Shoddy I think

So....the club have known for months they can't let us in to games. I emailed them 4 weeks ago asking for a refund and making it clear I didnt regard the video pass as a substitute. (I've since read that was a deal between the EFL and iFollow - I know of at least a dozen clubs whose season ticket holders have had the same thing) They responded they were waiting to see what the League would do.
I've had no email or letter in the interim.
Today, they issue an announcement on the website giving us less 15 hours to claim a refund. We are legally entitled to a refund, just google the government legal advice issued by the Competition and Markets Authority on COV19 cancellations.
If anybody finds out too late, please post and I'll put a link up. I think they would still have to pay up because they have been unreasonable and it wouldn't hold in court. I'm certainly not renewing now, contemplating whether to bother at all while this lot are here.

 

If you'd already emailed regarding a refund and had received an acknowledgement, then you don't need to do anything further today if you want it to continue to be progressed.

The club could have been clearer in explaining this in the wording, but I think they were trying to steer people in the direction of taking other options.

 

They're actually still refusing to issue refunds until they receive clarity from the EFL that fans won't be allowed into Oakwell for games that have already been played.

 

Which they shouldn't be doing. Give their faithful customers a fair crack at what is their legal right rather than trying to do what's best for themselves

 

I’m still hoping to attend the Blackburn game, I’m looking forward to seeing us win.

 

In fairness to the club it seems thst pretty much all football clubs are trying to get out of their legal responsibility. All the ones I've checked have said that if fans don't claim their refunds by a set date then the clubs will just keep the money

 

I know Wednesday are aswell. Doesn't make it right and I think it's a big mistake from a pr point of view. I know they've annoyed me. If I hadn't checked on here I wouldn't have known. My brother and his mate didn't either and some of the people that sit round me in West lower probably don't know and the cash would mean something them in these times.

 

I maybe wrong but I thought the club stated the options over a month ago , one of them being a refund and said they wouldn’t deny anyone a refund but preferred another option was chosen

 

That's from an old statement though isn't it?

 

If you emailed weeks ago, then you're fine buddy, you'll get your refund.

As for a 'deal between the EFL and iFollow', they are the same thing. iFollow is the EFL's service. I'd be interested to know who these dozen clubs are you refer to, because as far as I'm aware, other clubs have given streaming to season ticket holders in lieu of a refund. Barnsley offered streaming free, regardless to season ticket holders. The club thought it was the right thing to do. Nine games, which are £10 a pop for midweek games usually. The club offered other options such as flexi tickets, NHS tickets etc. And yes, made it clear from the get-go that it would hurt the club massively if fans took a refund.

I can't be sure as I've not gone through the process, but I'd be surprised if it's been made difficult to claim a refund. You email saying you want one..??? And it certainly hasn't been dropped on anyone today, it was released weeks ago. Today was a reminder, which is standard practice.

 

I applied for a refund today and the club emailed me that response

 

I think he meant that all clubs have been told they essentially had to offer ifollow to season ticket holders. The difference comes in how they chose to do that.
As you say Barnsley chose to give access to all season ticket holders regardless. Some clubs chose to have that as an option in lieu of a refund and some were in the middle. A partial refund and ifollow access.

It's the whole 'it will hurt the club massively' and asking for players to loan the club money while our greedy owners refuse to put in a single penny during this crisis. By handing over that cash I'm saying that I agree with their disgusting inexcusable behaviour and I just don't.

 

I'm going, hoping we scrape a point.

 

Strange. Did you email memberships@barnsleyfc.co.uk? I called the box office on behalf of my mum, was given helpful advice, emailed accordingly, and was told the refund would be processed in due course.

 

Yes it's the reply I got from that email today at 5pm. It's not an automated reply either as I sent the email request first thing this morning


We appreciate that you are requesting a refund for your remaining entitled 2019/20 fixtures accredited to your seasonal membership. At this moment, we are awaiting clarification from the EFL and stakeholders regarding the refund procedure.

Once we have received irrefutable clarity, and the 2019/2020 season is concluded, we will begin the process of refunding. Until then, we will continue to file all requests and will be in touch in due course.

Kind regards

 

He'd better not play bloody Ritzmaier

 

That's the response from weeks ago. So it made complete sense then. You've only just emailed, therefore it's out of date. Maybe we should have altered the wording, but meh.

 

The club has gone against the norm, the rest of the division and given free streaming and continue to offer fans the cheapest season tickets in the division.

Refunds for the 'missed' games are available. Even if you've watched those missed games, and the five extra games away from home. For free.

I know for a fact that what we've done during this period has not been matched by any of our 23 rivals.

You Reds and goodnight.

 

I have renewed and wont be asking for refund. I thought about this long and hard and at this point in time i felt its the right thing to do. Just my own personal feeling. I felt the club needed help.

If we go down i wont attend many games And maybe even if we stay up. Im disillusioned with our inability to build incremental progress and that the owners wont put a single penny in, even during such times they need our money even more.

But i decided to support the club during difficult times and take my own personal moral high ground. Im not sure what happens in future but at least this One season ill ‘donate’ my money.

 

I think the club have acted superbly through this crisis & have provided every option possible , the fact that we have had I follow for free & have been offered cheap season tickets for next year is excellent PR , but with some the club can never win , what ever they do, there are some that will always find fault , its a shame but thats how it is