Flexible Season Tickets - I am ready to buy - Are You?

[Seaside Nipper]

Whether it's flexi tickets or whatever we definitely need to make it easier for ad-hoc fans to attend our matches. It's a big problem across Scottish Football.

Season Tickets generate essential fixed income for clubs and should definitely be retained IMO, however society and the game have moved on. I'd reckon more people than ever are working weekends, kick off times move around (albeit not quite so much in the 2nd tier) and generally speaking there is so much going on at weekends that it must be extremely rare that season ticket holders manage to attend every game.

That said, most of my mates are season ticket holders and even though they miss games they are still happy to pay up front and guarantee their seat is there in the same place every other week where they can roll up at 5 to 3 and know where they are sitting and be around friends/family.

I know reserved seating is a bug bear of some of the more vocal posters on here, but it's one of the main benefits of a season ticket as far as I am concerned and I won't be alone.

What I would definitely like to see is W6 and W7 being used exclusively by Saints fans for all matches and those areas being sold completely on an unallocated seat basis where folk can sit where they want. I'd even go as far as making the turnstyles for W6 and W7 on the day cash at the gate, contactless payments or print at home tickets. We just need to make it as easy as possible for ad-hoc fans to come along IMO.

You put any sort of barrier in place and people will find something else to do.

Spot on about the west stand and it's St mirren mindedness remaining. Us ad hockers are looking precisely for that kind of roll up and go and none of the ridiculous Hi Vis marshalls and their can sit / cannot sit there mate, whilst surrounded by a sea of unoccupied seats. Madness.

[div]

1 hour ago, St.Ricky said:

Div

I am happy to do this but am really suggesting that the club have a here and now opportunity to make it clear that these are new and exciting times whilst responding to suggestions made by Div, Stuart,  myself and others by marketing a 3/4 Season Ticket with unallocated seating in whichever way they choose. Simplicity is the key. Season Ticket Holders are given entry key cards. That's all that is needed.

Simplicity is the key, however what is easy to suggest is not always as easy to implement. I'm absolutely not dismissing the idea at all but there are practical issues that need to be thought through.

You can't just abandon allocated seating. Whether or not people agree with that or not, it's just a plain fact. We can't just say as from a week on Saturday it's sit wherever you want lads.

Thousands, and it is thousands, of people have already bought season tickets based on them having a particular seat and for a lot of those people it is one of the primary reasons for buying a season ticket. Regardless of whether anyone agrees with allocated seating or not, it can't be thrown in the bin. It will never ever happen.

W6 and W7 are the areas of opportunity here in my opinion.

This is where we could be innovative, however there are still practical issues to consider.

If we 100% guarantee W6 and W7 are available to Saints fans every home game then that means the North stand must be open every home game. I assume the club don't open it for a reason when we have a small visiting support. It must have some sort of cost implication for staffing, stewarding or whatever.  I've no idea what we are talking about but there must be SOME cost in opening it up even if there are only 100 visiting fans.

Then there are the odd occasion when the visiting team brings enough to justify the North plus W6 and W7. It doesn't happen often I grant you but on the occasions we do have that demand do we just wave it away and say "sorry lads, you're only getting the North". What would the cost of that be and are we really in a position to afford to do that?

On the subject of 3/4 season tickets I'm sure the club could put together a deal for that but again it's not quite as easy as it sounds. You've only another few weeks before we move in to the next quarter and from that moment on you are chasing your tail with regard any discount on buying in advance. A more sensible option, in my opinion, would be to sell half season tickets which run from Jan 1st to end of the season. Perfect Christmas present for any buddie and if marketed properly you could say "buy a half season ticket before 1st December and we'll throw in tickets for each home game in December too".

I don't have all the answers, but I do think these things aren't always quite as easy to implement as they are to suggest. Don't take that negatively!!

 

[Seaside Nipper]

As long as there are least 2 home matches remaining, then Season Tickets should be available for purchase.

So in the above example, a fan could buy a Season Ticket for say, £ 30 - £35, rather than £40 by buying 2 individual match tickets.  

Could call these Short tickets then.

[shull]

It is easy and simple. 

Absolutely no problems for Ticket Office. 

Say 10 home games left. 

Normal walk up cost - £200

Go to Office, ask for Season Ticket for last 10 matches. 

You are given a Smart Card to get you into remaining 10 matches. 

Cost - maybe £150

Nothing simpler. 

Could be done for any number of matches apart from 1.

[div]

8 minutes ago, shull said:

It is easy and simple. 

Absolutely no problems for Ticket Office. 

Say 10 home games left. 

Normal walk up cost - £200

Go to Office, ask for Season Ticket for last 10 matches. 

You are given a Smart Card to get you into remaining 10 matches. 

Cost - maybe £150

Nothing simpler. 

Could be done for any number of matches apart from 1.

It's only simple if the ticketing system supports that sort of flexibility. I'm not convinced that it does but as I said before, anyone who is interested in buying a season ticket now should contact the ticket office and ask what options are available. They are there to help!

[email protected] or 0141 840 6130

 

[shull]

If all Season Ticket Holders Smartcards can get us into remaining Matches then so can newly issued ones. 

Edited October 6, 2016 by shull

[Seaside Nipper]

If all Season Ticket Holders Smartcards can get us into remaining Matches then so can newly issued ones. 

Short cabster is dead right
For any fit and keen business it has to consider the customer and their cash as king. Imagine trying to block ease of financial transactions with "we cannae change the machine"type attitude. Anything can be done if there is a fit and proper reason.

[Sonny]

26 minutes ago, div said:

If we 100% guarantee W6 and W7 are available to Saints fans every home game then that means the North stand must be open every home game. I assume the club don't open it for a reason when we have a small visiting support. It must have some sort of cost implication for staffing, stewarding or whatever.  I've no idea what we are talking about but there must be SOME cost in opening it up even if there are only 100 visiting fans.

 

 

There is more than just the West Stand Div. The ends of the Main stand look empty most weeks especially the end near the North Stand. I know there may be a few season ticket holders in these areas just now but next season these could be moved more centrally so that any small Away support are in the end of the Main Stand if cost is the problem with opening the North Stand.

Besides allowing seating flexibility in the West Stand having it only for Buddies would double the facilities at a stroke if Away fans are not using it. People may think that is not fair if the problem is moved to the Main Stand from the West Stand however the Main Stand has many people / directors / guests in Hospitality who do not use the facilities that the normal punter has to use and the media have their own facilities. The number of people using pie stalls and toilet blocks must be far fewer than those in the West Stand.

[div]

11 minutes ago, Seaside Nipper said:

Short cabster is dead right
For any fit and keen business it has to consider the customer and their cash as king. Imagine trying to block ease of financial transactions with "we cannae change the machine"type attitude. Anything can be done if there is a fit and proper reason.

Anything can be done, absolutely, but there are always considerations.

Ripping up the ticketing system to accommodate this sort of solution could cost thousands of pounds for example. Would that be a good use of funds?

Would it not just be easier to not sell tickets for W6 and W7 at all and just make it good old fashioned pay at the gate sit where you want?

[Seaside Nipper]

Anything can be done, absolutely, but there are always considerations.

Ripping up the ticketing system to accommodate this sort of solution could cost thousands of pounds for example. Would that be a good use of funds?

Would it not just be easier to not sell tickets for W6 and W7 at all and just make it good old fashioned pay at the gate sit where you want?

Not for a minute suggesting a ripping and binning of anything. There has to be within an automated system in this digital age some flexibility to allow for the "non standard transaction" surely. Especially when what we are talking about here is taking money from what is, or could be to a large extent, a captive market.

[div]

6 minutes ago, Seaside Nipper said:

Not for a minute suggesting a ripping and binning of anything. There has to be within an automated system in this digital age some flexibility to allow for the "non standard transaction" surely. Especially when what we are talking about here is taking money from what is, or could be to a large extent, a captive market.

I' assume the ticketing system could be set up with a "product" that is a season ticket to the end of the season. That product would need to be amended after each home game passes and the price calculated including whatever discount the club decides is fair.

That's my understanding of it anyway. Again neither you or I are able to say for sure how it can be done, only the ticket office people and the people who provide the system know what is possible. We're just guessing.

What I'd say is make the post on the Suggestion Wall on the official site and see what the response is.

[shull]

Have another Catering Facility built onto the West Stand at the gap before the South Stand to ease the rampant desires of the starving millions. 

Even  a Mobile Unit would be sufficient.  

[DLBud]

No.

You've already got one you cock![emoji3]

[Seaside Nipper]

I' assume the ticketing system could be set up with a "product" that is a season ticket to the end of the season. That product would need to be amended after each home game passes and the price calculated including whatever discount the club decides is fair.

That's my understanding of it anyway. Again neither you or I are able to say for sure how it can be done, only the ticket office people and the people who provide the system know what is possible. We're just guessing.

What I'd say is make the post on the Suggestion Wall on the official site and see what the response is.

Yup, I assume of course, it's similar to a point of sale amendment where in a high volume retail outlet , I assume, lots of products are added, amended deleted almost daily. I'm sure the club are able to amend their system accordingly, whether that's a bit of training and or some software tweak.

Anyway, I'm sure Shull could busy himself with creating a shortlist for the suggestion box.

[Tommy]

Yup, I assume of course, it's similar to a point of sale amendment where in a high volume retail outlet , I assume, lots of products are added, amended deleted almost daily. I'm sure the club are able to amend their system accordingly, whether that's a bit of training and or some software tweak.

Anyway, I'm sure Shull could busy himself with creating a shortlist for the suggestion box.

You mean like discount taxi fares if you used the same company every week [emoji595]

[FTOF]

4 hours ago, DLBud said:

You've already got one you cock!

Not one with an unspecified seat.

Learn to read properly bell end.

[St.Ricky]

On 10/6/2016 at 11:40 AM, div said:

It's only simple if the ticketing system supports that sort of flexibility. I'm not convinced that it does but as I said before, anyone who is interested in buying a season ticket now should contact the ticket office and ask what options are available. They are there to help!

[email protected] or 0141 840 6130

 

I have written to the ticket office regarding this and suggested that they refer the matter to the CEO.

I have also posted on the St Mirren. Com Website - Fan's Suggestions Area.

Firstly - I would want existing season ticket holder's allocated seats to be sacrosanct.

Secondly- Surely we know how many seats in the existing sections are free from season tickets at present.

Season ticket seats are marked and marking should be clear and up to date - a physical excercise that would be low cost and easily carried out.

Happy to volunteer to mark existing season ticket holders seats with Season Ticket Holder 2016/2017 Stickers !

So

Why not provide an opportunity for the 3/4 Season Tickets to be sold for the unallocated seats in these sections?

This would generate revenue, build the crowd in these sections and leace Sections W5 and W6 for the uses the club decides to use them for.

Turn Up Tickets

These would also be unallocated seating with the number available in the West Stand being the number not taken as Season or 3/4 Season Tickets in W1-W5

Once capacity is reached for these then people could be housed in the main stand.

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by St.Ricky

[shull]

It doesn't need to be just 3/4 Season Tickets. 

It can be ' anytime buy Season Tickets' , apart from when there is only one match remaining. 

[St.Ricky]

2 minutes ago, shull said:

It doesn't need to be just 3/4 Season Tickets. 

It can be ' anytime buy Season Tickets' , apart from when there is only one match remaining. 

Exactly what I am suggesting Shull.

[St.Ricky]

I received a reply from the ticket office which might throw light on things and which I consider to be very helpful and will take advantage off to support the New St Mirren Board, Manager and Reborn Players.

Morning Ricky

 

Thank you for your enquiry.

 

We can certainly offer you a season ticket at any time within the year– the current cost for a Concession Season Ticket starting from the Dundee United game would be £120 for a normal seat or £165 for a padded seat.  Alternatively, you could wait until the half-season tickets are released in late November/early December.

 

You would need to be allocated a seat, in a stand of your choice, as our ticketing/turnstile system does not allow for unallocated seating of season ticket holders. We could put you in an area that has space around about it so that if your friends/family are coming there should be seats available.

 

If you wish to go ahead with tickets, please note that we will need to see proof that the student is in full-time education during 2016/17.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Regards

 

Lynn Watson

Club Secretary

[bud77]

On 10/6/2016 at 11:40 AM, div said:

It's only simple if the ticketing system supports that sort of flexibility. I'm not convinced that it does but as I said before, anyone who is interested in buying a season ticket now should contact the ticket office and ask what options are available. They are there to help!

[email protected] or 0141 840 6130

 

The ticketing system does have some flexibility online. When cup games are offered you pay for it online and the smart card is updated for that particular game. Surely something could be arranged where smart cards could be purchased say for one game, if wanted, then the person goes online and pays in advance for any other game(s) they can go to. There might have to be a cut off point to allow the system to update but if there was an area of unallocated seats inside the ground then I wouldn't think it should be too much of a problem. 

[stlucifer]

1 hour ago, bud77 said:

The ticketing system does have some flexibility online. When cup games are offered you pay for it online and the smart card is updated for that particular game. Surely something could be arranged where smart cards could be purchased say for one game, if wanted, then the person goes online and pays in advance for any other game(s) they can go to. There might have to be a cut off point to allow the system to update but if there was an area of unallocated seats inside the ground then I wouldn't think it should be too much of a problem. 

What happens if more than one person wants the game and have been allocated the seat in question on different occasions? A logistical nightmare methinks.

[div]

Good response from Lynn and proof that the communication is working!

Great to hear you are signing up Ricky, hopefully more will join you.

[El Gingero]

Communication is key - let's hope it keeps up. Makes fans feel closer to their club.

[bud77]

10 hours ago, stlucifer said:

What happens if more than one person wants the game and have been allocated the seat in question on different occasions? A logistical nightmare methinks.

These tickets would need to be for a non specific seat, maybe sections W6 & 7 if there was enough demand. They could also introduce packages for a block of games similar to what happened with the league cup section games, you could buy the package or individual games.