I hope the club announce away ticket criteria soon

[IanD]

Spurs away will be interesting with probably only 3k tickets available and only their second game at the new WHL, tickets will surely be at a premium ?

Depends when Sky decide the match will be. I can see it being popular though. Also...62,000 seater stadium = 6,000 away tickets, so more than the 3k should be made available.

[ccfcwelshlad]

Except a points system would reward non ST holders attending away matches, giving regular away attendees a good shout at preferential treatment when it comes to restricted ticket matches. Eg 1000 points for being a ST holder, 200 points for membership, 100 points for popular aways, 200 points for less popular aways (midweek matches up north or similar). So a member (200) with 7 popular aways (700) plus an unpopular midweek away (200) would then have 1100 points v ST holder (1000) never going away. That system would reward thise who travel. An ST holder would only have to do 2 aways to best the membership holder under that system.

I agree in principle; but that's a complete change to everything they've done in the past. Huddersfield have introduced a point system for this season but have given 25 points per season ticket holder for the past 10 years, and then 1-5 away points per away ticket from last season.

Basically if you've had a season ticket for 4 years but never went to 1 away games last season, you'd have more points than someone who went to all 19 away games last season.

So just changing to a points system won't make an immediate difference; it just needs to be structured differently than it is now.

However, I'd be shocked if there's any vast change. It's the same conversation every time there's a demand on tickets; everyone generally knows where they stand.

[ccfcwelshlad]

Depends when Sky decide the match will be. I can see it being popular though. Also...62,000 seater stadium = 6,000 away tickets, so more than the 3k should be made available.

It's a minimum of 10% of the ground, or 3,000 (when the capacity is over 30,000).

[IanD]

The club needs to reward the people paying money into their coffers, the club makes no money off away tickets.

The fairest way of doing things is to offer 1 point per game attended, the season ticket holder buys 19 games in advance, the minute a member attends more than 19 games in a season, he xx or shexx should get priority.

...and not reward those that spend time and money travelling all over the place to support the team? The club might not directly benefit from away ticket sales but in the long run, having good away support, reaps its benefits financially. In this instance, through promotion.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Except a points system would reward non ST holders attending away matches, giving regular away attendees a good shout at preferential treatment when it comes to restricted ticket matches. Eg 1000 points for being a ST holder, 200 points for membership, 100 points for popular aways, 200 points for less popular aways (midweek matches up north or similar). So a member (200) with 7 popular aways (700) plus an unpopular midweek away (200) would then have 1100 points v ST holder (1000) never going away. That system would reward thise who travel. An ST holder would only have to do 2 aways to best the membership holder under that system.

Like it or lump it, season ticket holders go every other week, and most of our core away support will be made up of season ticket holders. If you go every week away to places like Barnsley, Sunderland and Ipswich, you're going to make the effort to come back to Cardiff for the home games by and large.

All football clubs give first benefits to their season ticket holders, eg you can forget about going to watch one of the big 4 without having a season ticket. They're the ones giving the most money to the club, and thus they're the ones the club have to keep on side. It's tough for those living away from Cardiff etc but I don't think the club have any choice.

[ae15]

Ngl I am worried about this. Went to 14 aways last season but didn't have a season ticket (live in Leeds), and have only really got a season ticket this year to try and guarantee myself access to away games, even if I'll probably make over half the home games too.

If it's on season ticket history, I'm doomed though, and won't get near any away games for the whole of the season. Would that be fair? I don't know.

[City123]

A season ticket holder could argue that why should someone who went to 10 games last season (for example) have priority over someone who went to 23, regardless of venue?

[Barry Shitpeas]

Surely we can’t have that many fans that live too far away to justify getting a ST but do most away games? I’d be surprised if it was more than a handful.

[cyril evans awaydays]

As a member living in the South East of England who does a dozen aways on average I think there is nothing surprising in the policy of season ticket holders first. Even having that record prior to the last promotion I missed out on a number of the more popular away matches because of this criteria last time. I have bought a season ticket as much to reserve the right for away games as to see all 19 home games this time!

[IanD]

Like it or lump it, season ticket holders go every other week, and most of our core away support will be made up of season ticket holders. If you go every week away to places like Barnsley, Sunderland and Ipswich, you're going to make the effort to come back to Cardiff for the home games by and large.

All football clubs give first benefits to their season ticket holders, eg you can forget about going to watch one of the big 4 without having a season ticket. They're the ones giving the most money to the club, and thus they're the ones the club have to keep on side. It's tough for those living away from Cardiff etc but I don't think the club have any choice.

A point scoring system would top load ST holders with a high number of points, still giving ST holders a big advantage over non ST holders to start with but then reward those who attend away matches, too. Club can then adjust point requirement criteria according to ticket allocation and anticipated demand. At least those who are non ST holders, who travel a lot,would see that the system for allocating away tickets, is fair and workable, wherever you happen to live.

[Croesy Blue]

...and not reward those that spend time and money travelling all over the place to support the team? The club might not directly benefit from away ticket sales but in the long run, having good away support, reaps its benefits financially. In this instance, through promotion.

Why would they reward someone for taking a train if they’re not going to home games? If they’re an exile like me they’re doing away games out of convenience not loyalty. If they live in Cardiff and do every away game but no home games what are they being rewarded for ?

[tomm]

So for Villa away last season it was ST holders with 1 away, or members with 2 aways. I think doubling the criteria for members is a good way to go.

If I had a car or Great Western Railway weren't complete ****ing rip off merchants, I'd have a season ticket.

[IanD]

As a member living in the South East of England who does a dozen aways on average I think there is nothing surprising in the policy of season ticket holders first. Even having that record prior to the last promotion I missed out on a number of the more popular away matches because of this criteria last time. I have bought a season ticket as much to reserve the right for away games as to see all 19 home games this time!

Ditto! 12.5 away tickets last season for me (.5 being Derby). That said illness prevented attending 2 but 12 still show up on my account.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

So for Villa away last season it was ST holders with 1 away, or members with 2 aways. I think doubling the criteria for members is a good way to go.

If I had a car or Great Western Railway weren't complete ****ing rip off merchants, I'd have a season ticket.

Do you use split ticketing?

[IanD]

Why would they reward someone for taking a train if they’re not going to home games? If they’re an exile like me they’re doing away games out of convenience not loyalty. If they live in Cardiff and do every away game but no home games what are they being rewarded for ?

I'm guessing not many supporters would live in/near Cardiff and not attend any home matches. Just a hunch. Therefore not a realistic line of argument. I know there are loyal supporters who travel long distances to see City play, outweighing convenience. Therefore a point allocation scheme which rewards ST holders and those that choose to attend away matches, whatever mode of transport they chose to use, is a fair and reasonable way forward.

[qccfc]

...and not reward those that spend time and money travelling all over the place to support the team? The club might not directly benefit from away ticket sales but in the long run, having good away support, reaps its benefits financially. In this instance, through promotion.

There is no fairer system than 1 game attended = 1 point. Of course season ticket holder buy all their home tickets at once.

How do you run a system where some games are more important than others, and of course they are always weighted in favor of the individual making the point.

[tomm]

Do you use split ticketing?

Yeah, but never comes out cheaper between Cardiff and London for me

[IanD]

There is no fairer system than 1 game attended = 1 point. Of course season ticket holder buy all their home tickets at once.

How do you run a system where some games are more important than others, and of course they are always weighted in favor of the individual making the point.

Points weighting towards less popular away matches, probably midweek and a long way from Cardiff. The club will have years of attendance data to help determine which matches get what number of points. Knowing who has what number if points will then make it possible to vary the points needed to purchase an away ticket.

[ccfcwelshlad]

Points weighting towards less popular away matches, probably midweek and a long way from Cardiff. The club will have years of attendance data to help determine which matches get what number of points. Knowing who has what number if points will then make it possible to vary the points needed to purchase an away ticket.

Should they not measure how far it is from each person's house and give points based on that? Surely someone who lives next door to Vicarage Road, should get less points as someone in Cardiff...?

Someone living in Chesterfield would've had Derby, Forest, Leeds, Sheff U, Sheff W, Burton, Birmingham, Villa amongst others more reachable than fans living in Cardiff last season? Should they be given priority now that they're able to travel to the Emirates next season, even though they couldn't get to Brentford last season...?

Whilst members who go away will think that because they went to 10 games that were convenient to them last season, they should have more priority than a season ticket holder who went to 23 homes games as they were more convenient to them.

I'm being flippant of course, but you'll appreciate that it's very difficult to please everyone.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Points weighting towards less popular away matches, probably midweek and a long way from Cardiff. The club will have years of attendance data to help determine which matches get what number of points. Knowing who has what number if points will then make it possible to vary the points needed to purchase an away ticket.

Where does out of Cardiff start? I live in Leeds, so a trip to Barnsley is a piece of p*ss of me but hard for local City fans. I went to that on Tuesday because it was easy. I have a season ticket and travel away regularly but you can't draw the line for different fans etc. Season Ticket holders should be rewarded and the club has to reward them. If they stop going the club has a problem. If you or I stop going to away days, the impact on the club is minimal.

[qccfc]

Points weighting towards less popular away matches, probably midweek and a long way from Cardiff. The club will have years of attendance data to help determine which matches get what number of points. Knowing who has what number if points will then make it possible to vary the points needed to purchase an away ticket.

On that basis you would have to weigh the home games as well, an unpopular team on a Wednesday night must hold more points than Man City at home, and of course the season ticket holder pre-buys all home games.

It doesnt really work.

[tomm]

On that basis you would have to weigh the home games as well, an unpopular team on a Wednesday night must hold more points than Man City at home, and of course the season ticket holder pre-buys all home games.

It doesnt really work.

Loads of clubs use such a system. Could just give ST holders a block amount of points worth slightly more than what all the games bought individually would be worth.

[qccfc]

Loads of clubs use such a system. Could just give ST holders a block amount of points worth slightly more than what all the games bought individually would be worth.

exactly, so members would still be sitting behind the season ticket holders with all their accumulated points, which is what happens now.

[JumpersforGoalposts]

Yeah, but never comes out cheaper between Cardiff and London for me

Advance ticket for Swindon and day return from Swindon to Cardiff is the "cheapest". Still way too expensive nowadays IMHO though.

[Bobby Dandruff]

Having been going away regularly for 17 years along with another at least 300 diehards we all know and recognise .... it would be nice to be reassured we will be able to get tickets at an early opportunity.

Were there away ticket criteria the last (other!) time that we were in the Premier League?

I'm asking as a long standing Away Member exiled in Surrey.