Lottery agents’ season tickets scrapped
Port Vale have ended the club’s incentive to lottery ticket agents of a free season ticket and 15 per cent commission if they bring in a £1,000 a year to the club.The decision is expected to affect around 25 lottery agents. The lottery brings in around £20,000 per year which helps the Vale’s youth team’s £160,000 per annum running costs.
Chairman Norman Smurthwaite is looking to revamp the lottery system to include electronic systems and he told the Sentinel: It is an unregulated, cash-only system which I believe is antiquated and is not efficient or effective. I believe we can appeal to fans to join the scheme without the cost.”
It is an unregulated, cash-only system which I believe is antiquated and is not efficient or effective…
One of the affected lottery agents, David Keeling, told the Sentinel: “The agents do a lot of hard work for the club. I have been an agent for seven or eight years and in the past have donated my commission to the club, either to the youth team development or the Vale Volunteers group. That’s hundreds of pounds.
“I am shell-shocked and just don’t understand why this has been done. I can’t afford a season ticket now. The season ticket was one of the reasons I worked as a lottery agent, that and to help the club.”