[Archived] Season Ticket Spot Checks

[arbitro]

For the first time we were asked to show our season ticket cards to stewards before the Gillingham game. It appears Rovers have been made aware that cards are being misused. I know several people who have been doing it for years.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2017/october/rovers-to-step-up-spot-checks/

[JHRover]

Stewards have asked to look at my ticket on arrival at the turnstiles at every home game this season. They don't actually check it properly, so I get the ticket out and flash it at them and they leave me alone. I think as long as they are seen by supervisors to be asking people they aren't really bothered.

This has been going on since they installed the electronic turnstiles.

[AllRoverAsia]

How can the ST card be used to abuse the system via electronic turnstiles? Genuine question.

Or are they looking for STs being used by people other than those presumably named on the STs. Lost revenue?

[BenRTID]

4 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

How can the ST card be used to abuse the system via electronic turnstiles? Genuine question.

Or are they looking for STs being used by people other than those presumably named on the STs. Lost revenue?

Adults are using an 'Under12 ST'.

For either for their mate on match days when their children are not in attendance, or (and this is much worse) purchasing 'Under 12 ST'  with no intention for an Under 12 to use it, thus saving a lot of money vs Adult ST.

[AllRoverAsia]

34 minutes ago, BenRTID said:

Adults are using an 'Under12 ST'.

For either for their mate on match days when their children are not in attendance, or (and this is much worse) purchasing 'Under 12 ST'  with no intention for an Under 12 to use it, thus saving a lot of money vs Adult ST.

Awful abuse of what seems like a basic system flaw. I hope the Club succeeds in the clampdown. The system needs a review. The human eye can still tell the difference in a Kid and Adult.

[AggyBlue]

Enable certain turnstiles to accept adult tickets only, the other turnstiles to accept concessions only. Spot the dodgers easily.

Is that too simplistic or not possible?

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

How can the ST card be used to abuse the system via electronic turnstiles? Genuine question.

Or are they looking for STs being used by people other than those presumably named on the STs. Lost revenue?

Each ticket has printed on it who it is allocated to ie adult, senior etc. They also have a name, seat number, row and ground section on it. The stewards were interested in whoever had the ticket matched the description.

[AllRoverAsia]

8 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Each ticket has printed on it who it is allocated to ie adult, senior etc. They also have a name, seat number, row and ground section on it. The stewards were interested in whoever had the ticket matched the description.

Somewhat labour intensive.

It needs to be resolved at the turnstiles as AggyBlue suggests.

[Tom]

Sure when a concession ticket is scanned the lights flash green then red rather than red don't they?

My dad got grilled last week entering the family stand as he didn't have a child with him and said he wouldn't be allowed in without a child, my 6 year old has one and we meet my dad there.

My lad doesn't want to go all the time so I don't force him, if I'm not allowed in when he's not in attendance then I won't continue to get a season ticket as we got them thinking he would come sometimes but not all the time if he didn't want. Maybe the small print said you must always have a child present.

Anyone on the fans forum comment, has misuse been raised as an issue recently, are the turnstiles not working like the used to?

[Ianrally]

I fully understand the miss use of a concession season ticket by someone who does not qualify, but on one occasion I happened to pick up the wife’s card rather than mine. Not concession tickets but full price ones. I was pulled up in a spot check and was refused entry. I explained that it was a genuine mistake, she couldn’t go to that match and I had inadvertently picked up her ticket. 

Explanation not accepted, no entry. I’ve never had a season ticket since.

[only2garners]

We've not discussed ST misuse recently Tom. We can raise it next time on 13/11 for clarification.

[Manchester Blue]

I'd appreciate the clarity too thanks.  Absolutely full understand the need to deal with any misuse of the tickets.  However I don't bring the kids to many midweek games and they sometimes will miss the odd game too.  It's never been suggested before you always have to have then in attendance.  Seems a strange one.

[Paul]

I’ve certainly heard fans boast of getting away with ST abuse and it should be stopped. None of us should object to this if commonse is applied - kids at night games etc.

When my children qualified not taking them, though unusual, wasn’t a problem at the turnstile.

My now adult son is disabled and we have linked STs, one adult and one carer., which should be used together.  We don’t go in via turnstiles and I’ve noticed closer inspection recently but no challenges. My lad doesn’t come to night matches so I’ll be interested to see what, if anything, happens against Argyle. 

[MCMC1875]

What about the bigger issue at the turnstiles over the years - ticketless visiting fans in the Darwen End over the years, causing 3 to every 2 seats and forcing standing?

[BenRTID]

18 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

What about the bigger issue at the turnstiles over the years - ticketless fans in the Darwen End over the years, causing 3 to every 2 seats and forcing standing?

When has the Darwen end been so full people had to stand?
Or are you referring to the days the Darwen end was busy (Kean Out/Venkys Out) and everyone would go to the back corner of the stand, and as it is unreserved seating, everyone was squashed in and stood up? Meanwhile, the first 15 rows were all empty.

This season there is no more than 200-300 fans in the Darwen end.

[Paul]

23 minutes ago, MCMC1875 said:

What about the bigger issue at the turnstiles over the years - ticketless fans in the Darwen End over the years, causing 3 to every 2 seats and forcing standing?

Surely people haven’t been able to get in with out a ticket for years?

[Gone to seed]

On 10/10/2017 at 20:38, Ianrally said:

I fully understand the miss use of a concession season ticket by someone who does not qualify, but on one occasion I happened to pick up the wife’s card rather than mine. Not concession tickets but full price ones. I was pulled up in a spot check and was refused entry. I explained that it was a genuine mistake, she couldn’t go to that match and I had inadvertently picked up her ticket. 

Explanation not accepted, no entry. I’ve never had a season ticket since.

Had a similar thing a few years back when I inadvertently gave my elderly dad my ticket & I had his in the queue. He went through into the ground unchallenged and disappeared into the loo (his customary destination before taking his seat) whilst I was stopped by a 12 year old steward who accused me of wrong-doing & refused entry. Only my dad hobbling (slowly) out of the bogs and noticing a heated argument taking place allowed the mistake to be rectified. Suffice it to say I felt neither valued as a customer, nor particularly well disposed to the club's training of its customer service representatives. It was (and continues to be) a symptom of a poorly conceived system, which suffers from flaws that are amplified by inappropriate support being available to CSR at the point of service (I mean, surely there is a simple app that a steward could consult to check if someone was actually on the club's ST database??).

Since the old fella passed away a couple of years back, I've been less and less inclined to make the short pilgrimage to Ewood Park, not just because of the debacle off the pitch, but also because the pleasure of a match day experience is not helped by the feeling of being regarded as an irritant to be controlled by those in power at the club. High time for football to be taken back by the fans. Idealistic, I know, but until it is, the experience is fatally flawed for the average supporter like me.

Venkys OUT! Backwards stawt!

[Tom]

I got interrogated tonight and my details taken down because my child wasn't with me.

He's 6 - he's in bed!

[Tony Rover]

13 minutes ago, Tom said:

I got interrogated tonight and my details taken down because my child wasn't with me.

He's 6 - he's in bed!

Wa****s.... Like we have a full ground. This isn't a family club anymore. C##ts out, will not mention their name one more time. 

[Tom]

Well my details have been written in a pad so let's see what happens 

[Stuart]

Not sure what right they have to take down your details. Especially in a “pad”. Where is the data protection? Who has access to that information?

The thing is, thanks to a few idiots bragging about it on social media - including in here, what started as checking that adults were not using children's tickets (fair enough) has turned into trying to stop any adult being in the family stand without a child (which is completely unreasonable). What if they are ill? Another badly executed farce by the club.

[Tom]

To be honest Stuart the club have always been pretty great with regards to the family stand so I'm hoping it's just crossed wires with the stewards. Good job he didn't come last night mind you, super angry sweary bloke near us going ballistic when pulled up on it, Stewards said it was because he normally sits in the Blackburn End. 

Clarity would be nice  

[Hasta]

Common sense should prevail there Tom.

I'd be curious to know what the issue is with buying Adult+Child season tickets for the family stand and then only the adult attending. If there had been multiple instances where the adult had given the ticket to their drunken, loutish mate then fine but otherwise I don't see a problem.

[Tom]

I asked the club to clarify and got this response 

'Adults arent allowed in the Family Stand without a junior. If your son cant make the game we'll happily relocate your ticket to another area'

[MCMC1875]

Just now, Tom said:

I asked the club to clarify and got this response 

'Adults arent allowed in the Family Stand without a junior. If your son cant make the game we'll happily relocate your ticket to another area'

This is poor. What if your group normally meets other groups?