Email from Jon Varney re Away Fans in Home Areas

[sonofabee]

Good post. I should ask though that if you “don’t pin this on JV at all” who would you pin it on please?

He hadn’t told the stewards to behave like Belmarsh screws and he may have been unaware that until recently away fans behaving like complete knobs

 

[Kingston Bee]

Though that was at home. If he does the same at Anfield we might have a benchmark for what we can’t really complain too hard about away fans doing in equivalent areas of BCS.

He will be sitting in a seat designated for him though, he won't be in the middle of the home support. Not the same I am afraid.

 

[rebus]

The posh seats are one issue but not the only one. I had 3 villa fans sat round me discussing the merits of thier players mid game. Plenty of ooh's and aah's too. Not at the top of their lungs but loud enough to be annoying. The two seats behind and to the right must be going to members as its different people every week sometimes home fans sometimes away. I'm not sure what they can do to stop it, apart from selling the seats to STH.

Best to note the seat numbers and pass it to the club if away fans are attending.

 

[Oceanbee]

I don’t want to rock the boat and go against the grain but will by saying first and foremost I know John Varney to be a staunch Bees fan as well as a well respected commercial Leader in sporting events.
He’s got a job to do and to maximise revenue off the pitch while creating a great experience for us the customers.
By and large that has been achieved with LR almost full every game at a time when many are still worried about contracting Covid that may explain empty season ticket holders seats at some home games.
The atmosphere in the ground and the ambience and craic in the Dug out bar is second to none and I personally love it.

What needs to improve is that the loyal customer needs to come first and that means better trained staff serving food and drink that I trust will come with experience assuming they learn on the job and stay. More importantly it needs a reminder to the more officious stewards that they are at football, a place where working class people used to go to enjoy their leisure time and support their team.
This year the Head Coach has on numerous occasions issued statements or mentioned in press junkets the need to create an intimidating atmosphere for the opposition by making our ground a place other teams don’t enjoy playing at.
He can be found most home games at some stage on the touchline turning to the South stand behind him and raising his arms and encouraging fans to get on their feet and vent their spleen at incorrect or unfair decisions to influence the ref that other crowds do.
The stewards don’t seem to be aligned or briefed in as all they want to do in the South stand is make notes and look daggers at anyone who doesn’t remain rooted in their seat or dares to yell anything remotely uncomplimentary towards the ref, oppo manager or diving, whinging, floppy haired internationals playing for the the other side.
Furthermore, long term Bees who have treated themselves to the expensive Dug Out upper seats after 50+ years of standing in various parts of GP and travelling week in and week out to outposts like Southport, Workington and Barrow now find themselves sat in front of oppo fans most home games who don’t seem to have read the rules and are noisy and obnoxious in an area they shouldn’t even have access to.

I don’t pin this on JV at all but he has to make sure that it is addressed.

Rant over COYBs, Surrey Elite are off to Liverpool in 30 minutes.

Agree with this, as it is a good summary.

I just don’t want my football experience to be over sanitised.
In the South Stand there are some stewards who patrol up and down, and if you stand up for a moment shouting some “advice” to the referee or an opposition player, they stare at you as if you had just committed a heinous crime!

Advice to Jon Varney - enjoy the fact that Bees fans are very passionate, that the BCS has a great noisy atmosphere created by these fans, and unless one of them is really doing something totally unacceptable and illegal, don’t monitor them as if they are naughty children on a day out who can’t be trusted!

 

[aslan]

I’ve only been to the South Stand once as I’m an STH in the North but the one game I did watch there, I became aware of ‘Mr Coffee’ so wasn’t surprised to see the complaint on Twitter about him but sounds like he’s a regular offender.

Regular offender means he just supports whoever we're playing? Surely doing that more than once is grounds to say thanks for the money but we're taking your ticket back

 

[sonofabee]

Agree with this, as it is a good summary.

I just don’t want my football experience to be over sanitised.
In the South Stand there are some stewards who patrol up and down, and if you stand up for a moment shouting some “advice” to the referee or an opposition player, they stare at you as if you had just committed a heinous crime!

Advice to Jon Varney - enjoy the fact that Bees fans are very passionate, that the BCS has a great noisy atmosphere created by these fans, and unless one of them is really doing something totally unacceptable and illegal, don’t monitor them as if they are naughty children on a day out who can’t be trusted!

Spot on

 

[horshambees]

I don’t want to rock the boat and go against the grain but will by saying first and foremost I know John Varney to be a staunch Bees fan as well as a well respected commercial Leader in sporting events.
He’s got a job to do and to maximise revenue off the pitch while creating a great experience for us the customers.
By and large that has been achieved with LR almost full every game at a time when many are still worried about contracting Covid that may explain empty season ticket holders seats at some home games.
The atmosphere in the ground and the ambience and craic in the Dug out bar is second to none and I personally love it.

What needs to improve is that the loyal customer needs to come first and that means better trained staff serving food and drink that I trust will come with experience assuming they learn on the job and stay. More importantly it needs a reminder to the more officious stewards that they are at football, a place where working class people used to go to enjoy their leisure time and support their team.
This year the Head Coach has on numerous occasions issued statements or mentioned in press junkets the need to create an intimidating atmosphere for the opposition by making our ground a place other teams don’t enjoy playing at.
He can be found most home games at some stage on the touchline turning to the South stand behind him and raising his arms and encouraging fans to get on their feet and vent their spleen at incorrect or unfair decisions to influence the ref that other crowds do.
The stewards don’t seem to be aligned or briefed in as all they want to do in the South stand is make notes and look daggers at anyone who doesn’t remain rooted in their seat or dares to yell anything remotely uncomplimentary towards the ref, oppo manager or diving, whinging, floppy haired internationals playing for the the other side.
Furthermore, long term Bees who have treated themselves to the expensive Dug Out upper seats after 50+ years of standing in various parts of GP and travelling week in and week out to outposts like Southport, Workington and Barrow now find themselves sat in front of oppo fans most home games who don’t seem to have read the rules and are noisy and obnoxious in an area they shouldn’t even have access to.

I don’t pin this on JV at all but he has to make sure that it is addressed.

Rant over COYBs, Surrey Elite are off to Liverpool in 30 minutes.

I don't doubt Jon Varneys allegiance to BFC as a supporter and his credentials in his field as a Commercial leader in Sporting events and I never have.
My problem here is bridging that gap between his position within the club and being a fan and friend of the fan because that is how he could be viewed.
He will have an opinion or an idea or a motive, but if those he answers too have an agenda then JV has to do as he is instructed which puts him in an uncomfortable position such as this particular email.
It cannot be easy working for the club in such a high profile position such as JVs and being a fan when you have to make an unpopular decision, but obviously highly rewarding when making a popular one.
We all know what we can and can't do regarding our season tickets and let's face it Voice got it right with regards to away fans in the North Stand and I will echo that for the South Stand.
It seems the main problem is in the seats way above us and if that is the case then direct the emails up there and not down our end where we seem to be abiding by the behavioural standards.
We can all see that it was an accident waiting to happen by selling what you can to anyone who wants what you have and let's wait till we play Leeds who are experts at mixing in with home supporters.
They need to look very close to home here and not outside in the street.

Obviously if you get through the season without being thrown out then you have done very well my friend.
Have a good weekend mate.

 

[sonofabee]

I don't doubt Jon Varneys allegiance to BFC as a supporter and his credentials in his field as a Commercial leader in Sporting events and I never have.
My problem here is bridging that gap between his position within the club and being a fan and friend of the fan because that is how he could be viewed.
He will have an opinion or an idea or a motive, but if those he answers too have an agenda then JV has to do as he is instructed which puts him in an uncomfortable position such as this particular email.
It cannot be easy working for the club in such a high profile position such as JVs and being a fan when you have to make an unpopular decision, but obviously highly rewarding when making a popular one.
We all know what we can and can't do regarding our season tickets and let's face it Voice got it right with regards to away fans in the North Stand and I will echo that for the South Stand.
It seems the main problem is in the seats way above us and if that is the case then direct the emails up there and not down our end where we seem to be abiding by the behavioural standards.
We can all see that it was an accident waiting to happen by selling what you can to anyone who wants what you have and let's wait till we play Leeds who are experts at mixing in with home supporters.
They need to look very close to home here and not outside in the street.

Obviously if you get through the season without being thrown out then you have done very well my friend.
Have a good weekend mate.

M, it feels like it’s getting better where we are, I suspect because the stewards realise that shouting or pushing any of our little crowds might result in mayhem.
At least we don’t have away supporters in with us unlike the chaps above us who have paid a lot more.

 

[nocoat]

At least we don’t have moist away supporters in with us

 

[Hippobee]

I really can't see any long-term solution to this, other than the stadium becomes 100% season tickets only in the home area.

Of course, any away supporters who have used a membership (or borrowed a ST) need to have the seat number reported, so either their membership is cancelled or the ST holder has their ST revoked.

However, when I learned there were 40,000 members the other day, that is a never-ending problem. There will always be someone to replace the member who's just been kicked out. How do you determine whether someone applying for membership is a BFC supporter or not? If you go by previous ticket purchasing history, that can work, but it means you will never attract new fans, which is what BFC are trying to do. You can't go by home address, as that means nothing. The other solution is to double the membership costs to put off 'one-off' attenders, but you are then penalising genuine BFC fans, who won't pay that, unless they are going to attend 10-15 of the home games.

It does mean that those BFC fans who perhaps occasionally used to go, say 3 or 4 times each season are far less likely to be able to attend now, as I'm not sure they'd pay for a membership.

 

[sonofabee]

 

[JCMcBee]

I really can't see any long-term solution to this, other than the stadium becomes 100% season tickets only in the home area.

Of course, any away supporters who have used a membership (or borrowed a ST) need to have the seat number reported, so either their membership is cancelled or the ST holder has their ST revoked.

However, when I learned there were 40,000 members the other day, that is a never-ending problem. There will always be someone to replace the member who's just been kicked out. How do you determine whether someone applying for membership is a BFC supporter or not? If you go by previous ticket purchasing history, that can work, but it means you will never attract new fans, which is what BFC are trying to do. You can't go by home address, as that means nothing. The other solution is to double the membership costs to put off 'one-off' attenders, but you are then penalising genuine BFC fans, who won't pay that, unless they are going to attend 10-15 of the home games.

It does mean that those BFC fans who perhaps occasionally used to go, say 3 or 4 times each season are far less likely to be able to attend now, as I'm not sure they'd pay for a membership.

..... putting my membership up to £80.....and me paying £35/£40 for 20 odd games a season.......when I'm surrounded by aways in several games per season in the East......that makes me a lucky boy then I guess eh......some on here need to grow a pair.

 

['Ayes B]

I really can't see any long-term solution to this, other than the stadium becomes 100% season tickets only in the home area.

Of course, any away supporters who have used a membership (or borrowed a ST) need to have the seat number reported, so either their membership is cancelled or the ST holder has their ST revoked.

However, when I learned there were 40,000 members the other day, that is a never-ending problem. There will always be someone to replace the member who's just been kicked out. How do you determine whether someone applying for membership is a BFC supporter or not? If you go by previous ticket purchasing history, that can work, but it means you will never attract new fans, which is what BFC are trying to do. You can't go by home address, as that means nothing. The other solution is to double the membership costs to put off 'one-off' attenders, but you are then penalising genuine BFC fans, who won't pay that, unless they are going to attend 10-15 of the home games.

It does mean that those BFC fans who perhaps occasionally used to go, say 3 or 4 times each season are far less likely to be able to attend now, as I'm not sure they'd pay for a membership.

40,000 members is ridiculous.

To think they have all paid £40 membership fee.

If only 2000 members per game... Thats an average of 2 games per season... At £40 a pop... Thats £60 per game.

Maybe be if a member with low taps only watched Arsenal at home this season then he should be barred from that fixture next season etc...

I dont know how our kids are going to follow on in our footsteps.

If away fans are in home seats, the ST must be withdrawn... The simple FACT is that the ST is obviously NOT a fan... and we need ALL of the seats that we have members with TAPS who want to become ST holders and our OWN offspring (who imho should use their parental taps until they are 18 whilst they build up their own).

 

['Ayes B]

..... putting my membership up to £80.....and me paying £35/£40 for 20 odd games a season.......when I'm surrounded by aways in several games per season in the East......that makes me a lucky boy then I guess eh......some on here need to grow a pair.

If your doing that many games then tge club have a DUTY to givevyou first dibs of any new or reclaimed STs

 

[Hippobee]

40,000 members is ridiculous.

To think they have all paid £40 membership fee.

If only 2000 members per game... Thats an average of 2 games per season... At £40 a pop... Thats £60 per game.

I agree. That's why I can't attend league games any more. I used to go anywhere between 2-5 times each season. I could pay £40 membership to continue to do this, but I won't pay what will work out at £50-£60 for each game plus travel.

I accept this, as that was always going to be the case with a 17K stadium. Don't like it, though. League cup only for the time being!

 

[JCMcBee]

If your doing that many games then tge club have a DUTY to givevyou first dibs of any new or reclaimed STs

.....BFC have my ticket history....hope they consider your suggestion.

 

[aslan]

If your doing that many games then tge club have a DUTY to givevyou first dibs of any new or reclaimed STs

Here's hoping the club agree. Doubt there's a huge amount of us.

 

['Ayes B]

Here's hoping the club agree. Doubt there's a huge amount of us.

If you are not a member of BIAS then you should be... Its free to join. Join BIAS

BIAS have done so much good in the past and the more members they have the stronger thier voice.

Write to John Varney... Suggest the requirement to him and cc your email to BIAS so that they can consider making it their policy and lobby on your behalf.

 

[Ashford Bees]

Surprised it hasnt kicked off.

it wont kick off because any bees fan making a stand will get banned whilst the club will tickle the belly of any away fan caught in home areas. Most clubs will stand by their fans over any incursion by away supporters….not Brentford. Would never have been the case in the old days in the paddock at griffin park.

 

['Ayes B]

I agree. That's why I can't attend league games any more. I used to go anywhere between 2-5 times each season. I could pay £40 membership to continue to do this, but I won't pay what will work out at £50-£60 for each game plus travel.

I accept this, as that was always going to be the case with a 17K stadium. Don't like it, though. League cup only for the time being!

@BIAS maybe members who attend (i.e use their tickets) for friendlies and cup games should be given a priority for access for league game tickets.

The club could email these members (after attendance) with a code that they could entre into the ticketing system to redeem for an upcoming match.

 

[kaebess]

Exactly. The club needs to shoulder a big % of the blame for this.

Surprised it hasnt kicked off.

They sell all these lounge tickets to "partners" and "sponsors" then moan at the fans for letting in away's. Pretty poor all round.

Its a good thing we dont have loads of fans crying out for ST's.

Kicked off ?

Having been up there a couple of times, I would suggest two things.

the fans try to think of the club name and expect the club to sort

secondly but more important we are worried about getting blamed and banned for life. Sitting close to someone taking the piss out of your club in your own stadium, not so easy to sit on your hands.

Could not be more annoyed. The club are allowing these people to mix, then expect no response. But they want the passion from us to make lots of noise.

as many have said, needs sorting and quickly.

 

[rebus]

I don’t want to rock the boat and go against the grain but will by saying first and foremost I know John Varney to be a staunch Bees fan as well as a well respected commercial Leader in sporting events.
He’s got a job to do and to maximise revenue off the pitch while creating a great experience for us the customers.
By and large that has been achieved with LR almost full every game at a time when many are still worried about contracting Covid that may explain empty season ticket holders seats at some home games.
The atmosphere in the ground and the ambience and craic in the Dug out bar is second to none and I personally love it.

What needs to improve is that the loyal customer needs to come first and that means better trained staff serving food and drink that I trust will come with experience assuming they learn on the job and stay. More importantly it needs a reminder to the more officious stewards that they are at football, a place where working class people used to go to enjoy their leisure time and support their team.
This year the Head Coach has on numerous occasions issued statements or mentioned in press junkets the need to create an intimidating atmosphere for the opposition by making our ground a place other teams don’t enjoy playing at.
He can be found most home games at some stage on the touchline turning to the South stand behind him and raising his arms and encouraging fans to get on their feet and vent their spleen at incorrect or unfair decisions to influence the ref that other crowds do.
The stewards don’t seem to be aligned or briefed in as all they want to do in the South stand is make notes and look daggers at anyone who doesn’t remain rooted in their seat or dares to yell anything remotely uncomplimentary towards the ref, oppo manager or diving, whinging, floppy haired internationals playing for the the other side.
Furthermore, long term Bees who have treated themselves to the expensive Dug Out upper seats after 50+ years of standing in various parts of GP and travelling week in and week out to outposts like Southport, Workington and Barrow now find themselves sat in front of oppo fans most home games who don’t seem to have read the rules and are noisy and obnoxious in an area they shouldn’t even have access to.

I don’t pin this on JV at all but he has to make sure that it is addressed.

Rant over COYBs, Surrey Elite are off to Liverpool in 30 minutes.

Three years in the job this March, mate. Can’t wait for ever. I don’t care about him encouraging people to sing at matches. I want a decent ticket website and away fans out of home areas. That’s stuff that covid couldn’t interfere with. Buck stops with him.

 

[taxi driver]

The stewards in the Legends South Stand area don’t seem to like Bees fans getting over enthusiastic, particularly when making a valid point about a refereeing decision against us!

They should have thrown Jeremy Clarkson out of the Legends Lounge in the Chelsea league match, instead of monitoring us!

I have noticed that when leaving some matches in the lift that I seem to be surrounded by more away supporters than Bees.
They can’t all be Everton Directors etc..!

Who bought Jeremy Clarkson his ticket.

I'd be interested to know if the club knew he was buying.

On a separate note wasn't Alec Stewart (Chelsea fan) one of the legends in the lounges for one match.

 

[Holysmit]

Lets just wait for the results from the Sue Gray inquiry before jumping to any conclusions on this.

 

[Kettering Bee]

Been to every game in north stand and there has been no one celebrating or getting behind the away team any game this season including CFC in cup….no one…and I’ve been looking out too must be in south and east stand only….Shame on those in them there stands that have let that happen ‍

Loads of them in the North Stand, although mostly well behaved. At least they were in my block.

 

[Old B]

Passionate followers of every club in the top flight will have done their research on the BCS and seen how limited the official away capacity is, thus knowing that to have a chance of getting in they would have to join our membership scheme which would have accounted for a lot of the new memberships sold. Whether they bother renewing will be a different mater.

As others suggest there needs to be a way, involving the use of analytics, that the t.o. can make a sensible plan for non ST holder sales next season.

Reporting aways in home sections by row and seat number has to be encouraged.

 

[abellbee]

Primarily because it is a much bigger problem in the premium seats. It's like sitting in the away end for some games.

I'm in Premium & it is a problem, but one that I think you have to accept. Any away supporter who doesn't want to sit with the neanderthals in the away end has no alternative than Premium, however you would expect that anyone paying £125.00 a ticket would either be of an older,more sensible or respectful disposition. The angry exchanges I have seen have been from groups of twenty-somethings on a jolly probably paid for by their employers as a bonus.

 

[sonofabee]

I'm in Premium & it is a problem, but one that I think you have to accept. Any away supporter who doesn't want to sit with the neanderthals in the away end has no alternative than Premium, however you would expect that anyone paying £125.00 a ticket would either be of an older,more sensible or respectful disposition. The angry exchanges I have seen have been from groups of twenty-somethings on a jolly probably paid for by their employers as a bonus.

That’s the issue, corporate boxes that they let buyers for their clients on a jolly to watch and won’t tell them to behave as fear they might take their custom elsewhere

 

[aslan]

If you are not a member of BIAS then you should be... Its free to join. Join BIAS

BIAS have done so much good in the past and the more members they have the stronger thier voice.

Write to John Varney... Suggest the requirement to him and cc your email to BIAS so that they can consider making it their policy and lobby on your behalf.

Good idea. John.varney@brentfordfc.com? Got a draft ready to go.
Already a member of BIAS so will definitely cc them in. @hobbsy same email the newsletters come from?

 

[abellbee]

That’s the issue, corporate boxes that they let buyers for their clients on a jolly to watch and won’t tell them to behave as fear they might take their custom elsewhere

Spot on, The pre-match schedule for say a 2.00pm kick off in the Premium lounges gives you discounted drink prices from 11.30 until an hour before kick off, so the lads on a jolly have met up in a pub locally, moved on to the ground for an hour & half cheap drinks then as they get a bit gobby we give them free beer at half time. Come 2nd half the testosterone starts & they all want to be Billy Big B******ks. We had 1 situation when a group of about 8 announced at half time "these 2 tables are reserved" Try explaining that to over 200 people crowded in like sardines that were left with around 15 tables between them.

 

[rebus]

Spot on, The pre-match schedule for say a 2.00pm kick off in the Premium lounges gives you discounted drink prices from 11.30 until an hour before kick off, so the lads on a jolly have met up in a pub locally, moved on to the ground for an hour & half cheap drinks then as they get a bit gobby we give them free beer at half time. Come 2nd half the testosterone starts & they all want to be Billy Big B******ks. We had 1 situation when a group of about 8 announced at half time "these 2 tables are reserved" Try explaining that to over 200 people crowded in like sardines that were left with around 15 tables between them.

Sounds fun in there.

 

[Ealing Bee]

Three years in the job this March, mate. Can’t wait for ever. I don’t care about him encouraging people to sing at matches. I want a decent ticket website and away fans out of home areas. That’s stuff that covid couldn’t interfere with. Buck stops with him.

This.

JV can hardly be held responsible eg for over officious stewarding or inheriting a crap ticketing system, but someone should be accountable for sorting these things. And that's him.

 

[abellbee]

Sounds fun in there.

Isolated case & should be pointed out that after reporting the issue to the Premium office that no stewards are in the lounges at half time & only staff present are catering who have no affiliation with the club, a reply was received within an hour & action taken i.e The lounges are now managed by Club employees who wear Brentford ties for identification & are there solely to keep an eye on anything unsavoury.

 

['Ayes B]

Good idea. John.varney@brentfordfc.com? Got a draft ready to go.
Already a member of BIAS so will definitely cc them in. @hobbsy same email the newsletters come from?

Probably just J instead of John but cc enquires as well

 

[aslan]

Probably just J instead of John but cc enquires as well

Bounce back from both j.varney and john.varney.
Assume it'll be the correct spelling of his name, Jon.varney
Cheers though

 

[Banana]

Bounce back from both j.varney and john.varney.
Assume it'll be the correct spelling of his name, Jon.varney
Cheers though

jvarney@

 

[aslan]

jvarney@

Third time lucky eh. Thank you

 

[Nickabee]

I stand in the west stand and have been a Bees fan for many years. I am also a football fan and used to work in sales. I purchased corporate tickets at many clubs around the country for entertaining and took a mixture of home and aways fans which was accepted by the venue and even joked about by the club host. This included my beloved Brentford in the small room next to the Hive where I usually went for a drink. I have also been in premier seats at several grounds which were for home fans only. These are 2 completely different areas and I thought we had the same. Why are we struggling with separation ?
Is this a case of misselling as that’s the way it seems to me . Any away fans in the premium area should be removed and any in the corp area are fine subject to normal behaviour rules

 

[Leicester Bee]

I've got the displeasure of having to watch the Liverpool game from their hospitality. It's an important supplier and I can't really get out of it.
Anyway, Liverpool's hospitality clearly states that any opposition fans in hospitality who are seen to be supporting their respective team will be "removed without exception".
Doesn't seem to be the case at Brentford, seemingly, which is a concern and reading what I've read, I'm not considering hospitality for the foreseeable.

As for away fans in other parts of the ground...
I've overhead plenty of non-Brentford fans saying that they bought a season ticket because it was cheap and the ticket exchange meant that they'd lose very little over the season. Obviously selling on to those who end up touting means that there's quite a lot of money to be made if they're not found out.

Considering we had 6500 season tickets at Griffin Park, we've attracted a lot of new season ticket holders. Some are likely to be lapsed fans or ones who are living far from London these days, some are new fans who genuinely are taking the opportunity to support Brentford because of the new stadium and Premier League football, and some are opposition fans who live locally and realise they won't lose much money or general chancers who are there to profit from resale of their seats.

The issue is that to outsiders, our season ticket prices are cheap, there's sufficient opportunities to reclaim money from the demand through the ticket exchange, and when season tickets originally went on sale, it was fairly easy for an "outsider" to get one.

 

[pompeybee]

I've got the displeasure of having to watch the Liverpool game from their hospitality. It's an important supplier and I can't really get out of it.
Anyway, Liverpool's hospitality clearly states that any opposition fans in hospitality who are seen to be supporting their respective team will be "removed without exception".
Doesn't seem to be the case at Brentford, seemingly, which is a concern and reading what I've read, I'm not considering hospitality for the foreseeable.

As for away fans in other parts of the ground...
I've overhead plenty of non-Brentford fans saying that they bought a season ticket because it was cheap and the ticket exchange meant that they'd lose very little over the season. Obviously selling on to those who end up touting means that there's quite a lot of money to be made if they're not found out.

Considering we had 6500 season tickets at Griffin Park, we've attracted a lot of new season ticket holders. Some are likely to be lapsed fans or ones who are living far from London these days, some are new fans who genuinely are taking the opportunity to support Brentford because of the new stadium and Premier League football, and some are opposition fans who live locally and realise they won't lose much money or general chancers who are there to profit from resale of their seats.

The issue is that to outsiders, our season ticket prices are cheap, there's sufficient opportunities to reclaim money from the demand through the ticket exchange, and when season tickets originally went on sale, it was fairly easy for an "outsider" to get one.

You don't get actual money back from the exchange though, just credit for next season's ST.

 

[Leicester Bee]

You don't get actual money back from the exchange though, just credit for next season's ST.

So, I could be an away fan and just keep selling on the ticket exchange and I just buy another season ticket next season....and keep repeating? Same difference in all honesty. There's nothing to discourage outsiders from buying a season ticket and barely using it.

 

[pompeybee]

So, I could be an away fan and just keep selling on the ticket exchange and I just buy another season ticket next season....and keep repeating? Same difference in all honesty. There's nothing to discourage outsiders from buying a season ticket and barely using it.

Works until we get relegated ...

 

[Leicester Bee]

Works until we get relegated ...

True, but I can't see that happening for some time

 

[Banana]

So, I could be an away fan and just keep selling on the ticket exchange and I just buy another season ticket next season....and keep repeating? Same difference in all honesty. There's nothing to discourage outsiders from buying a season ticket and barely using it.

We need to take STs back from people that do this. Especially if STs are limited in number. Give them to people with a long history of ticket purchases.

 

[JCMcBee]

So, I could be an away fan and just keep selling on the ticket exchange and I just buy another season ticket next season....and keep repeating? Same difference in all honesty. There's nothing to discourage outsiders from buying a season ticket and barely using it.

..... I'll have one of theirs BFC .....I promise to use it to watch my team

 

[Leicester Bee]

We need to take STs back from people that do this. Especially if STs are limited in number. Give them to people with a long history of ticket purchases.

The issue will be in identifying such people.
I heard one fella in a pub saying that he lives locally, bought a season ticket but had little intention of going to many games as he was a Tottenham fan.

And then I've got a neighbour who had never been to Brentford before this season and decided to buy a season ticket and hasn't missed a game.

And then I know of genuine Brentford fans who bought a season ticket but can't make many games.

How do you identify the type of fan who are actually abusing the season ticket system?

 

[Banana]

The issue will be in identifying such people.

It's dead simple

Just see how many transfer their ticket more than a few times a season.
or see how many don't use their season ticket.

I've said before that Season Tickets should be "use it or lose it", that time has come.

 

[Leicester Bee]

It's dead simple

Just see how many transfer their ticket more than a few times a season.
or see how many don't use their season ticket.

I've said before that Season Tickets should be "use it or lose it", that time has come.

What, in your opinion, constitutes "a few times"?

 

[Banana]

What, in your opinion, constitutes "a few times"?

Without having access to the data it is not possible to say definitely. But certainly more than 50%.

 

[Leicester Bee]

Without having access to the data it is not possible to say definitely. But certainly more than 50%.

I think 50% is pretty fair and reasonable actually.

A lot of fans can't go because of the Premier League scheduling, as an example. But 50% is pretty reasonable.