‘It’s laudable’: Fans back new Brentford scheme that penalises season ticket holders missing games

A wave of season ticket news has come for Brentford fans today with the club confirming plans for the 2023/24 season.

Fans of the London club, which is on course to secure a third successive season in the Premier League next year, have celebrated the news that season ticket prices will be frozen but the news comes with a warning.

In a statement issued on the club website, Brentford announced a new plan that aims to tackle empty season ticket holder seats at the Gtech Community Stadium.

From next season, season ticket holders must attend as many home games as possible. When a match is missed, the ticket-holder will receive a 'yellow card' and a culmination of four of these will result in losing the right to renew the season ticket in March 2024 for the 2024/25 football season.

Fans can transfer their season tickets to other supporters to attend the match in their place and avoid the warnings. If the ticket is listed on the official ticket exchange platform before 10 am on the day of the match and does not sell, the holder will also dodge the so-called yellow card.

The Brentford Independent Association of Supporters (BIAS) has praised the club for freezing season ticket prices and admitted they had been involved in the season ticket attendance scheme, called Every Seat Counts.

A statement from the fan group read: "We are delighted that Brentford Football Club has announced a price freeze on season tickets for the 2023/24 season. This is another victory for BIAS and for Brentford fans in general.

"Our number one priority is to ensure that the Club upholds owner Matthew Benham’s long-stated commitment to affordable football. We reinforced this point multiple times in our meetings with the club and are delighted they have listened to us."

BIAS label new ‘yellow card’ scheme as ‘laudable’

The group added that the club's decision to ensure season ticket holder seats were not left empty was 'laudable'.

BIAS said: "The desire for ensuring matchday seats are filled each game is laudable. But that must also come with robust action by the club on tackling ticket touting and reducing away fans purchasing tickets in home areas.

"We know some Brentford fans currently do not put their seat(s) on the ticket exchange in case an away fan buys it and spoils the enjoyment for those sat around them. We are delighted the club is moving to a new ticketing partner, but now the onus is on them to minimise and take this issue seriously now they have the right tools.

"Fans will note sanctions are to be applied for non-compliance. We expect there to be a focus by the club to ensure no genuine fan is penalised or loses out and a robust, transparent appeals process. Our request has been accepted for revoked season tickets going back on sale to Brentford fans and not allocated to matchday sales.

"We want to see seats filled and believe the number of complimentary tickets distributed to players and partners is too high and should be reduced so genuine Brentford fans can attend instead."

Ticket news is ‘only a job half done’

In the long statement posted on the BIAS website, the supporters' group also said that the fight for fair ticket pricing amidst the cost of living prices was "only a job half done".

The group hopes that matchday prices are also frozen, highlighting that some fans who cannot afford season tickets would be negatively impacted by any sudden rise in the price of one-off tickets.

BIAS said: "These tickets are often bought by those with low incomes, some of whom couldn’t afford season tickets when they were made available at the time of the move to our new stadium. Any price rise hits them hardest.

"The club must have its corporate social responsibility at the heart of decisions that affects supporters attending games. Indeed, there are good reasons for lowering prices across the board given our status and the country’s current economic outlook."