Empty seats

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 10:57 pm

Hundreds of them. Jimmy mac upper and lower. Likely more around the stadium.

Can't be all ST holders not turning up. Why do we have empty seats when there is such a clamour for tickets? Frustrating!

: 20180419_200048.jpg (987.37 KiB) Viewed 6568 times

dsr · Post by **dsr** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:00 pm

Claretmatt4 wrote:Why do we have empty seats when there is such a clamour for tickets?

The reason we have empty seats in the Family Stand when it's a school day tomorrow? Let me have a think about that one.

Bin Ont Turf · Post by **Bin Ont Turf** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:04 pm

dsr wrote:The reason we have empty seats in the Family Stand when it's a school day tomorrow? Let me have a think about that one.

I can see two empty seats for that exact reason in that picture.

5 and 7 year old boys shouldn't be going to bed after 10 pm on a school night.

Steve-Harpers-perm · Post by **Steve-Harpers-perm** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:06 pm

Yes strange so many empty seats in the family stand on a midweek!!

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:11 pm

Not blaming the fans one bit, but in this day and age there should be a way of linking an empty seat to a fan surely.

If you know you can't attend you surrender your seat, then those who will attend can get on and nobody misses out.

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:13 pm

I also felt compelled to take a picture of the Jimmy Mac, there were that many empty seats.

nil_desperandum · Post by **nil_desperandum** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:13 pm

There will have been a lot of ST holders who were unable to attend.
We never play on a Thursday, and many people organise their diaries / work schedules accordingly.

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:19 pm

They'll need to rearrange their Thursday plans next season

nil_desperandum · Post by **nil_desperandum** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:22 pm

Walton wrote:They'll need to rearrange their Thursday plans next season

(Hopefully)

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:22 pm

Walton wrote:I also felt compelled to take a picture of the Jimmy Mac, there were that many empty seats.

That's literally what I did

sad ba5tard or what

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:27 pm

: IMG_20180419_232554.jpg (912.17 KiB) Viewed 6245 times

That's my picture, taken a few minutes after kickoff

steve1264b · Post by **steve1264b** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:27 pm

Two of those are mine. Daughter had a car accident at 6:30. Wasnt hurt just upset. Decided we wouldnt travel. We will be at stoke.

Sidney1st · Post by **Sidney1st** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:49 am

4 belong to me and my three lads, 500 miles of driving with work and school to think about,no thanks.

It's down to the club to set up a seat ticket hub so to speak, I've lent my tickets out before to people from here and not had an issue.

Dazzler · Post by **Dazzler** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:30 am

Couldn't be arsed going and watched it at a mates.

I'm so very sorry...

Den_Perry · Post by **Den_Perry** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:45 am

I took my boys on last night but some with younger children won't have for obvious reasons. It's their choice as parents and this was a rearranged game.

You can't pass a kids ticket on for an adult to use so what are they supposed to do?!? Find a random older child who has been allowed to stay up late?

ashtonlongsider · Post by **ashtonlongsider** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:53 am

Think a few may have turned around given the massive jam on M65 between Rishton and Burnley. A journey from Wigan normally takes us 45 mins but tonight it was just under 2 hours.

alwaysaclaret · Post by **alwaysaclaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:22 pm

To be fair if the same picture had been taken 15 minutes later many of these seats were filled due to lots of people's late arrival due to the accident on the m65, granted there were still a few empty because of the reasons regarding children and school but clearly these pictures are a bit of a false claim. I did comment around 8am that the crowd was quite loud, doubt this could have been achieved with so many empty seats.

alwaysaclaret · Post by **alwaysaclaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:23 pm

Correction 8pm

UpTheBeehole · Post by **UpTheBeehole** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:24 pm

More evidence of selfish people blocking seats by buying heavily discounted season tickets for kids with no intention of using them, just so they can continue sitting there.

RingoMcCartney · Post by **RingoMcCartney** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:27 pm

UpTheBeehole wrote:More evidence of selfish people blocking seats by buying heavily discounted season tickets for kids with no intention of using them, just so they can continue sitting there.

ClaretEngineer · Post by **ClaretEngineer** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:32 pm

What’s the gripe with other people not attending, they haven’t spent your money and it doesn’t affect your experience.

Also the club already has the money for those seats, whether there’s an a*se parked on it or not on matchday is irrelevant.

The club don’t even tell us matchday allocations and charge us a fortune for a Twix. So you’ve little hope of BFC reallocating a seat that’s already paid for in a smooth and simple process.

martin_p · Post by **martin_p** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:35 pm

As alwaysaclaret says, there were significantly fewer empty seats 18 minutes after kick off (in all four stands, not just the JM).Entirely down to the appalling traffic last night.

Top Claret · Post by **Top Claret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:45 pm

UpTheBeehole wrote:More evidence of selfish people blocking seats by buying heavily discounted season tickets for kids with no intention of using them, just so they can continue sitting there.

Well said bum oil

More than likely Tories

karatekid · Post by **karatekid** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:59 pm

Walton wrote:
IMG_20180419_232554.jpg
That's my picture, taken a few minutes after kickoff

I'm on that picture with empty seats in front and to the side of me. 5 minutes in they were all full.
The sun went behind a cloud, thankfully, after about 2 minutes of the game. The sun is still shining in photo.

Claretforever · Post by **Claretforever** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:27 pm

Walton wrote:
IMG_20180419_232554.jpg
That's my picture, taken a few minutes after kickoff

That’s a bit naughty though, Walton. There were loads of late arrivals last night. I got inside the ground a couple of minutes to kick off, and there were queues outside and many were still drinking in the beer tent. It was a lovely evening, so likely the same in other beer gardens.

The seats began properly filling up around 5-8 minutes into the game all over the ground. Even the Chelsea fans were streaming into their seats well past kick off, as initially it looked like they’d filled only half their allocation.

I bet some stayed in the pub and watched on TV though.

The family stand is always emptier on a week night anyway, just like every other club.

agreenwood · Post by **agreenwood** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:34 pm

Lots of empty seats until a while after KO in the JHU, but they filled up. I assumed it was the M65 issue combined with a few folk struggling to drag themselves out of beer gardens.

Another game as good as sold out in the home ends. We can’t be far off serious consideration being given to redeveloping to two old stands to improve facilities and possibly increase capacity to 24-25000.

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:45 pm

My picture was taken after the 2 minutes in stated. Looking at the filename, Matt's picture was taken 15 minutes into the game.

claretandy · Post by **claretandy** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:30 pm

surely it can't be beyond our ticket office to devise a scheme where a non-attending season ticket holder could give up their premium view seat and split the profit between them ?

Transpennine · Post by **Transpennine** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:33 pm

claretandy wrote:surely it can't be beyond our ticket office to devise a scheme where a non-attending season ticket holder could give up their premium view seat and split the profit between them ?

Maybe they should have a chat with Huddersfield. They have managed to set up exactly that system, in their first year in the prem. Season ticket holders get a £5 credit/voucher for any tickets resold by the club

Woodleyclaret · Post by **Woodleyclaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:49 pm

Switching game to Thursday didnt help us as it then clashed with a parents evening at work
Got 80th party. tmr and going to Stoke on way home on Sunday

CaptJohn · Post by **CaptJohn** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 4:57 pm

My wife was not too well and couldn't make it. My son and I were there though

Claretforever · Post by **Claretforever** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:00 pm

Walton wrote:My picture was taken after the 2 minutes in stated. Looking at the filename, Matt's picture was taken 15 minutes into the game.

And you can see people in each of the exits still going to their seats. Surely you saw a difference from kick off towards 8pm ish? Most other people seemed to notice it.

My first impression when getting to my seat was where was everybody. Not too long after kick off, well it could have been past 8pm when I was conscious of it, I realised he majority of spaces were filled. The Jimmy Mac upper had the most empty seats though, and always does on a week night.

Sidney1st · Post by **Sidney1st** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:10 pm

Transpennine wrote:Maybe they should have a chat with Huddersfield. They have managed to set up exactly that system, in their first year in the prem. Season ticket holders get a £5 credit/voucher for any tickets resold by the club

Interesting idea and if managed properly...

However we are talking about a club who decided on a direct debit date of 25th of each month

KeighleyClaret · Post by **KeighleyClaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:19 pm

I couldn’t go due to working away being booked before the game was rearranged. On this occasion my ticket was used by someone else but I don’t feel any need to be compelled to give it up if I can’t go. It’s paid for and it’s down to me if it stays empty or not.

KeighleyClaret · Post by **KeighleyClaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:19 pm

I couldn’t go due to working away being booked before the game was rearranged. On this occasion my ticket was used by someone else but I don’t feel any need to be compelled to give it up if I can’t go. It’s paid for and it’s down to me if it stays empty or not.

dougcollins · Post by **dougcollins** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:53 pm

You can say that again.

Leisure · Post by **Leisure** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:09 pm

claretandy wrote:surely it can't be beyond our ticket office to devise a scheme where a non-attending season ticket holder could give up their premium view seat and split the profit between them ?

Commercially it would only make sense for the club to do this once all other seats are sold, which very rarely happens. On that basis it's probably not worth setting up such a scheme for the very very few occasions when it would kick in.

claretandy · Post by **claretandy** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:34 pm

Leisure wrote:Commercially it would only make sense for the club to do this once all other seats are sold, which very rarely happens. On that basis it's probably not worth setting up such a scheme for the very very few occasions when it would kick in.

But where full families are on holiday and 4/5 premium seats become available which we don't currently have anywhere in the ground then surely its a good idea ?

Transpennine · Post by **Transpennine** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:41 pm

Leisure wrote:Commercially it would only make sense for the club to do this once all other seats are sold, which very rarely happens. On that basis it's probably not worth setting up such a scheme for the very very few occasions when it would kick in.

Didn't we try it once? Possibly Liverpool at home on boxing day a few years back. Maybe it didn't work well enough to consider again...

Transpennine · Post by **Transpennine** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:42 pm

Leisure wrote:Commercially it would only make sense for the club to do this once all other seats are sold, which very rarely happens. On that basis it's probably not worth setting up such a scheme for the very very few occasions when it would kick in.

Fair point. Udders is sold out every week this season.

mickleoverclaret · Post by **mickleoverclaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:57 pm

Thursday night is a stupid time for a football match, can't knock anyone for not going.

That said i'm sure there'll be a few more on when we play Milan next season!

Clarinetclaret · Post by **Clarinetclaret** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:09 pm

UpTheBeehole wrote:More evidence of selfish people blocking seats by buying heavily discounted season tickets for kids with no intention of using them, just so they can continue sitting there.

Look at me please! Please pay me attention!

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:09 pm

This was the JMU on Saturday, a good spell into the game

: IMG_20180428_150435.jpg (2.62 MiB) Viewed 4085 times

A lot of empties there again, and school night etc doesn't wash this time.

Bear in mind this stand shows as being sold out but for one or two seats on the website for each game.

Bordeauxclaret · Post by **Bordeauxclaret** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:16 pm

Not as many as the Chelsea game but still a lot.

Didn’t realise that many were unoccupied.

bfcmik · Post by **bfcmik** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:20 pm

We had 2000 empty seats on Saturday - but let's face it, an end of the season tussle against a team we always seem to struggle against is never going to be a big crowd puller.

If people want to keep paying for seats they don't want to use then so what? That is their privilege. If the club can't police it , and I don't see how they can, then how can it be stopped? I intend to buy a ticket for my 7 year old grandson next season. He will not come to many Saturday home games because he is either football training or has a game nor midweek games but he will be able to come when available and will be able to apply for tickets for cup, European and away fixtures

PaintYorkClaretnBlue · Post by **PaintYorkClaretnBlue** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:26 pm

bfcmik wrote:We had 2000 empty seats on Saturday - but let's face it, an end of the season tussle against a team we always seem to struggle against is never going to be a big crowd puller.

If people want to keep paying for seats they don't want to use then so what? That is their privilege. If the club can't police it , and I don't see how they can, then how can it be stopped? I intend to buy a ticket for my 7 year old grandson next season. He will not come to many Saturday home games because he is either football training or has a game nor midweek games but he will be able to come when available and will be able to apply for tickets for cup, European and away fixtures

Be prepared for the abuse that will come your way!!

whalleyclaret · Post by **whalleyclaret** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:43 pm

with sell outs the norm these days and no intention by the club to increase capacity anytime soon, the club need to show some commercial nous by allow ST holders release their seat by match back to the club for say a nominal £5 / £10 reward or as maybe a similar discount against the next years season ticket?

means sell outs can be more like and new supporters wont be turned away, not everybody can go to every game, including myself.

Bit of a no brainer for me, would work but maybe beyond the ticket office.

tim_noone · Post by **tim_noone** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:44 pm

A few next to me didn't turn up STH.so any walk ons would not have got them...if and when there's any stand developments they need to factor in non season ticket holders.. maybe a designated area within. The whole ticketing of matches at the turf is a bit hit n miss IMO

andyh · Post by **andyh** » Tue May 01, 2018 6:11 am

whalleyclaret wrote:with sell outs the norm these days and no intention by the club to increase capacity anytime soon, the club need to show some commercial nous by allow ST holders release their seat by match back to the club for say a nominal £5 / £10 reward or as maybe a similar discount against the next years season ticket?

means sell outs can be more like and new supporters wont be turned away, not everybody can go to every game, including myself.

Bit of a no brainer for me, would work but maybe beyond the ticket office.

This... my only point would be not to offer a reward. Just make it easy enough not to irritate. When my wife can’t go I offer her seat to anyone I can think of. I don’t want the cash I just want someone to keep the wind off. Maybe offer afternoon only kids season tickets... cos many parents know they won’t be taking kids at night. At least then the club knows it can sell more.

Claretforever · Post by **Claretforever** » Tue May 01, 2018 7:38 am

Walton wrote:This was the JMU on Saturday, a good spell into the game

IMG_20180428_150435.jpg
A lot of empties there again, and school night etc doesn't wash this time.

Bear in mind this stand shows as being sold out but for one or two seats on the website for each game.

Why are you so bothered about this? I know two people who didn’t go on saturday because both had their kids at kids parties (separate parties in different towns). That was 3 adults and 5 kids missing. So if I know 8 people, I’m sure others know people. Parties do tend to be at weekends, but that’s just one reason.

Mine would pick a party over football any day of the weak at that age, unfortunately. They grow out of it, but again, just one reason which I’m sure you’ll labour on after the Bournemouth game. I certainly wouldn’t be obsessed with the family stand like you’re being really, it’ll happen at all clubs to an extent.

The only good reason could be people using non-existent kids/no longer attending/not at the right age to keep their adult ticket in there?