Buy-back con

[The Goat was fed]

The mythical buy-back scheme has now, apparently, been launched - and surprise, surprise, it won't be anything like we might have expected it to be.

Firstly, it will only operate for SOLD OUT games. Apparently it's about to be in operation for the Man City game.

Secondly, you don't get money back...you get gift vouchers to redeem in the club shop or for other match ticket purchases (although I bet it won't include away tickets).

Compare this to the original statement on page 7 of the pamphlet we received with our season ticket application:
[b]"To ensure that every seat is used we will introduce a buy back scheme, where season ticket holders who are not coming to certain games can sell their seat, via the club, to other supporters."

In my book, to sell something involves receiving money back - not a credit note you can't/don't want to use.

Ever felt like you've been had......

[Man Friday]

Agreed.

They haven't even declared the value of the vouchers that they are dishing out.

Making it up as they go along.

[Lower West]

How many other clubs operate a scheme at all?

Seems fair enough to sell out a fixture before STH's returns.

[RoyalBlue]

On behalf of furred primates, please do not start comparing them with those responsible for setting up these sort of schemes!

[West Stand Man]

So lets think about this one then?

'We'll buy back all the tickets from Season ticket holders who can't (or don't want to ) go to a game for which we already have plenty of spare tickets for sale' - 'Oh, and we''ll offer cash, even though these people have paid up in order to commit themsleves to attending the season's games'
or

'Let's offer to buy back the tickets only when we have sold out (or have confidene we will sell out) the rest' - 'Oh, and we'll offer vouchers to ensure that the money stays in the club'

Doesn't take the brains of an Archbishop to see the obvious marketting solution to that one then.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Look at it from the clubs point of view though. If you've got a 24000 seater stadium and have Wigan at home and you're not doing particularly well, interest in going will be minimal so why would the club look to incur unecessary expense to themselves by giving 'money' to people who say they aren't going to come when there's already going to be 2000 empty seats.

Whereas if its the big 5/6 names coming to town then tickets will be at a premium so the club will want to maximise use of any empty seats.

What it does mean is that 99% of people won't bother until the club declare a game a sell out which could be as late as the afternoon of a game!!

[southbank1871]

I can't see why anyone would bother with this. If a game is a sell out, chances are you'll easily find someone to take your ST off your hands for the game if you can't make it, and give you the cash.

[RoyalBlue]

West Stand Man - your first point is valid. However, as for keeping the money in the club, they are actually doing more than that. They are keeping the original season ticket holder's money and adding that from the new purchaser, which will of course be at the single match rather than ST rate.

Fair enough but two points. 1) No need to take a cut from the ST holder (I bet they do) because they get that from being able to sell the ticket at the higher rate. 2) Do not tell me that I can't let my mate(s) use the tickets that I paid for if I can't make the game myself (I will be allowing them to use them FOC).

[Huntley & Palmer]

There has been a method of selling your unwanted tickets for cash to other fans for many a year. Link provided :

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=7

[Stranded]

The mythical buy-back scheme has now, apparently, been launched - and surprise, surprise, it won't be anything like we might have expected it to be.

Firstly, it will only operate for SOLD OUT games. Apparently it's about to be in operation for the Man City game.

Secondly, you don't get money back...you get gift vouchers to redeem in the club shop or for other match ticket purchases (although I bet it won't include away tickets).

Compare this to the original statement on page 7 of the pamphlet we received with our season ticket application:
"[b]To ensure that every seat is used we will introduce a buy back scheme, where season ticket holders who are not coming to certain games can sell their seat, via the club, to other supporters."

In my book, to sell something involves receiving money back - not a credit note you can't/don't want to use.

Ever felt like you've been had......

I've bolded the key words for you there from the pamphlet. The only way they can ensure this is if every other seat has been sold before offering the buy back.

If you are that concerned about getting money back for a game you can't make, sell it to a mate. At the end of the day, you have paid for the right to attend the game and the club don't have to offer any sweetner at all if they didn't want to and this is in line with other buy-back schemes in operation.

[Platypuss]

Where is the official word on this to be found?

[weybridgewanderer]

West Stand Man - your first point is valid. However, as for keeping the money in the club, they are actually doing more than that. They are keeping the original season ticket holder's money and adding that from the new purchaser, which will of course be at the single match rather than ST rate.

Fair enough but two points. 1) No need to take a cut from the ST holder (I bet they do) because they get that from being able to sell the ticket at the higher rate. 2) Do not tell me that I can't let my mate(s) use the tickets that I paid for if I can't make the game myself (I will be allowing them to use them FOC).

You have a choice

Don;t sell the ticket back to the club

or sell the ticket back to the club and if the club can sell it after all the other public sales tickets are sold then they will refund you some of the money

This really is a win win

you can end up with nothing or with some money in a "fund" and the club end up some additional income too. the scheme i am aware of at another club they give you the money you "earnt" off next years season ticket

So if you miss 5 games and get £15 back for each game then that £75 of next seasons season ticket, or a couple of "free" shirts


of course the club expects to make money of this scheme, if they didn't , why would they offer it

it is particularly beneficial to season ticket holders who live some distance from the mad stad and would find it difficlut to "give" their season tickets to someone else

or people like me who have no friends
man Utd make a fortune from a very similar scheme every season!

[STAR Voice]

Firstly, it will only operate for SOLD OUT games.

That's always been a given, and TBH I'm surprised that anyone would expect otherwise. All the theatres and sports clubs in the world that re-sell tickets will only re-sell them once they've sold all of their own tickets. Why on earth would they sell your ticket in preference to their own? [/quote]

Secondly, you don't get money back...you get gift vouchers to redeem in the club shop or for other match ticket purchases (although I bet it won't include away tickets).

Other clubs that operate this give a credit against your following year's ST - and just that, so if you don't buy a ST the next year you lose it all. Compared to this RFC are being quite generous.

Ever felt like you've been had......

Ah, so you only bought your ST on the condition that the buy-back scheme would operate as you understood it, did you? No wonder you feel had....

If not, and like everyone else you bought the ST to watch the football, just consider that many clubs don't offer anything like this, so if you can't make a game and you can't find someone else to use the ticket then you get nothing. RFC is under no obligation to run a scheme like this, and in fact it would be easier for them if they didn't - so on one of the rare occasions when they do offer something a bit extra it's a bit off to complain that they're not giving you enough!

[West Stand Man]

.

2) Do not tell me that I can't let my mate(s) use the tickets that I paid for if I can't make the game myself (I will be allowing them to use them FOC).

Me too, as I think that is the most effective way of 'recycling' my ticket. The chances of a random spot check being implemented and discovering that i have loaned my ST to a suitable friend is pretty low.

[Patch]

Man Utd run a scheme, the seller gets face value of the ticket, the buyer pays an admin charge on top to the club.

[Seal]

Not that fussed personally, I never expected it to be that great. Surely it can't be that hard to sell a ticket to someone you know anyway? The buyback scheme was never going to be as good as good old cash in hand.

[The Goat was fed]

Dear Star Campaigns (whoever you are),

You jump to some incorrect conclusions about my circumstances, so please don't make sweeping generalisations. Firstly, my own season ticket is very well used. I've not missed a home game for two years, and only four away games in 16 months (but that bit's irrelevant).

My dilemma this season was whether or not to continue getting a season ticket for my son (I'm posting under his name for those of you who know him), who is off to Manchester University next week. From now to the end of the season I'd be surprised if he can travel back for more than about one-in-three games. As we all know, the price has shot up.

This was my thinking when the new ST prices were announced: "So, do I splash out £385 for only may be 7-8 games? Probably not...but hold on, there's something called a buy-back scheme...OK the club are doing to tell me all about it (in June, surely??) so I'll take this expensive gamble in good faith, and I'll try and get some compensation when my mates (who are all season ticket holders anyway and rarely need a spare) can't take it off my hands."

That's why I feel hard done by. Maybe I've been naive to trust the club and never having supported a Premiership team before, I've never come across a buy-back scheme before. I made the mistake of believing the club would deliver on what appeared to be some sort of promise - and that word "sell" is there in black and white.

So I've been suckered into making an expensive mistake. So, Mr STAR Campaigns, instead of making incorrect assumptions about my own situation, can I suggest you campaign to make the club a bit more open and honest about its intentions? After all , this still hasn't been publicised. And it damn well should be to the 18,000 customers effected.

[One Beer is never enough.]

Dear Star Campaigns (whoever you are),

You jump to some incorrect conclusions about my circumstances, so please don't make sweeping generalisations. Firstly, my own season ticket is very well used. I've not missed a home game for two years, and only four away games in 16 months (but that bit's irrelevant).

My dilemma this season was whether or not to continue getting a season ticket for my son (I'm posting under his name for those of you who know him), who is off to Manchester University next week. From now to the end of the season I'd be surprised if he can travel back for more than about one-in-three games. As we all know, the price has shot up.

This was my thinking when the new ST prices were announced: "So, do I splash out £385 for only may be 7-8 games? Probably not...but hold on, there's something called a buy-back scheme...OK the club are doing to tell me all about it (in June, surely??) so I'll take this expensive gamble in good faith, and I'll try and get some compensation when my mates (who are all season ticket holders anyway and rarely need a spare) can't take it off my hands."

That's why I feel hard done by. Maybe I've been naive to trust the club and never having supported a Premiership team before, I've never come across a buy-back scheme before. I made the mistake of believing the club would deliver on what appeared to be some sort of promise - and that word "sell" is there in black and white.

So I've been suckered into making an expensive mistake. So, Mr STAR Campaigns, instead of making incorrect assumptions about my own situation, can I suggest you campaign to make the club a bit more open and honest about its intentions? After all , this still hasn't been publicised. And it damn well should be to the 18,000 customers effected.

I Quite agree with you. I purchased a ticket for my 4 year old, who will go to a majority of the games. The problem will come with the more inclement weather conditions when no doubt his mother will kick up a fuss about me dragging him out. Ah, the buy-back scheme..... I can sell the club back my kids ticket and an adult friend can purchase it back from the club at face value (Agree with not being able to upgrade as this could be open to abuse....) and everyone is happy.

Club gets more revenue (the re-imbursement of maybe half a child ticket would have been a suitable amount set against the purchase of a new matchday adult ticket price), the seat next to me gets used and another oppurtunity to convert a new member arises.

Never mind, the clubs attitude to the fans this season starts to make me seriously question why I spend so much of my disposable towards it.

[Jerry St Clair]

I think the crux of the problem here is poor communication from the club.

The actual reality of this is somewhat different to the promise made in my season ticket renewal form.

[RoyalBlue]

.

2) Do not tell me that I can't let my mate(s) use the tickets that I paid for if I can't make the game myself (I will be allowing them to use them FOC).

Me too, as I think that is the most effective way of 'recycling' my ticket. The chances of a random spot check being implemented and discovering that i have loaned my ST to a suitable friend is pretty low.

As I've mentioned before, that depends on where you sit and how well you get on with the regular steward in that area!

I think the crux of the problem here is poor communication from the club.

I think you're right - but how many years have we been suffering from that now?

Makes you wonder what sort of jobs those responsible held down in the real world before moving into the football business. Maybe in charge of communications/industrial relations in the railway industry?