Early face off times

Earnie

Well-Known Member
#21
I can not argue with any of the views put forward and I can well understand the frustration of those adversely affected . Personally I would prefer 6pm but not too bothered either way.
On the other hand I consider Todd's dilemma. Dipping your toe in the water is a measured way of trying it out. Discounting New Year's Day only three games are involved - certainly not worth changing your mind over a season ticket when you have some extra games included in that anyway.
 
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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#22
Are you a season ticket holder?
If so and it doesn't effect you - well then you're lucky.
I can work around it with a bit of hassle but far from ideal, so I guess I'm relatively lucky too in that I may still be able to make those games.
But there are others who bought season tickets months ago, who will not be so lucky and who now have this change communicated to them after the event. That's not right. As I've stated previously, the Devils can do what they like, it's their prerogative, but do the decent thing and communicate it to fans BEFORE season tickets go on sale so that each individual fan can then decide whether a season ticket is still right for them. Not after the money has been taken.
I am a season ticket holder and miss more games than the 4 early face offs planned for next year most season. In the 25 or so years I’ve had a ST I’ve been posted away for 12 of them usually 2 hours away, even when I’ve been deployed overseas for a few months, albeit one season I was deployed Sep-Mar I didn’t bother. I buy a ST to ensure I get a good seat next to my grandfather. If I can’t make a game because of duty or travel etc then so be it I’ll miss the odd game, no big deal. I’ll then just give my ticket away to a friend normally. So I wouldn’t call that ‘lucky’.

I think people need to get used to it. I’d be surprised if the 4 games this year isn’t every game next season.

And wasn’t this communicated a year ago when they made a U turn. I’m pretty sure it said that 4pm would happen the following year.
 

august04

Well-Known Member
#23
I am a season ticket holder and miss more games than the 4 early face offs planned for next year most season. In the 25 or so years I’ve had a ST I’ve been posted away for 12 of them usually 2 hours away, even when I’ve been deployed overseas for a few months, albeit one season I was deployed Sep-Mar I didn’t bother. I buy a ST to ensure I get a good seat next to my grandfather. If I can’t make a game because of duty or travel etc then so be it I’ll miss the odd game, no big deal. I’ll then just give my ticket away to a friend normally. So I wouldn’t call that ‘lucky’.

I think people need to get used to it. I’d be surprised if the 4 games this year isn’t every game next season.

And wasn’t this communicated a year ago when they made a U turn. I’m pretty sure it said that 4pm would happen the following year.
Well then good for you that you’re prepared to accept that you’ll miss a few games.
That may not be the case for others. I wouldn’t buy mine if I was missing more than a few games. So we’re all different.
If such a change is communicated clearly before they go on sale, then there’s no comeback from anybody, as we all know the situation upfront and can choose to buy a season ticket or not. That’s the screw up here - again.
There are arguments for both but that’s not the issue here. It’s the lack of communication before season tickets went on sale that I have a problem with.
 
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august04

Well-Known Member
#26
I saw an interesting comment on Twitter today. If we want to introduce more families to the game, why not make Saturdays’ faceoff time earlier than 7pm? That way, we might encourage a more family friendly atmosphere by reducing the ever increasing groups of ‘fans’ who are clearly more interested in getting bladdered, than watching the game. Oh hang on, that would effect bar sales......
 
#28
Im going to seriously struggle to make any 4pm games and am considering cancelling my ST DD and trying to claim back the money I've already spent on next season.

This should have been explained before the ST's were sold. It's not fair to move the posts after people have committed.

I could understand the need to try earlier FO if we were struggling to sell tickets. But with most games selling out already, is it worth potentially loosing already dedicated customers, and hoping they're replaced with new fans, when in the end you sell the same number of tickets.
 
#29
After carefully weighing up the pros and cons I and another hadn’t renewed our ST this year. As a shift worker I miss enough games a season but finances are very tight and couldn’t justify it this year. This announcement cements my decision as I struggled to get to 6pm on Sunday but managed it most times. 4pm is out of the question.
 
#30
I just found the response from the Devil's from before the 15/16 season when 4pm FOs were first proposed.

http://www.cardiffdevils.com/news/face-times-feedback/

“We did speak to a lot of fans throughout the season about the potential of changing face off times, but clearly the decision has had a negative reaction for a lot of our current season ticket holders. I agree that they bought their season tickets based on the normal 6pm faceoff times for Sunday"

Unless I missed it in the small print of the ST application, is this not still the case.

“WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THE FACEOFF TIMES IN THE FUTURE BUT WE WILL HAVE A PROPER FEEDBACK LOOP FROM ALL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES.”

I guess my feedback form was lost on the post then.

This was back before tgt 15/16 season. We've played 2 full seasons since then under the assumption that a Sunday face-offs are 6pm.
 
#31
Been following the Devil's since 86, never had a S/T because of shift work, I am now the ripe old age of 65 and only work part time with Fri, Sat and Sun as my days off, for the first time ever I am now a S/T holder and will be able to attend every weekend, would prefer 6pm start but not really bothered about 4pm.
Can understand some fans frustration as it caught quite a few of us on the hop and unprepared, hope something can be worked out so as fans are able to attend these games.
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#32
To be honest I'm disappointed. It seems likely that this is the start of them pushing for Sunday games to be permanently at 4pm next season.

My group of friends are long term season ticket holders of 20+ years and some from the very start and the 4pm FO will put a season ticket out of the question for them. I genuinely don't understand why they want to change from what has been working for years. Yes the Devils will have a new breed of fans coming through year on year but why risk losing long term fans who pay full wack for their ST upfront.

I also don't get it as a 4pm time will conflict with Cardiff City, Blues, Dragons, Ospreys etc......fixtures on Sundays!

I can see this backfiring if next season it changes to 4pm every Sunday as you will see a lot of the old guard fans not renewing. Yes Todd can replace these fans with a newer generation but its a shame that those (friends of mine among others) who stood by the club through thick and thin throughout the years will slip away. Seems like we are slowly following the Belfast model who have a much bigger capacity to fill where we don't, yet we will fill it game after game. See what happens I guess.
 

zoesdevil

Well-Known Member
#33
I see no problem, as they want to accommodate everyone by still having 6pm face-offs & having a few 4pm face-offs to get more families with young kids in. They're trying to please everyone, but reading on here they've got no chance!! Embrace a little change to see how it goes. If it goes tits up, I'm sure Todd will change it back.
 

davew

Active Member
#34
I saw an interesting comment on Twitter today. If we want to introduce more families to the game, why not make Saturdays’ faceoff time earlier than 7pm? That way, we might encourage a more family friendly atmosphere by reducing the ever increasing groups of ‘fans’ who are clearly more interested in getting bladdered, than watching the game. Oh hang on, that would effect bar sales......
That would be from me I guess. I don't have a problem with people having a drink or two, but the atmosphere on a Saturday sometimes is certainly not family friendly.
 

august04

Well-Known Member
#35
I see no problem, as they want to accommodate everyone by still having 6pm face-offs & having a few 4pm face-offs to get more families with young kids in. They're trying to please everyone, but reading on here they've got no chance!! Embrace a little change to see how it goes. If it goes tits up, I'm sure Todd will change it back.
You’re missing the point. The change should have been communicated before season tickets went on sale. Kelman previously advised that no change would be made without consultation with all season ticket holders. He hasn’t consulted me and I suspect many others. Change it to whatever they want, I have no problem with that. But do it before season tickets go on sale and let people know. That way season ticket holders can make an informed decision whether to buy or not. Dont do it after we’ve renewed, when we’ve all assumed that games on a Sunday start at 6. That’s the issue here and it’s a mistake that we’ve made before. You’d think he might have learned from last time and done it properly this time.
 
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osh

Well-Known Member
#36
Agree with others regarding 4pm face offs. This should have been communicated to season ticket holders prior to renewing for the forthcoming season. Yes it’s only 4 games, but for some that’s 4 games missed. Traditionally more games have been played on a Sunday ( I may be wrong, someone will correct me if so apologies ) and now we have more Saturday games than Sunday. I am one of quite a few fans who find it almost impossible to make Saturday games and may now also find it impossible to make 4 pm face offs.
Have to say, one of the rare mistakes the club have made and consultation should have taken place.
 
#37
Due to not doing the pre-season friendlies and the Euro cup game season tickets this year as I am not able to make most of those games scheduled - The first game that I can actually make (as a season ticket holder) is on October 6th !!! - not getting the most out my ST this year but that's a risk ST holders take every season. The £5 buy back scheme is not worth the effort or bother but thats my choice for convenience of having a regular seat when I am able to make games
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#38
From a pure business point of view why would they risk losing the income of a full paying adult to accommodate what will likely be more concessions?
 
#39
Guys it's a 60 game season with only 4 games at 4pm.
Surely not a big deal.

How can the club keep 3000 plus fans happy?

Some people can't go to 6pm games on a Sunday as they have kids and the game finishes to late for them.

They have dealt with this for many years so I agree with a little change.
 

osh

Well-Known Member
#40
Guys it's a 60 game season with only 4 games at 4pm.
Surely not a big deal.

How can the club keep 3000 plus fans happy?

Some people can't go to 6pm games on a Sunday as they have kids and the game finishes to late for them.

They have dealt with this for many years so I agree with a little change.
They can keep 3000 fans happy by keeping them better informed. We can all accept a little change, however, change of face off time would have been known for quite some time, that is what is so irritating about this announcement. For some ( i.e families with 2 or more season ticket holders ) that could mean a financial loss of nearly a £100 plus the fact they are missing the enjoyment of games they would have been able to watch previously. Make changes by all means, just do it at the correct time, the club have got this wrong in my opinion.
 
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