With a couple of high profile home games against Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors coming up soon, how can the ticketing system be improved?

After the difficulties that have been experienced so far, there does look to be the potential for a large number of supporters not gaining admission into the stadium until well after kick-off time.

(Sensible suggestions only, please!)

Dont think you can to be honest.

Leight have the same problem I think? Only way round it is either an app where you buy your ticket and then the club send you a barcode to use on your phone to use at the stiles?

Apart from that just got to get the word out to buy tickets first, I know now if we play leigh agian I get to the ground really early to miss ques or buy my ticket online.

Would it be so radical to have a cash turnstile?

there was one at one of the ground I was told?

Probably. Because [ithey[/i want your data.

to speed it up

have all the winows open and working and get them to do it faster

As i said in another thread somewhere, allowing members to buy their tickets before the day would help ease the burden on the ticket offices on match day. Don't see any logic whatsoever to not allowing it.

That would be the biggest improvement.

I'm a little worried about the number of ST/Membership cards that didn't work on Friday night. Don't remember any reported issues with the first set? It also seems a few have asked the question on the club's Facebook page, only to be ignored. Mind you, the new timeline set-up could have something to do with that, it's easy to lose things now on there.

I'm not entirely sure the club can be completely absolved of blame, neither, as is suggested elsewhere. Weren't the STs printed by the club and organised by the shop? There was also something on Facebook from the club suggesting the reason members could not buy tickets in advance was to stop people from buying more than one ticket on one membership. I'm not sure what the point of a barcoded membership card is if it cannot capture that data?

Even all of that would ease the pressure on cashless turnstiles.

What is actually taking the time up when people buy tickets on a match day? I've only bought tickets once, and that was from stadium reception; I was buying tickets using cash (only option) for the Leigh and Wigan games (1 for each game) and it took about 10 minutes due to a combination of taking my name and address details, and the person learning the system. They don't do that on a match day do they? Surely they just exchange a ticket for a payment, and £20 doesn't even give issues with change.

I think there needs to be some sort of rethink with regards to pre purchasing. It seems to be common in Rugby League (and also cricket AFAIK) to have a discount for advance purchase - but our set up goes the other way, with it costing more to buy in advance. My girlfriend was amongst the people still queuing at the South Stand ticket office until 8.15 on Friday and she said that there was a couple of people in front of her who usually go to watch Sale but thought they'd have a look, and they were paying on the night as they objected to paying £22 for a £20 ticket when they knew that there would be availability on the night (it's not like buying a ticket to a gig/show that you know is going to sell out in minutes so see the booking fee as a necessary evil). I know you can buy in advance for face value from the stadium, but we shouldn't be alienating fans who can't get to the stadium in person.

If they were insisting on outsourcing the ticketing, they should have used someone like Quay Tickets so there was a box office in a more central location (The Lowry) that people could visit in person.

They also have to sort out the issue of not letting pay-as-you-go members pre-buy tickets. As it stands, the £52 a year membership buys you the privilege of joining a queue every week.

Then there's the issue of the 15 minute queue for refreshments (during the game) after the 20 minute queue to get in.

As the east stand is the only stand without a ticket office attached, would it not be possible to make this stand (when open) pay on the gate, and leave the other 3 stands as ticket only? People would then at least have the choice of buying a ticket or paying at the gate.

Personally.... I absolutely despise having to queue up to by a ticket at a box office... and then go through a turnstile... I just don't get why we can't have cash turnstiles, and an option to buy a ticket in advance if we want. Tickets can then be picked up before the game from the ticket office.... or print out your own. No postal option as things can go missing.

The easier option if we have to go with the ticket option.... is have every window open selling tickets for all parts of the ground. Walk up... name your stand... hand over £20... get a ticket... walk away... Simple. It should be £20 anywhere in the ground... make things easier for everybody. No details being taken on a match day if that is happening either.

Things involving Salford always and up with a case of 'over egging the pudding'... and this is no different.

Don't think this is happening now however apparently the problem on Friday was the ticket office staff having to validate/check ID of people who were using the 'try before you buy tickets' which ended up causing the long queues.

Validate id's meaning people trying to play the system...for a free ticket.
No id no entry, get there early and get a ticket simple

Worried about Leeds and other big crowds as people who havnt experiencenced the ques will still think its the willows and rock up with 5 mins to go

I get round the whole issue of struggling on matchdays by making a trip to the Stadium in the week before matches and buying my tickets. I refuse to pay 10% extra for the priveledge of ordering on line and as I live close by then the cost of fuel is not an issue. However to then discover on Friday there was a cash turnstile makes even this effort look futile.

The problem is the as ever total lack of communication from the Club, never has a cash turnstile been mentioned or operated before, it simply appears as an option on the day with no prior warning. The queues too to pick up free tickets mailed out by the Club are shambolic and symbolise yet again that we have amateurs running a "professional" organisation - we should be falling over ourselves to get these potential spectators of the future inside the ground, instead of which we have them queuing up outside long after the match has started.

And as for the car park, what was with the pedestrians first, cars later shambles on Friday? Have elf n' safety now decided it's too dangerous for both pedestrians and cars to go down the same road even when there is a footpath? I can see people having to camp out overnight in their cars when Leeds & Wigan visit at this rate. Incredibly it now takes me four times as long to get to the ground and park up as it did when I went to the Willows and I live half the distance away from the new Stadium!

We had the warm up games to eradciate all these problems yet game by game the experience gets worse - we need bums on seats and we won't get that when we treat regular fans & potential fans alike so poorly. Time for a major shake up!!!

re the try before you buy tickets part of the problem was down to the ticket office running out of west stand tickets, it took 15 mins for them to sort that out and get some more printed (the zx81 must've overheated) after queing for another 15 mins, if you wanted a standing ticket you were ok.
One of the "security" staff who was a pleasant and helpful fella advised people in the queue that there was a pay on the gate turnstile but some who were told this returned after not being able to do that. There was one window for the try before you buy XS radio tickets and maybe two for members and cash buyers.

It needs sorting out quickly or they'll have hundreds missing the KO queuing outside for the big games that maybe a problem for people and could cause trouble.

Re: So how can Salford's match ticketing system be improved?
Answer make sure we have a system that can print tickets out quickly and efficiently, that can react to demand as and when required

Bobby, I know people who got there in plenty of time who still ended up waiting a long, long time to get in the ground. It's not just a case of people turning up five minutes before kick off that's causing these problems.

I know someone who works at the ticket Office.
Please remember that these are people who just work there, it is not their fault the computers are slow and sometimes dont work, or the printer sometimes takes longer than usual to print out.
The abuse they get is just not on, tell you what those who complain all the time get behind the counter and try to do the job.
For those that can the best way is to get a ticket in the week or get to the ground earlier.
Or pay the extra and get one on line.
Dont be surprised if you turn up 10 mins before KO and there are queues.

Rant over

So do I.



No one is, as far as I can see, blaming the poor sods working behind the counter. You're right, it's not their fault the system isn't very good and it's not their fault that Salford/Ticketline have come out with some questionable policy that members cannot buy tickets before the day of a game. None of this is the fault of the frontline staff and I'm pretty sure we'd all be in agreement on that front?



Abuse? Where? On here?



I refer you to my earlier comments. No one is questioning the job that the staff themselves are doing. All people are doing is suggesting ways that could make their job much easier if taken on board by Salford/Ticketline.



But members can't do that. Members have to buy on the day. So changing the policy so that members can buy during the week can only help, right?



As I said, plenty of people did turn up earlier and get caught in the queues.



Again, that's no good for members. And, really, should people have to pay extra?



Again, I'm not sure why people are just trying to blame it on people turning up late to the turnstiles?

No one is knocking the work done by those working in the windows. But the club, Ticketline and even G4S can surely work together to make a few minor changes to the system to make things easier for themselves, the ticket office staff and all supporters.

Its annoying that the club still tell fans that there is no pay on the day car parking when there is and has been for every game! Could affect a number of away fans who only decide on the day to travel. Just basic communication.

Don't rip fans off by getting them to pay a booking fee and a postage fee it bumps a £20 ticket up to £24:65 which by any light is a liberty and undoubtedly puts people off.

Would actually like to know how an increase of nearly 25% can be justified for such little work.

Swap to Sundays...

...If only for the away support. More time to deal with ticketing faux pas, Families coming in etc etc. Without hijacking the thread with another Salford issue...

Another problem with the online system is that it doesn't allow you to choose a seat, just a block - it then allocates a seat automatically, and apparently starting at the front, which is the last place I'd want to be in a small-ish stadium like this. As others have mentioned, if I'm going to be charged extra for the privilege of buying in advance, I'd at least like to be able to sit where I want. I know there is the option of the unallocated East Stand, but as I understand it this hasn't been open for all games.

Couldn't agree more although my view is that the Stadium Company seem oblivious to what is going on, at least with the club you can contact someone and get a reply whereas the Stadium Company seem to have a policy of not replying to any query and/or suggestions to make things easier.

Up to now I have managed to introduce 7/8 newcomers to Salford City Reds and they have enjoyed the experience and will come again but they see the Stadium organization as comical to put it mildly.

The Stadium website is still insisting that there is no cash on the day parking,there is.

The stewards are trying their best but nothing appears to be communicated down the line towards them and procedures are changed for each match without any warning and each steward seems to look at things differently from the next one.

I have a season pass for car parking and against London I felt like handing it back in, its that chaotic parking and each steward appears to have different instructions on what to do and where to park people.

Some car park season pass holders that I know have been really messed about even though the Stadium Company have had their £50 up front and in the bank and I have seen some drivers get that cheesed off that they have disregarded what the stewards have told them and parked in the first vacant spot.

It's not as though there is a shortage of staff before and during the match the problem could that there are too many people who are all operating differently from each other.

Just to let you know i have emailed in a complaint regarding the farce on Friday, no reply as yet from my emails. However i have also just put the complaint on the Facebook page. As this is the publicly view able method of complaint i hope to get some form of response.

My main point is about not letting members buy pregame but am sure others have different issues as well, would appreciate it if you or anyone (scr member or not) you know who might not be a poster on here could post on on FB to iterate the problems, more people complain the more likely they will listen and change the system. I am not after any compensation or anything like that, i just want the system fixed so i can watch the game!