Stop the LCFC Loyalty Tax - UFS statement

[Viva]

9 minutes ago, DerbyshireFox said:

That isn’t the point though is it. If people had wanted to go with NFC tickets, then they already would’ve done. My personal preference is to have a card as I feel it is more reliable, and I like to physically have a ticket. 
 

I have a smartphone, I choose not to put my bank card on it as it is my preference to pay using my card. Does my bank charge me £25 to have a debit card, no it doesn’t. NFC tickets have been available as a choice for the past two seasons. Overwhelming people have chosen to stick with a card. The card has had no charge since NFC has come in, so why now? And why £25, when if you happen to lose your current card, they charge £15 to replace it.

 

There is no reasonable justification to put a £25 charge on a physical card. They could just keep the current cards in place and save putting new ones into production if they are that concerned with recouping money. And if it’s towards a ‘more sustainable stadium’, they could stop spending thousands on clappers every home game. 

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money. If it was £5  then most would pay it and the cards would remain. 
 

Technologies change and therefore businesses change their methods too. Some people probably still like paper tickets, but again times change. 
 

The fact remains that nobody needs to pay the £25. It’s so easy to enter the ground by putting your phone next to the reader. I can understand people preferring cards, but find the complete uproar against this non charge pretty ridiculous. 

[DerbyshireFox]

2 minutes ago, Viva said:

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money. If it was £5  then most would pay it and the cards would remain. 
 

Technologies change and therefore businesses change their methods too. Some people probably still like paper tickets, but again times change. 
 

The fact remains that nobody needs to pay the £25. It’s so easy to enter the ground by putting your phone next to the reader. I can understand people preferring cards, but find the complete uproar against this non charge pretty ridiculous. 

Agreed, businesses do change their methods and technologies, but if people don’t like or agree with those, there are other companies you would consider switching to. It’s not the same with a football club. You are correct, if they had charged £5 there wouldn’t have been an uproar, so why didn’t they. 
 

You can call it a non charge, but the fact remains it is. From no charge previously, to £25 now. It may be easy enough to enter the ground with a phone, but I never find myself stuck at the turnstiles behind someone with a card. Only 1600 season ticket holders switched to nfc this campaign, which means for the majority, this is a charge. Times do change, but not always for the better. 

[Silva Fox]

20 minutes ago, Viva said:

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money. If it was £5  then most would pay it and the cards would remain. 
 

Technologies change and therefore businesses change their methods too. Some people probably still like paper tickets, but again times change. 
 

The fact remains that nobody needs to pay the £25. It’s so easy to enter the ground by putting your phone next to the reader. I can understand people preferring cards, but find the complete uproar against this non charge pretty ridiculous. 

So maybe stay off the thread if you think it's ridiculous?

[Viva]

Just now, DerbyshireFox said:

Agreed, businesses do change their methods and technologies, but if people don’t like or agree with those, there are other companies you would consider switching to. It’s not the same with a football club. You are correct, if they had charged £5 there wouldn’t have been an uproar, so why didn’t they. 
 

You can call it a non charge, but the fact remains it is. From no charge previously, to £25 now. It may be easy enough to enter the ground with a phone, but I never find myself stuck at the turnstiles behind someone with a card. Only 1600 season ticket holders switched to nfc this campaign, which means for the majority, this is a charge. Times do change, but not always for the better. 

It’s the same with any events company. If you buy a ticket to a concert or sporting event etc and it’s cashless inside for example, then you have no other option but to use your card. 
They didn’t charge £5 because they don’t want people to have cards. They could have just put a blanket stop to them, but have given people the option to have one still if they really are desperate. I would imagine the vast majority won’t pay £25 and it really won’t take long for people to get used to using their phone. 
 

[Viva]

2 minutes ago, Silva Fox said:

So maybe stay off the thread if you think it's ridiculous?

Different opinions are allowed in here. 

[CosbehFox]

I understand the arguments about updating with the modern times and security issues. However the argument isn't consistently applied by the club.  

 

Other clubs what do operate mobile tickets have a far more flexible attendance based system which means you can pass your ticket onto a friend or family that doesn't involve a convoluted telephone conversation to do so. There's no restriction on the number of games you can do that (although you expect a minimum attendance threshold to ensure the seat is used). Some clubs have ST holidays as well - whereby you can park your ST for a period. The whole security line is a joke considering how slack they've been when it comes to corporates being given tickets and passed onto others. 

 

If you want to go down that road, then doing it in a proper manner - not so some half arsed cash in to make people move over to digital tickets. 

 

If we were moving with the modern times, the club wouldn't be doing Disneyland light shows and all the rest of the old, tired stuff which went out of date 10 years ago. We'd have safe standing, local food/booze sold, flexible ticketing systems, encouragement of youth attending. 

Edited 23 April by CosbehFox

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Bob Hazels shorts said:

The morals of the club went out of the window when they basically evicted families and friends from their seats after 20 years. Sad, but true.

 

 

KARMA never fails to dish out a return slap 

It's not really karma when it affects 21,000 season ticket holders from all four stands is it? 

[Viva]

11 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

I understand the arguments about updating with the modern times and security issues. However the argument isn't consistently applied by the club.  

 

Other clubs what do operate mobile tickets have a far more flexible attendance based system which means you can pass your ticket onto a friend or family that doesn't involve a convoluted telephone conversation to do so. There's no restriction on the number of games you can do that (although you expect a minimum attendance threshold to ensure the seat is used). Some clubs have ST holidays as well - whereby you can park your ST for a period. The whole security line is a joke considering how slack they've been when it comes to corporates being given tickets and passed onto others. 

 

If you want to go down that road, then doing it in a proper manner - not so some half arsed cash in to make people move over to digital tickets. 

 

If we were moving with the modern times, the club wouldn't be doing Disneyland light shows and all the rest of the old, tired stuff which went out of date 10 years ago. We'd have safe standing, local food/booze sold, flexible ticketing systems, encouragement of youth attending. 

I fully agree with you about the food & drink sold in and around the stadium. That’s a joke and could be so much better. 
 

I can see fully flexible season tickets working great when there isn’t a waiting list for season tickets. Is it really fair though for somebody to keep their season ticket if they only intend to go to a handful of matches, knowing they can just hand it out to their mates for the rest? A member might have been waiting for ages trying to get hold of one. Or a new young supporter that wants to go with their Dad, but can’t get a season ticket. 

[An Away Move]

58 minutes ago, Viva said:

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money. If it was £5  then most would pay it and the cards would remain. 
 

Technologies change and therefore businesses change their methods too. Some people probably still like paper tickets, but again times change. 
 

The fact remains that nobody needs to pay the £25. It’s so easy to enter the ground by putting your phone next to the reader. I can understand people preferring cards, but find the complete uproar against this non charge pretty ridiculous. 

It’s not the money. It’s the increased restrictions using mobile tickets compared to physical cards which is the issue, especially for those of us who don’t live in Leicester and can’t make all the games. 99% of fans pass it to family if they can’t make a game as has been the case for decades. Treating us like touts or speaking of us as luddites is insulting. We use the tech in other areas of our life. We don’t want it here. 

[Buzzell]

I remember a recent game, can’t remember who we played at home, and a lady in front of me had trouble with her mobile ticket. It was about 10 minutes before the game kicked off. The ticket wouldn’t work and the steward told her to go back to the ticket office. As you could imagine she was pissed. That reason alone would want me to keep my card.

 

Never have I had a problem with a card. I wouldn’t mind a small fee to keep the card but £25 is taking the piss.

[Babylon]

50 minutes ago, DerbyshireFox said:

Agreed, businesses do change their methods and technologies, but if people don’t like or agree with those, there are other companies you would consider switching to. It’s not the same with a football club. You are correct, if they had charged £5 there wouldn’t have been an uproar, so why didn’t they. 
 

You can call it a non charge, but the fact remains it is. From no charge previously, to £25 now. It may be easy enough to enter the ground with a phone, but I never find myself stuck at the turnstiles behind someone with a card. Only 1600 season ticket holders switched to nfc this campaign, which means for the majority, this is a charge. Times do change, but not always for the better. 

Because it's an outdated method they no longer want to use, that's the whole point.

[CosbehFox]

2 minutes ago, Viva said:

I fully agree with you about the food & drink sold in and around the stadium. That’s a joke and could be so much better. 
 

I can see fully flexible season tickets working great when there isn’t a waiting list for season tickets. Is it really fair though for somebody to keep their season ticket if they only intend to go to a handful of matches, knowing they can just hand it out to their mates for the rest? A member might have been waiting for ages trying to get hold of one. Or a new young supporter that wants to go with their Dad, but can’t get a season ticket. 

It's not fair in essence. 

 

Leeds operate season tickets with a 80% attendance threshold - that includes passing your ticket it on or ticket exchange. The incentive is there to get the seat used rather than empty because the harsh reality is that clubs just want the seat paid for (which is totally at odds with other parts of LCFC's ticketing policy). They have done their research and the seat remains empty otherwise. No-one sits in it if they didn't allow to be passed on. 

 

That option is half way house that at least gives some scope rather than throwing a £25 charge at your fans and asking them to cough it up to retain the ability to keep their season ticket/pass to friend if they can't make five games a season.  

[lcfcbluearmy]

1 hour ago, Viva said:

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money. If it was £5  then most would pay it and the cards would remain. 
 

Technologies change and therefore businesses change their methods too. Some people probably still like paper tickets, but again times change. 
 

The fact remains that nobody needs to pay the £25. It’s so easy to enter the ground by putting your phone next to the reader. I can understand people preferring cards, but find the complete uproar against this non charge pretty ridiculous. 

I'm glad that you have a phone that lasts all day then through a 2 hour train journey reliably to be able to use your phone at the match mine dosen't. Yes I have a phone but using it isn't practical all the time. I'm happy to pay a charge for a card £10-15 for the convenience but £25 is utterly ridiculous 

[CrazyKopCorner]

32 minutes ago, Buzzell said:

I remember a recent game, can’t remember who we played at home, and a lady in front of me had trouble with her mobile ticket. It was about 10 minutes before the game kicked off. The ticket wouldn’t work and the steward told her to go back to the ticket office. As you could imagine she was pissed. That reason alone would want me to keep my card.

 

Never have I had a problem with a card. I wouldn’t mind a small fee to keep the card but £25 is taking the piss.

£5 would be reasonable - £10 is taking the piss - £25 is extortionate - up there with a £400 signed Danny Ward shirt 

[davieG]

Even with the phone option you can only pass it on to family if they are members.

[DerbyshireFox]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Because it's an outdated method they no longer want to use, that's the whole point.

Then they should be transparent about their intentions and consult with the supporters. They’ve pushed it for two years and it’s still a minority who want it/use it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but there is no justification for the price in comparison to other clubs. 

[An Away Move]

39 minutes ago, davieG said:

Even with the phone option you can only pass it on to family if they are members.

I started off with two Gold Fox Memberships in my sole name. As I live in London I used the extra membership and the match as an excuse to catch up with old, local Leicester fan, friends. Sometimes I wouldn’t know who I was going with until the day before. I would still like this level of flexibility. 
I upgraded my memberships to season tickets - both in my name, which was allowed. During Covid the club asked me, because of Covid testing, to transfer the ticket to another name. A family member was the lucky beneficiary of my second ST. That family member wasn’t sure if they were going to renew last season so I asked the club if the ST could be transferred back to me. Not allowed. Other clubs allow do allow it. My father in law has two season tickets seats next to each other at Arsenal. 
The plastic cards offer me and my family member much more flexibility, at short notice, to take other family members or friends, if one of us cannot make it. This is more than 5 times a season in my case as midweek kickoffs are difficult because of the length of journey and other commitments. Games also finish too late for train journeys back to the capital. 
Going on to mobile tickets only with the restriction of only being able to take people registered online with the club , four times per season, is too much of a ball ache and treats us like people they can’t trust to manage the cards in a thoughtful way. Mainly though my journey was a loyal fan has moved from maximum flexibility to take whoever I want under my own name to an ever more restricted one. The club have been making it more and more difficult for me to attend and I really am beginning to resent the direction of travel. 

Edited 23 April by An Away Move

[TheLittleBigMan]

Most fans are happy to stay using the card. There isn't a clamber to move to digital and there is evidence to support digital creating more problems than it solves. I don't have a smartphone for good reasons. I value my privacy and can't stand a society that spends all day glued to a smart phone. I will never own one and the fact I am now being punished for my personal choice stinks the place out. I will not be paying the £25. 

[Free Falling Foxes]

Emails won't work. They need to actually see how unhappy we are.

Therefore, myself and hundreds of others will walk out the match tonight after 80 mins.

That'll show em.

 

[brigfox]

I haven’t been stung for the extra £25 for my Season Ticket this year.. On the other hand, when I wanted to renew my card at the beginning of the Season, the option of a replacement card was not offered. So, to watch my team this year cost me the price of the season ticket, - plus the cost of a (second hand) smart phone. Every home match for me is a 2 hour drive away, with the anxiety about whether the battery will hold up long enough to get me through the turnstile. 😤

[Daggers]

I’ve succumbed and written to them. I know there’s completely no point. It turned from a complaint email into an essay of disgust. 
 

I loathe the way the club sees and treats fans. And, quite frankly, their apologists, who whine on about “the modern game” and justify the Disneyfication of the club, can go suck a big fat one too. 
 

From memberships to the lack of general sale, from the enforced digitalisation to the price of entry, from the lack of communication to the absence of listening, from the financial irresponsibility to repugnant brushing off of fan groups - there is nothing this club does competently or that doesn’t really fvck me off. 
 

They don’t consult, they don’t listen, they just collect the views of useful idiots until they can argue they have a mandate for pissing on tradition or fan desires. 
 

And I don’t expect any change now. If they couldn’t restructure last season when evidence of their ineptitude was slapping them in the face like a giant d1ck in a porno, there’s fvck all going to happen until the club is in flames. 

[ThorpeAstleyFox]

If the club allow me to transfer my e-ticket to friends and family when needed then sign me up. If not, then I would prefer the card option (without the charge, obviously).

 

And people can **** off with any T&Cs bullshit - I've paid over £10k over the years for my season ticket - I should be allowed to do with it as I see fit!

[jammie82uk]

3 hours ago, Viva said:

The £25 charge is obviously to discourage people from taking up the card option, not to make money.

If that is the actual case, why not say something along the lines of we are putting up ST by 5% although you can avoid the 5% raise if you convert to a digital ticket, if something is not selling you normally offer incentives or discounts 

[Daggers]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the new Season Ticket arrangements for the 2024/25 season at Leicester City Football Club. We appreciate your feedback, understand the importance of addressing these issues transparently and hope the following information addresses the concerns you have raised.

MORE EFFICIENT, MORE SECURE
Like many football clubs, we are continually looking for ways to enhance the security and efficiency of our stadium operations. Heading into the third season since Mobile Tickets were introduced at King Power Stadium, we are continuing to encourage as many supporters as possible to transition to a more efficient, secure mode of access. Mobile Tickets will therefore be the default, free-of-charge option for renewing Season Ticket Holders, with a charge applied to the alternative method of entry – physical cards (except supporters over the age of 65, under the age of 12, and those with a registered disability).

TACKLING TOUTING
As well as enhancing the supporter experience through greater matchday efficiency, the move to a digital ticketing system supports our ongoing efforts to combat ticket touting – a significant issue impacting many football supporters and one we take incredibly seriously.

Ticket touting often results in inflated ticket prices but also harms all genuine supporters’ ability to attend matches.

By transitioning to Mobile Tickets, we significantly reduce the risk of touting, ensuring that tickets remain in the hands of true supporters. Mobile Tickets provide a safer, more direct way of managing ticket allocations and prevent misuse more effectively than physical tickets can.

Reasonable flexibility is available across the season to all genuine Season Ticket Holders, who are able to resell their ticket through the Club’s Resale Platform up to five times a season and are also able to forward their ticket to a family member or friend a further four times per season.

REDUCING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
The Club has been alarmed in recent seasons by the rise in anti-social behaviour at Leicester City matches, with our sanctions committee (which manages supporter behaviour that breaches our stadium regulations and ticketing terms and conditions) regularly observing that those responsible have obtained tickets through illegitimate means.

Of further concern to the Club were figures released by the Home Office in 2023, which ranked Leicester City third in English football for the number of active court-issued Football Banning Orders (56) among its supporters, with over a third of those (20) issued in the 2022/23 season alone. In most cases, upon our internal investigations, those charged had not obtained tickets via any Club channels.

Adoption of Mobile Ticketing and improving our capability to identify all attendees at Leicester City matches is part of our action plan to reduce anti-social behaviour at Leicester City matches and to ensure that, when it arises, those responsible can be held accountable.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Over recent seasons, the Club has taken positive steps in reducing its environmental impact, including the introduction of reusable cups in stadium concourses, the reduction in clap banner distribution to more targeted areas of the stadium and a switch to certified sustainable materials in their production. Wider adoption of Mobile Tickets enables us to take a further step in reducing the number of plastic Season Ticket cards issued each season, along with the carbon footprint associated with their manufacture and distribution. The Club appreciates it has much further to go in reducing its overall environmental impact and continues to listen to supporter feedback on further improvements that can be made.

We do understand the sentimental value attached to physical Season Ticket cards and have ensured that they remain an option. Please remember, the charge for these cards is waived for supporters over the age of 65, under the age of 12, and those with a registered disability. As with previous seasons, our staff are also here to assist anyone unfamiliar with Mobile Tickets to ensure access to the stadium is easy for everyone, and details of drop-in sessions to help supporters transition smoothly will be shared ahead of the new season.

We would encourage all supporters to take advantage of Mobile Tickets and are committed to supporting supporters’ adjustment to the system. Should you have any further concerns or need assistance with the system, please do not hesitate to contact our Supporter Services at [email protected] or call us at 0344 815 5000.

 

…All of which answers precisely none of my points in my missive. 

[An Away Move]

1 minute ago, Daggers said:

Hi Dave,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the new Season Ticket arrangements for the 2024/25 season at Leicester City Football Club. We appreciate your feedback, understand the importance of addressing these issues transparently and hope the following information addresses the concerns you have raised.

MORE EFFICIENT, MORE SECURE
Like many football clubs, we are continually looking for ways to enhance the security and efficiency of our stadium operations. Heading into the third season since Mobile Tickets were introduced at King Power Stadium, we are continuing to encourage as many supporters as possible to transition to a more efficient, secure mode of access. Mobile Tickets will therefore be the default, free-of-charge option for renewing Season Ticket Holders, with a charge applied to the alternative method of entry – physical cards (except supporters over the age of 65, under the age of 12, and those with a registered disability).

TACKLING TOUTING
As well as enhancing the supporter experience through greater matchday efficiency, the move to a digital ticketing system supports our ongoing efforts to combat ticket touting – a significant issue impacting many football supporters and one we take incredibly seriously.

Ticket touting often results in inflated ticket prices but also harms all genuine supporters’ ability to attend matches.

By transitioning to Mobile Tickets, we significantly reduce the risk of touting, ensuring that tickets remain in the hands of true supporters. Mobile Tickets provide a safer, more direct way of managing ticket allocations and prevent misuse more effectively than physical tickets can.

Reasonable flexibility is available across the season to all genuine Season Ticket Holders, who are able to resell their ticket through the Club’s Resale Platform up to five times a season and are also able to forward their ticket to a family member or friend a further four times per season.

REDUCING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
The Club has been alarmed in recent seasons by the rise in anti-social behaviour at Leicester City matches, with our sanctions committee (which manages supporter behaviour that breaches our stadium regulations and ticketing terms and conditions) regularly observing that those responsible have obtained tickets through illegitimate means.

Of further concern to the Club were figures released by the Home Office in 2023, which ranked Leicester City third in English football for the number of active court-issued Football Banning Orders (56) among its supporters, with over a third of those (20) issued in the 2022/23 season alone. In most cases, upon our internal investigations, those charged had not obtained tickets via any Club channels.

Adoption of Mobile Ticketing and improving our capability to identify all attendees at Leicester City matches is part of our action plan to reduce anti-social behaviour at Leicester City matches and to ensure that, when it arises, those responsible can be held accountable.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Over recent seasons, the Club has taken positive steps in reducing its environmental impact, including the introduction of reusable cups in stadium concourses, the reduction in clap banner distribution to more targeted areas of the stadium and a switch to certified sustainable materials in their production. Wider adoption of Mobile Tickets enables us to take a further step in reducing the number of plastic Season Ticket cards issued each season, along with the carbon footprint associated with their manufacture and distribution. The Club appreciates it has much further to go in reducing its overall environmental impact and continues to listen to supporter feedback on further improvements that can be made.

We do understand the sentimental value attached to physical Season Ticket cards and have ensured that they remain an option. Please remember, the charge for these cards is waived for supporters over the age of 65, under the age of 12, and those with a registered disability. As with previous seasons, our staff are also here to assist anyone unfamiliar with Mobile Tickets to ensure access to the stadium is easy for everyone, and details of drop-in sessions to help supporters transition smoothly will be shared ahead of the new season.

We would encourage all supporters to take advantage of Mobile Tickets and are committed to supporting supporters’ adjustment to the system. Should you have any further concerns or need assistance with the system, please do not hesitate to contact our Supporter Services at [email protected] or call us at 0344 815 5000.

 

…All of which answers precisely none of my points in my missive. 

Just had the same cut and paste response.