Exeter tickets

[Gullscorer]

And your point is? Was there bitching at the game and on here on not? (And yes, there was bitching at the game as it was just in front of me)
No it isnt, the point of an all ticket game is NO TICKETS SALES ON THE DAY OF THE MATCH to avoid segregation problems.
The system works fine for that, you can go online tomorrow evening and buy tickets for collection before the match. If you're cant decide by then (less than 24 hours before) if you want to go or not, thats your problem you dolt. Stop bleating about the club when they try and make it easy for people to get a ticket if its not convenient to get to the ground when the office is open.
The problem isnt the club and the ticketing system. Ive used it and its easy enough and straightforward to use.

I'm merely trying to be helpful and informative. You appear to be unduly contentious! However, you are wrong in your assertion that the point of an all-ticket game is to avoid segregation problems. That is a side issue. The point of an all-ticket event is (a) to avoid over-selling of a limited capacity, and/or (b) to avoid having so many people turn up on the day that not all of them can be accommodated. In a football situation, that would be far more likely to lead to crowd trouble than having a few opposition fans sitting among the home crowd. Last April some Rovers fans were obnoxious, some Gulls fans were over-sensitive and resentful; that's all. No actual trouble. Even so, you seem to have missed the points made about availability of tickets for many people; I agree with Brucie on this.

[bixieupnorth]

if we were playing man u or liverpool they'd soon find a way to get their tickets, its down to the simple fact the south devon public cannot be bothered with torquay united. any excuse not to go and they'd take it! too dear, too cold, too dull, another match on, too close to christmas, too close to the summer, i've got too many thumbs to dial the club, whats the internet, the list goes on and on. unless we play a big club or get to a final, its a simple fact that only a shade over 2,000 do, or have ever, care(d) about TUFC

anyone who lives within striking distance, and can afford to get there, should be there, simple as, if you're not there, and arent financially stricken then you really arent that big a supporter

[AustrianAndyGull]

if we were playing man u or liverpool they'd soon find a way to get their tickets, its down to the simple fact the south devon public cannot be bothered with torquay united. any excuse not to go and they'd take it! too dear, too cold, too dull, another match on, too close to christmas, too close to the summer, i've got too many thumbs to dial the club, whats the internet, the list goes on and on. unless we play a big club or get to a final, its a simple fact that only a shade over 2,000 do, or have ever, care(d) about TUFC

anyone who lives within striking distance, and can afford to get there, should be there, simple as, if you're not there, and arent financially stricken then you really arent that big a supporter

Absolutely the truth. Spot on mate.

[vinny]

Its pretty poor really....around 130,000 people live in Torbay, and yet barely 2% attend Plainmoor.

[Gullscorer]

True enough Bixie/Vinny, but the real supporters who would overcome all obstacles to get to a game aren't the problem, and we really can't be bothered with the casual couch potatoes who can't be bothered. What should be of concern is that people who are visiting relations or returning home or arriving on holiday for the Christmas and New Year period have been denied the opportunity to purchase tickets, unless they were fortunate enough to learn of the game immediately on arrival and utilise the few hours available for tickets. In other words, the general public has been ignored.

The demographical reasons for the club's poor support have been discussed in the past, but it's really up to the club to try to do something about it. As things stand, the general public will get the impression that games are not for the general public, but for esoteric sports fanatics, and they will not bother in the future, and attendances will go on declining.

[AustrianAndyGull]

True enough Bixie/Vinny, but the real supporters who would overcome all obstacles to get to a game aren't the problem, and we really can't be bothered with the casual couch potatoes who can't be bothered. What should be of concern is that people who are visiting relations or returning home or arriving on holiday for the Christmas and New Year period have been denied the opportunity to purchase tickets, unless they were fortunate enough to learn of the game immediately on arrival and utilise the few hours available for tickets. In other words, the general public has been ignored.

The demographical reasons for the club's poor support have been discussed in the past, but it's really up to the club to try to do something about it. As things stand, the general public will get the impression that games are not for the general public, but for esoteric sports fanatics, and they will not bother in the future, and attendances will go on declining.

Apologies but this is absolute rubbish IMO. :na: If someone is visiting relations in the area for a period of time then presumably they may have thought about a brief itinerary prior to travelling which may include a trip to Plainmoor? This in turn makes the individual find out about the game beforehand and if tickets are available and howmuch etc. People returning home the same sentiments apply and holidaymakers too although they perhaps have an excuse for making impulse decisions about where to go and what to do. In short what you are saying is that for the sake of the 300 or so people who are just going to wake up on the morning of the game and say, "f*ck it! I'll go to the Torquay game today" we should amend our entire ticketing structure, even on police advice on occasion so we can make it easy for these people? I say balls to them. Like Bix says, if we had an FA Cup tie at home at the start of January against Arsenal then I'm sure pretty much nobody would be making last ditch should I or shouldn't I decisions to go. We are just pandering to the idle and indecisive.

[tomogull]

I've got a revolutionary idea for anyone with friends visiting over the weekend of the Exeter game.

First of all you telephone your friends.

Then you wait until they answer and proceed with, "Hey Stuart! I was thinking, with you and Tom coming to stay at the weekend I wondered if you wanted to go to the Torquay v Exeter game with me? As you know I go when I can get and I'm planning to go on Sunday. What do you reckon?"

Then you get the response, "Yeah, sounds good mate. We're both up for it".

To which you reply, "OK, well it's all ticket so i'll get some booked and we can head off on Sunday and enjoy some footy".

IT REALLY IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT

It is called 'Planning ahead' apparently. Not heard of it myself but I've heard it helps in situations like this.

It's ironic that in this world of advanced communications, some folk can't even sort this out effectively.

Andy - that's feckin brilliant !! There's just one flaw in your idea, though ...... I aint got any friends called Stuart or Tom. :B But seriously ....... I reckon the gate against Bristol Rvrs was at least 500 less than it would have been if it hadn't been all ticket. Or in monetary terms, £10,000 + the club has 'lost'. Most clubs have 'fine weather' supporters and I think quite a few would have thought yesterday "Hey - it's a nice day - there's a match at Plainmoor - let's go". I can perhaps understand why it should be all ticket for away fans but cannot for the life of me understand why it should be all ticket for home fans. Is the Argyle game all-ticket, by the way ?

[Scott Brehaut]

Yes - it was announced at the start of the season that there were five all ticket games - Plymouth, Exeter, Pompey, B. Rovers and Newport.

[Gullscorer]

Yes, but how many among the general public knew about that? Over the Christmas/New Year holiday period practically nobody has a pre-planned itinerary, nearly everything is a spur-of-the-moment decision involving family, kids, relations and friends. Most people, if they heard about the game at all, would have missed out. Or rather the club will have missed out on useful extra revenue that even a few hundred extra spectators would bring, as well as the chance that some of those casual spectators would have become regulars.

[tomogull]

Yes - it was announced at the start of the season that there were five all ticket games - Plymouth, Exeter, Pompey, B. Rovers and Newport.

'Crossed wires' I think, Scott. I meant is the Argyle away game on New Year's Day all ticket ?

[budleigh]

What should be of concern is that people who are visiting relations or returning home or arriving on holiday for the Christmas and New Year period have been denied the opportunity to purchase tickets.

If someone wants to go to a game over the Christmas/New Year period then surely anyone with an ounce of intelligence will check what games are on and the availability of tickets? A phone call or visit to the club website will soon clarify the situation and the method of purchasing a ticket is then very simple. It's a case of how much someone really wants to see a game. Would you arrange to go to a rock concert without checking dates and availability and then ordering in advance? It really is an easy process at Plainmoor. There isn't even the need to go to the club beforehand to get the tickets now there is an on-line system.

See how people would suddenly find it easy to do if we were drawn against Man U in the cup!

I visited my ex-wife's family in Belfast for Christmas a number of years ago and fancied watching a Boxing Day game (rather than another day with her relatives...) and found the games that were on, phoned the club of choice, Glentoran, who were playing Linfield, only to be told that the game was all-ticket. I couple of minutes, and one further phone call later, and I had a ticket sorted which I was able to collect a couple of hours before kick-off. Simple.

[Dave]

To be honest, making these match's all ticket hasn't cost the club much, if anything attendance wise, the game for Rovers home, Torquay fans only was approx. 400 up on the previous home match against Southend , that tells me that pretty much everyone who wanted to go this game took the time and trouble to get a ticket 400 is a lot of people considering being ticket is supposed to people off, expect at worst the club may have lost 50 or so of the gate.

I back the clubs stance on this fully, and feel sorry for them here, damned if they do, damned if they don't, the club just can't allow supporters access all areas. The main reason for segregation, is supporter safety, it is the responsibly of the home club to ensure the safety of all fans inside the ground, both home and away . There were flash points during the Rovers game last season and a small number ejected from the ground, serious trouble was only avoided because the club were fully aware of local b+b's offering room plus ticket deals to Rovers fans, and so extra security staff were provided who were needed to form a cordon between fans, at a cost to the club, there's another problem.

I reckon if the club lifts the all ticket restriction, and say 150 Exeter fans enter the popside and kick off, the same people moaning about all ticket match's would be the first on here, knocking the club for putting money before safety.

What every club has to do in terms of crowd control measures is a minefield, not so bad for us, imagine what clubs with 40,000 plus gates have to do, anyone who wants to continue knocking the club should spend some time reading this...http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/thef ... guide.ashx and maybe this...http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-gov ... ium-safety

And then come back and tell us what an easy decision is to just lift all ticket restrictions or have a rethink is.

[Kernowgull]

If someone wants to go to a game over the Christmas/New Year period then surely anyone with an ounce of intelligence will check what games are on and the availability of tickets? A phone call or visit to the club website will soon clarify the situation and the method of purchasing a ticket is then very simple. It's a case of how much someone really wants to see a game. Would you arrange to go to a rock concert without checking dates and availability and then ordering in advance? It really is an easy process at Plainmoor. There isn't even the need to go to the club beforehand to get the tickets now there is an on-line system.

See how people would suddenly find it easy to do if we were drawn against Man U in the cup!

I visited my ex-wife's family in Belfast for Christmas a number of years ago and fancied watching a Boxing Day game (rather than another day with her relatives...) and found the games that were on, phoned the club of choice, Glentoran, who were playing Linfield, only to be told that the game was all-ticket. I couple of minutes, and one further phone call later, and I had a ticket sorted which I was able to collect a couple of hours before kick-off. Simple.

But what none of you are grasping, is that most people in the world, bar the couple thousand lunatics that go to games regularly and/or listen in and frequent this board, don't spend all their time thinking about Torquay United. They would know there is a game on and because of the bbc or checking the fixtures elsewhere. They probably haven't been on the website, and as there is no reasonable reason for Torquay vs Bristol Rovers to be all ticket, they would not assume this game to be. Torquay games of old weren't all ticket and they got bigger crowds. There definitely would have been more Rovers fans on Boxing Day, as they would have waited on the weather after what happened on Xmas Eve. Once it was fine, they'd decide to go, but couldn't. Those who say there is no issue compared to those who think there is an issue are about equal in number. That suggests that there is indeed an issue, as if 50% of customers aren't happy, you're going to lose money. You can spout the "its easy to book tickets" as much as you like, but if the club is losing out because of all tickets, regardless of how easy you assume the issue of attendance to be, there is an issue. Not everybody has a life that can or is wanted to revolve around poor football, and those are the people the club should be doing the most to help attend, as the diehards (who seem to think they are superior human beings, on this site at least) will go regardless.

how does selling tickets online prevent away fans going in the the end? Surely it makes it easier for someone to go in the home end, as they just buy online. And if they vet addresses, I know at least 4 gulls in Bristol, at least 10 in Plymouth. Do they have to go in the away end?

[brucie]

The last post sums it up. Bixie is talking rubbish. The assumption that all but the regular couple of thousand supporters are going to plan their life (or indeed Christmas) around Torquay United is just plain daft.
There will be alot of people looking for something to do tomorrow, fed up with sitting around the house. This has got nothing to do with supporting Man Utd or Arsenal.
How many people who rang up for tickets on Friday would have waited when noone answered the phone.
Not being able to purchase a ticket on the day of the game when there are umpteen tickets available will always be nonsensical.

[hector]

If someone wants to go to a game over the Christmas/New Year period then surely anyone with an ounce of intelligence will check what games are on and the availability of tickets? A phone call or visit to the club website will soon clarify the situation and the method of purchasing a ticket is then very simple. It's a case of how much someone really wants to see a game. Would you arrange to go to a rock concert without checking dates and availability and then ordering in advance? It really is an easy process at Plainmoor. There isn't even the need to go to the club beforehand to get the tickets now there is an on-line system.

See how people would suddenly find it easy to do if we were drawn against Man U in the cup!

I visited my ex-wife's family in Belfast for Christmas a number of years ago and fancied watching a Boxing Day game (rather than another day with her relatives...) and found the games that were on, phoned the club of choice, Glentoran, who were playing Linfield, only to be told that the game was all-ticket. I couple of minutes, and one further phone call later, and I had a ticket sorted which I was able to collect a couple of hours before kick-off. Simple.

However, this does place the onus on the supporter. A regular may make that extra effort (although I know of 3 or 4 who really cannot be bothered enough to go to the hassle of acquiring tickets - perhaps having to make an extra trip to Plainmoor to fit around an already busy time). I have a season ticket, so I am ok - but living in East Devon, I certainly would not go to the trouble of making an extra trip to get a ticket and would have to use the online system. Whether - like Exeter Chiefs, that means you can print your own ticket, or that you have to go to the ground, queue to be served to collect your ticket, and then possibly queue again to get into the ground, I am unsure.

But the above, is something a regular may be prepared to do to get a ticket. Whether people home for Christmas, those fancying a game could be bothered to do, I don't know but I thought the attendance was pitiful on Boxing Day for a local derby in pretty decent weather. Part of that is probably the general disillusionment that supporters have with the club at the moment.

However, like you, I have in-laws in Northern Ireland and a couple of years ago, on Boxing Day, I tried to get tickets for the Glenavon/Portadown local derby. That game sold out but they were trying to sell tickets right up to the start of the game, putting messages out on the website, on twitter etc.

Exeter Chiefs will sell tickets right up to the day, and I noticed that you can still buy tickets today for their game at Twickenham, taking place today.

I am unsure what it is that prevents the club selling tickets on the day, whether it is the club or police that think there will be 1000s of people milling around Plainmoor without tickets, if there was suddenly unprecedented demand for tickets, but the fact that there were probably (for the Rovers game) almost 2000 unsold tickets on the day of the game, tells you that there is only a remote chance that TUFC would inundated with requests for tickets right up to kick-off and that tickets could and should be sold on the day, even if there was a surcharge applied in the way Plymouth are doing on Wednesday.

However, ultimately, if you want as many customers to attend as possible, you need to make it as easy and as convenient as possible for them to do so. The attendances for the Plymouth, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers and more than likely Exeter and certainly for Newport will suggest that the measures put in place were probably unnecessary and have just given people an additional reason not to attend for if one is not inclined to go anyway because of the terrible football the team have been playing, then putting an additional, rightly or wrongly, barrier in the way, will just make people think, 'sod it, I cannot be arsed!'