Observations on the OS season ticket booking process
- by The Pink Palermo
- Filed: Monday, 15th June 2015
I popped along today to see the nice salesman in the sales suite at Stratford Westfield shopping centre.
Prior to asking the salesman any questions, and reminding him at the end, I informed him I would be sticking his answers up on a West Ham fans website. In all fairness he was just an ordinary Joe doing his job , and in no way responsible for the clubs policies.The first thing they do is sit you down in a padded seat that has plenty of room to show you a video. Be aware that the standard seats are not padded and are not as large. These seats are in the corporate areas.
The video was a montage with a voice over by that bloke who was in the Departed - not Martin Sheen, the other one. Fairly standard guff, but it included the word "founders" to give you an idea of the sales pitch.
Talking of pitch, the video showed relatively steep stands when in reality they are anything but. Do not be fooled. This may be important to you when selecting your seat or standing position .
The video lasts about two minutes - and tells you nowt. You then get passed to your designated sales agent who takes you to his PC station. Normally he then would call up your client reference number and show you your "comparable " seat.
However, before he got into his stride I had a few questions.
I asked how they decided who got first dibs. His reply was it was the club's decision and it was selected by a computer program that worked from the halfway line outwards starting from the front. He had no idea how the East stand was prioritised over the West stand.
My priority number was around the high 2000s/very low 3000s; he couldn't confirm if that was my place in the queue, but I suspect it was.
I pointed out the inherent issue with the 'plus 2s' in that if everyone in a Band 1 seat took two extra seats, then before very long there would be Band 1 season ticket holders currently near the halfway line who could be near the 18-yard box, or a long way back compared with now (or worse).
What could be worse? Be very careful booking any seats on the half way line lower than Row 20. The 1966 club starts at Row 21 and extends back to row 43. If you are in Row 10 for example you are very very low down, and relatively far back compared with a 'comparable' seat in row 10 of the West stand at the Boleyn .
I foresee major issues for stewards with Band 1 supporters at Stratford on the East halfway line standing up, blocking the views of those behind. Children in particular may struggle to get a decent view - or indeed any view. Bearing in mind these will be the only concession seats on the halfway line near the front, you may wish to give this some thought before booking.
In my opinion, based upon what I was shown, the seats below row 20 suffer from being further back than those in the West Lower at the moment, lacking the intimacy. And they have a worse perspective on the play. Very few seats had been taken on the half way line below row 20 with many supporters opting for seats behind the 1966 which ends in row 43. That tends to confirm my opinion.
So far the sales agent believed 3,000-4,000 seats had gone already (excluding corporate), and here is the next issue. Both sides of the ground on the half way line are effectively corporate.
No concession tickets will be available on the West (Lower, near the front, there may be some in the upper behind the corporate and only the front 20 rows on the East limiting the number available there (some are available behind the 1966 area i.e after row 43).
I was shown a graphic that showed Band 1 seats starting on the edge of the 18-yard line (other then the first 20 rows). In other words, you would be either end of the pitch if you want to see a perspective on the game, or in a very low seat if you want to be nearer the action.
In my opinion, the club are stretching the definition of Band 1. In no way, shape or form do those seats compare with a current Band 1. Supporters should be very very careful before stumping up for a Band 1. (Others of course will have different opinions. You pays your money ... but I reckon season two will see record numbers of supporters trying to relocate seats.)
I asked if supporters would have the opportunity to visit their physical seat as opposed to the view being shown on a desktop PC prior to paying the other 75 per cent of their season ticket money. My agent did not know; I think we can all guess the answer.
I was offered the choice of a seat in either the East or West Stand, but again - be careful in the new West Stand, as not only is there the Boleyn bar in the lower tier, but the seats on the half way line in the upper tier are corporate.
I will be very interested to see the take-up rate in the Boleyn bar in season four. The seats stretch down to the front and the view will be no better than the bottom 20 rows in the new East Stand. There will be some cheesed-off punters, bearing in mind the Boleyn bar goes back 22 rows only. I was told that all seats in the BB have been sold.
I was told the away fans are being located in the East Stand Lower, in the south-eastern corner (by the corner flag). The idea is to whisk them away to Stratford station and get rid ASAP. Good luck with that.
I was told there would be the same number of concession bands as now, but they would not be available in the designated corporate seats - Boleyn Bar, 1966 etc. There is something called the Academy as well which I didn't get to the bottom of. It looked like a bar area.
I asked where the non-able bodied supporters would be housed with their carers and was shown a number of locations in the West Stand behind the BB area and in front of the Directors box. They look like good spots; well done, West Ham. I enquired as to how the toilets for those fans would be kept for their use alone and my agent had no idea.
He was unable to confirm the number of toilets or food outlets, or the locations thereof. I asked if there would be an external toilet block (a bit like the one at the Emirates) and he thought not.
I asked about the route to and from the station and ground on match day. Whilst he wasn't sure, he thought it would be like the Olympic with people herded off trains and routed around the shopping centre rather than through the passageway where the shop they are doing the sales pitch from lies. Good luck with that.
I asked about the gap between seats - leg room - he did not know. I asked about the height of each step. He did not know. I asked about a designated family area and although he wasn't sure where it was, he did tell me they wouldn't get moved for cup games.
I asked how a local resident would qualify for one of the 100,000 free tickets. He did not know. I asked about a ticket trading system. He thought there would be one, but reminded me seats in the 1966 area were fully transferable whereas normal season tickets are not.
My agent was unable to tell me how far away from the pitch the front row seat was, nor whether the distance was the same for both the East and West stands. Ditto the ends.
My agent was unable to confirm the number of seats for each band , nor where band 2, 3, 4 would start or end. It is clear they are going to be at the back, behind the goal and in the corners so again I would urge all supporters to be very careful when they get shown their CGI shots. If selecting a seat behind the goal, have a look for the far goal posts.
My agent was unable to inform me how many 'plus 2s' had been purchased. Based upon what I believe my priority number is and how many seats he thought they had sold, I suspect not many.
He could confirm that none of the unsold seats -the ones outside UEFA viewing distance regulations - would be removed, they would be covered up. The layout of some of the seats behind the goals means groups of supporters will be in isolated pockets in those areas.
Providing they have good eyesight, the upper tiers behind the goals may be the place for those who want to stand and sing to congregate. They'll be much further back than now, but the extra elevation may be crucial in terms of seeing the far goal.
As for my 'comparable', seat I looked at several views on his CGI system and none looked anything like what I currently enjoy. I faced being shunted off to the wings of the West Upper or Lower, or miles back in the East or West if I wanted a half way line seat as I have had for 14 years.
I eventually took a seat in the 1966 area. The seat is lower down than my current seat but further back, meaning for me the view will be somewhat worse .It will cost me £240 more than my current season ticket but i'll get a programme thrown in and my name on the seat.
I enquired as to the £289 seats, but he was unable to tell me where they were and how many would be sold.
I enquired as to why no scale model was available for fans to look at. I was told those things cost tens of thousands of pounds and the software was probably cheaper.
All in all the sales agent was a nice chap and as helpful as he could be, given the limited information that had been made available to him to pass on. Draw your own conclusions as to why that information is so limited.
Caveat emptor: I would urge every supporter to do as much research as they can on KUMB - where many people have posted drawings and dimensions - or other resources prior to making their trip.
Note to the club, who will almost certainly read this article. Please, please publish on the club's website some drawings with dimensions showing actual distances and angles of elevation at Stratford, with a comparison with areas of the Boleyn. Not Wembley, or anywhere else.
We all know the Olympic Stadium is much bigger, but most supporters go to Wembley occasionally and the Boleyn reguarly. It's a better reference point - it isn't about pointing out the difference in size.
It would really help supporters make a better informed choice and ultimately it will soften the blow many will feel with the move. You have the dimensions. Stop the dishonesty and come clean, help your supporters.
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