Disabled Royalty Points System - away games

[Volvicanus]

I can't decide whether this is completely fair or unfair and was wondering what other people think.

Basically, the club uses the same system of royalty points for disabled seating tickets. But unlike the non-disabled tickets where you are vying for thousands of available tickets, we sometimes are trying to get a ticket for sometimes as few as a handful of spots. (I'm talking about wheelchair spots here)

I have been in the scheme as a ST holder since it's inception and have 561 points. I have as of yet been unable to purchase an away ticket to any away game that I wanted to go to as they have already been sold out by the time my tier of points has come up (which is usually the second or third day of purchasing). I've noticed that for the Man U FA cup game, they have changed the second day limit to 565 this time so I pretty much figure that I am screwed again. (Though Mr V has 565. It'd be interesting to see how the club deals with someone buying a helper ticket with the helpee. Lol)

Now I suppose that you could argue that those people that do end up with tickets in these sections have been to more away games and therefore they rightly so get first dibs. I can understand that, but I guess I never expected that our launch into the Premiership meant that I was never going to be able to see an away game ever.

And though a part of me wishes that I would have had some foresight about this problem and hopped on those Feyenoord tickets while the getting was good, there must be quite a few other loyal disabled ST holders at Reading that are in the same position as I. And somehow artifically buying up points in that way seems the wrong solution, if one in fact exists.

[Silver Fox]

It seems you suffer because Reading as a club do such a good job for our disabled fans. As there's so much room for disabled STs there are more of you vying for the few tickets available at less well appointed grounds. Having said that I'm surprised you'd struggle for OT as there seemed to be tons of space in the areas in front of us for diabled fans there.

[Royalupnorth]

Tricky one this.

I have days where I think the members points idea is flawed and ridiculous, then I wonder how the buying of tickets would work without it, with loyal fans being pushed to one side by an onslaught of glory hunters.

It would appear that, while there are lots people who use the points as they are intended, there are some who buy tickets for others. Which increases their points tally, and means that those without sufficient points have to buy them privately, meaning they never get the points built up.

I guess, the same thing must be happening with the disabled seating.
Being fortunate enough to have never bought a disabled seat, how does it work?
Do you phone for a ticket when your "window" opens, request a disabled seat and get told they are all gone?

If so, it must be that there are more disabled people wanting tickets than their are tickets available for them.
Maybe all football clubs need to look at their disabled section and have more availability.

Please don't do it the sly way and build up your members points by buying tickets you have no intention of using and selling them on.
Thats not fair either.

[Volvicanus]

Do you phone for a ticket when your "window" opens, request a disabled seat and get told they are all gone?.

Yup

Please don't do it the sly way and build up your members points by buying tickets you have no intention of using and selling them on.
Thats not fair either.

See above.

[Garry Mann]

Try contacting home clubs and asking for a home disabled spot, don't mention you're a Reading fan.

[Royalupnorth]

Do you phone for a ticket when your "window" opens, request a disabled seat and get told they are all gone?.

Yup

Please don't do it the sly way and build up your members points by buying tickets you have no intention of using and selling them on.
Thats not fair either.

See above.

Ay, but you could say "OK then I'll have 2 regular seats then", and then post a two tickets available for whoever-fc away thread on classified.
Then you build up points and next season you will have no probs getting tickets on the first day they come on sale.
But don't do that, cos it sucks.

[Volvicanus]

Ay, but you could say "OK then I'll have 2 regular seats then", and then post a two tickets available for whoever-fc away thread on classified.
Then you build up points and next season you will have no probs getting tickets on the first day they come on sale.
But don't do that, cos it sucks.

hmmm.. never thought of that.

[Warfield Royal]

Has it been mentioned that the Middlesbrough info on the Away Tickets page on the Reading FC website states...

'Please note that from this game onwards, disabled tickets will be sold by the Customer Services department on 0118 968 1211.'

[PieEater]

I've seen the same disabled guy at most aways this season, he looks incapable of buying at ticket so his helper must be on the ball!

[Dai Brainbocs]

Never make assumptions about what people with disabilities can't do!

How does ticketing work for disabled supporters at home games, whether wheelchair users or not?