Thursday, 12 December 2013
Hull City Statement
We believe it should be remembered that the owners of Football Clubs are merely custodians and that whilst they, managers and players come and go, the only real constant is the clubs' supporters who would have to live with such a name change.
We call on the FA and relevant footballing authorities to make sure that proper, meaningful consultation is undertaken on this issue and that the wishes of the fans are listened to and acted upon.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
THST BOARD WEEKLY UPDATE
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Revised information for Palace Away 18/8/2013
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Pub Advice for Crystal Palace Away 18/8/2013
"Hi Katrina,
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
2012/2013 Season Review DVD Competition
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Rebranding Update
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Board Update
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Statement re: THFC/StubHub Partnership
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
StubHub Q&A with THFC
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust
StubHub: the new official ticket exchange
Q&A with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
4th May 2013
The end of the 2012/2013 season also sees the end of the original Spurs Ticket Exchange. This has been replaced by a partnership with StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) an eBay company, where the seller sets the price for match tickets with no upper limit.
Concerned at Spurs’ decision to move into the secondary ticketing market, Darren Alexander, Joint Chairman andKatrina Law, Secretary of THST, requested a meeting with Ian Murphy, Head of Ticketing and Membership and Jonathan Waite, Customer Services and Supporter Liaison Manager at THFC, to address our worries. This was scheduled for the 4th May, prior to the home game against Southampton.
The day before the meeting, THFC provided THST with a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document on StubHub. These FAQs should be read in conjunction with the following Q&A.
Having sight of this information ahead of the meeting enabled us to explore the more searching questions rather than focusing on the practicalities of the system.
1) In 2006, THFC stated their opposition to moving into the secondary ticketing market. Why the turnaround?
StubHub wasn’t present in the UK in 2006. THFC spoke with another company regarding secondary ticketing at that time and part of their proposal was to retain an allocation of tickets that they could sell directly using flexible pricing. This was unacceptable to THFC and remains the case now.
THFC spoke with two secondary ticketing companies in 2012 to discuss the possibility of a relationship. Following a lengthy dialogue, StubHub was happy to work in line with THFC’s requirements and stipulations and an agreement was concluded.
StubHub, who launched in the UK in 2011, is purely an exchange facility and at no point did the company request an allocation of tickets to sell directly.
Hence, the offering is now different to that discussed in 2006.
2) Who, within THFC, is responsible for the decision to move the ticket exchange to StubHub?
Ian Murphy, Head of Ticketing and Membership, along with a member of the commercial team at THFC conducted discussions with the interested parties in early 2012.
Based on the commercial deal on offer, StubHub was recommended to the THFC Board, who made the ultimate decision.
This is a commercial arrangement. Football clubs always need new income streams, and the increased TV revenue should not be a smoke screen for this. Every club received the same TV deal; hence the gap still needs bridging with other teams.
3) How is THFC’s relationship with Ticketmaster affected by the partnership with StubHub?
THFC’s contract with Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.co.uk) was due to expire at the end of this season. It has actually been extended for another 2 years.
Ticketmaster declined to compete for the ticket exchange business, as it’s not the company’s speciality.
Ticketmaster will continue to operate all normal sales via the ticket office, with StubHub running the ticket exchange.
4) With StubHub being activated once a home game has sold out, how many games are we actually talking about? How many games sold out this season?
The current ticket exchange was activated for every home Premier League game this season. Every PL home game has sold out.
An average of 700 tickets were sold via the exchange for each home match, with the exception of Arsenal, where c 200 tickets were sold on the exchange.
5) Do you have to be a Spurs member to buy a ticket on StubHub?
No.
6) What checks are in place to ensure tickets are bought by home fans only?
All tickets sold via StubHub for matches at White Hart Lane are subject to the Tottenham Hotspur Terms and Conditions and Ground Regulations. This states that tickets are for home supporters only and anyone found to be supporting the visiting team will face ejection from the stadium with no refund due. This is exactly the same process currently in place for any tickets sold via general sale.
THFC do have the ability to restrict sales via StubHub to members only on advice from the Police etc. for specific matches.
7) Can Lilywhite and Bronze members buy tickets via the ticket office and subsequently sell them on StubHub?
No. Only season ticket holders can sell their seats on StubHub and only once a game has sold out.
8) Will THFC monitor season ticket holders who persistently sell their seats at inflated prices?
THFC will monitor all aspects of the relationship over the course of the StubHub agreement (which runs until the end of the 2014/15 season). THFC have spoken to other Premier League clubs who have used the system throughout the current season and they have not seen any issues of people exploiting the system.
THFC are aware of a small number of people who currently use the ticket exchange quite regularly as they are unable to attend matches on specific days for a number of reasons (temporary relocation, work commitments etc.).
The introduction of StubHub’s system is aimed to provide an additional benefit to season ticket holders in the event that they are unable to attend a home match.
9) What fee did Spurs receive for this partnership?
The details of any agreements are commercially sensitive and subject to a confidentiality agreement.
10) Did this deal include perimeter pitch side advertising and, if so, was this sold to StubHub at the going rate?
Yes, it was factored into the deal at the going rate.
11) StubHub charges a commission of 12% per transaction to the seller and 15% per transaction to the buyer. In order to recoup face value of £45.00 on a Category B seat in the East Stand Lower, the seller would need to ask £51.15 for their ticket. The buyer would, therefore, pay £58.82 for the same ticket. How can this be fair? Even to recoup face value, another Spurs fan would be paying almost £60 for a £45 ticket.
The old exchange was a buyer’s market. Season ticket holders only recouped between 75% and 85% of face value when selling via the exchange. This system means they can set the sale price for their ticket, although there is no guarantee that the seat will sell at the listed price. The season ticket holder will be able to amend the list price if they wish to.
12) Making football affordable for all fans is close to the Trust’s heart and this rankles. How can THFC justify the figures the buyer would now be paying for a face value ticket at a time when people are struggling to afford football and with national campaigns on ticket pricing gathering pace? Could THFC look at ways to add value to the Bronze and Lilywhite memberships as a counter balance? Offering 1,500 – 2,000 tickets to Bronze members during their priority window, as an example?
THFC are aware that some of the comments on the new system have suggested it is detrimental to the membership offering. The sales process for home tickets will remain the same in that priority will be given to Bronze, and then Lilywhite members for all home matches in the same way as it has worked for a number of seasons.
There is nothing to suggest the introduction of the StubHub facility will alter the level of ticket availability to members. THFC will continue to monitor this, though, to ensure the membership remains the primary route for ticket priority andthat availability to members will not reduce.
13) Would THFC relax their position on the transfer of tickets via other sources in light of this deal?
No. StubHub is a recognised partner of THFC, so the only official way to exchange match tickets.
THFC will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police and the Premier League to take the strongest possible action against those that attempt to sell tickets unofficially, either in person or via unofficial websites.
The Club does not ignore the issue of selling tickets on the street around White Hart Lane and we regularly make requests to the police to take action against these people. THFC has no jurisdiction over the public highways or criminal offences that occur there.
At every match, THFC deal with numbers of people (often from abroad) that have been the victims of fraud, often paying vastly inflated sums of money for tickets that do not even exist. Additionally, THFC regularly uncover organised groups that hold a number of memberships to obtain tickets to sell on illegally. There is an active sharing of information amongst all Premier League clubs to identify these groups and ban them.
This sort of activity will continue to be a key focus for THFC moving forward.
14) Does the StubHub deal exclude cup games?
No. StubHub will be activated once ANY home game in ANY competition has sold out.
15) Executive lounge members are excluded from the current deal. Why?
At the moment, there is no need to include them. THFC will however monitor and look to add this facility if it is proved worthwhile.
16) StubHub is an open market place with no restrictions on the number of tickets bought or the price asked. What is there to prevent someone from buying 10 tickets and then selling them on at inflated prices? How is this not touting?
This process is called ‘flipping’ (purchasing a revenue-generating asset and quickly reselling (or ‘flipping’) it for profit) and has been monitored. There aren’t actually many examples of ‘flipping’ and it is very rare indeed for the tickets to sell at more than their original price.
Photo ID is required upon collection of the tickets on match days, also.
StubHub is self regulating. If a ticket is listed too highly, it won’t sell.
THFC is urging fans not to dismiss StubHub without seeing it in action and to reserve judgement until it is fully in place. THFC have also received positive communications from season ticket holders praising the introduction of the new system, because it is more beneficial for the fans that are paying the most money.
17) Where is the money from the StubHub partnership going?
It’s not ring fenced. As with all commercial agreements, any revenue will go into the central Club budget to help fund ongoing operations.
For more information, please contact:
Katrina Law
Secretary, THST
@THSTOfficial
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Q&A with Everton's The Blue Union
StubHub: the new official ticket exchange
Q&A with Everton’s The Blue Union
April 2013
The end of the 2012/2013 season also sees the end of the original Spurs Ticket Exchange. This has been replaced by a partnership with StubHub, an ebay company, which states that fans can “resell seats for home matches they can’t attend, set their own price and change it whenever they like”. While the system will only be activated once a home game has sold out, the move to StubHub has caused many ripples among the Spurs fanbase, and rightly so. Secondary ticketing markets can be little more than legalised touting.
THST has called a meeting with THFC to discuss the partnership and how the StubHub exchange will work for Spurs fans. This will take place ahead of the Southampton home game on Saturday, 4th May. Rather than mulling over the theory, THST contacted Everton’s The Blue Union for some practical
experience of StubHub. Both Everton and Sunderland have been using StubHub’s system this season.
Here, Simon Magner of The Blue Union, responds to questions posed by Spurs fans via @THSTOfficial’s Twitter account on 20th April. While Simon’s answers are, obviously, Everton specific, they provide plenty of food for thought for Spurs fans.
1. Prior to moving over to StubHub this season, what system was in place for Everton fans to sell on unwanted match tickets?
Before this season’s deal with StubHub, there was nothing in place to sell on match tickets. Most fans tended to (and probably still do) pass on their tickets to friends/family.
2. Was the introduction of StubHub greeted with much resistance or scepticism from Everton supporters?
There was a mixed reaction from Evertonians. Many saw this as a good business deal for the club, bringing in much needed extra revenue (although I’m not sure what the exact figures are), some Evertonians were slightly more sceptical and realised that this kind of scheme has very little policing, opening the door for legalised ticket touting.
3. With no upper limit on ticket pricing, have Everton fans managed to keep resale prices at a sensible level?
For the majority of the season, I would say the average Evertonian has benefitted from this deal. The club has struggled to sell out Goodison Park this season, and tickets for several games could be found on StubHub, priced between £15-20. Everton also ran a scheme which gave season ticket holders two vouchers for discounted match tickets (£15) to pass onto friends and family.
4. Is the Everton StubHub model open to members of EFC only?
No, any supporter can take advantage of the StubHub selling mechanism, which opens a number of safety concerns regarding away fans sitting in home ends.
5. If not, how have EFC ensured tickets are bought by home supporters? Have there been any instances of away fans buying tickets in the home end?
I am unsure if there have been any direct instances of away fans purchasing tickets in the home end via StubHub and I am unaware of any problems this may have caused. As far as I know, Everton do very little to help police this.
6. How much were tickets selling for, on average, for the bigger games i.e. Merseyside derby etc.? Was this more than face value?
Tickets were spotted on StubHub for the Merseyside derby at £200. The face value for these kind of matches is usually around £40.
7. Presumably, StubHub charges a commission on each transaction. What percentage is this of the sale value?
On a typical order (not necessarily EFC tickets), StubHub would take a 20-25% of the purchase price. Buyers tend to pay 10% more than the listed price and sellers receive 10-15% less. Obviously, this has not been the case with most tickets for Everton but would change depending on ticket demand.
8. Does the Everton StubHub model offer an option to sell away tickets also?
No. StubHub does not sell away tickets on behalf of the club. Everton usually have a healthy away support, and the club sometimes decides to take a lower allocation since this reduces the up front cost the club is expected to pay.
9. After a season of using StubHub, what’s the reality of Everton fans’ experience of the system as opposed to the preconception?
In the main, the system appears to be beneficial, for the time being, while demand is low. As I have said previously, we have had very few sell outs this season and there have usually been plenty of tickets available for supporters at the ground. I think most Evertonians (non-ST holders) who require match tickets would still use the official ticket office at Goodison Park before purchasing tickets from StubHub –possibly because many are unsure how the system works and may not even be aware of it. There is obviously still the worry that as demand increases, so too will ticket prices – especially for premium games. I believe this should be a cause for concern for clubs such as Spurs whose match tickets appear to be in high demand and are fairly expensive in comparison. This could potentially see ticket prices soar.
Monday, 29 April 2013
THST Working Party Launch
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Minutes for Board Meeting Held on 25/3
Board Meeting
Monday 25th March 2013
6pm
MINUTES
THST Board:
Darren Howlett (Joint Chairman)
Darren Alexander (Joint Chairman)
Ellie Kershaw
Katrina Law (Secretary)
Formal apologies:
Howard Sherman (Treasurer)
Tracey Mottram
1) DA opened up the meeting by addressing the first agenda item –
Defining areas of responsibility for THST Board Members.
These were agreed as follows:
Darren Alexander – Joint Chairman: Supporter facing. Leading our relationship with Supporters Direct, FSF, THFC fan base, THST members. Overall campaigning. Board Level THFC contact.
Darren Howlett - Joint Chairman: Executive/ Corporate facing. Leading our relationship with Business, Commercial and Executive stakeholders. Board Level THFC contact.
Howard Sherman – Treasurer.
Responsible for all budgeting and ongoing Trust accounts.
Katrina Law – Secretary. Ticketing, Safety and Marcomms. Responsible for content, member communications, campaigning, website and database build. Leading our relationship with Ticketing and Safety teams at THFC.
Ellie Kershaw – Strategy and Community. Leading our relationship with David Lammy MP, Haringey Council, The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Responsible for translating all THST visions into measurable strategies, with milestones and smart actions.
Tracey Mottram – Branding and Design.
Responsible for producing brand guidelines, logo, tone of voice for all outbound communications to all stakeholders.
2) Agreeing strategy and objectives for Q2 2013:
i) Amendments to and modernisation of the current Rules of Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Society Ltd (registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 – 1978).
A sub-committee was created to oversee the Rule Changes comprising DA and EK at Board Level, with Daniel Wynne leading the Working Party.
Additional legal expertise will be sought to assist with this task at Working Party level.
ii) Design and development of a new, transactional THST website to feed into a back end CRM database to enable membership to be reopened and afford us a platform grow our membership base rapidly.
KL will lead this project with Working Party assistance from a specialist web designer. We are advertising for this (voluntary) position on the Working Party.
iii) Events to raise the profile of THST and drive up membership e.g. Quiz. Q&A Night, Football Tournament.
DA will lead this with Working Party resource. We are advertising for interested parties to join the Events sub-committee on the Working Party.
3) Debrief on the Supporters’ Direct Conference – 23 March 2013
DA and KL talked through the main points raised during the SD conference in Birmingham last weekend.
Present in the PL Group were representatives from Arsenal, Liverpool, Swansea, Man United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Aston Villa, QPR
Key points:
- Opened up with a presentation by Jim White of Swans Trust
- Q&A with Cathy Long of the Premier League covering
i) Away Fans – treatment of including pricing, allocation, location within stadiums
ii) Engagement with Clubs – SLO role. Jonathan Waite at THFC singled out for praise
iii) FFP – called for more transparency around transfer fees / players wages etc.
Summary:
It was agreed to present a Joint Trust Statement to the Premier League w/c 25 March thanking them for their recognition and backing of the Away Fans issues and encouraging the incentivising of Home Clubs to become more engaged with Away Fans. Each Trust was also invited to write to the Boards of their own Clubs on this matter.
The Against Modern Football campaign was addressed and, subsequently, we are working with Liverpool’s Union (Spirit of Shankly) at youth level to co-ordinate protests in the form of banners, flyers etc.
KL, DA and EK will also be meeting with members of the AST to discuss the mechanics of their membership model and also to consult on how best to involve fans in a stadium design, learning from issues which have arisen at the Emirates.
4) Update on ongoing projects:
- Meeting with Amanda Jacks of FSF arranged for 17th April
- Meeting with AST arranged for 1st May
- Meeting with Haringey Council tbc
- Meeting with web agencies w/c 1st April
- Update from Ledley King Testimonial Committee due w/c 1st April
5) Branding:
TM requested a brainstorm on the imagery/ look and feel for the new look Trust.
Agreed this would be fed back to TM, who would present options to the Board.
Date for rebranding deadline to be agreed with TM separately.
6) Expenses:
Agreed to meet EK’s transport costs to and from Board Meetings. Other transport costs on a case by case basis by DA and DH.
7) AOB:
DA had invited AOB on message boards/ social media. Points ranged from holding a Fans Forum with AVB to the lack of hot drinks in the W Upper during the Fulham match.
All points were raised and will be followed up accordingly.
It was agreed that our first event for fans will be a Quiz in Summer 2013.
Next Board Meeting provisionally scheduled for THURSDAY 27th JUNE 2013.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust Board Meeting concluded at 8.08pm.
End