voice of reason The personal data will surely only include things like what Reading matches you have been to see, your date of birth and address? Unless your some sort of closet plastic whats wrong with this.
Not a lot wrong with it, but I was quite happy when the club didn't hold onto personal data like this. It didn't stop me getting to or enjoying my football. I didn't have to put up with unsolicited mail which I can't be bothered to request a suppression for.
As someone who works with b2b and b2c data for a living I am fully aware of how powerful it can be and how companies use it for their own benefit, not for that of its "customers."
voice of reason Because the member card system ensures you have the ability to buy a ticket ahead of some some casual/away fan who could otherwise be sitting in your seat? It also helps to ensure the safety of you and other fans by preventing away fans that could potentially cause violence in the home end.
No it doesn't. I've seen plenty, and been with quite a few, away fans in the home ends. I know of plenty of opposition fans who have member cards and as far as I'm aware the club do not prevent anyone from buying a member card on the basis of address, which can easily be made up anyway.
voice of reason "What are the benefits to the supporter apart from the ability to track my purchasing history to help prioritise regular supporters during ticket allocations? Bear in mind that this only helps a select few and not all member card holders."
er . . . . lol? You idiot. This is a pretty significant benefit for any true Reading fan. You have clearly never tried buy a ticket for a match with greater demand than supply. How would you feel if you have just been up to see Reading away at Hull midweek and then Arsenal away comes along and you can't go and watch it because 3000 odd fans decide for that to be their one and only away game of the season.
I think I've probably bought a lot more high demand tickets than most, including you, thank you very much. More importantly I've probably bought a lot more low demand tickets too.
If you read what I said you'd realise I said it was a benefit to those with the higher points, the select few. It's not a benefit to those who might not be eligable for tickets because of their points tally. This doesn't need a member card to operate, all it needs is a proof of purchase or history of activity.
I'm not against this in priniciple but it is the only benefit to SOME of the card holders and it's more of a benefit to the club itself. We fans got by a long time before these schemes were introduced.
voice of reason You cannot deny that the benefits of the member card system outweight the cost (usually minimal) to any real Reading fan. And it is these true Reading fans that benefit from the system that club should be actively looking to help, not the casual one game a season fans. How can you critisize the club for trying to help their most loyal fans?
Again, there is no need for a casual fan to have a card. That is the point. The card does not have to be mandatory.
A points system, or proof of purchase system to reward loyal fans is great. Especially if your a loyal fan. However, if you take a longer term view you realise it creates a bit of a closed shop and an elitist attitude to supporting the club. How? Because, for example, if your an 18 year old looking to embark on your first season of attending lots of away games with a group of mates and you've all got low points, you might struggle to get tickets. How do you get into the select top 500 away fans to ensure tickets? You get forced into going to games you might not want to.
The club use the data and the cards as a marketing tool to drive ticket sales and to allowing the to market to their fan base.
If you can't see that then you are the idiot, and a naive one at that.