Message sent to the SLO, regarding Chesterfield tickets and future high demand ticket sales.
Independent Saddlers Supporters Association.
We have been inundated with concerns regarding sales for the Chesterfield play-off game.
Firstly, there appears to be a problem with booking tickets online when trying to assign children who meet the criteria for a ticket. There are lots of children who travel to away games regularly, it is only right that they should be eligible, and their parent/guardian should be able to buy them online. Would it be possible to look into this and communicate to our supporters, please?
There are also concerns from supporters who have been to all or the majority of away games, who have struggled to get tickets for Sunday’s game. We appreciate that it is always difficult with low allocations for games where tickets will be in high demand.
We feel that the criteria were set too low for such a game. Season Ticket holders plus three away games didn’t cut it down enough, considering we have taken large followings to Port Vale, Crewe and Notts County. As it is now sold out, there is nothing that can be done on this occasion. We would like you to consider, in similar circumstances, in the future that the criteria is set higher to purchase a ticket. Season ticket holders with ten or more away games to begin with, reduced over the following days, for example.
I can tell you from the messages we have received that supporters aren’t just complaining because they have missed out; some have managed to purchase tickets for the big game on Sunday. They just want a fair system that ensures those who travel to the majority of away games get priority.
Kind Regards,
Mark Cassell
Independent Saddlers Supporters Association - Secretary.
Considering we have taken around 2000 or more to 3 away games this season, I feel that for a day or even half a day it should have been higher, to ensure those that travel every game get a ticket.
I’m sure there would have been a lot left to scramble over for everyone who has been to some away games.
For example, I was talking to a fan earlier who hasn’t missed a game in decades, who thought he was going to miss out. He managed to get one so I guess it isn’t the best example. We aren’t a big club so these situations don’t come around that often, but bigger clubs do give priority to those who go the most.
Maybe, although, you’re cutting out an awful lot of fans I’d describe has pretty hardcore if you say season tickets and 3 away games isn’t enough to be counted as such. I’m not even one of those people, but that seems perfectly reasonable. I don’t really see why taking big crowds on different occasions makes any difference, it’s still the same level of support and commitment.
There should always be a lottery element, but that bar is set to basically give everyone you would describe as “dedicated” I guess a ticket in that lottery.
Think about it the other way. Are we seriously saying you “don’t deserve” to go to an away play off game if you have a season ticket and have “only” been to three away games?
Wimbledon have been given 1800 tickets for Notts County. They have a similar perhaps slightly smaller away following than us but have set the initial criteria at 10 away tickets.
Just that there should be a small window for those that go to every game or close to it get first dibs.
Shortly followed by the 3 away game fans.
Had it been last season, I only went to 5 away games myself and didn’t have a season ticket, so I’d have had no chance. Same next season, I don’t have a season ticket.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have been that bothered if it wasn’t for the kids. Second leg is where all the action will be (providing we aren’t already out of it)
I think 10 would have rewarded the most dedicated. Could quickly shift it down to 3 from tomorrow a.m.
Biggest issue today though was not having a system robust enough to ensure those that qualified got a ticket. That would have been tbe issue regardless of the parameters.
That’s fine and sensible when there are plenty of tickets up for grabs - but when you know (statistically) that double the demand for available tickets then the bar needs recalibrating to make it fairer to those that travel away more often as well as commit to a ST - surely that’s just plain common sense isn’t it??
Then it’s not a lottery at all. These arguments always become “I’m fine with it being somewhat of a lottery but the criteria should be specific to what I want it to be”, which normally involves it not being a lottery at all, and almost specifically guaranteeing a set number of tickets to a set number of fans.
I’d have a hard time telling any season ticket holder with away booking history on their record “sorry, that’s not good enough”. It’s sad some people will miss out on tickets, welcome to most events in the country. We are spoiled for not having that demand regularly.
To be clear, this is nothing against your opinion, not everyone will agree with everything.
None of this is to do with my own personal circumstances. I managed to get tickets for me and the kids, and if I hadn’t I’d have just had to suck it up.
I’ve only ever not got tickets to one away game I wanted to go to and that was Burton in 2016. I managed to get in the home end that day. I’ve had a bit of help of people I know a few times, this isn’t a situation that comes up that often. Although with some of the teams from non league coming up with low allocations all the time and everyone wanting to go to a new ground it is becoming a bit more frequent.
Someone made a good suggestion I saw on Facebook about doing away season tickets, where they take the ticket money out of your bank a few weeks before each game if you have signed up, and you are allowed to opt out of a couple a season. That would ensure the ones that never miss always get a ticket.
How hard an exercise can it be to do 3 Batches of Tickets, 1st Batch Guaranteed then 2nd and 3rd subject to avaliability.
Calculate how many have STH purchased x number of aways compared to allocation and go from there?? Not rocket science. Leaves less people disappointed and rewards loyalty.
No system is going to be faultless, there will always be winners and losers. I mean take a look at this site, before the tickets even went on sale people were asking for those fans eligible for the first tranche to buy a ticket if they weren’t planning on going so they could have it. Don’t begrudge them that as that is how the system can operate, but it means one less ticket for a fan potentially up the “pecking order” on games attended eligibility.
I haven’t got one, can’t say I am that arsed, watch it at home, keg on the Perfect Draft machine and if it turns into a massacre then I can switch it off!
For all those going, have a great day, hopefully we put a performance in and come away with at least a draw. Then back home to see it through, and no issues getting tickets for Wembley, beyond the usual hangers on who “always had Walsall as my 2nd team”.
Take a draw right now.