Manchester United have defended their decision to go fully digital with their season tickets after being accused of alienating their older supporters.
United have made the decision to digitise their ticketing system in an attempt to simplify things, combat touts and reduce their environmental impact. For the 2023/24 campaign, fans have been asked to download their season tickets to their mobile phones, which will allow QR codes to be scanned at the turnstiles.
The move followed trials of the system during last season, including at the FA Cup final against Manchester City, at Wembley in June. It is in keeping with the prevailing trend across sports, entertainment and transport, but has angered a minority of United fans.
Dennis Reed, a lifelong United supporter and a season ticket holder for over 25 years, believes the decision discriminates against older people, who are less likely to have a smartphone and can find it difficult to use small screens.
“It was only when they sent the season tickets this week that they actually said ‘we’re going digital-only this year’,” the 74-year-old told Mirror Football. “They are more or less saying to older people: ‘Suck it up, or get lost’.”
Reed, who is director of Silver Voices, a UK campaign group for the over 60s, added: “I’m sure, with the acceleration of technology, that more and more people will find it easier to download their tickets to their phones. But a lot of other people don’t and are very suspicious of technology and find it difficult to use with very small screens, finding apps and everything else they are required to use.
“To do it without consultation and without warning, after taking hundreds of pounds from people, is just not on really.”
Image:
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)After speaking with other supporters, Reed contacted United about the issue and was advised that older people could ask family members whether they had an old smartphone they could have, or whether they could borrow one on matchdays. He has been left outraged by the exchange and accused the club of an “egregious attack on older supporters”.
United believe they are simply moving with the times and think the move is necessary in order to make it more difficult for touts to exploit fans. Last season the club were dismayed after 5,000 tickets for a home match against Chelsea were purchased by bots – something a digitised system would curb.
Trials of digitised tickets have previously passed without complaint at United, who have reached out to elderly or disabled supporters to offer a print-at-home option. So far the club say they have only received 19 responses from fans who wish to take up the option.
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KitbagThe Football Supporters Association are consulting with clubs to try and find a solution to such problems. They believe a compromise should be made where possible in order to avoid excluding some fans.
A spokesperson said: "When clubs are making big changes to their ticketing operations, like going all digital, we expect clubs to consult their supporters about it as a matter of course.
"All supporters should be able to get into the ground easily and efficiently. We've seen in previous seasons the problems at the turnstiles that can come with untested digital-only systems.
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Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)"We'll continue to monitor the introduction of the technology in the game but in the meantime we believe that supporters who need a physical ticket rather than digital should be accommodated."
Speaking at a fans forum in 2021, United’s head of ticketing and membership, Sam Kelleher, suggested digital ticketing will soon become mandatory for all Premier League games.
“All tickets for future [Manchester United] matches will be digital,” Kelleher said. “This change was implemented following guidance issued during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we anticipate that this will become a league-wide requirement in the future.
“Our turnstiles were upgraded in summer 2020 in preparation for this, and there are many benefits including reduced risk of virus transmission, reduced environmental impact due to posting and ticket waste, reduced risk of lost or stolen tickets and enhanced stadium security.”
