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Reading Football Club have unleashed to the world two new ticketing schemes that are all but guaranteed to be a major hit amongst Royals supporters.
Season ticket holders can sign up to a scheme whereby they will automatically receive tickets to 'additional' games.
FA Cup, League Cup and Play-Off games are not covered by a season ticket meaning fans have to go to the trouble of booking for these additional games. In order to remove this, at times, painstaking process, fans can sign up to a system wherby they will automatically receive tickets to these additional games, with the money debited from their account.
Fans who have been up in arms in recent years, annoyed at the poor quality telephone booking system, will be delighted that such a scheme has, belatedly, been introduced.
However, there is a catch. Fans who wish to miss a home cup game against a lowly side will be hard pressed to avoid getting tickets, with no refunds available. Supporters must send their request not to be sent tickets in writing to the ticket office at least five days prior to the tickets going on sale to season ticket holders.
As a consequence, we should now see larger followings for the 'smaller' cup games, however, the ground may be full of people who don't really want to be in attendance.
Meanwhile, Hardcore fans who travel all around the country to watch Pardew's side can now get hold of an 'away season ticket'.
For every away game fans signed up to the service will automatically have a ticket for the clash sent to them, with the required payment taken by direct debit. Fans who wish not to attend can return the ticket seven days prior to the game and receive a full refund. However, if this happens three times the away season ticket will be withdrawn.
An excellent scheme it seems, it is not without it's problems. For example, if a club sells tickets only on the turnstiles on match days then the away season ticket is useless.
Hopefully, the Royals should attract larger away followings now the scheme has been introduced.
However, a Reading FC spokesman issued a chilling disclaimer: "All away tickets are subject to availability and this scheme can be withdrawn at any time without prior notice."