Is this reasonable ?

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Funkydrummer
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Is this reasonable ?

Post by Funkydrummer » Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:57 am

Or indeed fair or lawful ?

"Watford have warned season ticket holders they must tell them if they are not going to a game - or they could be stripped of their seat. (Sun)"

Taken from the BBC website

BurnleyPaul
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by BurnleyPaul » Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:58 am

All depends on what the terms and conditions were when they bought the season ticket I’d suppose...

ClaretAndJew
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by ClaretAndJew » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:00 am

Fair? No. Lawful? Depends on the terms when they signed up.

Surely it is difficult to suggest that purchasing a season ticket also means mandatory turning up.

NottsClaret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by NottsClaret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:06 am

This is the sort of **** a club only thinks is a good idea when they've had a couple of seasons in the Prem.

Try pulling this when you're back in the Championship.
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Devils_Advocate » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:15 am

This is a little misleading. When it states stripped of the seat it does not mean this season.

What the club have asked is for fans to notify the club if they are not attending so they can try and resell the seats to fill the ground (money from ticket sales goes into the clubs community trust fund) with a view to having more support and a better atmosphere behind the team.

If they identify fans repeatedly not turning up and not notifying them they will contact them to discuss and have warned that they may withdraw their right to renew their seats the following summer (not this season)

Not saying whether that is right, wrong, good or bad but its worth having the true information out there (from 10 days ago) if its to be discussed than relying solely on the interpretation of the Sun newspaper (today) who will obviously sensationalise it a little

Hibsclaret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Hibsclaret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:18 am

This is akin to renting a house and going on holiday for a couple of weeks, then the landlord wants to let out to someone while you are away...

Really nonsense and bad taste from Watford considering them being awash with Tv money. They could always stop selling season tickets if they are comfortable filling the stadium and good luck getting your loyal customers back when you crawl back to the Championship....

mealdeal
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by mealdeal » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:19 am

ClaretAndJew wrote:Fair? No. Lawful? Depends on the terms when they signed up.

Surely it is difficult to suggest that purchasing a season ticket also means mandatory turning up.
If its unlawful, it doesn't matter what they signed up to. An organisation cannot strip you of statutory rights just by having you sign them away. They also can't have an unfair or unbalanced contract term, which on the face of this it would appear to be.

Tricky Trevor
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Tricky Trevor » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:27 am

Don’t get the fuss. One phone call, “can’t make it this match”..”thanks very much”.
The re-sale money goes to the trust, a fan gets a seat. Win,win for me.

AlargeClaret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by AlargeClaret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:30 am

Magic Money Tree Premier League greed at its finest . Not happy with selling a seat once they want to sell it over and over if you can’t make the odd game . It’s not the re-selling of the ticket per se it’s the veiled threat.

Of course hotels and airlines do this when you don’t turn up but that’s a very very different situation. To try and make it out it’s “ to help the atmosphere “ is a steaming pile of Shiite . I’d prefer if they were a bit more upfront and say somat like “ we’re having to pay Andre 50k a week so the community fund is just a few old notes and some brass buttons “

theroyaldyche
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by theroyaldyche » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:32 am

If youve paid for it you go whenevr u choose

wilks_bfc
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by wilks_bfc » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:58 am

Sure we had something couple of years ago where if you couldn’t go you could let them know and if they resold it you got some “points”

I don’t think it took off

Sausage
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Sausage » Fri Aug 23, 2019 9:59 am

AlargeClaret wrote:Of course hotels and airlines do this when you don’t turn up but that’s a very very different situation.
How is it any different, let alone 'very very' different?

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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Darthlaw » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:09 am

Not that this is the case with Watford but I’m aware of individuals who buy season tickets for the New York Knicks with a view to selling the individual game tickets on Stubhub and the like.

They don’t sell every game but if they sell 60% of the games they usually hit profit. Throw in the ‘big’ games and they’re usually on to a winner.

Could this be Watford trying to stop that behaviour, i.e. sub-letting their season ticket?

wilks_bfc
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by wilks_bfc » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:15 am

Darthlaw wrote:Not that this is the case with Watford but I’m aware of individuals who buy season tickets for the New York Knicks with a view to selling the individual game tickets on Stubhub and the like.

They don’t sell every game but if they sell 60% of the games they usually hit profit. Throw in the ‘big’ games and they’re usually on to a winner.

Could this be Watford trying to stop that behaviour, i.e. sub-letting their season ticket?
But their seat would still be used in case, it’s just not the “named” person. It wouldn’t stop that

AlargeClaret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by AlargeClaret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:46 am

Sausage wrote:How is it any different, let alone 'very very' different?
While I’m genuinely not looking for an argument,but to compare the business model and margins of an airline to a football club ? They are on different planets
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Bordeauxclaret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Bordeauxclaret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:50 am

Do Watford sell out every home game?

I’ve always thought they are like us, tickets available for most games.

Bosscat
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Bosscat » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:50 am

AlargeClaret wrote:While I’m genuinely not looking for an argument,but to compare the business model and margins of an airline to a football club ? They are on different planets
Yeah most football clubs just have their heads in the clouds ... whereas an Airlines Business is mainly above the clouds ;)
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Foulthrow
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Foulthrow » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:52 am

We have some lads near us who must make a couple of games a season. Obviously, it’s their money and their prerogative but frustrating for me as I’d like to get a seat for my lad.

FactualFrank
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by FactualFrank » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:56 am

From what I've read it sounds like they want more bums on seats more often, to give their players and fans the best atmosphere. I don't see any comparison with airlines or even renting a house as it's not about the money, but how more fans attending can help their players on the pitch.

thatdberight
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by thatdberight » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:59 am

Yes. It's reasonable. It's not difficult to comply with, brings no disbenefit to the season ticket holder and, if it's true where the proceeds go, is for a good cause. People just like to moan.

Wile E Coyote
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Wile E Coyote » Fri Aug 23, 2019 11:04 am

all they need to do as a club to address this , is to pay each of its players around £2000 less a week in wages, they'll hardly notice, and the grubby business minded board will have what they desire.

thatdberight
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by thatdberight » Fri Aug 23, 2019 11:37 am

Wile E Coyote wrote:all they need to do as a club to address this , is to pay each of its players around £2000 less a week in wages, they'll hardly notice, and the grubby business minded board will have what they desire.
It's the very opposite. It's saying to people, "You may well have enough money to spend a grand a year and only come to 4 matches. That's not what it's about. If you don't want to attend, you need to make the seats available. You can still come to the matches of your choosing. Otherwise we may not let you renew despite the fact that's us turning money away."
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dsr
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by dsr » Fri Aug 23, 2019 11:43 am

As long as it's done with a very light touch. They shouldn't for example, alienate people (who may have been season ticket holders for many many years) but are too old or unwell to make every match - and who may well not be able to decide until the last minute depending on the weather and their health.

Vintage Claret
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Vintage Claret » Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:59 pm

They'll be after a retainer next..
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houseboy
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by houseboy » Fri Aug 23, 2019 1:14 pm

If it was really about 'atmosphere' then they would re-sell the seat and refund the season ticket holder 1/19th of what he/she paid. Vicarage road has a capacity similar to the Turf (21,577), last season they averaged 20,016 (average 1,561 short of capacity). What makes them think they can re-sell the seat when in most cases they don't sell out anyway? Obviously I don't know the away capacity, which as we know is nothing we can help if the home sections are full but given the proximity of Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham, Palace, Arsenal, not to mention Wolves and Southampton, Brighton and even Bournemouth, plus visits from Liverpool, City, United and possibly Everton, I would hazard a guess that the visitors section would be full most games. Thus the average shortfall must, I would guess, be in the home sections. They may be wanting to sell the seat on to someone who doesn't actually exist?

Spike
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by Spike » Fri Aug 23, 2019 1:24 pm

when you buy season ticket you part with your hard earned cash up front and expect some respect for doing so.

to have to go to the trouble of contacting the club if you are ill or have a family emergency is just shameful

GodIsADeeJay81
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by GodIsADeeJay81 » Sat Aug 24, 2019 1:52 am

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport ... d-matches/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This article is probably the better one to read and highly likely to have more information than the Sun.
In March this year, the club announced they would be collecting and analysing attendance data that would help them "reach the position where we will reserve the right to refuse renewals to those supporters who most regularly don’t attend AND don’t advise us of their non-attendance."

The latest communication from the club states: "A couple of years ago we wrote into the Season Ticket Ts & Cs an option for us to reserve the right not to offer renewal opportunities to ST holders with high non-attendance rates" and that "Come renewal time next Spring, we will be initiating conversations with those ST holders who fail to notify us of their non-attendance (or simply don't attend) for two or more home fixtures."

fatboy47
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Re: Is this reasonable ?

Post by fatboy47 » Sat Aug 24, 2019 7:28 am

When did Lee Hoos move to Watford?

He hasn't quite finished emptying QPR's ground yet.

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