New away ticket priority scheme

[EnglandShrimper]

Did they consult this scheme with any exiles at all? What’s the point in it? Does anyone trust Southend United to make this work in the slightest? Thoughts please fellow exiles…

 

[Shrimper Brownie]

They’re simply penalising exiles for being exiles. Me and my dad, who’s been watching Blues since 1968, now live in Wales, but still go to every away game and have done for the last few seasons. Now this means we can’t be guaranteed a ticket.

 

[brigg blue]

Is there any chance for exiles to get points for travelling to home games?

There seems to be a lack of thought from the club on this

 

[Jai]

Surely this scheme is good for exiles?

For example, under the previous system, if you're not a season ticket holder you will have to join the general sale scrum for a big game.

Under the new system, any exile who goes to say Altrincham and Grimsby will, in two games, amass the same number of points as a season ticket holder. Chuck in a third, and you're out in front.

You have to remember that the vast majority of season ticket holders don't travel away.

And the number of games that this scheme will actually be necessary for can easily be counted on one hand every year.

Full disclosure - I am an exile being outside the SS postcode but I am a season ticket holder.

 

[brigg blue]

Surely this scheme is good for exiles?

For example, under the previous system, if you're not a season ticket holder you will have to join the general sale scrum for a big game.

Under the new system, any exile who goes to say Altrincham and Grimsby will, in two games, amass the same number of points as a season ticket holder. Chuck in a third, and you're out in front.

You have to remember that the vast majority of season ticket holders don't travel away.

And the number of games that this scheme will actually be necessary for can easily be counted on one hand every year.

Full disclosure - I am an exile being outside the SS postcode but I am a season ticket holder.

Thats only true if you can get tickets to away games in the first place if you can't get tickets you can't get points, I'd expect more season ticket holders to travel away this season after the enforced absence.

I hope you are right for it not being required for every match but there are already seems to be people on FB who have bought Kings Lynn tickets who are now trying to sell them on for a mark up

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Surely this scheme is good for exiles?

For example, under the previous system, if you're not a season ticket holder you will have to join the general sale scrum for a big game.

Under the new system, any exile who goes to say Altrincham and Grimsby will, in two games, amass the same number of points as a season ticket holder. Chuck in a third, and you're out in front.

You have to remember that the vast majority of season ticket holders don't travel away.

And the number of games that this scheme will actually be necessary for can easily be counted on one hand every year.

Full disclosure - I am an exile being outside the SS postcode but I am a season ticket holder.

So to get this straight. You amass points which later in the season, if we’re challenging, might bag you a ticket over someone who’s got less points. So in effect they’re giving non seasos the chance to cash in by awarding higher points to the less glam games oop north or Torquay or wherever. Exiles probably won’t make Dagenham or Barnet anyway, if they can’t do home games. And many seasos won’t do the long treks. Seems like a sensible and fair solution to me.

 

[alfiet]

Was anything ever asked to the club about whether those living close to away fixtures can have leeway on the points needed to secure tickets?

 

[EnglandShrimper]

My question is why are we not able to purchase on the day especially at Solihull. 500 tickets available and have to be bought in advance. Why can’t we just buy on the day anymore?

 

[tia]

My question is why are we not able to purchase on the day especially at Solihull. 500 tickets available and have to be bought in advance. Why can’t we just buy on the day anymore?

Solihull can cater for about 1500 away fans I'd be surprised if no pay on day is available

 

[EnglandShrimper]

My question is then why not announce we have 1500 tickets rather than 500 that are sold to people using an unfair system first? The whole loyalty system is flawed and corrupt.

 

[OldBlueLady]

My question is then why not announce we have 1500 tickets rather than 500 that are sold to people using an unfair system first? The whole loyalty system is flawed and corrupt.

Corrupt? That's a bit strong.

The Club have listened to requests to try and implement a system for regular travellers to get priority for the allocations of away clubs, and have to try and make it fair to all. It's the first season, there were bound to be some who thought it didn't favour them for whatever reason.

If you have a genuine reason to think it's unfair, then send your comments in to them.

Most of your criticism is actually aimed at the away club not Southend United, who can only advertise information as provided by the away club.

 

[EnglandShrimper]

The system was flawed from the beginning by giving people priority who had a season ticket.

As I am posting in this section of the forum you can understand that just because we don’t attend games at Roots Hall shouldn’t mean we are excluded from attending away games which could be the case if you let it.

I have no idea why Southend United have to sell away tickets. Much better and fairer to be allowed to purchase them from the away club. Let’s hope this continues to be the case rather than get ripped off and cheated from Southend United.

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

The system was flawed from the beginning by giving people priority who had a season ticket.

As I am posting in this section of the forum you can understand that just because we don’t attend games at Roots Hall shouldn’t mean we are excluded from attending away games which could be the case if you let it.

I have no idea why Southend United have to sell away tickets. Much better and fairer to be allowed to purchase them from the away club. Let’s hope this continues to be the case rather than get ripped off and cheated from Southend United.

The price of the tickets would be the same if you purchased a ticket from Southend or from the home club, so I’m not sure how you are being “ripped off and cheated”. For the Solihull game tickets will be available online, so there’s no need to travel to the ticket office to queue up or call the club.

After today’s match, if you’ve been to Wealdstone, Halifax and Torquay you’ll have amassed more loyalty points than a season ticket holder who hasn’t been to an away game, so those who can’t get to home games but do support the club away are being rewarded.

The decision as to whether tickets are available to purchase on the day lies with the home, not the away club, so it’s out of Southend’s control. There are two key factors in place: 1) since Covid, many clubs - even at a lower level than us - prefer an online booking method to support track and trace and identify who has been at matches and manage attendance and 2) demand. Tickets were purchase on the day only at Halifax because there was little prospect of us selling out an away end holding 900+. At King’s Lynn, Wealdstone and, initially at least, Solihull, we’ll have more demand than the away section can cater for, so it’s likely you won’t be able to purchase on the day.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

I honestly think everyone who wants a ticket this season will get one, points systems or not.