Club Statement Regarding Season Tickets for the 2022/23 Season
The 2022/23 Season Ticket-selling window has been the greatest in the club’s history, surpassing our previous record for Season Ticket purchases. We have seen our fanbase engage with us in a way that has never been seen before, and the feeling around the club has been extremely euphoric, both on and off the pitch.
Moments like this allow us a window in which we can take greater steps to move forward and further unlock the potential of this club.
At the start of last season, many supporters contacted us about the possibility of a digital Season Ticket that could be placed in your wallet and/or used on a mobile device. Throughout last season this was trialed with match-by-match ticketing; this was well received and worked well for many supporters.
Having researched this option thoroughly and, assessing all options and how they work elsewhere, we felt confident that we could move over to an E-Season Ticket in this coming season and work this alongside the current system of season cards and match-by-match sales; this was a blend of what we had seen from others and a process we felt could work across our fanbase. We also felt that this was a more environmentally-friendly means of getting supporters into the stadium.
However, there have been some unforeseen issues that have complicated matters that we will break down below, as well as finalising a plan to address the concerns of all supporters.
Initially, when the stadium was set-up for the new season, a subtle change had been made to the mapping and the data in the back-end of the site. This has meant that some of those renewing their Season Tickets were treated as a new purchaser and not as a renewing Season Ticket-holder, which led to the incorrect issue of e-tickets for some supporters.
In addition, in hindsight, a one-size-fits-all approach was not suitable for the diverse nature of our fanbase as we appreciate that you all have varying needs. We are also aware that there was some confusion from supporters who had paid for postage but then received their Season Ticket via e-mail.
The postage fee was correctly charged as all Season Ticket holders this season are due to receive packs in the post. Last season, this was set-up as a free membership, however, following feedback, this year we have extended the offer to all Season Ticket holders. All packs will be with you in the coming weeks and contain a token of our gratitude for your continued support, whether you have a card or an E-Season Ticket.
Therefore, over the past few days, we have been working with Ticketmaster and Fortress to address the various issues and feedback that have been communicated to us. These are as follows:
- All those Season Ticket holders with existing cards from the 2021/22 season, that have not changed stand or category, will have their Season Cards automatically loaded with their 2022/23 Season Ticket on there.
- All season Ticket holders with existing cards from the 2021/2022 season, that have changed stand or category, will have their Season Cards automatically loaded with their 2022/23 Season Ticket on there.
All E-Tickets issued for the Forest Green fixture, to the above groups, have been cancelled as your existing card has been reactivated ready for the Forest Green fixture.
- All those new Season Ticket holders who do not have a card yet, will receive an e-mail today offering them a season card or E-Season Tickets*
*In this instance, those cards cannot be guaranteed to arrive by the Forest Green game, therefore you will also be asked if you need a paper ticket or an E-Ticket for the first game of the season, should you select the Season Card option.
We will be asking you to complete this before 9am on Monday morning so we can process all of these options ahead of the Forest Green game on 30th July. We ask for your support by promptly replying, so we can help you ensure that you have access to the match with Forest Green.
Anyone with missing or lost cards from last season, who have not moved stand or changed category, can e-mail tickets@bristolrovers.co.uk to order a replacement card at the cost of £5.00.
Please also note, that we would ask all supporters to take extra care to ensure that they bring the correct ticket to the match. Any supporters who attempt to enter the stadium and receive a red light to deny access will be sent to the ticket office to review your tickets and ensure that the correct ticket is in use and no duplicates have been made. Any supporters attempting to access the stadium on illegible tickets will be removed and may be subject to club bans.
We know that fans hold this club in their hearts, and we know that there are those of you who chose to share your feelings in many different ways. We read these on social media, we listen to these over the phone and we read these in your e-mails. All of our staff are working as hard as they can to make improvements and make the club better for us all. However, at no time, and under no circumstances, is it acceptable for any supporter to be aggressive towards members of the club’s staff.
Over the course of last season, we received feedback from fans regarding levels of support surrounding ticket services. In response to this, over the summer we have made a number of changes to move the support of ticket purchases in-house, which allows us to offer a better service to supporters, both online and in-store.
Our matchday ticketing team is now stronger than ever. We have the staff to assist with ticketing, to issue paper alternatives and give help to those wanting to embrace the technology that the club is using. We also have staff available to reply to e-mails as David, Pete and Clare have been doing. However, if we have not addressed your concern within this e-mail and you’d like to ask something further, please e-mail tickets@bristolrovers.co.uk and our team will do all they can to help resolve your issue.
We achieved something last year that, six months into the season, many did not think was possible and, as this achievement began to gather pace, your support for all areas grew and fed into the culture that we are building. We are now eight days from the start of the next chapter as we continue to build on what we are growing.
We would like to thank you all for your continued support and ask that you share it with others and get behind the club to continue to help us move forward.
We look forward to seeing you all back at The Mem next Saturday as we host Forest Green Rovers for the start of what we hope will be another exciting season.