Originally, all the restrictions of the pandemic and lockdown, and our need to ensure strict Covid compliances, not least the requirement to implement a robust Track and Trace system, led to our decision to go all ticket. Doing so would mean that we had details of every spectator entering the ground, which we could access instantaneously in the event of an emergency or Covid alert. It also enabled us to ensure that we could operate without massive queues forming in an environment where we were required to ensure that social distancing was adhered to.
When the lockdown restrictions were lifted, we had a very thorough review of our entry operations during the pandemic. We very strongly concluded that the practices that we had adopted during the pandemic brought about many benefits and advantages in the way we were operating on match days. Ease of entry, minimal queuing and the following:
1 – Volunteer Resources
Whilst we have clubs in our League who employ General Manager and Administrators on salaries, we don’t. We are completely volunteer run. At the start of pre-season we had one gate operator. We tried a number of shout outs last season but no takers. We have now three operators but only a maximum of two for any game. It’s one thing getting a new volunteer, it’s another to expect them to be at every single game. So the all ticket system enables us to be able to use what little resource we have wisely and smartly, and if people are just presenting tickets for scanning, they go straight in and queues do not form.
2 – Protection of Volunteers
Having only tickets to scan means that we protect our turnstile operators. It means that they do not have the responsibility of handling cash and are therefore not vulnerable, or indeed, put in a position where there is the temptation of fraud. They can operate in a safe, secure and comfortable environment. Clubs that have volunteers handling cash would like to believe that they are completely trustworthy, but we can never be 100% sure.
3 – Cash Security
One of the biggest factors of all. Payments go straight into the bank, safe. It means that:
- We do not have to have a person subject to vulnerability by going to the bank to get bags of change and notes.
- The vulnerable situation of that same person removing all match takings to his car at 4:56pm on a Saturday afternoon means that there is no opportunity for any opportunist who might be watching the same thing happen every Saturday to dare I say it, mug him.
- That person sitting at home tallying up all of the cash and completing paying in forms.
- That person then having to take all the cash to the Bank, vulnerable again, and then paying the bank for the privilege of paying it in.
- Cash causes queues. One of the first things we considered when going Covid compliant.
Inevitably the larger percentage of people paying cash would want change. And then the operator runs out of change at 2:59 because everyone wants change – more queues. And handling of all this cash was and still is, a Covid risk. On the queuing front, trying to minimise queues has led for an altogether better experience for all fans, home and away, who have bought their tickets in advance, present them and walk straight in.
- And if we are talking trust, it also protects Club officials. Not sure about you, but in all my time of watching non-league I’ve heard of more than one case of someone disappearing with the money.
We also considered the potential fallout of this change, if we were to make it. Generally when a large change takes place, you can apply an 80/20 rule. 80 per cent of people will understand the change, the reasons for it, accept them and adapt. 20 per cent will initially baulk against the change, most often because of fear of the change and how will they be able to adapt to the change. Out of those 20 per cent, about 15 per cent of them will find the way and once they are comfortable with the change, go with it. The 5 per cent (or less) who opt out will be because of stubborn resistance or they will continue to shout loudly in the hope that the change makers will change their minds through fear of losing their (possible) custom. In many of these cases, they have the ability to adapt but won’t. They have freedom of choice.
We have taken into account the changes we have made and the overall response has been exactly as I have detailed above. Almost all of our fanbase has adapted, and I have to say many from other clubs have respected and adapted to our decision and have bought online because the most important thing for them is following their club.
One other adjustment we have made is to extend the Box Office for buying tickets from 2pm to half an hour after kick off, 3:30pm (and from 6:45pm to 8:15pm at night games). So tickets can be bought right up to and after kick off.
The biggest immediate response from people is: What about those older people or those not computer literate?
We considered this first and foremost and identified our fans who might need help. And the real fact is, if you think about it, how many people who are not computer literate do you know who don’t know someone who is? We’ve had seniors who have enlisted the help of sons, daughters, nephews, grandsons, granddaughters, friends, fellow supporters. We have one 87 year old supporter who is detached and one who does not have the capability of computer literacy – I always take time out to make sure they are okay and have their tickets if they need them. They are both season ticket holders so that’s easy for them for most games.
People can easily help each other. We even have one supporter who went and brushed up on his minimal computer skills so that he could use our system. We aren’t a League Club, nor do we have any aspirations to be believe me, but the principle of all ticket entry is the same. We all have to adapt to situations we may not agree with or may not like. All we have done is best protect ourselves as a Club and we are aware of the potential possible pitfalls, but we’d like to think that those who have respected our decision and adapted to the change have a good match day experience at Top Field. We also have people outside the turnstiles to assist and ensure a smooth entry into the ground.
So we hope you can see we haven’t taken the decision lightly – we’ve considered all factors because we have thought outside the box as to how we can best operate with the limited resources available to us and of the potential implications of our decisions. Others have suggested that we will lose fans…but people have the choice and will choose whether or not they attend a game. We’d really love everybody to come to every game, but the spontaneous will I, won’t I attendees are “what ifs” and may or may not come anyway, irrespective of whether or not we are all ticket. We have chosen to make our decision on what we know, not on what we don’t know. And at the end of it, like it or not Covid is not over – and we still have a robust Track and Trace system in place should we ever need to implement it again quickly.
We have also been asked why we don’t operate a contactless payment system at the gate as some clubs do. We did consider this, but we decided that we weren’t in a position to accommodate this at the time. Reasoning included:
- Would detract from people buying in advance online, which ensures more people entering the ground unhindered and smoothly.
- Would cause queues at the turnstiles and slower entry into the ground, so more stewarding needed – knock on cost.
- Someone would have to reconcile all of the additional payments – that takes time. Doable if more resource was available to us.
- We would need another turnstile operator every game – therefore extra cost. And that does not mean one extra person. Nobody will commit to being available for every game. So that would be another two people to find.
- Slower and more ponderous calculation of match attendance. May not sound much, but having it all online means accuracy and transparency if needed and a quick calculation.
- Track and Trace system no longer 100% robust if we go to contactless.
Over the past couple of seasons, we have listened to comments from individual parties who may have had difficulty purchasing a ticket online. As a result of this, we are now in the position to introduce a matchday ticket office in the rear car park. This will allow tickets to be purchased on the day in person. These tickets can then be presented to the turnstiles as normal which remain all ticket. The clubs preference is still that as many people as possible purchase their tickets online as this is of great assistance to us, but if they choose to purchase in person on the day they can. A premium will be added to the price of these tickets to cover the additional costs of operating this facility. Payment must be by card only – no cash payments will be accepted.
We would also point out that there may be isolated occasions where we might still have a need to declare a match all ticket – possibly for safety or crowd numbers reasons. In such cases we will do our very best to assist all who may have difficulty obtaining an online ticket.
We hope that the reasons behind our decisions are now clearer, and that people will respect it and adapt accordingly. We stress that purchasing online really helps the Club and so where possible please continue to help us by doing so. Thank you for your support.