El Mayormjd2505ThrillhouseThis is quite a sensitive thing.
From the POV of a long term ST holder, who is neither in a good away bracket or in an OSC, I see a massive contradiction here between people wanting this club to grow and some world class gatekeeping.
New supporters should be encouraged, not made to feel intimidated by 2,000 people who consider themselves proper supporters.
I’ve seen people speculating that the tickets were crooked at Rotherham because they ‘didn’t recognise everyone’. As someone who goes to 3 or 4 away games a year, that kind of comment makes me feel anxious about standing with what I would have considered my people.
But at the same time, the plat and gold members have earned that place and the club needs to be as transparent as humanly possible about these things.
The event thing at St Andrews, personally I couldn’t give less of a toss.
I mean that specific person’s messaging is not on, of that there is no question.
Transparency from the club is absolutely key here so that everybody knows the situation and there's no room for this cloak and dagger approach this OSC decided to take.
I go to a few aways a year, whether I can get them myself or buying through someone who's reselling a ticket (and therefore I don't get the 'recognition' for it). The platinum/gold members should be getting at least some of the benefits that the OSC members have. I never feel as though I'm not part of the crowd because I'm not platinum or gold - appreciate that might not be everybody's experience but I can't say it's mine.
You can do both. The OSC is a great way to grow the club, and they do have to incentivise it, but these incentives should be transparent and considered carefully alongside incentives for those who spend hundreds of pounds and sacrifice hours of their time each week to follow blues away. I know it's early days - but the club should be looking at rewarding both.
We're historically happy with the priority for tickets being the reward for away fans. But the more benefits the OSC's get, the more the club should consider doing something for the away following as well. Different fans will value different incentives, not everybody will be happy, but the club should be looking to do more for the away following too. And to note in the clubs favour on that point - the last away I went to was Leicester, and the pub I went into happened to have lots of money put behind the bar by management at the club so we all got free drinks. That is also an incentive and should be recognised.
Our away priority system is I think about as perfect of a solution as you can get. Don't change it blues. And be transparent if you do something that impacts it, like giving tickets to corporate, OSCs, etc.
Think I've gone a bit all over the place with this post. I just want the club to recognise our away following. There's no reason the most loyal away fans not part of an OSC shouldn't have the opportunity to play at St Andrews, if they so wish, for example.
You can both grow the club and give opportunities to newer fans whilst adequately rewarding loyal fans. It is possible - should be a consistent thought in the club's mind.
And to round off - completely agree on the guy who wrote that message.
I think the comms on the game on the pitch have been handled badly, apparently only a couple of members can be nominated and they may not get to play. It’s not like everyone bring your boots.
Pretty sure that's the case as I understand it as well, I was asked if I was interested but told it's only a chance I could play. But the same opportunity should be provided to the loyal away fans, in my opinion.
Even still, comes back to the key point of transparency here. Something I hope the club pick up on, knowing they read stuff online.
EDIT: I don't want to feel guilty for engaging in opportunities the OSC offers because the club haven't been transparent and told all fans what's going on. And if they're not willing to be transparent it's probably because they know they'll get backlash - that's then not a good look at all. Just don't eff it up please blues, there's a chance this could sow a lot of division if they're not careful.
yea i'd almost suggest it didn't need going out wider so far in advance
Le Mod is right too, probably needs some comm's/PR experience/training to run that account.
Most of all, I don’t think it’s massively ideal that the week before our biggest game in 10 years, all we’ve done is sit online arguing about ticket allocations, supporters groups and whether or not it’s okay to be a drink driving apologist.
Blues eh.
ThrillhouseMost of all, I don’t think it’s massively ideal that the week before our biggest game in 10 years, all we’ve done is sit online arguing about ticket allocations, supporters groups and whether or not it’s okay to be a drink driving apologist.
Blues eh.
I think that’s the way life is, can’t expect that much different.
Also social media is hyperbole and it’s not representative of how much most people give a shit about stuff,
El MayorThrillhouseMost of all, I don’t think it’s massively ideal that the week before our biggest game in 10 years, all we’ve done is sit online arguing about ticket allocations, supporters groups and whether or not it’s okay to be a drink driving apologist.
Blues eh.
I think that’s the way life is, can’t expect that much different.
Also social media is hyperbole and it’s not representative of how much most people give a shit about stuff,
Yeah suppose so. I need to stop getting so wound up by Twitter. Sorry, X.
ThrillhouseMost of all, I don’t think it’s massively ideal that the week before our biggest game in 10 years, all we’ve done is sit online arguing about ticket allocations, supporters groups and whether or not it’s okay to be a drink driving apologist.
Blues eh.
Displacement activity - people handling their stress by arguing about other stuff.
ThrillhouseI’ve seen people speculating that the tickets were crooked at Rotherham because they ‘didn’t recognise everyone’. As someone who goes to 3 or 4 away games a year, that kind of comment makes me feel anxious about standing with what I would have considered my people.
There are always loads of people at away games I don't recognise. I do not have a great memory for faces admittedly and don't go on the coaches.
If there are 2,000 at a game I probably wouldn't recognise at least 80% of them.
There are some I know (not many), some I recognise from the Tilton and some who look quite distinctive.
But honestly there are lots of effectively identikit fans - medium height, medium build. Unless you know them or see the same face every game it's very difficult to say how often they go to home or away games.
Changing the away club so that its not just available to STHs but OSC too and giving them priority ahead of general sale seems like the obvious thing to do. Chuck in some free tat from the club shop and maybe subsidised group travel for home games. Seems the right balance to me. Id imagine they'll be thinking of that in close season.
What was the rush in getting these OCSs off the ground anyway? IMO they should have waited until the end of the season and then they could have considered all of these types of things and how they'd be communicated.
And yeah, the messenger seems like a tool.
BeauBarryChanging the away club so that its not just available to STHs but OSC too and giving them priority ahead of general sale seems like the obvious thing to do. Chuck in some free tat from the club shop and maybe subsidised group travel for home games. Seems the right balance to me. Id imagine they'll be thinking of that in close season.
What was the rush in getting these OCSs off the ground anyway? IMO they should have waited until the end of the season and then they could have considered all of these types of things and how they'd be communicated.
And yeah, the messenger seems like a tool.
Yeah the line at which the OSC Members get tickets is the issue, even if they were given 10-20 tickets before the ST Holder threshold I don't think there would be too many complaints - but absolutely none should be given before this point.
The cup thing I'm not sure why there are any complaints, let them crack on.
BeauBarryChanging the away club so that its not just available to STHs but OSC too and giving them priority ahead of general sale seems like the obvious thing to do. Chuck in some free tat from the club shop and maybe subsidised group travel for home games. Seems the right balance to me. Id imagine they'll be thinking of that in close season.
What was the rush in getting these OCSs off the ground anyway? IMO they should have waited until the end of the season and then they could have considered all of these types of things and how they'd be communicated.
And yeah, the messenger seems like a tool.
Yeah the line at which the OSC Members get tickets is the issue, even if they were given 10-20 tickets before the ST Holder threshold I don't think there would be too many complaints - but absolutely none should be given before this point.
The cup thing I'm not sure why there are any complaints, let them crack on.
10-20 tickets for each OSC ??
I do think there's an incentive to get tickets to Blues fans who otherwise wouldn't be able to though. I only think about 5 tickets MAX for sold out aways. I know for a fact after going to some away games I'm then more likely to go to home games immediately after, I recatch the bug. We don't sell out home games generally, we need to engage the fans we have across the country.
It makes sense strategically, we have customers in affluent parts of the country who we want to coax into regularly spending more money.
El MayorThrillhouseThis is quite a sensitive thing.
From the POV of a long term ST holder, who is neither in a good away bracket or in an OSC, I see a massive contradiction here between people wanting this club to grow and some world class gatekeeping.
New supporters should be encouraged, not made to feel intimidated by 2,000 people who consider themselves proper supporters.
I’ve seen people speculating that the tickets were crooked at Rotherham because they ‘didn’t recognise everyone’. As someone who goes to 3 or 4 away games a year, that kind of comment makes me feel anxious about standing with what I would have considered my people.
But at the same time, the plat and gold members have earned that place and the club needs to be as transparent as humanly possible about these things.
The event thing at St Andrews, personally I couldn’t give less of a toss.
I mean that specific person’s messaging is not on, of that there is no question.
I agree with this.
Only thing I’d add is that WhatsApp message has no context; who it’s from, which group its in and no verification of its veracity.
That’s my first thought. It may be a legit message but it reads like something I’d type if I was intentionally trying to wind people up.
RagsNo, only “local” OSC’s.BeauBarryChanging the away club so that its not just available to STHs but OSC too and giving them priority ahead of general sale seems like the obvious thing to do. Chuck in some free tat from the club shop and maybe subsidised group travel for home games. Seems the right balance to me. Id imagine they'll be thinking of that in close season.
What was the rush in getting these OCSs off the ground anyway? IMO they should have waited until the end of the season and then they could have considered all of these types of things and how they'd be communicated.
And yeah, the messenger seems like a tool.
Yeah the line at which the OSC Members get tickets is the issue, even if they were given 10-20 tickets before the ST Holder threshold I don't think there would be too many complaints - but absolutely none should be given before this point.
The cup thing I'm not sure why there are any complaints, let them crack on.
10-20 tickets for each OSC ??
RagsBeauBarryChanging the away club so that its not just available to STHs but OSC too and giving them priority ahead of general sale seems like the obvious thing to do. Chuck in some free tat from the club shop and maybe subsidised group travel for home games. Seems the right balance to me. Id imagine they'll be thinking of that in close season.
What was the rush in getting these OCSs off the ground anyway? IMO they should have waited until the end of the season and then they could have considered all of these types of things and how they'd be communicated.
And yeah, the messenger seems like a tool.
Yeah the line at which the OSC Members get tickets is the issue, even if they were given 10-20 tickets before the ST Holder threshold I don't think there would be too many complaints - but absolutely none should be given before this point.
The cup thing I'm not sure why there are any complaints, let them crack on.
10-20 tickets for each OSC ??
No way - to the local OSC(s) to each specific game only, which was my understanding of the thing when it was first announced.
Perhaps they could release a plan once the new seasons fixtures are released to show which OSC’s are eligible for each fixture relevant to location for the avoidance of doubt.
Le ModMad, Mad Dave and Thongs should be in chargeSomeone from the club should be running that account rather than a fan, I get why a fan is running it but it's an official account and this will be quite a common issue I think