Kenyons loyalty scam

[BLUENUT]

Following on from Pudges thread regarding 500 members allocated final tickets ahead of season ticket holders, got me thinking last night, as I watched Peter Kenyons smarmy pug face on the Chelsea channel.

I'll give you an insight into how the mind of markting machine, Kenyon, really works.

The 500 members need to qualify for final tickets meaning they have to have above a certain number of loyalty points. Now, I'm with Pudge in thinking that you can't get more loyal than a season ticket holder, someone who has paid up for their season in full by the end of May but there you go.

Now there must be member out there (or thousands) scurrying around trying to work out if they have enough points to qualify, wishing they went to the Fulham game instead of going to that funeral, or Sheffield Utd instead of being at the birth of his son etc....

This supporter would do anything to get to the final, but doesn't qualify, so what does he do next year?

Of course, he attends games he can't really afford, and attends as many 'untrendy' games he can, because he knows tickets will be available and they'll bolster his loyalty points and chances of a final ticket at the end of the season.

There was NO mention of members being allocated final tickets in ANY paperwork issued by the club at the start of the season. Nowhere did it say they would take priority over season ticket holders!! But what do you do when the FA let you down with the allocation? Now, this is where PK has been very shrewd.

Does he turn to the clubs loyal followers with wads of loyalty points, the blokes who DID make the Fulham and Sheffield Utd matches and say sorry chaps but we have to give season ticket holder priority. Whats the point in the loyalty scheme he might hear them ask?

No what PK does is rather clever. He say's to them that the top 500, with the most points can sit in the seats of season ticket holders. By doing this he gives credit to the scheme (which should be longer than a season for real loyalty) and they believe their loyalty is being rewarded.

What has this created in turn?

It will, he hopes, for those who cannot purchase season tickets, create a huge demand for untrendy matches next season, so the people who didn't qualify can try again next year, safe in the belief that their 'loyalty' maybe rewarded by qualifying for a final ticket!

The club are effectively blackmailing fans to attend games they really couldn't or shouldn't attend, in the name of loyalty.

(before you reply saying that if someone would rather not go they not proper supporters. I'll admit as a season ticket holder, I have missed a few games over the past 10 years because although Chelsea is a big part of my life, it's not the only thing in it, and missing the occasional game is unfortunately par for the course)

They must sit in the boardromm and laugh at us!!!

Kenyon see's pound notes not people! To him we are not fans, we are another marketing oppotunity.

If we have 27k season ticket holders and 25k tickets, sorry members but you can't have one. It might sound like 'hard eggs' but thats what Utd have done!

[yorkleyblue]

When it all comes down to it, I agree whole-heartedly. I'm a member, never been a ST holder because there are things outside football that mean I wouldn't (and don't) get up to the bridge for a lot of games each year.

By all means use the loyalty scheme to allocate members tickets for the games that are difficult to get tickets for, but this is a cup-final FFS. ST holders have paid up front and shown their loyalty. Not all of them will get a ticket anyway, but EVERY ST holder who wants one should get one.

If there are any left after that, I'd like to be first in the queue

Kev

[Loud and Proud]

When it all comes down to it, I agree whole-heartedly. I'm a member, never been a ST holder because there are things outside football that mean I wouldn't (and don't) get up to the bridge for a lot of games each year.

By all means use the loyalty scheme to allocate members tickets for the games that are difficult to get tickets for, but this is a cup-final FFS. ST holders have paid up front and shown their loyalty. Not all of them will get a ticket anyway, but EVERY ST holder who wants one should get one.

If there are any left after that, I'd like to be first in the queue

Kev

We'd all like to be first in the queue after the season ticket holders mate but it depends on your loyalty points as a member.

Suppose you could always go to Wembley on the day and buy a ticket on the black market for ?300.

[yorkleyblue]

Nah! I'll sit at home and watch it I spose. Pisses me off though that in a 90000 seater stadium us and the mancs only get 25000 tickets each!

When i was a small lad, my uncle used to run the tea stand at Chippenham Town FC, some very small (at that time) North Wilts League team. He always got given two tickets for the FA Cup Final and other matches like that, never used them, but never sold them anyway. When he died my Aunt cleaned out a drawer and there were piles of unused tickets just sitting there.

I spect that the FA do very similar stuff these days, but I bet the tickets don't remain unsold now

kev

PS - The "first in the queue" bit was A JOKE!

[BLUENUT]

The point I was making is that there are around 70k members (i think) paying around (what is it these days) lets say ?30 for the privelegde. If they all renew, which they probably will (because of my post above), it will generate ?2,100,000 for the club. This is without others who will see being a member as something that might get you a final ticket.

It also encourages/forces these paid up members to go to the less actractive fixtures for loyalty points in a pipe-dream lottery!

We are being taken for mugs again and I don't know how long I'll be banging on their door to hand over my money.

They're taking fans loyalty and love of the club for granted and using us in marketing opportunities!!

[Pudge]

Great Post BLUENUT

As you say quite rightly

PK doesn't care if we give up our ST as there will some other mugs to grease the wheel for a few more years

However what he doesn't realise is that those ST who have been loyal for double figure years may be replaced by those that may not be as loyal in the long term

Many are right in saying that not all ST holders go to cup games but over the years these have been reduced from what once included in our ST - ie all domestic cup games to now not

Therefore adding - say for this year 3 CC games & 4 FA Cup games for a total of ?160 an increase of 25%per person - a huge rise by anyones standards seeing as the ST have doubled in the last 10 years

Without us not attending everything - those top 500 members may not have had a chance to buy a ticket with the 5 loyalty points.

For me and a lot of others I have spoken to this may be our last year- we have been sweezed just too far now and with interest rates on the rise something has to give and following chelsea is the least painful in terms of not eating or losing the house

Its been a good ride but its gradually coming to an end.

[BLUENUT]

Great Post BLUENUT

As you say quite rightly

PK doesn't care if we give up our ST as there will some other mugs to grease the wheel for a few more years

However what he doesn't realise is that those ST who have been loyal for double figure years may be replaced by those that may not be as loyal in the long term

Many are right in saying that not all ST holders go to cup games but over the years these have been reduced from what once included in our ST - ie all domestic cup games to now not

Therefore adding - say for this year 3 CC games & 4 FA Cup games for a total of ?160 an increase of 25%per person - a huge rise by anyones standards seeing as the ST have doubled in the last 10 years

Without us not attending everything - those top 500 members may not have had a chance to buy a ticket with the 5 loyalty points.

For me and a lot of others I have spoken to this may be our last year- we have been sweezed just too far now and with interest rates on the rise something has to give and following chelsea is the least painful in terms of not eating or losing the house

Its been a good ride but its gradually coming to an end.

I know the feeling Pudge, I feel exactly the same!

[glory55]

Great Post BLUENUT

Its been a good ride but its gradually coming to an end.

No Pudge!!

Don't say that..........thats heartbreaking!

I reckon.........

....even if I got so p*ssed off and I had promised myself that I would not renew.

By the time the last day to renew came around I couldn't bring my self not to renew.

If it gets too dear I'll go halves with my old fella or someone!

But to actually give it up Pudge..........I think I would regret it so much!!

It winds me up the way we are treated,its even worse than Bates treatment of the fans in my opinion!!

I hate P*ter Kenyon more than anyone in the WORLD

........But look at the bigger picture........

THIS IS CHELSEA!

Seriously what else is there but football on Saturdays........Sundays....( Lunchtime kick offs).......Monday Nights

PS I JUST RENEWED........ON MY CREDIT CARD :-( .........WELCOME TO THE DEBT GENERATION

[Pudge]

I know Glory 55

Me and my dad have said one more year and then we may give them up - he will be 70 then and he's finding the stress and all that gets him v tired - he' got heart problems

He only keeps going because of me.

At present my dad and my son share a st between them - Dad goes to about 10 games - Franco to the rest - they are both happy then.

You never know I may get a payrise or something and then it doesn't become an issue - as always money is the bug bear of most

[Liam]

Franco

Touch of class.