The FA Cup Semi Final - Crystal Palace

[Nii Lamptey]

I think the problem, more than anything, is that we didn't know.

The statement that attendance at cup matches may be counted in future allocation criteria was meaningless, because ST holders who've been to those games have always been ahead is ST holders who didn't in terms of choice of seats, but a ST holder would still get one. That 'warning' didn't tell us anything would be different this year.

Similarly, even for members, none of them knew that attendance at those particular games was going to be critical, because in the past it has gone on general attendance.

I'd be happy is next year they went all in with a points system, with some extra points for being a ST holder, but nothing that couldn't be overhauled by a member who was there more often. If we properly know up front what we need to achieve, it's completely different.

Exactly, points system across the board.

Season ticket holders get a slight bump for committing to a season ticket, but ALSO get docked points when reselling/passing tickets on. This rewards fans who attend Villa Park the most, which is the fairest way of prioritising tickets.

That way, even members who just can't get hold of a season ticket, but pay through the nose and attend almost as many games are treated as equally and fairly as season ticket holders (*because, lets face it, there is a LOT of gatekeeping in that department).

The current system doesn't cater for this - Though almost certainly in the minority, a fan who has ONLY attended 3 FA cup games gets a trip to Wembley, compared to a Season Ticket holder who has probably attended 19 league games, plus the CL games and skinted themselves, not being able to afford the FA cup games too.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I’m a member, Southampton on Saturday will be my 20th game this season - including a few European aways …..but didn’t go to any home cup games so I’m in the bottom criteria of “supporters with a previous Aston Villa booking history” same with my son. I imagine there’s no chance that availability will filter down to us.

Not complaining about the allocation, just begging for a spare if anyone can help…..

Out of interest, do members get a chance at away tickets or have you just built up an away history?

No. I don’t have an official away history, I get my away tickets in the same way I hope to get a semi final ticket -  “unofficially”.

[cdbearsfan]

The thing is this tactic will have the desired effect, people will be scrambling for tickets for cup games next season.

Surely they'd want people scrambling for tickets for all games? And if it's a pure money making exercise, why prioritise someone who pays £25 for a cup ticket ahead of someone who pays £75 for a league/Champions League game?

[AV82EC]

How many members have only attended 3 games though? I’d be willing to venture it’s not many.

[LeeB]

The thing is this tactic will have the desired effect, people will be scrambling for tickets for cup games next season.

Surely they'd want people scrambling for tickets for all games? And if it's a pure money making exercise, why prioritise someone who pays £25 for a cup ticket ahead of someone who pays £75 for a league/Champions League game?

No, the other games are a given but I'm saying gone are the days of "shall I bother?" as a season ticket holder, and 25k at home in the League Cup early rounds.

That may have happened anyway as a result of being good, but now there's a fire been lit under the arse of season ticket holders to buy their tickets or sign up to the cup scheme in case you miss out on the good stuff at the end.

[Duncan Shaw]

I’m a member, Southampton on Saturday will be my 20th game this season - including a few European aways …..but didn’t go to any home cup games so I’m in the bottom criteria of “supporters with a previous Aston Villa booking history” same with my son. I imagine there’s no chance that availability will filter down to us.

Not complaining about the allocation, just begging for a spare if anyone can help…..

Out of interest, do members get a chance at away tickets or have you just built up an away history?

No. I don’t have an official away history, I get my away tickets in the same way I hope to get a semi final ticket -  “unofficially”.

I'm pretty much the same as Chico, on the ST wait list, will never get one, and been a member for the last few since (since it became essential to be able to get tickets) get away tickets through unofficial means, and love the games, but no chance of building any history.  I'm also the same as in didn't go to the cup games, for one genuine reason or another, even though I've spent plenty on watching the Villa this year.  No chance of a ticket for the semi I wouldn't think, but not complaining.  Should we get to the final I'll probably go down the Club Wembley hospitality route, such is my desperation to see us win the only thing I've never seen us win, but not counting any chickens. 

[cdbearsfan]

All they've done is incentivise people to buy tickets for matches they aren't attending. If said games would sell out anyway, they're losing all the money they'd have spent in the ground. Given that we only get about half a dozen tickets if we were to make the final of the Conference League, there's no point in buying tickets for those games if we qualify, given that the club don't care about total tickets purchased.

There is really no logical reason at all not to treat all the games the same. I can understand they want to encourage the purchase of memberships, but they're still pissing off members who've been to loads of games but couldn't make one or two matches in the FA Cup for silly kick-off times. It's particularly unfair on children given that none of the games were at kid-friendly times.

[Clampy]

I’m a member, Southampton on Saturday will be my 20th game this season - including a few European aways …..but didn’t go to any home cup games so I’m in the bottom criteria of “supporters with a previous Aston Villa booking history” same with my son. I imagine there’s no chance that availability will filter down to us.

Not complaining about the allocation, just begging for a spare if anyone can help…..

Out of interest, do members get a chance at away tickets or have you just built up an away history?

No. I don’t have an official away history, I get my away tickets in the same way I hope to get a semi final ticket -  “unofficially”.

Haha, ok. Good luck.

[astonvilla82]

I wonder would non-season ticket holders have attended the FA cup games if they would have been charged normal everyday matche prices

Do you mean the same non ST's who have paid £94 for CL, £72 for Cat A and £50 for Cat B matches, along with a £40 membership?

Let's not turn this into a 'I'm a better fan than you' competition, we all have different circumstances that mean we can attend varying amounts of games, when maybe we would attend more if we could

I still believe all ST's will get a ticket for the Semi, I actually think that members who have attended all or most of the games, but missed an FA Cup games are the ones who should feel disappointed

Should have also mentioned would it have been a full house at those prices and being televised,of course Champions league was special occasions but different from the FA cup

[artvandelay]

All they've done is incentivise people to buy tickets for matches they aren't attending. If said games would sell out anyway, they're losing all the money they'd have spent in the ground. Given that we only get about half a dozen tickets if we were to make the final of the Conference League, there's no point in buying tickets for those games if we qualify, given that the club don't care about total tickets purchased.

There is really no logical reason at all not to treat all the games the same. I can understand they want to encourage the purchase of memberships, but they're still pissing off members who've been to loads of games but couldn't make one or two matches in the FA Cup for silly kick-off times. It's particularly unfair on children given that none of the games were at kid-friendly times.

I know what's happening next which they've already started and that's only giving you credit if your ticket has been used. They've specifically changed the language on the website to 'attended'. This in turn of course encourages touting...

They set the precedent earlier this season when they only gave away fans whose ticket had been scanned the credit for the Wycombe game, meaning a bunch of people 'lost' it from their history.

[claret+blue ed]

I think the problem, more than anything, is that we didn't know.

The statement that attendance at cup matches may be counted in future allocation criteria was meaningless, because ST holders who've been to those games have always been ahead is ST holders who didn't in terms of choice of seats, but a ST holder would still get one. That 'warning' didn't tell us anything would be different this year.

Similarly, even for members, none of them knew that attendance at those particular games was going to be critical, because in the past it has gone on general attendance.

I'd be happy is next year they went all in with a points system, with some extra points for being a ST holder, but nothing that couldn't be overhauled by a member who was there more often. If we properly know up front what we need to achieve, it's completely different.

Exactly, points system across the board.

Season ticket holders get a slight bump for committing to a season ticket, but ALSO get docked points when reselling/passing tickets on. This rewards fans who attend Villa Park the most, which is the fairest way of prioritising tickets.

That way, even members who just can't get hold of a season ticket, but pay through the nose and attend almost as many games are treated as equally and fairly as season ticket holders (*because, lets face it, there is a LOT of gatekeeping in that department).

The current system doesn't cater for this - Though almost certainly in the minority, a fan who has ONLY attended 3 FA cup games gets a trip to Wembley, compared to a Season Ticket holder who has probably attended 19 league games, plus the CL games and skinted themselves, not being able to afford the FA cup games too.

The points system does sound a good idea, especially if it gives people a chance to get away tickets

[artvandelay]

I think the problem, more than anything, is that we didn't know.

The statement that attendance at cup matches may be counted in future allocation criteria was meaningless, because ST holders who've been to those games have always been ahead is ST holders who didn't in terms of choice of seats, but a ST holder would still get one. That 'warning' didn't tell us anything would be different this year.

Similarly, even for members, none of them knew that attendance at those particular games was going to be critical, because in the past it has gone on general attendance.

I'd be happy is next year they went all in with a points system, with some extra points for being a ST holder, but nothing that couldn't be overhauled by a member who was there more often. If we properly know up front what we need to achieve, it's completely different.

Exactly, points system across the board.

Season ticket holders get a slight bump for committing to a season ticket, but ALSO get docked points when reselling/passing tickets on. This rewards fans who attend Villa Park the most, which is the fairest way of prioritising tickets.

That way, even members who just can't get hold of a season ticket, but pay through the nose and attend almost as many games are treated as equally and fairly as season ticket holders (*because, lets face it, there is a LOT of gatekeeping in that department).

The current system doesn't cater for this - Though almost certainly in the minority, a fan who has ONLY attended 3 FA cup games gets a trip to Wembley, compared to a Season Ticket holder who has probably attended 19 league games, plus the CL games and skinted themselves, not being able to afford the FA cup games too.

The points system does sound a good idea, especially if it gives people a chance to get away tickets

We're somewhat an anomaly in not adopting a points system (certainly for away tickets) amongst our peers in the league. Currently our away tickets are a loss leader for the club. However, if attending less popular domestic home cup matches gave you 'points' that had some value in obtaining away tickets, it does two things. 1) makes the home domestic cup games non negotiable for the 'same old faces' at the top of the away ladder and 2) makes those games desirable for those who want to get on the ladder, and cuts out a bit of the virtuous circle in becoming an away fan.

It then has the onwards benefits for situations like this one, where people will be more likely to know where they stand, and cuts out anomalies of people who may have done one too few games in the 'wrong' competition but done multiple in another one.

The obvious downside to the fan is it ultimately means that we have to spend more money, but I think we've long since realised that that's the modern expectation of us.

[DB]

How many members have only attended 3 games though? I’d be willing to venture it’s not many.

Me and my lad, there may be more…

[claret+blue ed]

Has our allocation actually been confirmed, it doesn't say on the website, but I think Forest got 34K

[ozzjim]

I think the tiering has made it very difficult. My lad and I have missed 1 home league game all season when we were on holiday and the Liverpool game was changed, and he's missed 1 cup game due to working, which he couldn't get out of and rightly at 17 in his first job. I can get a ticket most likely. He has no chance with his 2 cup games. So do I leave him at home and just go, or find another way. It's a horrible position, and there's no real winning solution.