Getting tickets

[TheBigBean]

So what I really don't understand is why I need to queue at the box office with photo ID for my season ticket, but anyone else gets an easily transferred bit of paper.

The move to digital feels more like a crack down on season ticket sharing, but I don't see the problem with that. Two seats on one side of me are held by a Irish syndicate, so it is always different people; however, they always had the season ticket cards, so presumably it was not some touting network.

[arrgee]

The move to digital feels more like a crack down on season ticket sharing, but I don't see the problem with that.

But the 92,000 plus on the season ticket waiting list do.

[nut flush gooner]

Is anyone else a bit disgruntled about the move to digital tickets only? The options are now to use Google Pay, Apple Pay or queue up with photo ID before every game. I need to do the latter, but I can only imagine it will be chaos at the first game of the season.

Yeah, its a bloody pain for people sharing season tickets. With the old system you could just give one person the card, and have the other one use a digital pass. Now everything has to be done on ticket transfer, which ofc is another money spinner for the club.

[nut flush gooner]

The move to digital feels more like a crack down on season ticket sharing, but I don't see the problem with that.

But the 92,000 plus on the season ticket waiting list do.

Why? I own one season ticket, and "look after" two for a mate who lives in Belfast. He can't go to every game so I use my network of gooner mates to sell tickets for him. We never overcharge, people cover the cost of the season ticket that's it.

Ticket transfer is used so that people can have digital tickets and it's all above board, the season ticket waiting list is a totally different matter. You can't expect season ticket holders to turn up to every game. If you are that desperate to get a season ticket, spend £5k on a bond to jump the queue. I know someone who is seriously considering this.

[arrgee]

The move to digital feels more like a crack down on season ticket sharing, but I don't see the problem with that.

But the 92,000 plus on the season ticket waiting list do.

Why? I own one season ticket, and "look after" two for a mate who lives in Belfast. He can't go to every game so I use my network of gooner mates to sell tickets for him. We never overcharge, people cover the cost of the season ticket that's it.

Ticket transfer is used so that people can have digital tickets and it's all above board, the season ticket waiting list is a totally different matter. You can't expect season ticket holders to turn up to every game. If you are that desperate to get a season ticket, spend £5k on a bond to jump the queue. I know someone who is seriously considering this.

I never wanted a season ticket because I knew I would never attend enough games, hence I had a silver membership. Now that is a ballot, I can’t attend the games I want to attend. So I have to join the back of the queue. There are many who have been on the list for a long time and whilst there are doubtless many who pass tickets on at face value, there are some who don’t. I suspect those who use ticket transfer a lot will be asked why.

It will be monitored going forward as Arsenal now expect the ticket to be utilised for 17 of 22 games. Hence they have got rid of the cards and QR codes which are easily passed on. I now have to depend on season ticket holders not attending who can transfer tickets to me as is the case for the first two league games.

https://www.arsenal.com/season-ticket-seat-utilisation

As a season ticket holder your seat needs to be utilised at a minimum number of games for you to be eligible to renew for the following season. In the 2023/24 season, minimum seat utilisation requirements are as follows:

Premium members: 17 of the 28 games included in your season ticket
General Admission: 17 of the 22 games included in your season ticket

WHAT IS SEAT UTILISATION?

A seat is considered ‘utilised’ if you have either:

* Attended yourself
* Used the Ticket Transfer service to transfer your ticket(s) – provided the recipient(s) attends the fixture
* Posted your ticket(s) on Ticket Exchange - regardless of whether it’s purchased

[arrgee]

Is anyone else a bit disgruntled about the move to digital tickets only? The options are now to use Google Pay, Apple Pay or queue up with photo ID before every game. I need to do the latter, but I can only imagine it will be chaos at the first game of the season.

Yeah, its a bloody pain for people sharing season tickets. With the old system you could just give one person the card, and have the other one use a digital pass. Now everything has to be done on ticket transfer, which ofc is another money spinner for the club.

Ticket transfer is free.

[nut flush gooner]

Is anyone else a bit disgruntled about the move to digital tickets only? The options are now to use Google Pay, Apple Pay or queue up with photo ID before every game. I need to do the latter, but I can only imagine it will be chaos at the first game of the season.

Yeah, its a bloody pain for people sharing season tickets. With the old system you could just give one person the card, and have the other one use a digital pass. Now everything has to be done on ticket transfer, which ofc is another money spinner for the club.

Ticket transfer is free.

Arsenal charge a £1 admin fee, for the person transferring the ticket.

[arrgee]

Is anyone else a bit disgruntled about the move to digital tickets only? The options are now to use Google Pay, Apple Pay or queue up with photo ID before every game. I need to do the latter, but I can only imagine it will be chaos at the first game of the season.

Yeah, its a bloody pain for people sharing season tickets. With the old system you could just give one person the card, and have the other one use a digital pass. Now everything has to be done on ticket transfer, which ofc is another money spinner for the club.

Ticket transfer is free.

Arsenal charge a £1 admin fee, for the person transferring the ticket.

Not anymore.

https://www.arsenal.com/ticket-transfer-guide

Ticket Transfer gives Season Ticket Holders the ability to electronically transfer their ticket to friends & family, within their 'My Network', for a game they cannot attend.

Your digital pass uses NFC technology which cannot be screenshotted. Ticket Transfer is the only way to share your Season Ticket with a friend or family member.

The service is open until 3 hours before kick off and is completely free to use.

[nut flush gooner]

Is anyone else a bit disgruntled about the move to digital tickets only? The options are now to use Google Pay, Apple Pay or queue up with photo ID before every game. I need to do the latter, but I can only imagine it will be chaos at the first game of the season.

Yeah, its a bloody pain for people sharing season tickets. With the old system you could just give one person the card, and have the other one use a digital pass. Now everything has to be done on ticket transfer, which ofc is another money spinner for the club.

Ticket transfer is free.

Arsenal charge a £1 admin fee, for the person transferring the ticket.

Not anymore.

https://www.arsenal.com/ticket-transfer-guide

Ticket Transfer gives Season Ticket Holders the ability to electronically transfer their ticket to friends & family, within their 'My Network', for a game they cannot attend.

Your digital pass uses NFC technology which cannot be screenshotted. Ticket Transfer is the only way to share your Season Ticket with a friend or family member.

The service is open until 3 hours before kick off and is completely free to use.

Well at least Arsenal did something right.

[TheBigBean]

Had another chat about this with Arsenal.

Season ticket holders are not considered a problem for ticket touting, so the ability to transfer to someone else who gets a printable ticket will remain in place. Season ticket holders can't have physical tickets, because the stadium is digital only now. I almost laughed.

The plan for season ticket holders who don't have smart phones is to firstly email them to tell them to get one (apparently less successful than Arsenal had hoped - who would have thought?), then call them to tell them to get one. Failing that, they can queue up for their tickets.

Red and silver members are naughty ticket touts.

[TheBigBean]

Wrong thread.

[BobbyPires7]

Arteta is undoubtedly an improvement on Emery. I don't imagine he will last that long though.

Are you getting his complimentaries but Emery was a bit tight?

[TheBigBean]

Oh, wrong thread!

[arrgee]

Had another chat about this with Arsenal.

Season ticket holders are not considered a problem for ticket touting, so the ability to transfer to someone else who gets a printable ticket will remain in place. Season ticket holders can't have physical tickets, because the stadium is digital only now. I almost laughed.

The plan for season ticket holders who don't have smart phones is to firstly email them to tell them to get one (apparently less successful than Arsenal had hoped - who would have thought?), then call them to tell them to get one. Failing that, they can queue up for their tickets.

Red and silver members are naughty ticket touts.

Surprised at that. Given it takes ages to become a silver member or they have been members for ages, for them to suddenly go rogue makes no sense. And it’s not as if a silver member is going to hand their card or their QR code to someone they don’t know. I would guesstimate that pretty much all the touting comes from non-members such as sponsors who get tickets along with a few STHs who will do ticket transfer.

Red members getting tickets is an open invite to touts. Create a few accounts with no checks and then get tickets one way or another and sell them on. £34 difference would be more than covered by the sale price.

As for buying a smart phone to get in, that is totally ridiculous. I often go out with just a credit card and door keys these days. I would bring the Arsenal card as well if going to a game, but no need to bring anything else. However, smart phones are becoming more common in gaining entrance. I use the Dice app for gigs and they only generate the QR code an hour or so before doors open.

Of course, I now get a bit annoyed if there isn’t a digital option. Off to Charlton to see Orient at the weekend and I have paper tickets. So I have to meet friends at the pub and have a few beers pre-match. Very frustrating

[TheBigBean]

The other comical moment was when he tried to argue that using mobile phones made it quicker to enter.

Anyway, I have sent the Forest game to myself and printed out a paper ticket in my name. A hassle, but hopefully less hassle than queuing up on the day.

It seems other clubs are going digital only as well. Leeds has already done it and Middlesbrough is bringing it in. Presumably others too.