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REVEALED: Man United dropped a loyalty monitoring policy that required season ticket holders to tell the club what they wore to show they attended matches… as they admit the move ‘fell badly’ and caused ‘ confusion’ among the fans
- Manchester United fans were asked to provide information in order to identify them.
- It came after they said they were at matches the club claimed they did not attend.
- The new rules state that season ticket holders must attend 10 of the 19 league matches
- Fans threatened to be deprived of their seat if they do not reach that number
Manchester United have dropped a controversial policy in which fans were required to provide a description of their clothing so they could be identified on CCTV to prove they were at home games the club claims they did not attend.
sports mail revealed that United had been asking supporters who said they were present at Premier League matches against Brighton, Liverpool and Arsenal, but whose tickets were not scanned correctly, to tell the club what they had been wearing to those matches.
The policy, introduced as part of stricter rules that season ticket holders must attend 10 of 19 Premier League home games, either in person, transferring their seat to another eligible fan or returning it to the club , or risk being banned. renewal – caused a significant backlash among United’s fanbase.
United season ticket holders must scan their ticket for at least 10 of the 19 home league matches.
Affected fans were told that their attendance will not count towards the 10-match rule unless they provide information to the club, such as the clothing they were wearing that day.
But the club have now confirmed that they “will not be asking this of the fans again” in an email sent to season ticket holders and official members on Tuesday, seen by sports mail. United also concedes that they “understand” how the policy “could have landed badly,” but said they can still require photo ID in some cases.
“To help fans track their attendance, we sent an email to season ticket holders after the first three games highlighting what our data told us and several of you told us our records were incorrect.” , wrote the club in the email.
United has changed the policy in an email sent to season ticket holders and members
“As checking attendance on CCTV is a manual process, our teams were looking for something visible to help speed up the identification process and some fans were asked if they could provide details of what they were wearing.
“We understand how that could have landed badly, and for clarity, we will not be asking this of fans again. In the future, if problems arise, we may request a copy of your photo ID to help verify attendance and maintain accurate records.
Fans have raised concerns about the season ticket rule itself, which was devised in consultation with fan groups to ensure seats at Old Trafford are not wasted, particularly given the trend for the Premier League and other bodies to reschedule. short notice parties and cost. to live the crisis.
United are one of the few Premier League clubs to have such an attendance requirement.
Some fans received an email from the club asking them to show what they were wearing
The email was sent by the United ticket office in October to those who insisted on attending certain matches.
In a change that may help assuage fearful supporters, the club said in the statement: “We know that life can sometimes be unpredictable and things happen that can prevent you from meeting the criteria, if this is the case please Come in”. touch and we can discuss it together.
Those with reduced tickets, such as those 65 and older, must attend 10 of the 19 home games in person to be eligible to renew and cannot transfer their seat.
However, United said they were “reviewing this element of the policy ahead of next season and will communicate any changes in approach in the new year.”
The club also accepted that some of its recent communications to fans who attended the match “could have been more clear and that some fans may feel confused, worried about doing the wrong thing and, worst case scenario, in the club’s crosshairs.” “.
“We don’t want the fans to feel that way and we are committed to doing better,” United said.