Post by Admin on Sept 28, 2004 20:00:19 GMT
Last night I was invited to attend an impromptu meeting of the Supporters Club committee. The reason for the meeting was to discuss some new information for the club web pages (which I will be updating in the next day or two) and more importantly to discuss some points that had been brought up by members and would be members both at the Club desk and here on the Cage over the last couple of weeks.
It was a real eye opener for me, of course I know most of the committee but I’d never been amongst them while talking about the Supporters Club. The first thing I was struck by was the passion and deep sense of caring that they all obviously feel for the Supporters Club, its members and Panthers fans on the whole. These people are genuinly nice hockey fans, the fact that they’d called a meeting purely to take action because a few members had voiced causes for concern speaks volumes.
Okay, what was said …. well the main issue was that of away travel, or rather ticket only sales for away games. Firstly, it’s important to understand that most opposition clubs now DO NOT send out tickets in advance to the Supporters Club and don’t offer any concessions on ticket prices for ‘bulk’ buying. Not the sharpest tool in the box I asked for this to be explained to me in words of one syllable so I wouldn’t get it wrong, it’s best explained as an example …<br>
Right, I want tickets for Cardiff, I can either:
a) Phone Cardiff, book tickets, queue to pick up tickets when I get there.
b) Queue at the NPSC desk at a game prior to Cardiff. Pay for tickets (same price as option a), find the NPSC rep when I get there (who has queued to pick them up) and pick them up from him/her …. be I early or late I expect him/her to wait around in whatever weather for me.
Common sense shows that option A is the simplest all round surely?
Now, I said MOST clubs … there is one notable exception, and it’s the one that gets the most travelling Panthers … Sheffield. Therefore, NPSC committee being as committed as it is to their members WILL now sell Sheffield tickets in advance. Even better, there will be a designated person with their own bit of desk to look after the ticket only sales for these games … everyone’s a winner. Of course it’ll be a money up front deal, there will be a deadline (more on that in a minute), and because it’s an NPSC exercise for the benefit of NPSC members there will be ‘one membership card = one ticket’.
To me, as a fan and normal NPSC member that all sounds fair enough, in fact it’s better than that – it’s the NPSC being pro-active and coming up with a solution to complaints raised by their members. Great stuff.
I mentioned deadlines …. in the next day or so the NPSC travel page will be updated to include a timetable showing by when you need to have booked away travel, that’s Sheffield ticket only and other games ticket & travel … keep an eye out for that, I’ll post on this thread when it’s on the web. That timetable will also be available at the NPSC counter. Another good idea in my eyes, this way EVERYONE knows when they have to have placed their order and won’t leave it too late!
After all this talk about how the travel will work, talk turned to more general things. Another matter that had been raised on the Cage (Tim I think) … “What’s the point of joining NPSC?” ….
Away travel – see above.
‘Sticky Paws’ Draw – FREE entry for EVERY member monthly, and a chance to win fifty quid.
Collectors item pin badge. (maybe not your cup of tea, stick it in a drawer for a couple of years then flog it on Ebay!!).
EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS ONLY ‘Meet the Players’ social events – I can’t disclose much, but there is plenty being planned and there will be news soon.
All that worth a fiver for the year? I should say so! Enough on membership.
Someone else said (at the counter this time) whilst complaining about something-or-other “….it’s what your paid for….” to one of the NPSC committee. I laughed at this one! They’re NOT paid in any way shape or form … they’re not on the pay roll of the Panthers and receive no benefits. They are normal hockey fans like you and me, they pay as much for their tickets as we do but more often than not miss significant portions of the games because they’re helping out NPSC members! Honestly, for those that don’t realise the work they put in we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. It’s easy to take them for granted because they’re helpful, but bear in mind that they’re doing it for the love of the game and to help their fellow fans.
I think that pretty much covers the main issues discussed. I’m glad I went and am thankful for the invite not just because I was allowed to speak my mind as a fan and NPSC member, but also because it was a valuable insight into how much work these people put in on behalf of the Supporters Club and how much they care enough to get it right ….
It was a real eye opener for me, of course I know most of the committee but I’d never been amongst them while talking about the Supporters Club. The first thing I was struck by was the passion and deep sense of caring that they all obviously feel for the Supporters Club, its members and Panthers fans on the whole. These people are genuinly nice hockey fans, the fact that they’d called a meeting purely to take action because a few members had voiced causes for concern speaks volumes.
Okay, what was said …. well the main issue was that of away travel, or rather ticket only sales for away games. Firstly, it’s important to understand that most opposition clubs now DO NOT send out tickets in advance to the Supporters Club and don’t offer any concessions on ticket prices for ‘bulk’ buying. Not the sharpest tool in the box I asked for this to be explained to me in words of one syllable so I wouldn’t get it wrong, it’s best explained as an example …<br>
Right, I want tickets for Cardiff, I can either:
a) Phone Cardiff, book tickets, queue to pick up tickets when I get there.
b) Queue at the NPSC desk at a game prior to Cardiff. Pay for tickets (same price as option a), find the NPSC rep when I get there (who has queued to pick them up) and pick them up from him/her …. be I early or late I expect him/her to wait around in whatever weather for me.
Common sense shows that option A is the simplest all round surely?
Now, I said MOST clubs … there is one notable exception, and it’s the one that gets the most travelling Panthers … Sheffield. Therefore, NPSC committee being as committed as it is to their members WILL now sell Sheffield tickets in advance. Even better, there will be a designated person with their own bit of desk to look after the ticket only sales for these games … everyone’s a winner. Of course it’ll be a money up front deal, there will be a deadline (more on that in a minute), and because it’s an NPSC exercise for the benefit of NPSC members there will be ‘one membership card = one ticket’.
To me, as a fan and normal NPSC member that all sounds fair enough, in fact it’s better than that – it’s the NPSC being pro-active and coming up with a solution to complaints raised by their members. Great stuff.
I mentioned deadlines …. in the next day or so the NPSC travel page will be updated to include a timetable showing by when you need to have booked away travel, that’s Sheffield ticket only and other games ticket & travel … keep an eye out for that, I’ll post on this thread when it’s on the web. That timetable will also be available at the NPSC counter. Another good idea in my eyes, this way EVERYONE knows when they have to have placed their order and won’t leave it too late!
After all this talk about how the travel will work, talk turned to more general things. Another matter that had been raised on the Cage (Tim I think) … “What’s the point of joining NPSC?” ….
Away travel – see above.
‘Sticky Paws’ Draw – FREE entry for EVERY member monthly, and a chance to win fifty quid.
Collectors item pin badge. (maybe not your cup of tea, stick it in a drawer for a couple of years then flog it on Ebay!!).
EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS ONLY ‘Meet the Players’ social events – I can’t disclose much, but there is plenty being planned and there will be news soon.
All that worth a fiver for the year? I should say so! Enough on membership.
Someone else said (at the counter this time) whilst complaining about something-or-other “….it’s what your paid for….” to one of the NPSC committee. I laughed at this one! They’re NOT paid in any way shape or form … they’re not on the pay roll of the Panthers and receive no benefits. They are normal hockey fans like you and me, they pay as much for their tickets as we do but more often than not miss significant portions of the games because they’re helping out NPSC members! Honestly, for those that don’t realise the work they put in we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. It’s easy to take them for granted because they’re helpful, but bear in mind that they’re doing it for the love of the game and to help their fellow fans.
I think that pretty much covers the main issues discussed. I’m glad I went and am thankful for the invite not just because I was allowed to speak my mind as a fan and NPSC member, but also because it was a valuable insight into how much work these people put in on behalf of the Supporters Club and how much they care enough to get it right ….