ATAC & SFA meeting – 7 March 2012

The minutes from the recent ATAC and SFA meeting can be found below.

Topics covered include:-

  • Justification of SSC Subscription Increase
  • Methodology and Ticketing for game at Easter Road v Australia
  • Tickets Uplifted v Random Pick-up Requests
  • “Why move from the ‘balloting system’ – a number of members preferred this”
  • SSC Member Packs and Membership Numbers
  • Scottish Players and Team GB for Olympics
  • Thomson Sport
  • SFA Commercial

 

Notes of meeting held at Hampden Park on 7 March 2012

Meeting with SFA and SSC notes 07 Mar 12 (PDF file)


Present:

Darryl Broadfoot           SFA Head of Communications (DB)

Alison Jack                   SSC Customer Services (AJ)

Siobhan Boyd               SSC Customer Services (SB)

Karen Pressley              SFA Brand Manager (KP)

Tom Forshaw                Managing Director, Thomson Sport (TF)

Charlotte Haines            Brand Marketing Manager, Thomson Sport (CH)

Jim Brown                     ATAC/WESTA (JB)

Hamish Husband           ATAC/WESTA (HH)

Mike Scales                  ATAC/LADTA (MS)

John Callaghan             ATAC/KoFTA (JC)

Scott Rae                     ATAC/WEBATA (SR)

.
1. Justification of SSC Subscription Increase

  • AJ stated that this was the first price increase in many years
  • AJ stated that Member ‘Pack’ costs approximately £12.30 of the £36 (ex.VAT) subscription
  • AJ said increase was to cover the cost of the new (launched November 2011) Membership system with IRIS Talent Sport and the new e-mail system
  • IRIS system will eventually allow SSC Numbers to be stored online to make bookings easier, including individual seat selection when making bookings and other functionality
  • JB suggested that a cynical view might be that there has been an increase due to reduced membership numbers. AJ advised that this was not the case.
  • JB asked for more detail on how profits from SSC subscriptions are utilised. DB asked JB to write to him detailing what information is required, including any suggestions on how SSC Members would ideally like to see profits used

2. Methodology and Ticketing for game at Easter Road v Australia

  • JB asked if the choice of Easter Road was due to a match embargo in Glasgow caused by the Olympics
  • DB said Easter Road was a simple choice, recognising likely attendance, a desire to take some matches around the country and had nothing to do with the fact Hampden was being used for the Olympics
  • AJ said tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis, starting with SSC Members
  • AJ stated that as approximately 5,000 SSC Members had bought tickets for Denmark game last year,using this as a guide there should be no major issues re SSC members obtaining tickets
  • AJ said SSC Members would receive an e-mail in May/June detailing a 5 game Multimatch offer for the World Cup Qualifiers
  • AJ said approximately 10,500 SSC Members took up the last Multimatch offer

3. Tickets Uplifted v Random Pick-up Requests

  • AJ said all 173 Tickets were picked up in Slovenia, with 17 cancellations
  • ATAC welcomed the positive position and again stated their preference of 100% pick up when logistically sensible.
  • AJ stated that an email would be sent explaining that the USA game would be 100% pick-up for tickets subject to suitable facilities and resource being available

4. “Why move from the ‘balloting system’ – a number of members preferred this”

  • AJ disputed that the ballot system was better. She stated that a member could previously lose out on every ballot they entered and could do nothing about it. With the new system there is a better chance for a member to get in early and get a ticket., thus giving individual members more control of their own position.
  • JB read out a letter from an ATAC member Tartan Army Club requesting a return to the Ballot System.
  • JB also informed the SSC that a member of an ATAC club could create a software programme which would allow anyone who had lost out in one ballot to be given preferential treatment if they applied for a ticket in any subsequent ballot they entered.
  • AJ acknowledged that the use of the new system for the Slovenia game did not meet the standard expected.   This was due to teething troubles regarding the timescale of the commencement of the 8-point allocation, concerning a system back-up problem.    This has been resolved.
  • AJ also stated that this match was an exception rather than the norm with regard to the number of tickets available to SSC members for a friendly match.
  • AJ stated that they intended to use the new system for a few matches and then obtain feedback from SSC members.

5. SSC Member Packs and Membership Numbers

  • There was some debate about the quality and necessity of/for the latest pack
  • JB stated that given the cost of the pack could there be an ‘opt out’ facility introduced to reduce subscription fees
  • AJ said the SSC would email Members to poll opinions for future packs
  • AJ stated that to date 21,813 SSC Members had renewed their Membership
  • 86% of renewals are male, 14% female
  • JB asked if it would be possible to break out the membership into age categories and from those findings review the offering/positioning. It was highlighted that at the recent Slovenia game the profile of travelling fans tended to be older
  • AJ advised 51% of renewals are in age group 30-49, with 21% in group 50-69. Further analysis would be carried out across the membership as a whole and on the fans who travelled to Slovenia. This would be shared with ATAC

6. Scottish Players and Team GB for Olympics

  • DB stated that 140 players had been contacted on the ‘long list’
  • DB stated that 18 players had been contacted on the ‘short list’, of which only one player (James Forrest) was under 23

7. Thomson Sport

  • TF and CH did a brief presentation about Thomson Sport
  • TF said initial response to poll emailed to SSC Members was very positive
  • TF said Thomson Sport had paid a fee to the SFA covering games up to Brazil 2014
  • ATAC attendees told Thomson Sport that it was essential that packages were available quickly as most travelling fans booked shortly after fixtures are announced
  • There followed a lengthy discussion on the subject. JB suggested that TF prepare indicative packages with both travel arrangements and costs which could be circulated to members to express interest. This was well received and TF advised that Thomson Sport looking to offer fully refundable deposit system on packages.
  • AJ and TF responded to queries re access to tickets, by confirming that Thomson Sport did not have and will not have any preferential treatment or exclusive access to tickets outside the current, well established, points system

8. SFA Commercial

  • KP requested feedback from those present on pre match and half time entertainment at home matches.
  • Those present shared their views and requested that this be put out to the SSC membership