Empty Seats

I would have to assume that your example isn’t one that is replicated by many fans, especially not in the family stand.
It might be worth the club doing some kind of random survey of the no-shows to get an idea of exactly why people don't turn up when they have paid for a ticket.

I think the findings would be very interesting.
 
So blame season ticket holders. That seems fair.
No Rob, not blaming season ticket holders. Of course it's not their fault that the club didn't expand capacity when it was needed.

But I do blame, to an extent, the "I'm All Right Jack" type of ST holder who only uses his ticket a few times a year and thus deprives a more committed and enthusiastic fan the chance to see the team in action.
 
It might be worth the club doing some kind of random survey of the no-shows to get an idea of exactly why people don't turn up when they have paid for a ticket.

I think the findings would be very interesting.

Or instead of wasting everyone’s time for what benefit? Develop the system so season tickets holders can enable their seats to be re-sold if not attending.

And advertise that when the club put up headlines that all seats are allocated, what they really mean are there are still tickets in the family sections but they have to be bought in person or on the phone as they are currently unavailable on the website.
 
Or instead of wasting everyone’s time for what benefit? Develop the system so season tickets holders can enable their seats to be re-sold if not attending.

And advertise that when the club put up headlines that all seats are allocated, what they really mean are there are still tickets in the family sections but they have to be bought in person or on the phone as they are currently unavailable on the website.
And a window somewhere in the Club Superstore on match days with a Last Minute Ticket Shop sign over it ( ideally also with an LED display of the number of tickets currently available on general sale ) would be brilliant for chancers like myself :thumbup:

Surely that’s not too much to ask and could give loads of people the chance to enjoy their first AFCB home game ?
 
I’d be prepared to bet that for every ST holder that wouldn’t be bothered with returning their ST for a small incentive, there is one that would…

When you consider that there probably circa 300-500 no shows each game, splattered all over the ground… that’s a lot of extra seats over a season…

Even if the club maxed out at £100 off (£10 per game missed) the ST for next season, for a lot of folk that would be a lot of money…

…but the scenario only works if it doesn’t need a faff to do it… Pick your phone up, open the ticketing app, hit a button and boom… ticket given up… That’s what it needs…
Or some other easy way that doesn't involve an app for us Luddites.
 
So blame season ticket holders. That seems fair.

That’s the thing, Rob, blame ST for not enough seats when the club could easily make returns easier or actually expand the ground. Not many businesses out there that want to reduce their customers giving them money

As for having a go at well off fans for not regarding £20 as worth the effort, I pay the ST at the start of the year so never think about incremental cost of each game - the cash paid is a small contribution to help support the club , hence when I return my tickets I don’t expect to get a reimbursement of the money paid.
 
And a window somewhere in the Club Superstore on match days with a Last Minute Ticket Shop sign over it ( ideally also with an LED display of the number of tickets currently available on general sale ) would be brilliant for chancers like myself :thumbup:

Surely that’s not too much to ask and could give loads of people the chance to enjoy their first AFCB home game ?
Would the Dorset plod have to be involved in any moves like this? Can't imagine you can just have someone turn up on the day and sit in amongst home supporters. These people may not be on any club database.
 
I've often thought the club should do a one-off ticket amnesty, ie a good thorough check that ST's actually have the correct owners. I wonder what percentage are passed down, sold on, dare I say it passed on from people who are no longer with us etc. The results might prove interesting. I know Spurs did a similar thing when they "moved" stadium, so they got their databases correct, and allow fans to sort out their details properly & honestly.
 
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I've often thought the club should do a one-off ticket amnesty, ie a good thorough check that ST's actually have the correct owners. I wonder what percentage are passed down, sold on, dare I say it passed on from people who are no longer with us etc. The results might prove interesting. I know Spurs did a similar thing when they "moved" stadium, so they got their databases correct, and allow fans to sort out their details properly.
I think Man Utd done one once and found 2000 of their ST holders were deceased.
 
That’s the thing, Rob, blame ST for not enough seats when the club could easily make returns easier or actually expand the ground. Not many businesses out there that want to reduce their customers giving them money

As for having a go at well off fans for not regarding £20 as worth the effort, I pay the ST at the start of the year so never think about incremental cost of each game - the cash paid is a small contribution to help support the club , hence when I return my tickets I don’t expect to get a reimbursement of the money paid.
I felt the same when the club needed money to stay in existence, however, having witnessed the amount wasted on poor transfer choices and their exorbitant wages, the financial gains and rewards for the directors I would actually like to reimbursed as a matter of personal principle. The days of our club being a community club have gone
 
I felt the same when the club needed money to stay in existence, however, having witnessed the amount wasted on poor transfer choices and their exorbitant wages, the financial gains and rewards for the directors I would actually like to reimbursed as a matter of personal principle. The days of our club being a community club have gone

fully understand why you take that view in the prem. guess the feeling pre dates that era but not sure the club is in that position now.
 
That’s the thing, Rob, blame ST for not enough seats when the club could easily make returns easier or actually expand the ground. Not many businesses out there that want to reduce their customers giving them money

As for having a go at well off fans for not regarding £20 as worth the effort, I pay the ST at the start of the year so never think about incremental cost of each game - the cash paid is a small contribution to help support the club , hence when I return my tickets I don’t expect to get a reimbursement of the money paid.

That's very public-spirited of you, but as evidenced by the numbers of empty seats each game, there are possibly hundreds, maybe more, of "casual" ST holders who, unlike you, don't have any kind of social conscience, and are quite happy to waste the ticket, without reflecting that there are loads of fans who would love to see a live game.

This was particularly acute during the PL years when there were acres of empty seats for the less glamourous games.

Nobody is blaming ST holders for the inadequate capacity of the ground - of course not ! But ideally there should be a way of identifying the regular no-shows, and encouraging them to share what they do not want for themselves. Might be a waste of time, who knows ? Maybe they just couldn't care less about anyone else.
 
That's very public-spirited of you, but as evidenced by the numbers of empty seats each game, there are possibly hundreds, maybe more, of "casual" ST holders who, unlike you, don't have any kind of social conscience, and are quite happy to waste the ticket, without reflecting that there are loads of fans who would love to see a live game.

This was particularly acute during the PL years when there were acres of empty seats for the less glamourous games.

Nobody is blaming ST holders for the inadequate capacity of the ground - of course not ! But ideally there should be a way of identifying the regular no-shows, and encouraging them to share what they do not want for themselves. Might be a waste of time, who knows ? Maybe they just couldn't care less about anyone else.
Think you could of posted just your last sentence....:confused:
 
If we go back to the time of our old stadium and average gates of around 4,000 and Vast empty spaces around Dean Court, the club must have been happy having seats already sold for the season to the ST holders.

I have had a ST ticket since the early 1970’s when Harold Walker and John Bond teamed up.

Our gates gradually went up and up until we were seeing regular gates of between 10,000 to sometimes just over 20,000.

Then when JB left they gradually declined again over time.

ST holders guarantee the football club money every season where they can’t always really on who might otherwise turn up on the day depending on the success and standard of football at that time.

So if a ST holder doesn’t turn up for certain games during a season for whatever reason, they have paid for that seat as they have when there were a lot of empty seats in the ground and big gaps on the terraces.

This season with the Pandemic and some ST holders/fans not attending the early games because they or a member of the family are not in the best of health and are nervous of attending a crowded stadium, especially with the majority not wearing a mask inside as well as outside the stadium, it is understandable.

Funny we used to get the old ‘well I have supported this club for a number of years‘ when someone like Man U are drawn in the cup and after this they are probably never seen again until the next big game or success of the club on the pitch.
 
If we go back to the time of our old stadium and average gates of around 4,000 and Vast empty spaces around Dean Court, the club must have been happy having seats already sold for the season to the ST holders.

I have had a ST ticket since the early 1970’s when Harold Walker and John Bond teamed up.

Our gates gradually went up and up until we were seeing regular gates of between 10,000 to sometimes just over 20,000.

Then when JB left they gradually declined again over time.

ST holders guarantee the football club money every season where they can’t always really on who might otherwise turn up on the day depending on the success and standard of football at that time.

So if a ST holder doesn’t turn up for certain games during a season for whatever reason, they have paid for that seat as they have when there were a lot of empty seats in the ground and big gaps on the terraces.

This season with the Pandemic and some ST holders/fans not attending the early games because they or a member of the family are not in the best of health and are nervous of attending a crowded stadium, especially with the majority not wearing a mask inside as well as outside the stadium, it is understandable.

Funny we used to get the old ‘well I have supported this club for a number of years‘ when someone like Man U are drawn in the cup and after this they are probably never seen again until the next big game or success of the club on the pitch.
Agreed Billy, there are many perfectly valid reasons why a ST holder will not/cannot turn up for every game.

When we were down in the lower leagues, getting a ticket was never a problem, but of course, those who invested in a season ticket were greatly appreciated.

But now that demand for tickets is sky-high, and there simply isn't the capacity to offer tickets to everyone, what can we do ?

Surely, for those ST holders who want to trade back their tickets, there should be a very quick and easy way of doing so.

The problem for me is the ST holder who says "It's my ticket, I paid for it, and if I choose not not go that's my decision and nobody else's business. If someone else can't get in, then tough".

There must be a way of getting through to such people to encourage them to offer up their seat if they don't want it. After all, this is supposed to be a club, a community, kind of big happy family where we help each other out when we can.

Isn't it ?
 
Let's also not forget that due to our petite stadium small patches of empty seats will look like quite alot. 400 or 500 empty seats in a 20,000 seater stadium would like a full house. Doesn't help the argument, just pointing it out
 

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