Competitive football played in front of supporters is at last coming back to the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium and alongside that an important new development is being launched that will enhance the matchday experience.   

Tonbridge Angels has signed an agreement with TicketCo an international company that provides online ticketing solutions that allows football clubs such as ourselves to organise the marketing of their events end to end and means that supporters will only need to engage with one platform for sales.

 As well as the obvious and immediate benefit of being able to purchase both matchday and season tickets from the comfort of one’s home or from a remote location TicketCo will be the platform to order club merchandise such as replica shirts, and arrange match and player sponsorships. 

 We will shortly launch 2020/21 season ticket sales followed by individual competitive matchday tickets and then a phased rollout of other products as everyone becomes more familiar with how the site works.  In the event that the footballing authorities allow fans into National League grounds for Pre-Season Friendlies then of course the opportunity will be taken to try out the new arrangements. 

Tonbridge Angels director, Ian Clear explains : “The club would have certainly moved to online ticketing within the next two or three years, its simpler and more convenient for supporters and assists hugely the club’s understanding of its commercial position. Also, the National League have issued guidance that ticket sales must be bought online in advance during the current Covid-19 pandemic.  It is likely that under the protocols for getting supporters back into stadiums we will need to at least for certain games be able to have a control over attendances, which this platform will allow us to do.  The huge reduction of coin handling makes for a healthier and safer environment for our supporters and volunteers.  Shorter queues at turnstiles will reduce congestion which of course will be another condition for allowing spectators to attend games.  It is absolutely the right thing to be doing now.  We shall also have to support the NHS in its contact tracing programme in which e-ticketing will assist enormously.   

Ian continues : “I know that some of our supporters, perhaps those who are not quite so familiar with buying online, may be a little concerned at the prospect of using the new technology and with that in mind we are planning some additional support. We will announce details of these nearer the time.   Finally from me I would urge everyone if you can to have a look at the TicketCo website to understand why after a lot of deliberation by the Board and other experts at the club we have gone down this particular route.”

FAQ’s

Q. When will the site go live to purchase tickets?

A. We will shortly launch the sale of season tickets for 2020/21.  We do first need to understand the crowd limits that the National League may impose upon us and also the fixture list. Pricing will be based on the fact that there is one less home league game. There will however be a modest booking fee some of which the club hopes to absorb into the ticket price.

Q, When will individual matchday tickets go on sale?

A. Generally speaking, as soon as the previous match is completed but will make sure there is plenty of time for ticket purchases to be made. The first match of the season will be a minimum of two weeks in advance.

Q. Will I be able to buy for other people e.g. My family? 

A. Yes. Be sure to record the details of the person you are buying for, to help with NHS contact tracing if needed.

Q. What can I pay with?  

A. Any major debit or credit card

Q. How do I redeem the ticket

A. Upon purchase, your e-ticket will be sent to your email address and/or mobile phone, the ticket can be printed at home or stored in your mobile TicketCo wallet, this can be downloaded from your App store. The ticket contains a type of barcode called a QR code which is scanned at the turnstile to gain entry.

Q. Can I get a refund if I can’t attend the match?

A. The only refund available is if the match is postponed, or in the event of an abandonment the normal rules will apply. TicketCo can issue a voucher to be redeemed against a rescheduled game.

Q. What if I forget my ticket?

A. Your e-ticket can be retrieved from the TicketCo platform at the turnstile but this will lead to delays for supporters while we search for your e-ticket. So please help everyone by bringing your ticket to the game.

Q. Will it only be possible to purchase tickets through the online process

A. Yes, as far as matchday tickets are concerned it will be the only platform.  The National League has also stated that tickets can’t be sold at the turnstile, so advance purchase is the only option.