Testing Testing 1-2

[Finch Royal]

Do we get 10 points for joining STAR next season ?

[STAR Voice]

Yes.

And because we're changing the membership forms and the way we interact with the Sales Centre, these points should be added a lot more quickly and efficiently than they have been this year.

[Control Freak]

So you can now in effect pay £1 per royalty point?

[RG30]

Loyalty points should measure loyalty, nothing else.

[STAR Voice]

Loyalty points should measure loyalty, nothing else.

I agree completely - which is why they aren't called "Loyalty" points.

They are called "Royalty points", and they measure financial/commercial loyalty to the football club - which is, as discussed many, many tmes before, a very diferent thing to what fans call "loyalty to the team".

[Finch Royal]

Loyalty points should measure loyalty, nothing else.

I agree completely - which is why they aren't called "Loyalty" points.

They are called "Royalty points", and they measure financial/commercial loyalty to the football club - which is, as discussed many, many tmes before, a very diferent thing to what fans call "loyalty to the team".

So why don't you get them for purchasing things in the megastore, that's financial loyalty ?

[STAR Voice]

Loyalty points should measure loyalty, nothing else.

I agree completely - which is why they aren't called "Loyalty" points.

They are called "Royalty points", and they measure financial/commercial loyalty to the football club - which is, as discussed many, many tmes before, a very diferent thing to what fans call "loyalty to the team".

So why don't you get them for purchasing things in the megastore, that's financial loyalty ?

Because the system is not set up yet - it was going to be brought in before Xmas last year, but with the Arsenal business followed by the Half Season Tickets sales and so on it got pushed back.

But it certainly was in the Club's original plans and I've not heard that it won't happen.

[Finch Royal]

So effectively Royalty points will be able to be bought, as opposed to given to those who travel the length and bredth of the country on Tuesday nights to places such as Hull where no Royalty points were given. T

hus meaning that whoever puts most money into the club can get away tickets as opposed to those that travel everywhere to support their team.

A oxf*rd disgrace (the club, not STAR)

Something i posted on another thread:

A fairer way of allocating away tickets could be on the basis of away games attended from this season, those that went to 14 away games get the first day of sale, then 12 the next day and so on….

This would give those that went to away game this season preference over those mugs that haven't been to an away game in their lives but have accumulated significant amounts of points because of the carling cup games and now want to jump on the away day bandwagon

What do you think… worth a suggestion to Boyd ?

Quite a few Prem clubs do this.

[AJ~]

I agree completely - which is why they aren't called "Loyalty" points.

They are called "Royalty points", and they measure financial/commercial loyalty to the football club - which is, as discussed many, many tmes before, a very diferent thing to what fans call "loyalty to the team".

So why don't you get them for purchasing things in the megastore, that's financial loyalty ?

Because the system is not set up yet - it was going to be brought in before Xmas last year, but with the Arsenal business followed by the Half Season Tickets sales and so on it got pushed back.

But it certainly was in the Club's original plans and I've not heard that it won't happen.

If that's the case then perhaps they should be added for events such as the Under 21 matches and this B international as well? Surely it's helping the club financially as well as making the club look good by filling up the stadium for these games?

I'm not sure I agree completely with rewarding those who spend the most money though, even though it would benefit me a fair bit with the amount I tend to spend in the club shop over a season. It really opens up the danger of those with money to burn amassing a load of points and getting to big cup and away ties instead of those who travel up and down the country regularly. For glamour cup ties in particular I think the club needs to base it on previous fixtures for the seasons competition attended as well as royalty points.

[STAR Voice]

I don't want to turn this into a full-blown discussion on this point because it will never change, and should be in Club Policies, but how else could the club measure "loyalty" by your definition of it?

Should someone who travels from Devon to watch home games get more points for them than someone who lives in Whitley?
Should someone who lives in Hull get fewer points for that game than someoen who lives in Reading? (And what if I was up in business for the Hull game? Do I then get fewer points because I had to make less of an effort to get there?)
And even better for the likes of RoyalHunty and the other Oz Royals - come over to watch one game and get more points for the trip than most people get in a couple of seasons.

[Finch Royal]

Away tickets will effectively be on auction if the club implement points for purchasing goods in the megastore.

STAR, i think you should raise this with the club the way away tickets are distributed.

Now i'll be fine for away tickets next season, but others who go everywhere will effectively be priced out of going to away games by those Jonny Bandwagoners who have a bit of cash on their hip.

[AJ~]

I don't want to turn this into a full-blown discussion on this point because it will never change, and should be in Club Policies, but how else could the club measure "loyalty" by your definition of it?

Should someone who travels from Devon to watch home games get more points for them than someone who lives in Whitley?
Should someone who lives in Hull get fewer points for that game than someoen who lives in Reading? (And what if I was up in business for the Hull game? Do I then get fewer points because I had to make less of an effort to get there?)
And even better for the likes of RoyalHunty and the other Oz Royals - come over to watch one game and get more points for the trip than most people get in a couple of seasons.

I don't think where anyone lives should have anything to do with it, the club is in Reading and that's where everything should be based from. It's where the majority of people travel from obviously anyway. I do however firmly believe the loyalty point system needs changing for away games, with those willing to go the distance and to the less attractive fixtures being rewarded more. Other Premiership clubs do this. As things stand there are 38 away points on offer next season with the 19 games. The club wouldn't even need to allocate more points, how about a system like this:

3 - Sheffield United
3 - Newcastle
3 - Wigan
3 - Blackburn Rovers
3 - Middlesbrough
3 - Bolton
2 - Watford?
2 - Charlton
2 - Portsmouth
2 - Everton
2 - Manchester City
2 - Fulham
2 - Aston Villa
1 - Chelsea
1 - Tottenham
1 - Manchester United
1 - West Ham
1 - Liverpool
1 - Arsenal

There we go, 38 points, I think that's a fair allocation of points based on a mixture of glamour and distance. But quite rightly someone attending Sheffield, Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Blackburn getting more points than someone just attending Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Man Utd.

[Alan Titchmarsh]

Away tickets will effectively be on auction if the club implement points for purchasing goods in the megastore.

Don't worry about it, you'll probably find its one point for every complete £10 spent. Then I should imagine that they'll be asking you for your membership number at the checkout and if you can't produce the card you won't get any points - unless you go back later with the receipt to claim them.

[Di No Saw]

You can already buy points.

Anyone could buy tickets for away games and not travel but still have the points.

Anyone with tons of cash to spare will be able to get away tickets irrespective of how many points they have and if anyone is going to go into the Megastore and blow hundreds of pounds on training tops and tee shirts just to get a ticket for Man Utd then more fool them (and it would be one or two at most !).

As things stand the Royalty points system seems to work OK - there has been no reason why anyone who wanted to and could be bothered to make a phone call should not have been at Arsenal or Leicester.

It's a huge fuss over nothing IMHO !!! Bar the odd exception that you will always have.

[AJ~]

As things stand the Royalty points system seems to work OK - there has been no reason why anyone who wanted to and could be bothered to make a phone call should not have been at Arsenal or Leicester.

That was because there were 7000 seats available for Arsenal!! We wont be getting anything close to that at the big away games this season. The Leicester game was people not predicting in the long term.

[Di No Saw]

I did say 'as things stand' !!!

They will still work next season.

You can't get 400 points by being a part time fan.

[Finch Royal]

I don't want to turn this into a full-blown discussion on this point because it will never change, and should be in Club Policies, but how else could the club measure "loyalty" by your definition of it?

Should someone who travels from Devon to watch home games get more points for them than someone who lives in Whitley?
Should someone who lives in Hull get fewer points for that game than someoen who lives in Reading? (And what if I was up in business for the Hull game? Do I then get fewer points because I had to make less of an effort to get there?)
And even better for the likes of RoyalHunty and the other Oz Royals - come over to watch one game and get more points for the trip than most people get in a couple of seasons.

Personally i think this is a disgusting response from a STAR board member.

"It will never change so we won't bother trying" Is that the sort of attitude STAR should be adopting ? I think not.

You are NEVER going to satisfy every fan, granted, but should be looking to make the system fair on the majority. Currently the system is not fair.

Away tickets should be allocated as i've stated before, based on away games atteneded on previous season, like the majority of Premiership clubs. If some are not recorded on your fan card, tough shit. I've been to 4 or 5 away games this season where i've paid on the day, my own fault, so tough shit.

Someone who went to the carling cup games gets 30 points, which equates to 15 away games. Someone who didn't attend these 3 home cup games but has been to a dozen or so away games should get priority over on the away tickets

Day 1 of sale - 16 away games recorded on Fancard
Day 2 of sale - 14 away games recorded on fancard

etc etc.

A much fairer way of allocating away tickets to those that get of their arse and spend good money on tickets and travel etc to watch their team, than those that pick and chose the glamour games because they can after attending the carling cup games. Just like the Arsenal farce.

[RG30]

Loyalty points should measure loyalty, nothing else.

I agree completely - which is why they aren't called "Loyalty" points.

They are called "Royalty points", and they measure financial/commercial loyalty to the football club - which is, as discussed many, many tmes before, a very diferent thing to what fans call "loyalty to the team".

Don't agree with what you've said. The 2 issues of club making money/fans loyalty need to be seperated and not made into 1 system.

[Winchester Royal]

Absolutely.

If you help the club financially, then maybe you should get a financial benefit.
For example, if you go to loads of home games but no aways, you should get a money off voucher for the megastore, therefore money into the club = a financial reward. Obviously you are displaying some form of loyalty to the team as well, so should still get some points.

Likewise, if you go to loads of away games, then you should be rewarded with priority for 'glamour' away days, but not nessecarily get any financial benefit because financially, you've not really helped the club.

Anybody else thinking on the same lines

[RG30]

FWIW's, I spend little money in the club shop all season. The only thing I would most likely buy is programme's, DVD/VHS's and any books if they ever published the new one.

Yet I've backed the team throughout the years by attending away games and as others will clarify it's not cheap.