Definitely agree on that. It’s something I mentioned to a club official a year ago when I explained how I became a fan: my dad (a new/casual fan when a student at Sheffield Uni) got watching United in the Currie/Woodward era, introduced United to my uncle (a new/casual fan with zero connection to Sheffield, who became a huge fan), who in turn introduced me to United in the Bassett era.
They both relied on ease of getting home tickets (as people with no connections to other fans) to work out if an 8 year old me was properly interested in football and United. Asking for a minimum of points as an entry point for any completely new fans isn’t a particularly welcoming way to get people in when we know it’s a fixture that won’t sell out and won’t have a threat of trouble from away fans buying in home areas. General sale really should mean general sale.
I’m not convinced that under the current system of buying tickets my dad & uncle would have been motivated enough to seek the various ways of beating the system to get me a ticket. My dad especially just would have taken me to see someone easier to get a ticket for!
You've picked up on some really important issues - the training ground especially.
And as much as I love Bramall Lane, it is definitely a bit "tired" from the fans' perspective (including some of the disabled facilities) so let's hope improvements can be a priority.
A great summary and I agree on all the points raised. The ticketing policy for match days should also be looked at to better attract new/casual fans.
Definitely agree on that. It’s something I mentioned to a club official a year ago when I explained how I became a fan: my dad (a new/casual fan when a student at Sheffield Uni) got watching United in the Currie/Woodward era, introduced United to my uncle (a new/casual fan with zero connection to Sheffield, who became a huge fan), who in turn introduced me to United in the Bassett era.
They both relied on ease of getting home tickets (as people with no connections to other fans) to work out if an 8 year old me was properly interested in football and United. Asking for a minimum of points as an entry point for any completely new fans isn’t a particularly welcoming way to get people in when we know it’s a fixture that won’t sell out and won’t have a threat of trouble from away fans buying in home areas. General sale really should mean general sale.
I’m not convinced that under the current system of buying tickets my dad & uncle would have been motivated enough to seek the various ways of beating the system to get me a ticket. My dad especially just would have taken me to see someone easier to get a ticket for!
Thanks, Joseph
From your keyboard to the board's ears . . . !
You've picked up on some really important issues - the training ground especially.
And as much as I love Bramall Lane, it is definitely a bit "tired" from the fans' perspective (including some of the disabled facilities) so let's hope improvements can be a priority.
Sue.
Do you know how many acres the Dore site is?