Bring back Membership?

[kwsaint]

Was thinking, even if we don't go up, gate attendences need to be fairer than they are now. Moreover, first come first served isn't always the best option. I definately agree that ST should get priority over all games but after that they are realeased on 'general sale'. Surely someone who goes to say 10 games a season who can't buy a ST should have priority over someone who has been to 1. Your thoughts?

[James]

Was thinking, even if we don't go up, gate attendences need to be fairer than they are now. Moreover, first come first served isn't always the best option. I definately agree that ST should get priority over all games but after that they are realeased on 'general sale'. Surely someone who goes to say 10 games a season who can't buy a ST should have priority over someone who has been to 1. Your thoughts?

 

Couldn't agree more - I go to at least 10-15 games a season but can't justify a ST (had one in the past from 1997-2007) because of educational/uni commitments. My biggest worry for the rest of the season in terms of getting to games is losing out on a Pompey home ticket to a JCL just because they can get down to St Marys at 6am and I can't because I am out of the area. A membership scheme would prioritise fans who get along to games regularly but haven't bought an ST. Plus, it would provide extra income for the club at £30 a pop.

[trousers]

Totally agree. A good revenue stream for the club. Win win

[SaintBobby]

It's a bureaucratic nightmare unless a LOT of tickets are at stake. I mean setting it up because, say, 25 people would otherwise miss out isn't worth it.

 

I do think general sale phone calls should always be allowed.

 

At the moment, I can't imagine a home game that you'd miss out on (as long as phoning to book a ticket is as okay as going to SMS).

 

If we do go up, it might be necessary, I guess.

[bender]

It would definatily be needed it we go up. In the prem I used to spend £20 a year for a membership. Then for every home gome us members would get first dibs, then ST holders who want other tickets, then general. It meant I got in before people who only wanted to go to one game a year.

[Doctoroncall]

Was thinking, even if we don't go up, gate attendences need to be fairer than they are now. Moreover, first come first served isn't always the best option. I definately agree that ST should get priority over all games but after that they are realeased on 'general sale'. Surely someone who goes to say 10 games a season who can't buy a ST should have priority over someone who has been to 1. Your thoughts?

 

But membership was not based on number of games attended or are you saying it should be?

 

If so that would be difficult for the club to manage and suspect the cost prohibitive. If it's the old scheme, then anyone can become a member and get priority even if it's only for one or a few tickets.

[pap]

I'd quite like a scheme where I could buy a number of games up-front. I can't really commit to a ST, given the high cost involved in making repeated trips down south, but I could commit for say, ten games, and wouldn't mind paying that up-front - especially if I had a chance of picking the games I wanted to go to.

 

I'd then see the priority for other games as being STHs, people who'd bought a package of games, then general sale. Everyone's a winner. Club get additional revenue up-front, supporters like myself get to sort out their season early, plus benefit from being bumped up the priority list on the big occasions.

 

The only problem with this idea is that it would need to be under-pinned by new software on Saints site, which seems to be ruled out at the time being for contractual reasons.

[Mowgli]

The trouble with the membership scheme is that it also helps away fans to get tickets in the home section - so no its not based on the number of games you attend. You're just paying an annual premium to make sure you get priority when they do go on sale. Easier than getting an 'away' ticket through the OLd Trafford ticketing system.

[bender]

I'd quite like a scheme where I could buy a number of games up-front. I can't really commit to a ST, given the high cost involved in making repeated trips down south, but I could commit for say, ten games, and wouldn't mind paying that up-front - especially if I had a chance of picking the games I wanted to go to.

 

I'd then see the priority for other games as being STHs, people who'd bought a package of games, then general sale. Everyone's a winner. Club get additional revenue up-front, supporters like myself get to sort out their season early, plus benefit from being bumped up the priority list on the big occasions.

 

The only problem with this idea is that it would need to be under-pinned by new software on Saints site, which seems to be ruled out at the time being for contractual reasons.

 

Yeah but anyone who did it would pick the same big games, especially if we were in the Prem

[bender]

But membership was not based on number of games attended or are you saying it should be?

 

If so that would be difficult for the club to manage and suspect the cost prohibitive. If it's the old scheme, then anyone can become a member and get priority even if it's only for one or a few tickets.

 

But most people wont bother if they only get 2 tickets a season. That would mean 2 x £15 extra per game.

 

I think this whole argument only comes into play if we get in the prem. In the NPC, most games are easy to get tickets for if you are on the database. Tickets for games like Pompey should be allocated depending on how many games youve been to on your online login or database reference.

[arfurdent]

what is the point of a membership scheme. Bring it in and for a pittance of a fee the "members" will want the same preferences as ST holders.

 

So buy a ST, there are many pay day loan schemes to help finance it.

 

So what if you miss some games, I do and do not look for a refund on the ST

 

It was nice to get preference for the Brighton tickets

[pap]

Yeah but anyone who did it would pick the same big games, especially if we were in the Prem

 

That's not necessarily a bad thing though. It would provide more incentive to purchase early, and its not like other types of entertainment don't manage. Concerts are a prime example. Book early, get decent seats - book late, get row Z.

 

As long as there was no chance for over-subscription to the same game, I think it'd work nicely.

[svetigpung]

The membership worked really well for us living abroad and can only make it occasionally.

We would definately pay the £30 extra a season to be sure of tickets when we travel over. Even to home games in the PL when they were selling out quickly.

 

Bring back the memberships.

[stockportsaint]

Saints have recently appointed a new Ticket Office Manager. From my recent dealings with them, this is a good thing, as there's definitely a need for some better structures & procedures, to avoid e.g. Forest tickets going on sale less than 2 weeks before the game. Haven't we also heard that they'll be bringing a completely new ticketing system for next season regardless, and converting the turnstiles to barcode scanning rather than our current manual process? I'd guess that this new appointment is in order to facilitate these changes.

 

Whether this new manager will bring back memberships is another matter, but if you look at how many other clubs in the Premiership/upper Championship do things, not only do they have memberships, they have different tiers of membership, and purchasing tickets adds points onto your membership tally, then they use these points scores to determine who gets first dibs on high demand games. I have mates who are Citeh ST holders and if they go to pre-season friendlies they get points on their total, or for the less glamorous European games recently (Timisoara in the UEFA last season), they get more points than the higher demand games.

[krissyboy31]

I have never previously been a member because most of the time, when I was living in Hampshire and various parts of the home counties, I was a season ticket holder. Now, exiled in East Yorkshire, I would happily become a member if it made it easier getting tickets for the 6-8 games a season I am able to get to. Maybe the club could carry out one of those survey monkey thingies to see if the general fanbase think it would be worthwhile.