tickets whereas it’s pretty likely the club do. So it wouldn’t make sense to have huge data protection headaches not to mention adding to pressures at the turnstiles on a match day. Festivals don’t have 30/40/50k people all arriving within an hour or two. Also Glastonbury needed to fall in line with how the industry was going and set an example although the photo id for individual gigs eg Kate bush has largely been dropped.

Again I ask the question what is in it for the club other than to change the fanbase or get rid of lots of seasoncards to sell at full price once people don’t want to be restricted in this way?

The comparisons with gigs and festivals always seem irrelevant as they are irregular events and the bigger draws will sell out whatever the restrictions are. If Glastonbury happened every week it would struggle to sell after a while. But can a football club afford to piss off or even lose large parts of its fanbase when success is only cyclical?

 

[jrb]

The ticket partners will simply request a photo and upload it onto City’s system.

The Oasis ticket sale was a game changer. In that it changed the perceptions of what hoops ticket buyers will do buy tickets for an event and secondly how the promoter can leverage demand to receive all of the income that would previously disappear into the secondary market.

Fans of football clubs, gig goers etc are going to get fleeced like never before.

It isn't always the case. Fans are now refusing to pay high ticket prices. We know that all to well at City.

BBC News.

Beyoncé's rodeo rumbled into London, bringing with it every country cliché you could think of - cowboy hats, horseshoes, tassels and even a gold mechanical bull.

But despite this being the first opportunity for fans to enjoy the singer's country era in person, slow ticket sales and high prices have been the hot topic around the tour.

Promoters slashed some ticket prices in the run-up to shows in a bid to fill the stadium, prompting some of those who bought seats in advance to feel short-changed.

With crowds on their feet, it was difficult to see how sold out the stadium actually was, but with just hours to go until the show there were still thousands of tickets available for sale online.

Some seats that were sold in the Beyhive fan presale for £620 excluding fees are next to seats that were available this week for £141.60, also without fees.

"Fast forward a few days later, the tickets went on general sale through Tottenham Hotspur and I found tickets for the same show in both the same row and the same section for a much cheaper price," she told the BBC.

"I believe they were at least £50-£70 cheaper per ticket."

A Ticketmaster spokesperson told the BBC they do "not use surge pricing or dynamic algorithms to adjust ticket prices", adding that event organisers are responsible for the pricing structures.

Ticketing expert Reg Walker.(maybe he should advise City?)

And the ticket prices are "eye-watering", he told the BBC.

"The pricing strategy on tickets was clearly far too high," he added.

Beyoncé tour: Cowboy Carter dazzles a nearly sold-out stadium

The 43-year-old global superstar performed the first night of her six show residency in London.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[artfuldodger]

It isn't always the case. Fans are now refusing to pay high ticket prices. We know that all to well at City.

BBC News.

Beyoncé's rodeo rumbled into London, bringing with it every country cliché you could think of - cowboy hats, horseshoes, tassels and even a gold mechanical bull.

But despite this being the first opportunity for fans to enjoy the singer's country era in person, slow ticket sales and high prices have been the hot topic around the tour.

Promoters slashed some ticket prices in the run-up to shows in a bid to fill the stadium, prompting some of those who bought seats in advance to feel short-changed.

With crowds on their feet, it was difficult to see how sold out the stadium actually was, but with just hours to go until the show there were still thousands of tickets available for sale online.

Some seats that were sold in the Beyhive fan presale for £620 excluding fees are next to seats that were available this week for £141.60, also without fees.

"Fast forward a few days later, the tickets went on general sale through Tottenham Hotspur and I found tickets for the same show in both the same row and the same section for a much cheaper price," she told the BBC.

"I believe they were at least £50-£70 cheaper per ticket."

A Ticketmaster spokesperson told the BBC they do "not use surge pricing or dynamic algorithms to adjust ticket prices", adding that event organisers are responsible for the pricing structures.

Ticketing expert Reg Walker.(maybe he should advise City?)

And the ticket prices are "eye-watering", he told the BBC.

"The pricing strategy on tickets was clearly far too high," he added.

Beyoncé tour: Cowboy Carter dazzles a nearly sold-out stadium

The 43-year-old global superstar performed the first night of her six show residency in London.

www.bbc.co.uk

Don’t know if you’ve been following the ‘season ticket’ thread at all? Flexi gold on sale last Monday at 10, to members who’d bought tickets to 20 games last season. Then 18 then 16. With the assumption they’d all be gone by the end of the day. They were still selling them today to people who’d attended 12 games. Across all competitions. I think city massively overestimate the numbers who can afford to attend individual games across a season.

 

[jrb]

Don’t know if you’ve been following the ‘season ticket’ thread at all? Flexi gold on sale last Monday at 10, to members who’d bought tickets to 20 games last season. Then 18 then 16. With the assumption they’d all be gone by the end of the day. They were still selling them today to people who’d attended 12 games. Across all competitions. I think city massively overestimate the numbers who can afford to attend individual games across a season.

I haven't to be honest. But I did notice the thread headline hasn't been updated with sold out yet.

What with that, and loads of people dropping the cup schemes, I think the directors are finally realising our fan base isn't as wealthy and as match going as they think we are. All the years of slowly chipping away at our fan base, coupled with constant season ticket and match day ticket prices, has taken it's toll on our fan base.

 

[beermusic]

I’ve heard the real reason for implementing FR is the clubs new scheme to be able to arrest those smoking / doing nosebag in the toilets.

I also heard that the Apollo 11 moon landing was a fake and Paul McCartney died in 1966

 

[Maine Lemonade]

Time for a face mask with my photo on it if it’s good enough for Paddy McGunness….

 

[mexico1970]

Promoters slashed some ticket prices in the run-up to shows in a bid to fill the stadium, prompting some of those who bought seats in advance to feel short-changed.

If you pay what you think something is worth then you'll not be disappointed that someone who waited is paying less, on a further note if those people pay the first scalping prices they perpetuate the problem of dynamic sales.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I’ve heard the real reason for implementing FR is the clubs new scheme to be able to arrest those smoking / doing nosebag in the toilets.

I also heard that the Apollo 11 moon landing was a fake and Paul McCartney died in 1966

You’re joking but I’d be in favour of vaccine microchips and mind reading 5G mobile phone masts if it meant gripping the scruffy cunts who smoke in the toilets and throwing them into a secret gulag under the big Asda

 

[bladdered]

You’re joking but I’d be in favour of vaccine microchips and mind reading 5G mobile phone masts if it meant gripping the scruffy cunts who smoke in the toilets and throwing them into a secret gulag under the big Asda

Strangely I've never really noticed the smoking in the bogs at the Etihad. But at Wembley...fck me it's like being transported back in time to the 1970's blob shop on Oldham Street.

 

[TheGhost]

Interesting. I think the difference though with Glastonbury is that they don’t make anything off reselling tickets whereas it’s pretty likely the club do. So it wouldn’t make sense to have huge data protection headaches not to mention adding to pressures at the turnstiles on a match day. Festivals don’t have 30/40/50k people all arriving within an hour or two. Also Glastonbury needed to fall in line with how the industry was going and set an example although the photo id for individual gigs eg Kate bush has largely been dropped.

Again I ask the question what is in it for the club other than to change the fanbase or get rid of lots of seasoncards to sell at full price once people don’t want to be restricted in this way?

The comparisons with gigs and festivals always seem irrelevant as they are irregular events and the bigger draws will sell out whatever the restrictions are. If Glastonbury happened every week it would struggle to sell after a while. But can a football club afford to piss off or even lose large parts of its fanbase when success is only cyclical?

I agree with most of what you say. But you’ve answered your own question. I’ve bolded it above.

On a side note. Glastonbury has around 150k people all arriving in 2 days. When the gates open on the Wednesday morning there’s probably 30-50k waiting to get in. The photo check is done manually by a steward and doesn’t slow things down too much.