The United supporters' trust MUST claims that more than 6,000 season ticket holders have not renewed their Old Trafford seats because of the scheme, which forces them to buy tickets for cup matches during the campaign, and because of the big price rises.
The club has claimed it has a waiting list of around 13-14,000 fans wanting to snap up a season ticket and current holders allege this is simply a threat to force them to agree to the cup scheme.
One-year season tickets are still being advertised on United's official website and MUST claims its members have rung the ticket office, which has confirmed they are still available.
But United say that the season tickets available are the one-year type, and that the 13-14,000 waiting list refers to the permanent tickets.
"The waiting list is as it was," said a club spokesman. "It grew steadily throughout last season and one-year season tickets are being offered, as they were last year.
"We have sold over 57,000 season tickets and are not going to start trading numbers with MUST. We get this every year from groups like them."
MUST says it has received huge numbers of emails, calls and posts on its website from angry long-term and loyal season ticket holders who are angry about having to join the ACS.
Fans argue that it is too expensive on top of substantial ticket price rises over the last few seasons, or they are unable to make it to midweek games.
MUST member John Mayall has already started legal action against United in the County Court for what he sees as a breach of contract and/or invalid contract terms through the club failing to provide the season ticket they promised to deliver in June.
The club's deadline to fans who renewed season tickets, and have paid their money and received confirmation of renewal, but refused to join the ACS, expired on Friday. Fans are waiting to see whether United cancel their season tickets.
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Free Red, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 12:31)
Fan : "I'm thinking of getting a season ticket for next season, but I understand there is a waiting list is that correct?"
Agent: "No Sir not at all, we have a number of season tickets available which you can buy"
Fan : "Oh right, so there is no waiting list anymore then?"
Agent: "Well Sir, we've been working off the waiting list, and there are some available that you could buy"
Fan: "ok. Can you tell me what a One year Season ticket is"
Agent: "It's just a season ticket for one year"
Fan: "Isn't that the same as a normal season ticket?"
Agent: "No sir, it's for one year only and then you'll get a reminder at the end of the season to give you the chance to renew it"
Fan: "So what's the difference between that and a normal season ticket? don't they have to renew those season tickets as well?"
Agent: "Yes Sir, but it's not as permanent as a normal season ticket, in that you can keep your seat between seasons"
Fan: "So effectively they're the same thing, but you just don't get the same seat"
Agent: "That's correct sir. It's a way of getting you onto that first run of the ladder so at some point we'll be able to offer you a more permanent season ticket".
Fan: "If I buy a season ticket where will my seat be located?"
Agent: "We have a number of one year season tickets available but only in the South Lower, but we also have a number of other season tickets based around the ground so if you were interested in only one, I could have a look and place you someone really good"
Fan: "Really? so isn't there the demand for them then? It seems a bit odd that somewhere like Old Trafford an I can get a choice of where I sit just like that"
Agent: "Well the phones are picking up a bit, which is probably due to it being closer to the season so demand may be picking up now but our lines are open until 8pm this evening so if you want to call back later when you've thought about it then please do, but obviously there's no guarantee that the same seats will be available."
Fan: "Thanks mate, but I was just curious really. I won't go back to Old Trafford until the Glazers are gone"
Agent: "Oh, right. Ok sir. Thanks for your call." End Call.
Conclusion:-
1) A one year season ticket is no different from a normal season ticket except for the regular seat, bit like the old LMTB's. You still have to join the cup scheme as with the permanent season ticket. Those with a one year season ticket should in theory be offered new permanent ST's when they become available. There are plenty of these tickets available but only in the south stand.
2) Permanent season tickets are also available and you could pick one up without having a one year season ticket first and getting "promoted" when your were offered one.
3) The "waiting list" is now a list of United season tickets waiting for new customers!
bobbydazzler (30/07/2007 at 12:42)
FailsworthRed, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 12:45)
Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 12:48)
blue bins (30/07/2007 at 12:51)
Duncan, Whalley Range (30/07/2007 at 12:55)
What's the difference? The right to renew in the same seat? That is irrelevant as no season ticket even gives you the RIGHT to renew full stop.
The real difference between one year season tickets and ordinary season tickets is that they add the people with one year season tickets onto the season ticket waiting list to make it look like demand is higher so that they can keep the fear factor that someone is waiting to take your ticket if you don't renew, keep pushing prices higher, keep adding on new terms and conditions like the compulsory Auto Cup Scheme - keep ripping us all off.
The waiting list is non-existent. How can you have season tickets on open sale at the same time as having a waiting list for season tickets.
Surely Trading Standards should be looking into this phantom "waiting list" as it is surely misrepresenting the product by making the tickets look more sought after than they really are and thus manipulating the market price we have to pay.
Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 13:03)
Mike (30/07/2007 at 13:18)
and lol at andyp, could this fool get any more bitter? just cause our council house is bigger than his!
Adrian Lucas (30/07/2007 at 13:57)
If I can't get to the game, can I decline ? NO!
Ahhh - no wonder ST are still available. I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.
I suspect lots of ST holders are not fully aware of just how the ACS ( A Complete Scam ) works. Would you send Glazer a black cheque to help him pay his debts?
The ACS moves tickets for low demand games from the Club and dumps them on Season Ticket holders - whether they want them or not. If United are so sure there are thousands who cannot get tickets, why are they blackmailing supporters to join the ACS ?
Interesting to see United delayed the court case until after the date to join the ACS had passed. The way they have tried to bully fans into the ACS is disgraceful.
The more I look at how United are treating their supporters, the more I'm glad I did not renew my ST.
better off red (30/07/2007 at 13:59)
Bit sad to do, but it had to be done.
No more forking out to see a bunch of over payed players not committed to the club.
No more forking out to pay off the £60M+ interest payments per year.
I will be back though, when the seats are empty and they're begging for the true fans to return - and not just the morons who want to follow the winning team (ie Man Utd this year, Chelsea the last two years, Arsenal the year before).
Praise to the hardcore lads who follow the reds through thick and thin, but I'm afraid I can't afford to go throwing money away to pay some fat American's debts.
Worst day ever in MUFC's history? When it became a PLC.
Dare we say it "come back Martin, all's forgiven".
ps Dear fat American, try putting the words Football Club back on the club badge, and you might win a few friends.
Kiwi-blue, Christchurch NZ (30/07/2007 at 13:59)
hodie, wiltshire (30/07/2007 at 14:05)
Char83 (30/07/2007 at 14:07)
Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 14:08)
Yet again, you are commenting on a United story! Why ? You just spout the same old rubbish out and quite frankly you are just a very boring man!Do you live at home with your mum at 40 or something?
Louis Edwards Turkey Twizlers, Macclesfield (30/07/2007 at 14:22)
This club is only interested in the moron who travels with his kids to spend on hospitality, the shop, the museum, and goes home £200-£300 quid lighter, a one time visit, never to be seen again, and replaced by the next moron and the next, and the next. The club feeds of these so called fans.
The real fans who just want to turn up and watch the game, have a pie and a bovril, have no future at OT.
Its been a long time since I have spoken to a mancunian at OT. Now I have to take a library of phrase books to communicate in the different languages.
Gill, Glazer, you are wrong in what you are doing. "If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword"
salfordite (30/07/2007 at 14:24)
salfordite (30/07/2007 at 14:40)
Andy P, Wythenshawe, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 14:42)
avenues without the need to basically rip the fans off. It is a disgrace.
NEIL (30/07/2007 at 14:53)
Louis Edwards Turkey Twizlers, Macclesfield (30/07/2007 at 15:00)
I take it then that your salary increases at the rate of 14% per year then, like the season ticket hike at OT!!!!!!
better off red (30/07/2007 at 15:06)
£1000?
£2000?
£3000?
Once they break free of Sky Sports and start charging £10 a game PPV, they'll be creaming it in. They don't need the fans anymore (or so they think), so until they can rake it in from PPV, then they'll keep on upping the turnstile charges.
Why else would the Glazers be prepared to put the club into so much debt? They're gamblers like all great business men and the money men tell them that Utd will soon be able to show their own matches exclusively. If they can hold out till then, they will be quids in.
I got this fax through on our fax machine:
Utd v Reading = £75
Utd v Spurs = £90
Utd v Sunderland = £130
Utd v Chelsea = £180
That is the way forward for Utd. Not the died in the wool fans who attended OT come rain or shine. But the new wave of part-time fans.
So Salfordite, at what point do you stop paying for your ST when they can get £2K+ through individual sales of seats?
By upping the average ST book to £1,140 a year for 19 games and selling day seats at £130 a pop (hoping for a sellout ten games of the season), they could raise an extra £30M by having the ground half full for half of the season. And if they get the go-ahead for PPV then I'll wish I was born a Glazier.
Don't be so quick to fork out your cash just yet.
When Sky first started to charge for Sky Sports, people didn't take much notice. Then they upped it a bit, then added in PPV, then Sky One came under the banner, now everything is charged and it all costs more. The winners? Certainly not me. Sky? Well, just look at their profits.
Daniel McCarthy (30/07/2007 at 15:29)
It is only going to get worse under the Glazer's. Their business plan is he same from triaer parks to football clubs, squeeze every last penny out of the customer and when he cant pay find someone else who can.
imherallweek, reddish (30/07/2007 at 15:36)
Free Red, Manchester (30/07/2007 at 16:06)
I work near Old Trafford so a mate of mine asked me if I would call at the ticket office to find out where his Community Shield tickets are. He has of course phoned up but couldn't get through. So I walked in the ticket office and the place was empty. No queue just a couple of suits having a chin wag near the staff entrance. I went to one of the booths and some spotty Herbert asked what I wanted. I asked about the tickets and all he had to say was they were in the post. I had all my mate's details and he couldn't even check if they had been posted. That's pretty much as far as it went except I happened to noticed over the booth there was a flyer advertising season tickets. I asked about them and I can confirm that season tickets are indeed on open sale. Believe what you want but the flyers are there for anyone to see and if you are sad enough to go and see them just ask the spotty Herbert.
Mike (30/07/2007 at 16:18)