Ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, Watford FC would like to advise supporters of a couple of important changes for match-goers.
The club is currently implementing a change to our e-communications platform, meaning at the moment we are unable to get emails out as usual.
So, we’d ask you to share this story with friends and family, as you see necessary, to ensure the information reaches all supporters ahead of match ticket sales commencing.
Firstly, details of an adjustment to our match ticket buying process...
The familiar arrangement for ticket buying groups remains unaltered, however over time the increasing number of seasons used to calculate these groups has become impractical.
The eligibility period for each group will now operate on a rolling basis, including data from the immediate past three seasons, although during this coming season the buying groups will incorporate sales from the curtailed 2019/20 campaign - due to the 2020/21 season being played without full attendance.
The updated buying groups for 2023/24 are as follows:
Home Ticket Groups
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Group A recognises fans who have purchased tickets to 20 or more home league and cup matches since July 2019 and former Season Ticket holders who have relinquished their Season Ticket since July 2019.
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Group B recognises fans who have purchased tickets to between 10 and 19 home league and cup matches since July 2019.
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Group C recognises fans who have purchased tickets to between 1 and 9 home league and cup matches since July 2019.
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Group D recognises fans who currently hold Season Tickets and wish to purchase additional tickets for friends and family who have not purchased before.
The match count does not include friendlies or fixtures played with a restricted capacity.
Season Ticket holders are politely reminded that they are counted as already being a match ticket holder for all home fixtures, therefore a second ticket cannot be assigned to their own Fan ID number.
Away Ticket Groups
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Group A recognises current Season Ticket holders who have purchased tickets to at least 15 away matches since July 2019.
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Group B recognises match ticket purchasers (non-Season Ticket holders) with the same criteria as Group A.
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Group C recognises current Season Ticket holders who have purchased tickets to fewer than 15 away matches since July 2019.
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Group D recognises match ticket purchasers (non-Season Ticket holders) with between 1 and 14 away match ticket purchases since July 2019.
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Group E recognises fans who currently hold Season Tickets and wish to purchase additional tickets for friends and family who have not purchased away match tickets before.
The match count does not include friendlies.
When tickets for a match are expected to reach general sale, tickets may become available to more than one buying group at a time, allowing for a quicker and more efficient sales process.
As previously, whenever our away allocation is unlikely to satisfy the demand for tickets, a temporary buying group will be established.
Official Coach Travel
Our other change is to our offering for supporters travelling to away matches and is an increase in the club-funded price for official coach travel to away fixtures.
As Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury mentioned at the recent Q&A event, the club remains committed to continue subsidising official club coach travel costs for supporters, to ensure a reasonably-priced method of transport remains available to those travelling the country to follow and support the team.
Well-documented increased costs throughout the transport sector and beyond, have meant the capped away travel price will change to £20 for each away fixture, regardless of destination. Whilst we would have hoped to avoid putting in place any increase, we believe this stll heavily-subsidised price gives supporters a well-priced option for away game travel, at a time when finances continue to remain challenging for many.
