American Express Community Stadium will be "cashless" (From The Argus)

Not a bad idea for season ticket holders and regular fans, but I worry it might put off the occasional visitor unless the cards are very easy to get hold of.

Don't think the cashless system will work very well. I suspect that most fans will be put off from buying food and drink in the stadium if they have to keep topping up a card, especially if the prices are high as seems to be the case in most modern stadiums.

I also think that you will need to keep at least one section of the stadium for cash paying customers, otherwise there will be a lot of revenue lost from the fair weather/occasional supporter as mentioned above. Quite a few fans decide very late if they want to attend a game.

I understand that it makes the stadium more secure and cost effective, but it is effectively making all games all-ticket and that will put off a lot of people from coming, i.e., one of the main reasons Withdean doesn't get bigger crowds is because you cannot turn up on the afternoon and pay to get in.

How will Away Visitors be dealt with?

What an ill-thought out idea. I don't like giving my shoe-size & what I've had for breakfast, in order to watch a game of football. This will definitely put off the casual supporter or impulse attendee as it's just too much hassle. I attend more away matches than home but was considering Falmer. This proposal has now killed that idea.

Steve Concerned wrote:
How will Away Visitors be dealt with?

exactly, how will one offs and away supporters pay/get hold of these cards? ....


SW some-tape... I kid you not

mtmoocher wrote:
What an ill-thought out idea. I don't like giving my shoe-size & what I've had for breakfast, in order to watch a game of football. This will definitely put off the casual supporter or impulse attendee as it's just too much hassle. I attend more away matches than home but was considering Falmer. This proposal has now killed that idea.

The only way to get to the stadium for most will be public transport such as train or park and ride. The club has already stated that tickets will be available at all the park and ride sites and at the railway stations. Hardly difficult for the casual supporter to decide at the last minute to drive to a P&P site, buy a ticket and jump on the bus !

most away fans will have tickets from their home club, so that won't be a problem, and if cards are available at P&R sites, and the stations, i don't see it as a problem. i will be an occasional attendee, as i live in oxford, but now i know what the system is, i can organise my journey to incorporate a ticket sales point. it really isn't difficult to understand or use. it makes it very easy for the club to deal with.

I feel really with-it and cutting edge up to date, since my wallet (sadly) is almost always cashless too, but now I see that is something to stand proud about!! Fantastic, me and my cashless wallet have finally arrived!

It would be an excellent scheme if it really was like the London Oyster Card - where you tap IN & tap OUT after a tube journey.

Any fan that fails to 'TAP OUT' could be considered as one that was EJECTED from the ground - their details would then be readily available and future admission (at Falmer AND all other grounds) - this would then gradually reduce the 'fans-that-nobody wants or welcomes'!

Yet another poorly researched article from one of the Ar5egasses year 10 work experience reporters.

Go away and do some research Giles.

Nice way to make money, having money on the card and not gaining interest when it could have been in a saving account is just devious

Fight Back wrote:

mtmoocher wrote: What an ill-thought out idea. I don't like giving my shoe-size & what I've had for breakfast, in order to watch a game of football. This will definitely put off the casual supporter or impulse attendee as it's just too much hassle. I attend more away matches than home but was considering Falmer. This proposal has now killed that idea.

The only way to get to the stadium for most will be public transport such as train or park and ride. The club has already stated that tickets will be available at all the park and ride sites and at the railway stations. Hardly difficult for the casual supporter to decide at the last minute to drive to a P&P site, buy a ticket and jump on the bus !

I choose not to own a car & live on a perfectly good bus route direct to Falmer. Can't see the point of heading into town, queuing at an already-crowded railway station (or P&P site?) just to watch a game of football. I just want to decide to go on the day, turn up & pay to go in with CASH. So you are factually wrong when you assert that it is "hardly difficult for the casual supporter..". It patently is difficult & the idea shows a basic lack of insight & understanding of the impulse customer. Withdean gets less than 8,000 fans & rarely sells out. The Club want to increase crowds at Falmer & the wish-list is more season-ticket sales topped up with casual supporters. People who decide to attend at the last minute will now have to queue at a faceless machine before queuing at a faceless gate to gain entrance to the ground. If I want a pie or a Bovril, I need a smart card to pay for it & thus lack control of my budget. Hardly a welcoming match-day experience & one that I shall probably avoid due to the hassle. I am sure I am not alone!

mtmoocher wrote:

Fight Back wrote:

mtmoocher wrote: What an ill-thought out idea. I don't like giving my shoe-size & what I've had for breakfast, in order to watch a game of football. This will definitely put off the casual supporter or impulse attendee as it's just too much hassle. I attend more away matches than home but was considering Falmer. This proposal has now killed that idea.

The only way to get to the stadium for most will be public transport such as train or park and ride. The club has already stated that tickets will be available at all the park and ride sites and at the railway stations. Hardly difficult for the casual supporter to decide at the last minute to drive to a P&P site, buy a ticket and jump on the bus !

I choose not to own a car & live on a perfectly good bus route direct to Falmer. Can't see the point of heading into town, queuing at an already-crowded railway station (or P&P site?) just to watch a game of football. I just want to decide to go on the day, turn up & pay to go in with CASH. So you are factually wrong when you assert that it is "hardly difficult for the casual supporter..". It patently is difficult & the idea shows a basic lack of insight & understanding of the impulse customer. Withdean gets less than 8,000 fans & rarely sells out. The Club want to increase crowds at Falmer & the wish-list is more season-ticket sales topped up with casual supporters. People who decide to attend at the last minute will now have to queue at a faceless machine before queuing at a faceless gate to gain entrance to the ground. If I want a pie or a Bovril, I need a smart card to pay for it & thus lack control of my budget. Hardly a welcoming match-day experience & one that I shall probably avoid due to the hassle. I am sure I am not alone!

Your argueing that you should be able to pay on the gate rather than against a cashless stadium. You can thank the idiots at LDC and Falmer Parish Council for that - it's part of the playing conditions.

You will be able to use cash to buy things anyway like your bovril. The Argus with their normal professionalism have only published part of the story. It was confirmed at the Fans Forum last week that cash will be accepted for purchases - clearly the Argus reporter fell asleep at that point ( assuming they were even there )!

Sounds like a really great idea and a great change to showcase next generation payments in our modern stadium!