Online Tickets - Moving To Ticketmaster?

[bh_red]

suprised no one has mentioned it, but see attached?

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,1...1176428,00.html

online ticketing is being supplied by TicketMaster?

am I'm reading it wrong or are people only going to be able to get online tickets via ticketmaster in future?..........to think people were complaining about charges before?

bet they will be wishing they had kept quiet if this is the case?

[Nibor]

I would guess that supplied by is different to Ticketmaster doing the actual sales. Well, I hope so anyway.

I don't understand what's hard about ticketing, even getting something custom built with a CRM system integration would cost a fraction of what the club gets from ticket sales.

[bcfcshorey]

It think the current system is being totally replaced by a ticketmaster system. hopefully this will mean that we wont be restricted to what seats are available online.

[Xiled]

I don't understand what's hard about ticketing, even getting something custom built with a CRM system integration would cost a fraction of what the club gets from ticket sales.

With our complex seating arrangements (different stands, existing season tickets, concessions, game category, obstructed views, segregation etc.) it is probably too much to expect a relatively small club like City to put enough money in and get it right.

Much better to give it to Ticketmaster, arrange for the club take the same profit per ticket as before and let Ticketmaster screw every customer for a booking fee, a credit card surcharge, a debit card inconvenience charge, a Saturday afternoon activity tax charge, a Championship Football standard charge, a printing-the-ticket charge, and finally a screwing-up-your-order-and-then-letting-you-complain-via-an-0870-(National)-rate-complaints-line hidden charge.

In February I went to the Hippodrome with my daughter. Initially, Ticketmaster charged me nearly £35 for two tickets - this was the only way to buy tickets unless I made a personal call to the box office.

My credit card company decided that the transaction was suspicous (?) and cancelled the payment. Inevitably I didn't receive the tickets so on the day before the performance I rang Tickmaster (on their beloved 0870 number) to be told I wouldn't be getting my tickets. I asked why I hadn't received an email telling me that my payment had been declined - they didn't have an answer.

I rang the Hippodrome and a very helpful lady sold me two tickets over the phone at their face value - £28.

She also said that she could be in trouble for breaking the terms of the Hippodrome's contract with Ticketmaster.

Good old Ticketmaster wanted nearly £7 for their part in recking my daughter's much anticipated trip to the theatre.

I'm sure they are good for high volume sales, short lead-in events (Wembley, Cardiff) but for a small club like ours, they will be charging the fans more than previously to buy already expensive tickets.

When I see an event that has tickets sold by Ticketmaster or See Tickets, my heart sinks.

Another nail in the coffin for attendances and value-for-money services.

Xil.

[Nibor]

Xiled, the story you tell is so familiar, you see the same thing everywhere services are contracted out from ticket sales to IT to cleaning hospitals. Noone ends up being accountable.

With our complex seating arrangements (different stands, existing season tickets, concessions, game category, obstructed views, segregation etc.) it is probably too much to expect a relatively small club like City to put enough money in and get it right.

TEN MILLION POUNDS - that's our expected turnover this year therefore I don't think it's too much to expect the club to put in enough money to get a ticketing system right.

An off the shelf CRM system and an off the shelf online shop, and then a few months of paying a couple of contractors to tailor the systems and that should be sufficient (provided they get someone IT literate to manage the project).

I hope that Ticketmaster's involvement is along these lines (tailoring their ticketing system for City to use) because contracting out ticket sales to a third party would be a massive cop out IMO. It's the club's core business and they should do it themselves and be fully responsible for it - not to mention I begrudge handing booking fees to City let alone to a third party where they don't even benefit my club.

I'll be very interested to see what the outcome is.

[cheshire_red]

I've had a couple of bad experiences with Ticket Master. I will never use them again, rip-of merchants extraordinaire. Therefore if this is the only way I can get a ticket then I simply won't bother.

[Red Ferret]

Ticketmaster are evil!!!!!

Poor move by the club

[Guest DanC]

As I understand it it looks as if the club will sale the tickets and ticketmaster will provide the software that will sale the tickets which is called Ticketmaster Systems some info about it can be found here http://www.sportandtechnology.com/features/0122.html

Many sports clubs are now using this, Celtic, Spurs, Wigan, Surrey CCC, Scotland rugby were just a few that I found that are using it.

It is a step forward as online tickets and the ticket office will be in sync. We will be able to select which block we would like to sit in but the club will allocate us a row and a seat which is similar to how it's presently done, Which is my only problem with it. I got a season ticket but if I was a POTD fan(or is that customer?) I would be peed off that I could only select which block I would like to sit in. Cos I like to sit at the back of a block. Some may prefer the bottom. Spurs said they are doing it this way because they were left with alot of single seats at the end which were harder to sell than seats together.

[Guest]

As I understand it it looks as if the club will sale the tickets and ticketmaster will provide the software that will sale the tickets which is called Ticketmaster Systems some info about it can be found here http://www.sportandtechnology.com/features/0122.html

Is the correct answer. How many replies on here laying the boot into the club yet not knowing the whole story?

The club now have software that only a few other Championship clubs have - its mainly reserved for the premiership. Full ground seating plan and ticket allocation will be avaliable, tickets for season ticket holders on cup games will be a doddle. Seriously, this is a nice bit of kit and it'll make all of our lives easier when it comes to that big cup game or our first game in the Champions League

[Red Cloud]

When the fans see how much TicketShafter rip you off for they will just use the phone (assuming of course sextoy hasn't stopped that?)

[CodeRed]

Is the correct answer. How many replies on here laying the boot into the club yet not knowing the whole story?

Fair point Tom, but you can hardly blame people for fearing increased booking fees etc, when nearly every single "improvement" or "benefit" announced by CS usually comes with a hefty price hike attatched.

Clearly you know more than us - So can you confirm that the nett price (to the supporter) will not increase, when buying tickets online via this new system?

CR

[Guest]

Fair point Tom, but you can hardly blame people for fearing increased booking fees etc, when nearly every single "improvement" or "benefit" announced by CS usually comes with a hefty price hike attatched.

Clearly you know more than us - So can you confirm that the nett price (to the supporter) will not increase, when buying tickets online via this new system?

CR

I take your point, its just people are all to happy to moan when the is a cock up on ticket sales yet they do something about it and everyone lays the boot in without realising that they aren't outsourcing to ticketmaster but using there software to improve the current system.

I know a bit from the last FCF meeting where it was discussed, I don't know anything about potential price increases but I can't see why as this reduces the manual labour processes and thus should be saving the club a few pounds!

Roll on a FA Cup 3rd draw at home to Man U and lets see how it works in full capacity!

[Nibor]

I take your point, its just people are all to happy to moan when the is a c**k up on ticket sales yet they do something about it and everyone lays the boot in without realising that they aren't outsourcing to ticketmaster but using there software to improve the current system.

I know a bit from the last FCF meeting where it was discussed, I don't know anything about potential price increases but I can't see why as this reduces the manual labour processes and thus should be saving the club a few pounds!

Roll on a FA Cup 3rd draw at home to Man U and lets see how it works in full capacity!

In fairness the point had already be made that they might not be outsourcing it and the moaning was only on the premise that they are.

There's nothing in the FCF minutes about it?

I hope this does improve the organisation of our ticket sales - are they going to be selling them using the same system from the ticket office do you know?

Let's save ManUre for the semi finals

[Guest]

In fairness the point had already be made that they might not be outsourcing it and the moaning was only on the premise that they are.

There's nothing in the FCF minutes about it?

I hope this does improve the organisation of our ticket sales - are they going to be selling them using the same system from the ticket office do you know?

Let's save ManUre for the semi finals

I don't know if it was minuted during the FCF, it was just said it was hoped it would be in by december, might of been 2-3 meetings ago. I believe its already in place at the office its a case of rolling out the internet side of it.

Don't quote me on that though, I am only feeding back what we got told as such.

[Nibor]

I don't know if it was minuted during the FCF, it was just said it was hoped it would be in by december, might of been 2-3 meetings ago. I believe its already in place at the office its a case of rolling out the internet side of it.

Don't quote me on that though, I am only feeding back what we got told as such.

Thanks Tom. I was checking the more recent minutes.

[Guest DrFaustus]

Ticketmaster are evil!!!!!

Poor move by the club

You got that right! How long until you have an away fixture and tickets start getting delivered at 12 noon on the day of the game? Bloody fiasco are Ticketmaster.

[Nibor]

You got that right! How long until you have an away fixture and tickets start getting delivered at 12 noon on the day of the game? Bloody fiasco are Ticketmaster.

They better get a list of the Bemmy pub addresses if that's their plan.

[Barrs Court Red]

Good move by the club.

[Xiled]

I take your point, its just people are all to happy to moan when the is a c**k up on ticket sales yet they do something about it and everyone lays the boot in without realising that they aren't outsourcing to ticketmaster but using there software to improve the current system.

My original rant was aimed purely at Ticketmaster not the club.

The only detail available on bcfc.co.uk was:

TICKET SERVICE SET FOR UPGRADE

Posted on: Mon 26 Nov 2007

This week heralds the introduction of a new and improved online ticket booking service, supplied by Ticketmaster Systems.

As the new system is introduced, online ticket sales for football will be temporarily suspended until Thursday (November 29th). Concert tickets will still be available during this time.

Tickets can still be purchased for football on 0871 222 6666, or in person at Ashton Gate.

You can hardly blame people for jumping to the wrong conclusion - that the entire online/phone ticket selling operation would be handed to Ticketmaster.

I'm certainly happy to hear that Ticketmaster's software is to be used but I hope that the club retain management of the ticket sales and (most importantly) set the booking fees etc.

[bucksred]

Ticketmaster are bloody expensive for the add on costs...looks like we been ripped off again........

[Xiled]

Ticketmaster are bloody expensive for the add on costs...looks like we been ripped off again........

Have you read the messages in this thread?

One of the things that reduces the value of this forum is that too many posters wade in with their opinion without actually reading or responding to comments that others have made.

A discussion forum is for exchanging views with other people, not just posting them blindly.

If you did read the previous posts then I apologise.