Away Ticket Lottery

[Bristol Rob]

25 minutes ago, Fat Cigar said:

Am copying and pasting my comment from 10th October when the club announced that a new loyalty scheme would be introduced:

Struggling to get an away ticket in this division will rarely be an issue. Luton, with such a small allocation in a small ground, being a bit of an anomaly. The only other occasions will be away games towards the end of the season if we're in the top 6 or even challenging automatic promotion. But, the biggest draw will come should we make the play-offs. Away fans usually get 2,000 tickets, irrespective of the home team's capacity. 

However, getting away tickets will become a big deal should we ever go up. Almost every Prem club provides 3,000 away tickets (with the exception of Bournemouth due to their ground being almost as small as Luton's). 

I liked what we did about 10-15 years ago with the traffic light priority points system. Someone on here will point out if I get any of this incorrect, but from memory points were awarded based on:

Distance to away ground (from AG)

Time and date of match at away ground.

e..g a Tuesday night away to Norwich would guarantee maximum points. A Sat 3pm ko away to Reading only the minimum. 

With something like a trip to the East Midlands or South Yorkshire for a Sat 3pm ko being in the middle.

Priority order for away tickets went something like this(I think...)

1. Season ticket holders with x number of points (accumulated through having attended x number of aways)

2. Members with x number of points 

3. Season ticket holders

4. Members

5. General Sale

Giving members who regularly attend aways but can't afford a ST and/or don't live in/near Bristol was a way of rewarding their loyalty. It wasn't perfect, but I think worked pretty well.

The biggest criticism was them getting priority over STHs who never (or rarely) went to aways. 

No system will work brilliantly. But, I like allocating points based on how I think we did it before. It does mean that X fan could go to 3 aways near Bristol and Y fan go to 1 4-6 hours away and Y fan gets more points that X does for his/her 3 outings, but as I said, the system isn't perfect.

Something like this (or similar) would be a decent option.

One thing: if this loyalty scheme discounts past attendances at aways over this or previous seasons, it'll be a bit of a mess if we go up (as demand will far outstrip supply). It'll be ok however if we don't.

If a member can go to the majority of away games, there is no reason why they can't attend Ashton Gate on a regular basis. 

 

[East Londoner]

22 minutes ago, Fat Cigar said:

Am copying and pasting my comment from 10th October when the club announced that a new loyalty scheme would be introduced:

Struggling to get an away ticket in this division will rarely be an issue. Luton, with such a small allocation in a small ground, being a bit of an anomaly. The only other occasions will be away games towards the end of the season if we're in the top 6 or even challenging automatic promotion. But, the biggest draw will come should we make the play-offs. Away fans usually get 2,000 tickets, irrespective of the home team's capacity. 

However, getting away tickets will become a big deal should we ever go up. Almost every Prem club provides 3,000 away tickets (with the exception of Bournemouth due to their ground being almost as small as Luton's). 

I liked what we did about 10-15 years ago with the traffic light priority points system. Someone on here will point out if I get any of this incorrect, but from memory points were awarded based on:

Distance to away ground (from AG)

Time and date of match at away ground.

e..g a Tuesday night away to Norwich would guarantee maximum points. A Sat 3pm ko away to Reading only the minimum. 

With something like a trip to the East Midlands or South Yorkshire for a Sat 3pm ko being in the middle.

Priority order for away tickets went something like this(I think...)

1. Season ticket holders with x number of points (accumulated through having attended x number of aways)

2. Members with x number of points 

3. Season ticket holders

4. Members

5. General Sale

Giving members who regularly attend aways but can't afford a ST and/or don't live in/near Bristol was a way of rewarding their loyalty. It wasn't perfect, but I think worked pretty well.

The biggest criticism was them getting priority over STHs who never (or rarely) went to aways. 

No system will work brilliantly. But, I like allocating points based on how I think we did it before. It does mean that X fan could go to 3 aways near Bristol and Y fan go to 1 4-6 hours away and Y fan gets more points that X does for his/her 3 outings, but as I said, the system isn't perfect.

Something like this (or similar) would be a decent option.

One thing: if this loyalty scheme discounts past attendances at aways over this or previous seasons, it'll be a bit of a mess if we go up (as demand will far outstrip supply). It'll be ok however if we don't.

This sounds the fairest idea I’ve read on this thread, I’m not sure how feasible it would be but rather than have a 10am bun flight when people are at work once the regular away supporters have had their advance period maybe the rest could go into an actual lottery so that everybody has the same opportunity and those who want to start earning points can do so. 

[Fat Cigar]

6 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

If a member can go to the majority of away games, there is no reason why they can't attend Ashton Gate on a regular basis. 

 

Depends where they live though doesn't it? Bristol is a pain in the wotsit in terms of proximity to most aways in this division. Of course, should we go up, a lot the away grounds would be easier and nearer to get to. 6 teams in and around London(ish). Although Palace is a nightmare to get to.

Many members may live in and around the Midlands. Or between Midlands and Yorkshire or Lancashire. They can get to quite a lot of aways with only about 90mins-2 hours travel. Double for us coming from Bristol. 

[Fat Cigar]

27 minutes ago, Alex_BCFC said:

Something is already on its way - it’s happened twice this year but how often before that. Barely worth mentioning until now.

Didn't we do something for Many City away? STHs who'd been to X number of aways got priority? And for another recent away. Can't remember which one. Again, for STHs who'd done 3 or 4 aways. 

[archie andrews]

21 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Moonlighting

Corrrrrr....... Cybil shepperd

[A Horse With No Name]

46 minutes ago, Fat Cigar said:

Additional point to the above: how many of our STHs go to *every* away game? I get to about 6-7 aways every season and I usually see the same faces. My guess is that there are no more than 300 max City fans who attend every away.

I reckon less than half that. 2 coaches maybe and a number who drive . I went to Barnsley, Friday night , Sky and everything and there were maybe 200 tops, but none of the faces that I know go to "every" away game.

[Alex_BCFC]

11 minutes ago, Fat Cigar said:

Didn't we do something for Many City away? STHs who'd been to X number of aways got priority? And for another recent away. Can't remember which one. Again, for STHs who'd done 3 or 4 aways. 

Yeh possibly - but can count on one hand the games that have been issue over past ten years. 

[JackofromSanJavier]

2 hours ago, RedDave said:

Older people have had the benefits of massive rise in house prices and they now want extra priority to football matches! 

The club announced a loyalty scheme recently didn’t they? Problem solved.  If you want extra loyalty because you are older than most others then tough luck 

We're an hour ahead of the UK in Spain, so I should get a ticket 60 minutes before the masses!  Sorted  

[YorkshireSection]

24 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

If a member can go to the majority of away games, there is no reason why they can't attend Ashton Gate on a regular basis. 

 

I live in Yorkshire so that is completely untrue, there is a suprisingly large percentage of City fans who live further away to Ashton Gate than you probably think.

 

[JackofromSanJavier]

Just now, YorkshireSection said:

I live in Yorkshire so that is completely untrue, there is a suprisingly large percentage of City fans who live further away to Ashton Gate than you probably think.

 

If we ever play Real Murcia or Deportivo Lorca away I reckon I'll try and get away with going in the home end!

[Stortz]

11 hours ago, Fitzy Red said:

Welcome to Bristol City’s lottery of away ticketing

Luton sold within 1 hr

Fulham 4 minutes

Reading / QPR / Millwall / Forest / Swansea all likely to go the same way

We are a professional club trying to achieve Premiership with a totally inadequate away ticketing scheme

Sort it out !!!!

Loyality scheme required like all other top PROFESSIONAL clubs

Cant believe I’m having to post this topic

Jerry I think this maybe your first priority as club SLO

Good Luck !!!! 

So, in summary, you're having a tantrum because you didn't get a Fulham ticket and demanding the club do something that it has already told us all it's going to.

Short of inventing a time machine and doing it last year, what more do you want them to do?

An entirely pointless thread imo, I can't believe that you had to post it either.

[East End Old Boy]

6 hours ago, RedM said:

I don’t think being 73 should give priority over anyone else. What are you suggesting that we offer tickets to the 80-100+ Years first then drop down ages until all allocated

Well, at least I’d get a ticket!  

[Monkeh]

its only really an issue if we sell out every away game, we don't so it can't be a massive issue, When we sell out middlesborough on a tuesday night then it becomes an issue

[Pieman]

The question of priority for away tickets was raised with the club at one of the FAN meetings, just before they cancelled them. I think approximately 275 was the figure given for fans who had been to all away games (this was January I think). As there were so few nothing was ever introduced. Apart from some games which have already been mentioned I can’t see this changing unless we go up. That said, I’m happy we will have loyalty scheme for next season.

The argument for a priority scheme being unfair to new or young fans could also be applied to season tickets. Some areas of AG are never going to be accessible to new or younger fans.

[YorksRed]

11 hours ago, YorkshireSection said:

I live in Yorkshire so that is completely untrue, there is a suprisingly large percentage of City fans who live further away to Ashton Gate than you probably think.

 

Yes, sadly AG is one of the most difficult and most expensive to get to for me.

[t_b]

14 hours ago, RedDave said:

If it went on sale on a Saturday morning I wouldn’t be able to buy one.  How would that be fair to me?

Can everyone reply below what time works for them and I will feed back to the club. Cheers

14:59 on a home match day and only available if you log on via the stadium wifi 

[BTRFTG]

13 hours ago, Drew Peacock said:

I have never understood how, when that happens, you start taking your child to the football with you.  

You get in early any buy your babber a ST as soon as they're eligible.

[Fitzy Red]

12 hours ago, Stortz said:

So, in summary, you're having a tantrum because you didn't get a Fulham ticket and demanding the club do something that it has already told us all it's going to.

Short of inventing a time machine and doing it last year, what more do you want them to do?

An entirely pointless thread imo, I can't believe that you had to post it either.

So wrong you are I’m afraid !!

[BTRFTG]

14 hours ago, antlers said:

22 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

The folly of loyality schemes, as in the case of the England Supporters Club, is where demand exceeds supply it KILLS new support. If you've absolutely no chance of going to a prime fixture why go at all? Lucky you to have been born before someone else but does that give you a God given right to kill their allegiance before it starts? They may well be as keen and eager as you, simply they haven't yet had chance to show it.

Read more  

I think the England fans club works very well,

I knew quite a few who post the ESC inception attended everything home and away for about 7 years later in an attempt to get enough caps to to reach the major tournaments (including lunancy of day trips to Tel Aviv.) I recall England arranged a wholly pointless pre-season tour to the US, at which point it became apparent if they didn't do that they'd all fall a point short of a 'cap' of being guaranteed tickets for one major tournament. They didn't bother, and thereafter never returned.

[Grey Fox]

The club is getting bigger, simple as that. My wife is a Chelsea fan, has been since a kid in the days of Osgood and co, we can never get tickets fot the "big games", but do manage to get them for Europeon group stage matches and games against the "lesser" named Premier clubs. As to away games, no chance.

Up to this season, being a member, i have never had a problem getting City tickets, now ive missed Luton away and Fulham.. 

The problem for away games is clear, allocations are typically around 2000 or less, and we have something like 15,000 season ticket holders who obviously the club want to look after. As i live in Sussex a season ticket doesn't work for me as i can not get to the evening games. 

Not that long ago , 15,000 would have been a good attendance at Ashton Gate, now its 20,000 plus.

 

So growth comes with some pain, the club will get better at this with the loyalty scheme etc, but at the end of the day if more want to go than there are seats allocated, some will be disapointed. Like with Chelsea, to watch the club regularly you will need to be a ST hoder, at Chelsea there is even a waiting list for that.

And although i understand all this, im seriously pissed off about missing out on Fulham, and suspect if our  good run continues i am going to ger pissed off some more.

COYRs

 

 

 

[New2City]

No matter what the loyalty scheme, there will always be disappointed people that won't get tickets because the demand is outpacing the supply. And City has no control over how many away tickets are available.

I'm struggling as an overseas supporter, who thought she picked 2 rather innocuous games to attend that aren't usually quick sell-outs (Reading away and QPR away). As with every other time I've traveled over, I've renewed my Bristol City Membership as to have second dibs after season ticket holders. I wasn't surprised to see Luton away sell out so fast given the situation, but Fulham away selling out in minutes has left a horrible sinking feeling in my gut, and causing me worry as to getting tickets to the games I picked to schedule my entire trip around.

[Sir Geoff]

7 hours ago, New2City said:

No matter what the loyalty scheme, there will always be disappointed people that won't get tickets because the demand is outpacing the supply. And City has no control over how many away tickets are available.

I'm struggling as an overseas supporter, who thought she picked 2 rather innocuous games to attend that aren't usually quick sell-outs (Reading away and QPR away). As with every other time I've traveled over, I've renewed my Bristol City Membership as to have second dibs after season ticket holders. I wasn't surprised to see Luton away sell out so fast given the situation, but Fulham away selling out in minutes has left a horrible sinking feeling in my gut, and causing me worry as to getting tickets to the games I picked to schedule my entire trip around.

pm me closer to the time I probably wont be going to QPR so could try to get a ticket for you.

[Chappers]

Much needed, and like the one we used to have, based on away attendance for current season and previous. There was a few hundred at Barnsley and no doubt same at Sheffield, give priority to these people as they are there week in week out. As for the closed shop argument, there are 23 League matches to choose from, only a few sell out, so if you can only afford the odd one, try going somewhere a bit different. You might even enjoy a Friday night in Barnsley!!!  

[Never to the dark side]

Friday night in Barnsley?

no way

Thats why I stayed the night at Travelodge in Sheffield

[Davefevs]

9 hours ago, Grey Fox said:

The club is getting bigger, simple as that. My wife is a Chelsea fan, has been since a kid in the days of Osgood and co, we can never get tickets fot the "big games", but do manage to get them for Europeon group stage matches and games against the "lesser" named Premier clubs. As to away games, no chance.

Up to this season, being a member, i have never had a problem getting City tickets, now ive missed Luton away and Fulham.. 

The problem for away games is clear, allocations are typically around 2000 or less, and we have something like 15,000 season ticket holders who obviously the club want to look after. As i live in Sussex a season ticket doesn't work for me as i can not get to the evening games. 

Not that long ago , 15,000 would have been a good attendance at Ashton Gate, now its 20,000 plus.

 

So growth comes with some pain, the club will get better at this with the loyalty scheme etc, but at the end of the day if more want to go than there are seats allocated, some will be disapointed. Like with Chelsea, to watch the club regularly you will need to be a ST hoder, at Chelsea there is even a waiting list for that.

And although i understand all this, im seriously pissed off about missing out on Fulham, and suspect if our  good run continues i am going to ger pissed off some more.

COYRs

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

pm me closer to the time I probably wont be going to QPR so could try to get a ticket for you.

Was gonna suggest you need a friendly ST holder to help you out.  I’m sure a lot of away travellers got their tickets via a ‘mate’.

[Chappers]

57 minutes ago, Never to the dark side said:

Friday night in Barnsley?

no way

Thats why I stayed the night at Travelodge in Sheffield

Decent enough chippy and pub in Barnsley... That was about it though.

[Red Exile]

On reflection - having failed to get more than one ticket on Monday when we were entitled to buy 2 with our 2 STs - the issue in the future is going to be one of organisation. If it's going to be a bit of a bun fight to get tickets then we all need to be better organised than I was on Monday, to understand exactly how the tickets are allocated, have all our accounts linked to friends and family and to be ready to go at the moment the tickets go on sale. If its a bit of a lottery - as it is for big international tournaments - then the winners feel fortunate and the losers console themselves with the thought that it might be them next time.

But to feel that way it also requires the club to be organised. On Monday tickets went on sale before 10.00. I was in a queue before 10.00 with about 60 people in front of me. Just after 10.00 I got to the front of the queue only for the system to crash. Cue scrambling around to find a different way to access the website. That's not good enough. A membership scheme might be good, but like others on this thread I know folks who have been in, some remain in, the England scheme - travelling to Kazakhstan etc etc. Fair enough but that privileges a very tiny minority with time and money to burn. A membership scheme that became a closed shop wouldn't achieve much, but I can see that it might offer diehards and more casual fans something in the short term...and would suit me personally just fine.

But as @Chappers has said there's a lot to be said for getting to the matches no one else gets to...Preston was a good contest this year...Stoke even better...