Members Only Active Support Zones?

Tickets for individual games are now on sale, and you can still buy a ticket in the Fever Zone. That's a good indication of how seriously the Phoenix are taking the FFA restrictions.

any response from the nix to that email? 

thin end of the wedge

With link now

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9292132/the-bi...

edit - fixed link.

Kia ora kids. Over a week ago the Nix responded to our emails on this, I just haven't got around to posting, but here it is:

Q. Anyone will be able to get a ticket to the Fever Zone on game day. 

A: Correct. The best way is to get them through members in YF as you can get them at 20% discount. Joe Bloggs punter will be able to purchase online and at the gate on game day (likely through a dedicated purchase line, meaning specialised service).

Q. They won't have their ID recorded. 

A: As when people buy online, their contact details are recorded. This will happen for gate purchasers too in the YF section.

Q. Banners and flags will continue to be allowed as they are now. 

A: Correct. No change at all to this.

Q. Anyone will be able to swap their ticket to join the Fever Zone on game day like they are now. 

A: Correct. No real change here, except that we will do this at the info desk at aisle 18 instead of the security guard at YF section.

Q. Basically there will be no new measures put in place for the Fever Zone. 

A: As you can see, there are a few subtle changes, but I hope you agree in that they are minimal. A good result as compared to the changes that have been implemented at other clubs.

I asked a couple of follow ups:

1. What are the subtle changes? Do you just mean collecting contact details at the time of purchase? What is the rationale for this? What contact information is required and who will keep it, for how long, and what will they use it for?

2. Why are we implementing any changes when Melbourne Victory have rejected all of these measures?

A: The subtle changes for us are merely for those purchasing at the gate. The information they will give will be a name and either email address or phone number – as they would when purchasing online (which is cheaper anyway).

Rationale is so that the FFA know who is attending in the active support bays and identify them if there are any issues. The information will only be kept for that purpose and not used for anything else. It will only be kept for the season.

We have said time and time again that it doesn’t affect Wellington, but changes had to be implemented at every club. We think ours are pretty palatable.

The Nix have been really good/approachable about this, and have done a pretty decent job of minimising the impact on us imho.

I still don't like it, but my dislike is broadly directed at Damian de Bohun and the FFA and absolutely not at the Nix. 

There is an element of "pick the fights you can win" about the Nix's position here. And I can understand that.

Well done Smithy. Well done Nix. Good result.

Nice work Smithy. (3% post)  

Kudos, beer, diego's son, burn an effigy of Harold Bishop etc. (95% post)

Kind of agree. But am wondering what fights we actually are winning with the FFA? #FreeWeeMac #SquadSizes #FFACupHomeGames #ACL ...

Haven't Victory and the North Terrace just rejected measures that were over and above what is required by the restrictions, i.e. tarps separating the active supporters from the seated ones designed to limit the size of the active zone, and having to scan your membership ticket as you enter and leave the active zone, and a blanket ban on banners?

From what they have said, they are still in negotiations with their club about the "membership only" requirement, which is the same as us.

You are correct. At the stage I sent the email this was not totally clear. There was just a brief statement from the NT that they had successfully rejected all of the FFA requirements.

Additional question I just thought of:

People usually buy tickets in bulk online for people other than themselves, will they be expected to name and provide details for every person they are buying a ticket for? Same with when people buy them at the gate? Or is it just the person purchasing the ticket who needs to provide details (via their ticketek account as is the example given)?

And just a more general question that is more directed at the FFA than the club: Couldn't someone just make up details if they intended to cause trouble? Making this whole exercise unneccessary and pointless. 

To the last point: probably, yes.

Let me get this straight, the two groups of fans that this was even created for, have told the FFA to get fucked, everyone else is abiding and the FFA are taking no action against the two groups concerned? And probably wont. What a balless bunch. They pick fights with whom they think they can win against.

Just tried to buy 10 YF tickets online. Didn't have to provide any information other than usual account stuff, so thats 9 people unaccounted for. 

This whole thing is basically a massive waste of time. 

One good thing out of it is getting a dedicated YF line, which is a decent idea. Though I wonder how it'll actually work in practice, can imagine it'll only serve to put people off. 

* people will line up in the YF line to purchase other tickets, making it pointless. 

* people will line up for ages in another queue to buy YF tickets, and get annoyed when told they have to line up in another queue. 

I imagine eventually things will just go back to the way they are now, depending how stringent the FFA are about the nix keeping records. 

Well not really, you're accounted for so expect Stadium Management and Police to come knocking on your front door demanding your friends names should they ever start anything serious.

Which might work if Tegal and his 9 chicken friends all stood together... but there is noting to stop them spreading out throughout the zone once they are in and then letting off flares and pulling out coins to chuck at the players.

How do they trace them back to Tegal then? 

Like Tegal said... massive waste of time.

"I don't know them and I didn't let off any flares myself, do your worst" 

"It wasn't my friends that let the flares off, it must have been one of the other people who bought tickets online for their friends"

Very true, but FFA are wanting to blame someone for something in case it happens, so they're taking the personal details of all the 'ultras' in an effort to help with that.

help with that or seen to be doing something to help with that?

There is a massive difference.

These would be your imaginary friends from Auckland?

The only ultras I know of are Trevor Dagg, his brothers, trev, trev, trev, trev and trev.

I have to say, I think this whole thing is an absolute disgrace.  There is no way that anyone going to a sporting event should have to have their name recorded so they can be tracked down in future, absolutely no reason at all.  

The fact that football is allowing this has absolutely nothing to do with the history of the game in this country, and is all to do with blatant scaremongering based on experience overseas.  You are far more likely to cause trouble at one day cricket or Rugby League than you ever are statistically in going to a football game.  

I'm disappointed that the Phoenix have not resisted this, but at least the effect has been minimised.  I hope the message you've given them Smithy is happy to play ball this time, but anything else will be resisted.

This should be encouraged.

What about that other guy Mike Hunt? Anyone seen Mike Hunt?

everyone could write their name down as "Damien De bohun" as a protest. 

Have to say, the last two pages has cheered me up no end.

:)

The whole thing seems a bit of a storm in a teacup to me. If you aren't doing anything you shouldn't be doing at the games, then who cares if they have your details? Unless we're all paranoid about big brother coming to get us.

Privacy Act

Actually mate the message I've given them is that this is fucking stupid, and I resent even having to discuss it with them. 

As for vague threats about resistance, I laid off those on the basis that we are unlikely to actively resist anything. The vast majority of the Zone a) doesn't give a fk and b) is too lazy/disengaged to do anything even if 1 was different.

For evidence of this I direct you to the fact that the only chant we can muster ever week is "O Wellington" on infinite loop.

haha fair enough

we reeeaaally need a good season this season

God I'm glad you took that the way I meant it. Was mildly cut when I wrote it...

I think we can have a good Zone season if the team steps up...which I reckon is on the cards.

All bodes well for this season. The Wee Mac scenario would have been the icing on top for us. Still we actually have a midfield now the the Aussies know naff all about and they will learn that we are quite solid there now.

In unrelated random thoughts, I'm thinking about organising an RBB style pre-season chant meet up to discuss and get our shit together. Is that a horrific idea?

Not at all mate. The Football United performance was embarrassing. It's much needed.

Agreed, definitely think some more work is needed. And getting shit together for a discussion might help.

I'll move this to a new thread...stand by.

Here: http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/wellington...

The name recording seems pretty weird. Isn't there ctv being recorded just so that anyone who does something stupid can be identified through that?

But I don't really care. Virtually no impact.