Ticket transfers, loyalty points and ID checks – debates at NUFC’s away ticketing workshop

Since the introduction of randomised ID checks for NUFC away matches, ticketing and loyalty points have been hotly debated (although it’s safe to say the loyalty point debate has been bubbling for years).

The club introduced this following an initial workshop held in June 2023, and this week a second away ticketing workshop took place, which I was lucky enough to attend.

I won’t lie, I was nervous in the build-up to the event. Many of the club’s recent actions – like the prioritisation of corporate options in the club survey and the appointment of a post-takeover “fan” to the Fan Advisory Board – have given us worries about the direction of the club in terms of supporters.

We’ve seen from the likes of the failed (for now) Super League that many clubs’ rich owners care more about becoming richer than they do about the everyday supporter – AKA the lifeblood of the club.

If there’s one thing you can say about NUFC, it’s that we have sensational away support – certainly the best in England. Rewarding travelling supporters with a loyalty point ensures, at least in theory, that our loyalty is rewarded.

But I, and many other regular away travellers, went into the workshop concerned that could all be stripped away from us.

The attendee breakdown

Sarah Medcalf advised that not all supporters were contacted about this event – only those two expressed an interest in these events via the (much-maligned) supporter survey and those who had applied to the FAB but weren’t successful. I spoke to her after the event to confirm if any criteria was used to select attendees, and she told me it was randomised from the applications, with the exception of representation from:

• Newcastle United Disabled Supporters’ Association (NUDSA)
• Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST)
• United With Pride (UWP)
• Newcastle United Supporters’ Club (NUSC)

I was pleased to see these groups represented – but I pressed Sarah post-event on the possibility of dedicated female and ethnic minority representation. She told me the club’s Head of Inclusion was actively looking into these groups, so watch this space.

The breakdown of season ticket holders vs members was roughly 80% ST holders and 20% members – a fair split given this mostly impacts travelling season ticket holders.

Pre-event expectations

I had concerns that the evening would get heated. The loyalty point argument boils over a lot on Twitter, so it wouldn’t have surprised me if emotions overran in person too. But while debates were lively and passionate, it was kept calm.

What was an even bigger relief was the overwhelming consensus on a number of issues raised at the event.

Here are the key talking points from this week’s away ticketing workshop.

Loyalty points must remain

In light of the club’s not-so-subtle appeal for a new raft of post-takeover supporters, regular travellers like myself have fears around the loyalty points system disappearing. While imperfect, it does for the most part reward those putting in the miles.

Thankfully, the overwhelming consensus in the room and online was that loyalty points must stay. There were debates over a rolling system, similar to the likes of Arsenal or (whisper it) Sunderland.

It’s not something I’d be against, because until the ID checks came in, I was locked out of the traditionally “bigger” games by people who’d barely been to two or three aways for over 10 years. Loyalty should be ongoing – but we should account for blips like ill health or unavoidable money worries.

We need a limited number of ticket transfers

The introduction of ID checks this season has dramatically reduced the number of away tickets bought by a season ticket holder and given away. It’s still happening, but on a much smaller scale.

While this change has shown how much the away ticketing system was being abused previously, and it’s also benefitted myself because I’m no longer locked out of games by those travelling significantly less than myself, it shouldn’t be all or nothing.

Spurs away was raised this season – swathes of seats in the away end went empty thanks to travel disruption. Brighton too. I raised my own situation of the Bournemouth game, which I couldn’t attend due to money issues in Germany and illness, but couldn’t get a refund or sell the ticket because I’d missed the (ridiculous) 72-hour window.

Again, the overwhelming majority want a limited number of transfers this season. This will not only prevent empty seats in away ends, but gives some of the season ticket holders who travelled a lot before ID checks the chance to attend again while building points.

Most suggested that nobody gets a loyalty point in this instance; fair, but many wouldn’t argue against the final recipient getting one either.

Make ID checks fairer and safer

I haven’t yet been ID checked under the new system, but it’s such a chew having to take my passport (my only photo ID) to every away game and having to account for checks by arriving at the ground extra early. And just imagine if I’d lost it before a Champions League away.

But I digress. The majority of attendees said those being ID checked should be notified in advance; that way, if we know we’re not being checked, we don’t have to get to the ground ridiculously early or carry important documents.

It was also raised that to help supporters who are checked get in faster, we should facilitate checks at or near the turnstiles. It’s not fair to expect someone to queue – potentially for a while – only to have to leave and rejoin the queue again.

Safety concerns were also raised – and frustratingly, club representatives immediately slapped them down. But there’s no doubt that this isn’t a risk worth someone’s safety.

Create a young person’s ballot

Many are of the opinion that adults have had plenty of time and opportunity to build their own loyalty points over the years. And while I agree to a degree (but realise life can get in the way), there’s no doubt it’ll be difficult for young people to start building their points.

A separate young person’s ballot was touted as an option to give children, teenagers and young adults the opportunity to start building their away points, which was again generally agreed upon throughout the attendees.

Give us a transparent breakdown of ticket allocations

The transparency of corporate and player away ticket allocations was rightly raised. Many, including myself, feel that those on lower points are now mainly kept out by increasing corporate, staff and player tickets.

I pointed out the Luton game – with a 1,300 allocation, only 600 tickets were ever made available for away supporters to buy. What we want to see is the percentage given – but I stressed that right now, I’m confident these allocations are based on a flat number rather than a percentage. How else do you explain over half of that allocation disappearing into thin air?

This is the one I can see the club stuttering on. Paul Karter from the Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust said the trust had requested this before, but been told it was “commercial sensitive information” – something that wasn’t divulged when raised last night.

What we need it for these allocations to be percentage-based to stop them wiping out small allocations, and we need that transparency; we’ll never fully trust the club until it divulges this.

Plus, Silverstone talked at length about taking up the Dortmund model – and Dortmund makes this information publicly available. You need to go all in if you commit to a model like that – don’t cherry-pick the bits you like.

Where next?

The club stressed that this event wasn’t a decider. But if the June event was anything to go by, we could see action fairly quickly.

My main hope is that the club takes this feedback on board rather than using this event as a pointless PR exercise. To say that they listened and consulted, but ultimately ignoring our pleas.

The message is loud and clear. Loyal supporters are the lifeblood of this club; don’t leave us by the wayside.

(Pictures via James Williams / @footyramblings)