Match Thread - FAC1 Port Vale v Sunderland

[Rampant Zebra]

Thing is, we want people to watch the game, we should try as hard as possible to take their money off them in as easy a way for them as possible rather than creating artificial barriers and then blaming the customer. I went to a local butcher once and tried to buy some sausages for under £10 using a contactless card but they wouldn't let me. I quite regularly have a laugh about this with another local butcher when I buy things from him, he will take any form of payment as long as he is selling something. I have even exchanged bags of change with him for bigger denomination coins and notes, saves him going to the bank for change he says. It says "nothing is too much trouble" on a banner in the shop. He is running a successful business....

[PV1993]

Thing is, we want people to watch the game, we should try as hard as possible to take their money off them in as easy a way for them as possible rather than creating artificial barriers and then blaming the customer. I went to a local butcher once and tried to buy some sausages for under £10 using a contactless card but they wouldn't let me. I quite regularly have a laugh about this with another local butcher when I buy things from him, he will take any form of payment as long as he is selling something. I have even exchanged bags of change with him for bigger denomination coins and notes, saves him going to the bank for change he says. It says "nothing is too much trouble" on a banner in the shop. He is running a successful business....

 

Exactly. People don't want to queue.

 

If the ticket prices were round value - i.e. normal price £20 - People could easily pay on the gate. Have one turnstile for paying customers and one for pre-bought tickets/season tickets on each side of the ground. And as for contactless, it would actually be quite simple to man each operator with a card device.

 

With this being a £15 game, I feel this could have been tested. People know that there's probably going to be a queue so why bother? We should be doing everything we possibly can to get money and get people through the gates.

[smithie]

We should be doing everything we possibly can to get money and get people through the gates.

 

You'd sort of hope that's the starting point of working at PVFC. I honestly think your words have never been uttered within the club by anyone.

[philmpv]

Exactly. People don't want to queue.

 

If the ticket prices were round value - i.e. normal price £20 - People could easily pay on the gate. Have one turnstile for paying customers and one for pre-bought tickets/season tickets on each side of the ground. And as for contactless, it would actually be quite simple to man each operator with a card device.

 

With this being a £15 game, I feel this could have been tested. People know that there's probably going to be a queue so why bother? We should be doing everything we possibly can to get money and get people through the gates.

 

We offer pay on the day, purchase in advance and pay online. If cash on the turstile was available, the same people who live to run the Club down would moan if they had to wait whilst the people in front of them didn't have their exact money ready. You would also have people who didn't have the exact money, and needed change, etc. The game's on a Sunday. Most people who will be going will be off work on the Saturday, so why not simply pop by and get your ticket then, when there'll be no queue?

 

Things like this really annoy me. If anybody is turned off going to the game by having to queue for a few minutes and not wanting to buy online beforehand or getting their ticket earlier, I would strongly suggest that, short of a seat in the centre of the pitch into which they were winched into place by a helicopter (ticket delivered personally of course), such people really do not want to go to the game.

[smithie]

We offer pay on the day, purchase in advance and pay online. If cash on the turstile was available, the same people who live to run the Club down would moan if they had to wait whilst the people in front of them didn't have their exact money ready. You would also have people who didn't have the exact money, and needed change, etc. The game's on a Sunday. Most people who will be going will be off work on the Saturday, so why not simply pop by and get your ticket then, when there'll be no queue?

 

Things like this really annoy me. If anybody is turned off going to the game by having to queue for a few minutes and not wanting to buy online beforehand or getting their ticket earlier, I would strongly suggest that, short of a seat in the centre of the pitch into which they were winched into place by a helicopter (ticket delivered personally of course), such people really do not want to go to the game.

 

Sorry but that's outdated thinking. There are so many more options for people to spend their money on these days that nearly all businesses have to work harder to get people to part with it.

 

This is especially the case with this Sunday's fixture being on TV. What have we done to convince people that being there would be so much better than watching on a screen - NOTHING. What have we done to build a buzz around the occasion - NOTHING. It's been a depressingly, predictably poor effort yet again.

 

Look around the ground next time you're there. No sponsors on the home or away stands, empty boxes galore, a broken PA system and a broken clock.

 

What exactly is the point of a marketing department if not to market the club's games, facilities and commercial opportunities?

[Danish Valiant]

This problem is peoples own fault!

When people buy a ticket in advance, they think they can turn up 5 to 3 and walk right in. So when 2000 people thinks that, guess what's going to happen?

And then people have the audacity, to moan about the club being unprofessional, not having enough turnstiles open etc.

Having bought a ticket, you gain entrance to the game. It doesn't make you a VVVVVIP, so you can just turn up whenever you like and expect to walk right in, red carpet treatment and all.

If people would just turn up between 2 and 2:30, the que would flow a lot easier! And then even if you have to que for say 10 minutes, you would still be in your seat, with plenty of time until kick off. And if you turn up 15 minutes before the match starts: expect to que! Don't moan and get angry, as it's your own fault!

 

In my view, the old style turnstiles actually slows the process down, as most normal size people, have to be a contortionist to get through.

Open up the access area, to make it flow quicker!

At my local club Brondby, they don't have more entry points than at Vale Park. But yet, they have at least 15.000 people in every match, and I have never had to que for more than 5 minutes. Even when it's sold out (30.000).

 

Here is how they've done it. That is the entrance to the hardcore singing stand, where 4-5000 people stand every match. So what equals the entire Vale crowd, is let in through that gate alone!

 

Not everything is the clubs fault you know...

[Phil]

Vale are asking you to buy tickets early to avoid queues and paying more on the day.

You know what will happen, those without tickets will hit pubs early, the pre match stuff will come on TV and rather than buy a ticket, the beer will just flow.

 

The TV only starts at 2.15,so not a lot of pre match stuff before kick off!

[Jacko51]

 

What exactly is the point of a marketing department if not to market the club's games, facilities and commercial opportunities?

 

I believe we have sold 16 new advertising boards round the ground for this game and got a new back of the shirt sponsor. So I don’t think they’ve been doing nothing.

[tommytunstall]

Can you not change the record!!!

?

 

I don't happen to think selling more than 1500 home tickets is an achievement.

[Port Vale Paul]

We offer pay on the day, purchase in advance and pay online. If cash on the turstile was available, the same people who live to run the Club down would moan if they had to wait whilst the people in front of them didn't have their exact money ready. You would also have people who didn't have the exact money, and needed change, etc. The game's on a Sunday. Most people who will be going will be off work on the Saturday, so why not simply pop by and get your ticket then, when there'll be no queue?

 

Things like this really annoy me. If anybody is turned off going to the game by having to queue for a few minutes and not wanting to buy online beforehand or getting their ticket earlier, I would strongly suggest that, short of a seat in the centre of the pitch into which they were winched into place by a helicopter (ticket delivered personally of course), such people really do not want to go to the game.

They would moan if it was free.

[cpade]

Sunderland now able to pay on the day

[paulvaliant]

I believe we have sold 16 new advertising boards round the ground for this game and got a new back of the shirt sponsor. So I don’t think they’ve been doing nothing.

 

I wonder if we will have any sh11t Bet365 advertising along the paddock?

[smithie]

They would moan if it was free.

 

No, some of us expect better from a professional football club.

[Port Vale Paul]

No, some of us expect better from a professional football club.

To tell you the truth Smithie all I'm bothered about is I will be there and that's all that matters.

[smithie]

To tell you the truth Smithie all I'm bothered about is I will be there and that's all that matters.

 

Me too. Up the Vale!