Season Ticket & Match Ticket Refunds

[CCFCC3PO]

You have made some vaild points but the initial analogy is still pointless. Clubs are offering both a refund or credit (like holiday companies are) and the additional, admittedly woolly, option of donating the credit to the Academy on top. That's one option more than holiday companies are offering. Like many people on here I have been offered credit by various airlines without knowing what their prices will be this time next year when I want to re-schedule - and, regarding those fans option for the credit route, I can't see non-Premier League teams inflating prices outrageously in order to swallow up the credit when the gates are open again. I could be wrong on the last point but it would be a huge slap in the face to their loyal fanbase and hugely counter-productive.
People often use analogies that don't stack up and which detracts from the valid points that they are making.

I still stand by the analogy because it highlights that football clubs have the real benefit of brand loyalty (itself an emotional trait) and therefore they can use that to eke more from their fans.

The other point I am trying to make, albeit not very well, is that if football clubs are asking ordinary members of the public to donate, or defer close to £100 per ticket (for entire families, that could be pushed to £200-£250), then an act of courtesy would be to demonstrate how that money is being
a) invested in the academy
b) the value of that money against future ticket prices.

I have no issue with fans choosing any of the 3 options, but would like to see more transparency. People asking for refunds in the current state of affairs is, in my opinion, to be wholly accepted and respected.

[dml1954]

I still stand by the analogy because it highlights that football clubs have the real benefit of brand loyalty (itself an emotional trait) and therefore they can use that to eke more from their fans.

The other point I am trying to make, albeit not very well, is that if football clubs are asking ordinary members of the public to donate, or defer close to £100 per ticket (for entire families, that could be pushed to £200-£250), then an act of courtesy would be to demonstrate how that money is being
a) invested in the academy
b) the value of that money against future ticket prices.

I have no issue with fans choosing any of the 3 options, but would like to see more transparency. People asking for refunds in the current state of affairs is, in my opinion, to be wholly accepted and respected.

But people are not being asked to ‘donate’. The money has already been paid to the club and spent over 12 months ago. The owner is offering to put an equivalent amount of money into the academy in return for fans agreeing to renew next season at the full price, which would obviously be beneficial to the club to maintain income streams at a very difficult time. You are just making a meal out of this, as usual, to suit your own warped ideas about how the club is run. Also there is no problem with people wanting or needing a refund of the balance (more likely to be £60-£80 in most cases) as long as they are aware that they are giving up their season tickets, as a result of which they will give up their season ticket rights for next season, including being able to keep the same seat. There is nothing unusual in this at all but you obviously think it is some sort of conspiracy for the club to fleece or mislead its own fans.

[lisvaneblue]

But people are not being asked to ‘donate’. The money has already been paid to the club and spent over 12 months ago. The owner is offering to put an equivalent amount of money into the academy in return for fans agreeing to renew next season at the full price, which would obviously be beneficial to the club to maintain income streams at a very difficult time. You are just making a meal out of this, as usual, to suit your own warped ideas about how the club is run. Also there is no problem with people wanting or needing a refund of the balance (more likely to be £60-£80 in most cases) as long as they are aware that they are giving up their season tickets, as a result of which they will give up their season ticket rights for next season, including being able to keep the same seat. There is nothing unusual in this at all but you obviously think it is some sort of conspiracy for the club to fleece or mislead its own fans.

I think the Club are being fair but naive if they think that option 2 will get underway any time soon. Social distancing
will be in place for some time to come, although may reduce to 1 metre.
When we are allowed to watch a live game again the max stadium capacity will be 8-10 thousand. Currently there are around 16- 18,000 season ticket holders, so chances of anyone retaining their current seat is a long shot, and how do they allocate tickets if demand exceeds capacity, as no doubt it will.
Im going for option 2 and hope the Club is able to justify its optimistic approach to its faithful season ticket holders

[dml1954]

I think the Club are being fair but naive if they think that option 2 will get underway any time soon. Social distancing
will be in place for some time to come, although may reduce to 1 metre.
When we are allowed to watch a live game again the max stadium capacity will be 8-10 thousand. Currently there are around 16- 18,000 season ticket holders, so chances of anyone retaining their current seat is a long shot, and how do they allocate tickets if demand exceeds capacity, as no doubt it will.
Im going for option 2 and hope the Club is able to justify its optimistic approach to its faithful season ticket holders

Option one will give the same opportunity and not reduce the clubs income at a time when they need it most.

[ccfc_is_my_life]

Option one will give the same opportunity and not reduce the clubs income at a time when they need it most.

At a time when a lot of people are furloughed, not everyone can afford to donate via Option One.

Those using Option Two get the pro-rata "refund" for the rest of this season, also commit to contributing to ST sales for next season.

[dml1954]

At a time when a lot of people are furloughed, not everyone can afford to donate via Option One.

Those using Option Two get the pro-rata "refund" for the rest of this season, also commit to contributing to ST sales for next season.

Either option is absolutely fine. In my case my ‘refund’ would be somewhere in the region of £50, which I paid over 12 months ago. I would rather the club keep this and me pay the extra £50 next season but that is a personal decision so as not to put the club under more immediate financial strain and I appreciate that other people may have different views.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I think the Club are being fair but naive if they think that option 2 will get underway any time soon. Social distancing
will be in place for some time to come, although may reduce to 1 metre.
When we are allowed to watch a live game again the max stadium capacity will be 8-10 thousand. Currently there are around 16- 18,000 season ticket holders, so chances of anyone retaining their current seat is a long shot, and how do they allocate tickets if demand exceeds capacity, as no doubt it will.
Im going for option 2 and hope the Club is able to justify its optimistic approach to its faithful season ticket holders

It makes sense for businesses not to fork refunds in great numbers and to try and maintain their customers so that a future revenue stream is available to them. Hardly naive.

[lisvaneblue]

It makes sense for businesses not to fork refunds in great numbers and to try and maintain their customers so that a future revenue stream is available to them. Hardly naive.

I wasn't being critical of what is a good business move in committing customers for the future, rather that they are naive if they think that season tickets, Flexi tickets etc will be on sale anytime soon.
The EFL will be very cautious about allowing fans back into grounds in any numbers for quite a while yet.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I wasn't being critical of what is a good business move in committing customers for the future, rather that they are naive if they think that season tickets, Flexi tickets etc will be on sale anytime soon.
The EFL will be very cautious about allowing fans back into grounds in any numbers for quite a while yet.

Has the club actually stated that tickets will be on sale SOON then?

[lisvaneblue]

Has the club actually stated that tickets will be on sale SOON then?

By implication it has. They are offering to sell season tickets so that has to be soon, as the season is likely to start in September.