An aside to the new ground post

[Guest Kev]

I believe we could fill a 70,000 seater stadium on a regular basis if our ticket office got it's act in gear.

 

There is no foresight and the only way the club seem to be able to sell tickets is what brings them the most money in.

[Guest Cardie]

I reckon 15 pages of OOT'er V Scousers and then it get's closed down.

[Flasher]

I think that's right too. I've no doubt that more locals would go, but also, speaking as an OOTER, i'd agree even more.

 

I'd love to make the long trip to the ground to watch them play regularly, but I don't even try these days, as there's just no way of successfully and consistently getting tickets, particularly with our ticket office.

 

Should they get it right, I'm sure a BIG increase in capacity would increase my chances of success, therefore change my mindset and make me persist.

[Armin_Tamzarian]

I believe we could fill a 70,000 seater stadium on a regular basis if our ticket office got it's act in gear.

 

There is no foresight and the only way the club seem to be able to sell tickets is what brings them the most money in.

 

What do you base this belief on Kev? Even if we could fill it could we afford it? Parry said that the cost of building a 70,000 seat stadium was almost double that of a 60,000. Does potentially getting another 10,000 in the ground justify saddling ourselves with double the costs?

[jon_hall]

Not if you partner with a financial company like Barca have. Also top-up phone card technology is generic so it could easily accomodate what Kev is on about

 

Aye they use La Caixa. We could use a financial company based in Liverpool with brances round the country. After all Alliance & Leicester run the old girobank.

[Guest old-scallywag]

After all Alliance & Leicester run the old girobank.

into the ground

[Will]

Unfortunately for all this nice debate, we would not get planning permission for a 70,000 seater in Anfield

[Guest old-scallywag]

Unfortunately for all this nice debate, we would not get planning permission for a 70,000 seater in Anfield

Perhaps not. But there has to be a better way of selling tickets for the 61000 one we are building than hanging on a National rate phone line for hours.

[Guz]

We will sell out for games on a weekend. Whether we could get 70k easily for midweek games, especially league and fa cup, depends heavily on ticket prices.

[MikeD]

Perhaps not. But there has to be a better way of selling tickets for the 61000 one we are building than hanging on a National rate phone line for hours.

 

Outsource to a call-centre ticket agency, each ticket purchaser must have a fancard, or be signed up for a free fancard at point of sale. as access will be fancard only.

 

Use a Ticket re-seller like viagogo (Mancs and chelsea just signed up) and you will have full houses for the majority of games.

 

I doubt they'll ever go back to pay on the gate for the new stadium.

[monkey puzzle]

This having a credit on your fancard and swiping it when you go in idea, how do you know where to sit or is it like easyjet?

[Gerry]

This having a credit on your fancard and swiping it when you go in idea, how do you know where to sit or is it like easyjet?

 

A good point. Current systems based on Fortress GB (a card entry system widely used by football clubs) usually work by selling a season ticket on your card (rather than individual games) and printing your 'permanent' seats onto the card itself. They normally let you do things like change seats for particular games and whatnot, but I can't say I'm sure how they deal with the fact you'd be sitting in different seats. Most likely they'd simply cancel the season ticket game on your card and print out a ticket for your new seats.

 

Selling individual games onto such cards would need something that allows you to check where you're seating and what turnstyle to use. I guess they could just print out a receipt for you when you buy your tickets, and if you forget you could have the card "checked" when you get to the stadium.

[MikeD]

A good point. Current systems based on Fortress GB (a card entry system widely used by football clubs) usually work by selling a season ticket on your card (rather than individual games) and printing your 'permanent' seats onto the card itself. They normally let you do things like change seats for particular games and whatnot, but I can't say I'm sure how they deal with the fact you'd be sitting in different seats. Most likely they'd simply cancel the season ticket game on your card and print out a ticket for your new seats.

 

Selling individual games onto such cards would need something that allows you to check where you're seating and what turnstyle to use. I guess they could just print out a receipt for you when you buy your tickets, and if you forget you could have the card "checked" when you get to the stadium.

 

A terminal at the ground or each steward could have a handheld device that checks the fancard for confirming/checking seat allocations.

 

This will help out if someone is sat in your seat.

[Gerry]

A terminal at the ground or each steward could have a handheld device that checks the fancard for confirming/checking seat allocations.

 

This will help out if someone is sat in your seat.

 

That's indeed what they tend to do. Trouble is you (potentially) need a lot of stewards. I guess they could have automated machines punters can use to scan their card themselves. Would probably work OK.

[fyds]

I believe we could fill a 70,000 seater stadium on a regular basis if our ticket office got it's act in gear.

 

There is no foresight and the only way the club seem to be able to sell tickets is what brings them the most money in.

It's going to be a whole new system both in terms of style and substance Kev, in a bespoke ticket office rather than a glorified cupboard/ bunker as of late. I've heard the system is the same used by, and layout will be very similar to that of the Amsterdam Arena if you've ever been there. I hope that's true as it would be a mega-leap in the right direction.

 

I think Rushian said a while back that there was a whole overhaul of policy and strategy underway based on the capabilities of the new stadium.

 

I guess they could have automated machines punters can use to scan their card themselves. Would probably work OK.

Broadly used on the continent. The Gelredome at Arnhem has a very slick system on those lines.

Edited September 5, 2006 by fyds

[Guest old-scallywag]

LFC use FortressGB. Their system is RFID so the club could actually know who is sitting where. Theres an article on their site where they describe how they helped West Ham stop persistant standing through using their system. Man City are going to trial an entry system using a new type of Nokia mobile phone.

Big Brother is going to be watching

[Guest Kev]

This having a credit on your fancard and swiping it when you go in idea, how do you know where to sit or is it like easyjet?

 

No you get a receipt at the point of purchase with your seat number on it.

[growler]

personally, I think a 60k is perfect. we'll have a capacity more often than not. Imagine a 70k, which for most games is NOT capacity. yes, we'll sell out for Manu, neverton etc, but what about watford, on a wednesday evening?

 

Also, we will have a spike in demand for the new stadium, as people want to see it, much like the the emirates, but once the novelty wears off, we want to ensure we continue to fill it.

 

I prefer we have a 60k, fill it, build the atmosphere, and fear of the KOP etc, and then if we need to, expand it later.

[Guest Kev]

personally, I think a 60k is perfect. we'll have a capacity more often than not. Imagine a 70k, which for most games is NOT capacity. yes, we'll sell out for Manu, neverton etc, but what about watford, on a wednesday evening?

 

Also, we will have a spike in demand for the new stadium, as people want to see it, much like the the emirates, but once the novelty wears off, we want to ensure we continue to fill it.

 

I prefer we have a 60k, fill it, build the atmosphere, and fear of the KOP etc, and then if we need to, expand it later.

 

Would the atmosphere in the new ground be better than Anfield now ? Majority of games you could fall asleep at Anfield these days and the away fans outsing The Kop with embarrassing regularity.

[Buzz]

Liking the fan card/ticket system Kev, nice idea, but I fear if we build a huge stadium we will lose the Anfield 12th man roar that has served us so well in the past when we needed it most.

As i've said before, its not that hard to design a way of channeling the noise to the pitch, like wise, the away fans area could be design to do the opposite.

[Guest Kev]

Liking the fan card/ticket system Kev, nice idea, but I fear if we build a huge stadium we will lose the Anfield 12th man roar that has served us so well in the past when we needed it most.

As i've said before, its not that hard to design a way of channeling the noise to the pitch, like wise, the away fans area could be design to do the opposite.

 

See my post above Buzz, the atmosphere at Anfield is s*** these days, no songs for new players, no quick wit like there used to be. People in the Kop seem more concerned about taking photos of themselves and phoning their mates to tell them where they are.

[Buzz]

See my post above Buzz, the atmosphere at Anfield is s*** these days, no songs for new players, no quick wit like there used to be. People in the Kop seem more concerned about taking photos of themselves and phoning their mates to tell them where they are.

Yeah agreed, which is why I said about in the past when we needed it most. It's strange that now we are starting to look like serious challengers again (touch wood ) you would have thought there would be more noise in apreciation of the football we watch. Often, as you say, its really quiet, as if people sit there and say, right, entertain us and score loades and have a go at certain players for no real reason. It is strange that there are no new player songs, especially as so far this season they have looked good and helped us to another level, hopefully it will be because its the start of the season which has already been interupted up with bloody internationals before it can get into full swing.

Do Barca use this fancard system then or is it an idea of your own?. I like it more the more I think about it.

[Guest Kev]

Yeah agreed, which is why I said about in the past when we needed it most. It's strange that now we are starting to look like serious challengers again (touch wood ) you would have thought there would be more noise in apreciation of the football we watch. Often, as you say, its really quiet, as if people sit there and say, right, entertain us and score loades and have a go at certain players for no real reason. It is strange that there are no new player songs, especially as so far this season they have looked good and helped us to another level, hopefully it will be because its the start of the season which has already been interupted up with bloody internationals before it can get into full swing.

Do Barca use this fancard system then or is it an idea of your own?. I like it more the more I think about it.

 

A lot of European teams have many ways of selling tickets, in Germany they use text messages to your mobile phone, the club send you a barcode which is then read at a scanner on the turnstile. England as a whole is way behind the rest of Europe when it comes to using technology available.

 

As I've said early in this thread, all I've ever really wanted was tickets to go on sale at the ticket office the same time as the phone lines and internet to give those people who have not got access to a phone or the net the chance to buy tickets. The ticket office could also stay open a couple of nights a week until 8pm to give others who work a chance.

[Ed the Wool]

Who is the 'ideas man' at our club? There's very little been done over the last 10 years in terms of marketing, ticket sales etc. We need someone who is a fan, and has a proven track record for being creative in this kind of area.

 

The Krafts would have been perfect, the septics are way better at that kind of thing. While its 'commercial', its actually really useful to the average fan, and brings more revenue for the club.

 

Totally agree with you Kev, it needs sorting, its a bit of a 70's shambles to be honest.

[Buzz]

A lot of European teams have many ways of selling tickets, in Germany they use text messages to your mobile phone, the club send you a barcode which is then read at a scanner on the turnstile. England as a whole is way behind the rest of Europe when it comes to using technology available.

As I've said early in this thread, all I've ever really wanted was tickets to go on sale at the ticket office the same time as the phone lines and internet to give those people who have not got access to a phone or the net the chance to buy tickets. The ticket office could also stay open a couple of nights a week until 8pm to give others who work a chance.

Thanks for that Kev, never knew about the rest of Europe as you mention above, though some Greek friends have mentioned local shops selling footie tickets where they live for there local team so you don't have to go to the stadium and queue.

The club should seriously look into this, great idea.