That family stand empty section post half time

[Ban-jani]

It was bizarre, the rest of the stadium was absolutely full but these few rows in the same block, it’s obvious one big group left together at half time.

I reckon it’s a local football team the club has given the tickets away too.

It can’t be Chelsea fans buying tickets all together, as there was too many in the same spot.

 

[Ban-jani]

6-0 to the empty seats got an airing near the end on Sunday too!

Hundreds leave the SS3 early. They should have designed that better with stairs at the back rather than having to wait 15 mins to get to an exit. Doesn’t affect me as I’m close to the exit but I’m sure that’s why people do it up there.

I’m up there, I wait until full time as the crowd has gone by then!

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Good point mate but you would first need to convince the thousands of season card holders who don’t show up for lower profile games to donate the tickets. The Club have already sold the vast majority of the tickets that don’t get used.

There should be a compulsory system where if you cant get someone to take your seat then you can alert the club and they can sort out someone else. Reward those that use it and some form of sanction for those that miss loads of games without using it.

 

[FootballSense]

I agree that it’s not working but I strongly suspect me and you are too short termist. We have very switched on people in charge of things and they’re probably playing the long game. A sizeable percentage of the 6 and 7 yr olds who don’t want to go to every game now and who would rather be eating hotdogs and drinking coke than be back in their seat for the start of the 2nd half will, in ten years time, absolutely live for the thrill of watching us win things and will be screaming their lungs out every home game.

City are looking at the long term, growing the fan base locally and across the world, and capturing the new generations of young fans having substantially `lost` so many during some of the less glorious moments in our long history. Naturally, this has to be the way forward. The Family `Stand` principle and concept is absolutely right. The club should be recognised for another initiative. Many aspects of the club`s executive and administration are now much improved and we are reaping the benefits especially with input from fans however, as an organisation which constantly wants to learn and get better, it is timely for the Family `Stand` (and Groups, free tickets etc. in the current North Stand), for the reasons many have highlighted, to be reviewed. Options are probably limited at the moment but City Matters is now an appropriate forum for this to be raised.

 

[shevtheblue]

I did collections for The Red Cross at a game a couple of years ago and the club were nice enough to give the charity a load of tickets in the family stand. 3/4 of the volunteers had only come to help out and had no interest in the football so they left at kick off, a few people came and sat with me to watch the game but barely understood football and left at half time. I was the only one left out of a block of at least 30 tickets. Don't mind the club giving tickets away for things like this, it's the right thing to do, but put them in the 3rd tier out of view at least.

 

[Marvin]

It's only intriguing because it's right in front of your eyes. I am sure other clubs do this. They must have staff, players, partners, local schools etc with whom they have arrangements. City seem to have put all these seats in the lower tier of the FS right behind the goal, and when they don't show it's very obvious whereas if you distributed them around the ground no one would know. It will be money that is behind this. SL1 will probably be some of the cheapest seats and City wont want to give away prime L2 seats.

Utd used to sell cheap tickets at Manchester Uni because I'd see the leaflets everywhere.

 

[CWMCFC]

It needs properly looking into. I personally feel the club don't take a harsh enough stance on people not turning up and picking and choosing which games to attend. I'm sure it would upset some people, but for the good of the atmosphere, something needs to give. You can never make everyone happy and I feel the fans attending every game and actually making a proper effort are being let down by a significant number. The club should be making an effort to reward these fans i.e cheaper season tickets in certain areas and move around the stands that currently add very little.

I don't think it's just the family stand, but by and large it's where the worst culprits are with regards to the empty seat issue. The club always gives off a vibe that image is important to them and it's quite frankly embarrassing that this is such a consistent problem, especially with a large waiting list for ST's. It's seemingly getting worse at times as well, despite us being an elite club nowadays. Genuinely baffling at times.

If it's a case of free tickets being given out and people not turning up, these seats need to be relocated to somewhere in the upper tiers away from sight.

 

[meeesh]

, these seats need to be relocated to somewhere in the upper tiers away from sight.

Nail on head,it is absolutely as simple as that,shuts all the emptihad jibes up and everything,although Sky would no doubt have a camera pointing at level 3

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Right, I have read so many complaints about the FS stand over the years and never bothered to post a reply but this arrant nonsense has really got my goat. Yes there is an issue with the blocks of seats the CLUB decide to make available only to certain groups but the idea that the FS stand doesn't celebrate goals is complete rubbish. Just look at the coverage of any of the goals scored at that end and you will see how wrong you are. I also want to take issue with the idea that the FS "hasn't worked" by using my own example. I live in London and have 3 kids and we have all had seats in the FS from when I figured my youngest could stand a 400 mile round trip and 2 hours at the game - which was aged 4 nine years ago. We get to every game we can (despite for example getting home at 22:00 after Arsenal with school the next day) but yes we do miss many of the midweek games as I either have to drive there and back and get home at 01:30 or stay over and get a train at 05:30. But what the club has now got is 3 teenage fans who are regular match goers, have also been to every away ground we can get to (points allowing but let's not go there) and, in my daughter's case, are now used to travelling independently to watch City. She is now at Uni in Nottingham and still comes up by train on her own for the games. Isn't this the very demographic we keep saying the club needs? It clearly hasn't all been down to the FS but it has certainly been facilitated by it, not least because of the affordability (my 4 tickets still cost less than the 1 that a lot of the Arsenal fans round here have). I appreciate a lot of us think that only seeing 10% of any game and standing ankle deep in piss in the Kippax is a rite of passage but times have changed. The ability to know your kid can sit down and still see the game, can get food/drink on their own, can go to the loo etc made the years when the kids were 4/5/6 etc much much easier and now means the family has their 4th generation of Blues who have been to 10X the games compared to their mates round here who support Arse, Spurs and Chelsea. Rant over.

NO !! I didn't say the FS don't celebrate goals. I said around 20 feet radius around me sat there like f****** statues! ! Sick of what exactly? ? Somebody who says it like it is ? So you're now telling me what I see and hear around me are you ? What a guy you are! ! Well done for travelling so far by the way, but if you don't think we've got a problem in that stand then you are a very blinkered person . It's awful around me.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

Rubbish I am in 238 and the atmosphere was excellent on Sunday indeed the family stand started a few of the songs that the ground joined in!! (although that is a first I admit)

OK. We'll swap places next game then you can form an opinion on what it's like down where I am pal.

 

[br88]

It needs properly looking into. I personally feel the club don't take a harsh enough stance on people not turning up and picking and choosing which games to attend. I'm sure it would upset some people, but for the good of the atmosphere, something needs to give. You can never make everyone happy and I feel the fans attending every game and actually making a proper effort are being let down by a significant number. The club should be making an effort to reward these fans i.e cheaper season tickets in certain areas and move around the stands that currently add very little.

I don't think it's just the family stand, but by and large it's where the worst culprits are with regards to the empty seat issue. The club always gives off a vibe that image is important to them and it's quite frankly embarrassing that this is such a consistent problem, especially with a large waiting list for ST's. It's seemingly getting worse at times as well, despite us being an elite club nowadays. Genuinely baffling at times.

If it's a case of free tickets being given out and people not turning up, these seats need to be relocated to somewhere in the upper tiers away from sight.

Spot on.

 

[CWMCFC]

There should be a compulsory system where if you cant get someone to take your seat then you can alert the club and they can sort out someone else. Reward those that use it and some form of sanction for those that miss loads of games without using it.

Pretty much the only way they can police no shows in my eyes. People taking advantage of the low cost season tickets and not bothering when it doesn't suit them.

Cheap ST's should be a benefit for fans going to every game. There should be a small buffer of games per season where their seat can go unfilled. Outside of that, if you can't go, get someone to take your place and if you don't manage it, face some form of sanction. If you don't want the hassle of dealing with this, don't get a ST or make a conscious effort to actually attend.

If cost is the issue, offer up single tickets at a reduced rate for long term ST holders who want to pick and choose which games they want to go to. Leave the ST's for fans that want to attend every game.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

OK. We'll swap places next game then you can form an opinion on what it's like down where I am pal.

Nah my seats are great and the crowd around are pretty lively. Seriously though it is better on L2 than L1 because as someone has pointed out L1 is where the Club gives tickets out to schools, clubs etc. I think the demand is higher in L2 so they don't give those tickets away.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

It needs properly looking into. I personally feel the club don't take a harsh enough stance on people not turning up and picking and choosing which games to attend. I'm sure it would upset some people, but for the good of the atmosphere, something needs to give. You can never make everyone happy and I feel the fans attending every game and actually making a proper effort are being let down by a significant number. The club should be making an effort to reward these fans i.e cheaper season tickets in certain areas and move around the stands that currently add very little.

I don't think it's just the family stand, but by and large it's where the worst culprits are with regards to the empty seat issue. The club always gives off a vibe that image is important to them and it's quite frankly embarrassing that this is such a consistent problem, especially with a large waiting list for ST's. It's seemingly getting worse at times as well, despite us being an elite club nowadays. Genuinely baffling at times.

If it's a case of free tickets being given out and people not turning up, these seats need to be relocated to somewhere in the upper tiers away from sight.

Pretty much the only way they can police no shows in my eyes. People taking advantage of the low cost season tickets and not bothering when it doesn't suit them.

Cheap ST's should be a benefit for fans going to every game. There should be a small buffer of games per season where their seat can go unfilled. Outside of that, if you can't go, get someone to take your place and if you don't manage it, face some form of sanction. If you don't want the hassle of dealing with this, don't get a ST or make a conscious effort to actually attend.

If cost is the issue, offer up single tickets at a reduced rate for long term ST holders who want to pick and choose which games they want to go to. Leave the ST's for fans that want to attend every game.

Agree with all this. If there is a waiting list then the club should start looking at no shows and some form of sanction. One easy rule would be miss 5 games and you lose your ST.
Sort out the redistribution system - make it easy and people cant complain. If you can't be arsed to turn up and you can't be arsed to sort someone else then at some point the club should take action.

As stated the case for filling the stadium and improving the atmosphere has been made over and over.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

It needs properly looking into. I personally feel the club don't take a harsh enough stance on people not turning up and picking and choosing which games to attend. I'm sure it would upset some people, but for the good of the atmosphere, something needs to give. You can never make everyone happy and I feel the fans attending every game and actually making a proper effort are being let down by a significant number. The club should be making an effort to reward these fans i.e cheaper season tickets in certain areas and move around the stands that currently add very little.

I don't think it's just the family stand, but by and large it's where the worst culprits are with regards to the empty seat issue. The club always gives off a vibe that image is important to them and it's quite frankly embarrassing that this is such a consistent problem, especially with a large waiting list for ST's. It's seemingly getting worse at times as well, despite us being an elite club nowadays. Genuinely baffling at times.

If it's a case of free tickets being given out and people not turning up, these seats need to be relocated to somewhere in the upper tiers away from sight.

Totally agreed.

If STs is the reason behind the empty rows of seats then it needs addressing asap.

People who dont turn up and take their seat on a regular basis should be shot:
For embarrassing the club
For contributing the the quiet atmosphere
For not being proper fan
Most of all though for stopping a proper fans from going to the game, someone who would actually make some noise!


There again, maybe I am wrong about the situation - I would have expected all our fans to be up in arms at these people, so maybe I am wrong and there is some innocent reason for it happening each week. Just dont know but if it is no-shows then it makes me so fucked off, this is my club ffs

Someone did a great post just a few years ago on here showing 1 row of seats, emtpy each week, until the Utd game, then there they are. Those people should be shot, or maybe have their tickets taken off them

 

[foggy1974]

The other problem with the family stand is the amount of people that took advantage of the cheap tickets and because of that they can throw away the ticket when they want its a fu##in disgrace

the club should be looking at the stand and tickets and if you do not use them 5 times in a season they should be cancelled and given to someone who wants them.

Different rules for different parts of the ground, thats really going to work

 

[sugga_d]

Quite a few people I know (including myslef) wanted to go to this game but it was sold out. When a few tickets (5 or 6 individual tickets at most) came available on the ticket exchange I had a look but was put off by the £60 cost. Then to see a block of 20-30 people sat together leave at half time and not return, I was royaly pissed off.

How can city think giving away free tickets to people who aren't bothered is better than pricing individual tickets around £30 and letting us blues who have followed city for over 30 years access to these tickets.

Its madness the way we do it. We could fill out 60K plus if they got their act together

 

[edinburgh123]

The other problem with the family stand is the amount of people that took advantage of the cheap tickets and because of that they can throw away the ticket when they want its a fu##in disgrace

the club should be looking at the stand and tickets and if you do not use them 5 times in a season they should be cancelled and given to someone who wants them.

I assume you would keep a log on people that go to restaurants and ban them if they don’t finish all their food 5 times as well?

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

The club know exactly why most of the seats are not filled, especially when they often claim games are sold out when it's clearly obvious there are unfilled seats dotted around the stadium for almost every game. It's about time they came clean and addressed the situation and let us know why this is and what they intend to do about it.

 

[foggy1974]

Agree with all this. If there is a waiting list then the club should start looking at no shows and some form of sanction. One easy rule would be miss 5 games and you lose your ST.
Sort out the redistribution system - make it easy and people cant complain. If you can't be arsed to turn up and you can't be arsed to sort someone else then at some point the club should take action.

As stated the case for filling the stadium and improving the atmosphere has been made over and over.

Next you will be advocating the club to force us to buy league cup tickets like a certain club in Trafford. The club have already sold tickets so bringing in draconian sanctions isnt the answer, not if there were some sort of incentive for attending then that might help.