Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I've been thinking about a new way to market football and it's products, so hear me out... Instead of Season Tickets, you are given the chance to be a Member of the club. To become a member, you buy a Membership Card, (buy in at a minimum of £250). This money then gets put on this card, and everytime you go to a match, buy a drink, buy merchandise, money is taken off the card. For match tickets, a discount is applied to members (pro rata) to ensure they don't get charged the full, paying public amount. Essentially, it's like an Oyster Card, but for Saints. It means that as a Season ticket holder if you can't make a match, then you won't be losing that money, and can spend it on the club in another way. For booking seats, members are given the choice of where to sit 1 month in advance of the games (choose your seats online), whereas the cash paying customer is only given 3 weeks. This way, those who want the chance to get to away games, want to apply for playoff, FA Cup tickets etc can easily do that, without having to have a £500 Season ticket. It also means if you miss a game it doesn't cost you. There would probably be other benefits you could tie in with it. What do you reckon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Not in place of ST's but alongside them might work and please a few people. Some ST holders want and need to have the exact same seat every game to ***** about the exact same person sat two rows away for some reason. Would you propose separate queues for card holders for beer etc? I can see 'members' waving their cards at the other queue when Pompey come to town too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Interesting idea. I'm put off buying a season ticket for a couple of reasons. Firstly I don't want to be sat in the same seat week in week out, I like sitting in different parts of the ground. Secondly, I tend to go with different people, sometimes on my own, sometimes with a mate and sometimes with family including kids. Something like this could work for me and I'm sure others. I'd also like to be able to book specific seats on-line as you can with many cinemas and theatres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Neil Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Sounds like a good idea, so could go something like this "Can't make it to three games this year, so I'll buy a shirt and six bottles of beer and a balti pie to make up for it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Not in place of ST's but alongside them might work and please a few people. Some ST holders want and need to have the exact same seat every game to ***** about the exact same person sat two rows away for some reason. Would you propose separate queues for card holders for beer etc? I can see 'members' waving their cards at the other queue when Pompey come to town too. You could do, you could have a fast queue, just handing out beers and swiping your card. Could do it alongside Season Tickets too. The club are likely to make money out of it as people will tend to put more money on their card than is needed, and would then need to purchase merchandise/beers etc to get their money's worth, even if they don't want it. Say that people can only top up in £50 increments of something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Sounds like a good idea, so could go something like this "Can't make it to three games this year, so I'll buy a shirt and six bottles of beer and a balti pie to make up for it." Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Interesting idea. I'm put off buying a season ticket for a couple of reasons. Firstly I don't want to be sat in the same seat week in week out, I like sitting in different parts of the ground. Secondly, I tend to go with different people, sometimes on my own, sometimes with a mate and sometimes with family including kids. Something like this could work for me and I'm sure others. I'd also like to be able to book specific seats on-line as you can with many cinemas and theatres. I plan on getting a season ticket, but would prefer to do something like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidsnake Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Would you propose separate queues for card holders for beer etc? A system like this is in operation at Vicarage Road for Watford season ticket holders/members. Essentially their credit-style cards can be topped up either online or at units around the concourses with £20, £50, £100 or whatever, and can then simply be swiped to pay at the food kiosks/merchandise outlets etc instead of using cash (and often in their own quicker queue). To get people on board they had an introductory season where you couldn't put cash onto the thing, but swiped the card with each normal purchase you made, and 10% of what you spent was loaded back on the card in credit. Then this season they've moved it up a gear to the full Oyster card style use. As well as this you can get a % loaded on it when buying things around town/online with the club's retail partners. It's a great system, but has taken ages to get people aware of what the deal is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Think its a good idea and would work in addition to season tickets and not in place of them. Would take loads of investment to get it up and running though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I've always thought the the membership scheme should be on a similar basis. Charge £50 for membership and then get £5 off a ticket for your first 10 games. It'll stop people becoming members just to get tickets for the big games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 12 May, 2011 A system like this is in operation at Vicarage Road for Watford season ticket holders/members. Essentially their credit-style cards can be topped up either online or at units around the concourses with £20, £50, £100 or whatever, and can then simply be swiped to pay at the food kiosks/merchandise outlets etc instead of using cash (and often in their own quicker queue). To get people on board they had an introductory season where you couldn't put cash onto the thing, but swiped the card with each normal purchase you made, and 10% of what you spent was loaded back on the card in credit. Then this season they've moved it up a gear to the full Oyster card style use. As well as this you can get a % loaded on it when buying things around town/online with the club's retail partners. It's a great system, but has taken ages to get people aware of what the deal is. Darn, thought I was being innovative there. It does seem like something that Cortese would do though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Or you could do a RyanAir Ticket Pricing System. You offer seats so many months in advance and get them at a discount, then as the match nears the price rises, if it looks to be a sell out then the last tickets for example could be released at say 40 or 50 quid whereas those who bought early got them for say 18 quid. Seat Yield Management Software, not that difficult to adapt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidsnake Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Darn, thought I was being innovative there. It does seem like something that Cortese would do though. Yeah there's definitely a good system there if you get the ins and outs of it right. At the moment I still think Watford's one is a little bit muddled, and although great for fans (getting 10% back on everything you spend, even if it's only on a bit of food every match, over a season can quickly work out at quite a few free pints), they don't seem to be fully sure of the best way to make it work on a larger scale for them as a business. I know from working there last season that they've had people from clubs like West Brom and Man City come down to view the thing in operation, so I'm assuming a fair few other clubs are looking into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I've always thought the the membership scheme should be on a similar basis. Charge £50 for membership and then get £5 off a ticket for your first 10 games. It'll stop people becoming members just to get tickets for the big games. This is definitely a good idea and would benefit everyone in the long-run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Love the idea, as I said I will probably only get to 6 or 7 home games in a season but want to get a season ticket. Was going to sellit for the games that I could not go to for £15 a pop just to make up a little bit of the lost income from the season ticket. I am not sure this is allowed but to friends surely it cannot work.....hello friends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 The club would stillmneed to post tickets though surely. A swipe card couldn't work if you bought a pair of tickets could it? I do like this idea though I'd just keep it to saints products though personally. I have heard from my 'mate' that ticket scanning turnstile equipment is due for instalment towards the beginning of July , I wonder if DiBden and I have a mutual friend here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sour Mash Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Or you could do a RyanAir Ticket Pricing System. You offer seats so many months in advance and get them at a discount, then as the match nears the price rises, if it looks to be a sell out then the last tickets for example could be released at say 40 or 50 quid whereas those who bought early got them for say 18 quid. Seat Yield Management Software, not that difficult to adapt That's what ticket touts do............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Fan CaM Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I like the idea of getting a credit for games I cannot attend. I also like the idea of being able to book specific seats on-line (for ST holders only), particularly if I want to change my seat to enable me to sit with somebody else. But I also would not want to give up my ST seat. One day soon I will have one of the best views in the Premiership and I'll have waited a long time indeed to be able to say that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Or you could do a RyanAir Ticket Pricing System. You offer seats so many months in advance and get them at a discount, then as the match nears the price rises, if it looks to be a sell out then the last tickets for example could be released at say 40 or 50 quid whereas those who bought early got them for say 18 quid. Seat Yield Management Software, not that difficult to adapt Is that how FlyBe work Phil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Don't they have this system at Ajax? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 From the view of an occasional attendee at St Mary's I like this notion. I think it would attract significant additional numbers of the more irregular visitors while maintaining the numbers of core season ticket fans. From the club's financial viewpoint the increased numbers of buyers could well compensate for the lost - higher unit cost - season ticket revenue although presumably people wouldn't buy their membership until early July - a revenue lag of a month or so for the Club; probably not hugely significant though. There might be a couple of possible drawbacks for the Club. What if we started losing games? Season ticket holders are (by definition) committed for the season irrespective of team performance; under the membership system attendances might well drop. Conversely though if the team is successful then memberships might increase. A final point though is the one factor that would make it a great success is the stadium being filled to something approaching capacity - then there would be pressure to buy a membership to get to see the Saints. At present it's easy to buy a ticket a few days in advance. I suspect many people subscribed to the old membership system in order to get preferential access to tickets - that and to support the club (both of these in my case). I am unlikely to buy a season ticket but I'd definitely consider the type of membership scheme you have floated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedAndWhite91 Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I'd rather have my season ticket to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I think we might see something like this next season, but not relating to actual tickets. More to do with food and drink. The ground itself then becomes cashless and you top up your card when you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Diamond Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 It's a good idea, and I'd expect nothing less from a King Crimson fan. Top avatar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRM Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 The suggested process already exists in some clubs in Germany, I recall going to Schalke and Hamburg where in order to purchase refreshments you need to have a oyster style card which can be “topped up” , season ticket holders can top up their swipe cards for this purpose, so it isn’t a radical revolutionary suggestion, Arsenal also do this for members I think who do not get sent paper tickets for matches they just get their cards “activated” (or maybe this is what they do for season ticket holders for cup games) either way they effectively activate a card for a game. It could be done for members, the only difficultly they would have is identifying who has which seat. (as that wouldn't be printed on the card in the opening posters suggestion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawillwill Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Why don't they introduce a kind of swap-shop deal where you no longer need cash. For example if you want to buy a beer at half time, you can bring something you own from home in (like a cheap DVD you don't want anymore or some pillow cases) and exchange it for whatever you want. The club could then exchange the products they receive themselves in return for cash and hopefully make a profit...while also saving the fans money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 12 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 12 May, 2011 It's a good idea, and I'd expect nothing less from a King Crimson fan. Top avatar. Haha, cheers. Probably a younger Crimson fan than most too! Taken a 'shine' to your username too, if I'm not mistaken by the reference... I was actually thinking of putting together a basic requirements document for this and sending it to the club, see if they like the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Balls Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I like this idea. I would stick with my ST but can see why people would take this up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I think they will always sell season tickets - and I for one like sitting in the same seat every week as its in a great position and all the season ticket holders who sit around us a great bunch - we all have a favourite player and loathed players - and a lot of banter about such things! But I do think they should sell batches of tickets before the season starts - the should be a number of packagaes availabel, 4 games for the price price of and or 7 games for the price of 5 or something like that - which should include membership. People can then choose which exact games they go to during the season with priority on seats until a month before the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooohTerryHurlock Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I think the Ricoh is cash less and its a nightmare!!! Season Tickets are Season tickets and should be maintained but I think there is something in the idea - I thought about a loyalty card like a necter card where points are added per game attended, they could then be used to give special discounts or the like, or priority for away matches. The club should try something like this but still would n't wnat the hassle of having to book my seat for every game... I've sitting in the smae seat for ten years, why the feck do I want to have to apply for it every game.... I would just like the club to factor in a comprehensive seaton ticket for all games including cup matches, then i would n't have to clog up the ether or the phone system trying to book a home cup ticket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I like the idea - it would probably need some refining to be workable for us but if it's worked at Watford then there's no reason why we couldn't adopt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scudamore Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I like the idea of waving a piece of plastic at other fans and calling them plastic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 I think the concept is brilliant. Whether it could replace season tickets though I am not sure and the details would need a lot of tweaking. For me, I cannot get to many games so I allowed my season ticket to lapse a couple of years ago. I cannot see myself being able to renew in the next few years. I love the idea of chucking some money on a card when funds allow and using it as and when I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintandy666 Posted 12 May, 2011 Share Posted 12 May, 2011 Are we meant to have some new amazing swipe-card season ticket this year anyway? Could something similar be incorporated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilippineSaint Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 The club would stillmneed to post tickets though surely. A swipe card couldn't work if you bought a pair of tickets could it? Why cant you print out tickets at home like the airlines do I havent had a proper airline ticket for years just print out the ticket with unique number on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumuah Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 The club would stillmneed to post tickets though surely. A swipe card couldn't work if you bought a pair of tickets could it? Why cant you print out tickets at home like the airlines do I havent had a proper airline ticket for years just print out the ticket with unique number on it Or have a cinema style ticket collection point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 Good idea re the airline or cinema methods. Hope the TO are taking note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bensfcno1 Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 Or you could do a RyanAir Ticket Pricing System. You offer seats so many months in advance and get them at a discount, then as the match nears the price rises, if it looks to be a sell out then the last tickets for example could be released at say 40 or 50 quid whereas those who bought early got them for say 18 quid. Seat Yield Management Software, not that difficult to adapt This might interfere with football league rules about tickets prices for home and away teams. I remember reading sumwer that u can only have a certain amount of promotional games without including away fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 This might interfere with football league rules about tickets prices for home and away teams. I remember reading sumwer that u can only have a certain amount of promotional games without including away fans. 'Twas only an off the top of head idea, but why shouldn't it be available to away fans IF the Yield Management software worked no reason it couldn't apply to the seating the same way. It should be possible for every club in fact. Would actually reduce the money that touts take out of the game, but that's a different argument altogether. FWIW a mate of mine worked for the guys who did the Odeon Ticketing system. They also do Theme Parks & Pubs & stuff - that software has a similar ability to run special promos or pricing by seat yields as well as the ticket issuing machines HOWEVER None of this is likely to happen this year as I'm sure that the club have spent this past season getting the whole technology right for a new system.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 I've been thinking about a new way to market football and it's products, so hear me out... Instead of Season Tickets, you are given the chance to be a Member of the club. To become a member, you buy a Membership Card, (buy in at a minimum of £250). This money then gets put on this card, and everytime you go to a match, buy a drink, buy merchandise, money is taken off the card. For match tickets, a discount is applied to members (pro rata) to ensure they don't get charged the full, paying public amount. Essentially, it's like an Oyster Card, but for Saints. It means that as a Season ticket holder if you can't make a match, then you won't be losing that money, and can spend it on the club in another way. For booking seats, members are given the choice of where to sit 1 month in advance of the games (choose your seats online), whereas the cash paying customer is only given 3 weeks. This way, those who want the chance to get to away games, want to apply for playoff, FA Cup tickets etc can easily do that, without having to have a £500 Season ticket. It also means if you miss a game it doesn't cost you. There would probably be other benefits you could tie in with it. What do you reckon? Without wishing to steal your thunder, I did float the idea of a similar "pay as you go" top-up/membership type scheme a couple of years ago. It would also be great for family and friends buying gifts for each other......rather than buy an iTunes gift card (or similar) you could buy a Saints gift card which tops up the credits on your account. Etc. A fine idea....even if I say so myself :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansums Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 I had this same idea years ago but I decided to keep it to myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 13 May, 2011 Author Share Posted 13 May, 2011 without wishing to steal your thunder, i did float the idea of a similar "pay as you go" top-up/membership type scheme a couple of years ago. It would also be great for family and friends buying gifts for each other......rather than buy an itunes gift card (or similar) you could buy a saints gift card which tops up the credits on your account. Etc. A fine idea....even if i say so myself :-) Thunder thief!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 So how would this work for the Blue Few? Nice idea for money-launderer types. All those £250s up front...computer glitch...a ticket to the nearest extradition-free tax-haven, please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucks Saint Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 I am in. Would suit me perfectly. Like others on here I gave up my season ticket when no longer able to make more than 10 games or so. I now go to more away games than home but would be very happy to commit £250 up front for the discounted match price and preferential choice. Good plan - get it to Nicola! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jones91 Posted 13 May, 2011 Share Posted 13 May, 2011 Also there needs to be some incentive to attend the 'less-attractive' home games, to stop people only using their membership card for the big games... eg half price beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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