Corporate tickets and missing blocks

[franniesTache]

So we've now see at multiple away games entire blocks that have been empty despite games "selling out", for example Hull, Charlton and Norwich, and we all know that when people first logged in to buy tickets for Fratton at least three large blocks were greyed out and unable to purchase.

Obviously we also know regional supporters groups get tickets, as do staff and players families, but that doesn't seem to account for the amount that are seemingly now being held aside.

Doing some digging i came across this from publicity P&O did when they agreed to sponsor us

"This collaboration marks P&O Cruises’ first venture into sports sponsorship and will provide exclusive benefits and experiences to P&O Cruises guests and Southampton FC members and fans. Perks include special cruise offers, match tickets, meet-and-greet events and onboard coaching sessions." 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/08/po-cruises-partners-with-southampton-fc/

Maybe the club need to be honest with fans, are they holding aside away tickets for people taking cruises with P&O? And if they are how can they justify doing that at the expense of the mushes who go home and away supporting us.

Some serious questions need asking of the club about this because with lower allocations in this league it's taking the piss to give tickets to people who potentially aren't even Saints fans

 

[Mattio]

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

You can see how this would escalate if we got back to the PL.

P&O have clearly been allocated ’x’ amount of tickets for every game as part of their sponsorship and they’re probably not particularly bothered if they’re taken up or not. It’s their entitlement and I’d imagine they’re not handing them back as their clients may decide last minute to use them.

It’s the same with home games too, I’m a member so go on to buy tickets and regularly see blocks show as sold out but then have the same empty seats most weeks.

[Turkish]

Get the FAB on the case! 👊👊👊👊

[Noodles34]

If you go to enough away games then it ain't an issue anyway, as the OP knows cause he goes to most. I personally like the fact that there's empty seats, means I can move away random people I don't want to stand next to. 

[Noodles34]

And do you really think P&O have an allocation for Blackburn away? 

I can imagine the middle class family from St Albans travelling down to Southampton a day earlier to pick up their match tickets for a train trip to Ewood Park. Before coming all the way back to catch the cruise on Sunday morning. Nah, that doesn't add up. 

[IFHP]

4 hours ago, franniesTache said:

So we've now see at multiple away games entire blocks that have been empty despite games "selling out", for example Hull, Charlton and Norwich, and we all know that when people first logged in to buy tickets for Fratton at least three large blocks were greyed out and unable to purchase.

Obviously we also know regional supporters groups get tickets, as do staff and players families, but that doesn't seem to account for the amount that are seemingly now being held aside.

Doing some digging i came across this from publicity P&O did when they agreed to sponsor us

"This collaboration marks P&O Cruises’ first venture into sports sponsorship and will provide exclusive benefits and experiences to P&O Cruises guests and Southampton FC members and fans. Perks include special cruise offers, match tickets, meet-and-greet events and onboard coaching sessions." 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/08/po-cruises-partners-with-southampton-fc/

Maybe the club need to be honest with fans, are they holding aside away tickets for people taking cruises with P&O? And if they are how can they justify doing that at the expense of the mushes who go home and away supporting us.

Some serious questions need asking of the club about this because with lower allocations in this league it's taking the piss to give tickets to people who potentially aren't even Saints fans

 

Have you emailed the club asking why? 
 

The frustration but is some fans are missing out on sold called sold out away games because of this.

 

you can just know how much we are going to get the piss taken out of us a fratton when there is an empty block of 200 odd ( maybe more) seats in our end . 
 

by the time they’ve finished spinning this they’d be more empty seats than our allocation! 

[EssEffCee]

Were loads of empties for Stoke this morning too.

[Ted Bates Statue]

3 hours ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

You can see how this would escalate if we got back to the PL.

P&O have clearly been allocated ’x’ amount of tickets for every game as part of their sponsorship and they’re probably not particularly bothered if they’re taken up or not. It’s their entitlement and I’d imagine they’re not handing them back as their clients may decide last minute to use them.

It's a slap in the face of the loyal support which has been quite astonishing to behold considering how bad we've been in our two most recent seasons in the PL (and most of this season, for now). Rupert Lowe era post-relegation led to an instant 10-12k drop in attendance, so while it is mildly surprising that people have so much more patience with the club now, not sure it's guaranteed to stay that way while Sports Republic make continuous errors of judgment. 

This sort of thing makes mugs of the supporters and it makes the club leadership look extra fucking stupid to have empty seats when the demand is so high among genuine fans.

[LGTL]

It’s the lack of transparency that fucks me off. Every club in the land holds tickets back, but it’s about time they started explaining who/what/why.

[bangkoksaint]

1 hour ago, Ted Bates Statue said:

It's a slap in the face of the loyal support which has been quite astonishing to behold considering how bad we've been in our two most recent seasons in the PL (and most of this season, for now). Rupert Lowe era post-relegation led to an instant 10-12k drop in attendance, so while it is mildly surprising that people have so much more patience with the club now, not sure it's guaranteed to stay that way while Sports Republic make continuous errors of judgment. 

This sort of thing makes mugs of the supporters and it makes the club leadership look extra fucking stupid to have empty seats when the demand is so high among genuine fans.

I think you’re spot on with this. I don’t think we’ll go up this season and we’ll see more bizarre contract extensions and sales of some of our better players. Couple that with another YTS manager at the start of next season and the additional financial hardships that people will be facing and there will be a significant drop off in attendances. 

[die Mannyschaft]

If its a small amount of tickets for home fair enough but not away games for sponsors. I've got a few away games allways at end allocation like Chelsea and WHU where it looked sold out then maybe 20 back on. Chunks of 100 is not on should go to those who are regular fans paying money to watch home games, paying membership anx season tickets. Give them free tickets to Belgium v Ivory cost in WC or Euros not key Saints games fans could go to. 

[Ted Bates Statue]

I find it hard to get my head around the idea that corporate types would want to spend the day in a bubble and go to Fratton Park. I suspect it's hangers-on within the club itself.

On a related note, I don't understand why it is that since clinching automatic promotion under Adkins, according to transfermarkt we have allegedly sold out St Mary's just once. But I've sat out enough games in that time knowing there were no more tickets available. Is this really just down to segregation, or should I be giving more thought to joining the prawn sandwich brigade in corporate hospitality, or breaking my legs to enjoy the match from a wheelchair?

Edited 54 minutes ago by Ted Bates Statue