Sheffield United with lessons for Newcastle United on how to distribute away tickets? | OneFootball

I happened to see an official announcement (see below) from Sheffield United this morning.

It was about their distribution of tickets for the match at Newcastle United in 19 days time.

I thought I would click in and see what they did with away tickets.

No surprise to see Sheffield United had taken the full 3,204 ticket allocation but the interesting bit (to me anyway!) came at the very end of their announcement…

Sheffield United official announcement – 8 April 2024:

Newcastle Away Tickets

We have been allocated 3,204 safe standing tickets.

This match is ALL TICKET for Blades Supporters.

ELIGIBILITY By purchasing an away ticket you understand that your contact data will be shared with the Football Club you visit in case you do not have your ticket on the day or the information is required for security purposes. For more information on how we use personal data at Sheffield United Football Club please see our Privacy Policy.

100 loyalty points will be awarded to supporters purchasing tickets.

Tickets are on sale on the following dates & times to Members Only: (including season ticket holders)

Thursday 11th April, 9am 65,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 65,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Thursday 11th April, 12noon 60,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 60,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Thursday 11th April, 3pm 55,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 55,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Friday 12th April, 9am 50,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 50,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Friday 12th April, 12noon 45,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 45,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Friday 12th April, 3pm 40,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 40,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Monday 15th April, 9am 30,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 30,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Monday 15th April, 12noon 20,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 20,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Monday 15th April, 3pm 10,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 10,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Tuesday 16th April, 9am 5,000+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 5,000 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Tuesday 16th April, 12noon Super Draw Lotto Participants and Members with 2,500+ Loyalty Points Tickets will be on sale to members with 2,500 loyalty points or above. One ticket per supporter.

Tuesday 16th April, 3pm General Sale to Supporters with 500+ Loyalty Points Should any tickets remain, they will go on general sale at 3pm on Tuesday 16th April. One ticket per supporter.

Should tickets sell out before general sale, 20% of the allocation will be held back for a ballot. This will be online only and available to all 2023/24 Premier League season ticket holders and 2023/24 membership card holders to enter for a short period of time. Successful balloters will then be contacted by telephone.

My conclusion

As things stand currently, a very small unspecified number of tickets for each away game are held back by Newcastle United for a ballot, those who can enter that are only the season ticket holders who had fewer loyalty points than the main sale got to before selling out.

As you can see though, Sheffield United are very open and transparent (if only Newcastle United owners were the same!) in stating that they hold 20% of each away ticket allocation back AND that all members as well as season ticket holders can enter it and try to get away tickets.

I just wanted to pose the question, should Newcastle United not be doing the same? Why not 80% of each away ticket allocation going to those season ticket holders with most loyalty points AND then the other 20% in a ballot that all other season ticket holders AND NUFC members can enter…?

As things currently stand, no Newcastle United member can ever stand a chance of an away ticket (Whilst the chances of even hone tickets for NUFC members this season have rapidly diminished!!!).