WATFORD FOOTBALL CLUB 2022/23

HOME MATCH TICKETS – SALES POLICY

OVERVIEW
IN detailing home match tickets sales arrangements for 2022/23, Watford FC is continuing its policy of prioritising fans who've regularly supported the team here at Vicarage Road over recent seasons.

There is no single, perfect solution. The aim has been to devise a policy that is as fair & equitable as possible, reflecting a combination of regularity and longevity of support, while trying to end with reasonable numbers in ticket access groups.

All data used in the figures below is drawn from ticket sales since July 2014 (excepting games played with a restricted capacity) - to provide consistency of purchasing numbers across both home and away sales policies.

Data from any ticket purchases for Home matches with a restricted capacity will not be used towards compiling Ticket Access Groups. This is to ensure supporters are not penalised for not being able to attend games. However, to aid with any enquiries and to maintain safety and security requirements, it remains mandatory to continue to assign the relevant Fan ID to ticket purchases made.

Thanks to all supporters who’ve provided feedback about their buying experiences and requests for future technologies; the analysis from which helped shape the club's decision-making process.

METHODS OF PURCHASE
The Hornets are keen that all those intending to purchase home match tickets - whether for every game or just one or two - have a Fan ID number and are familiar with either tickets.watfordfc.com, the club's online sales website, or the official Watford FC app.

Tickets are available to purchase over the phone on 01923 223023 (Supporter Services Hotline) and in person – from the Ticketing and Supporter Services Office under the Rookery Stand – however buying online is the club's recommended route.

Once purchased, tickets are delivered to your mobile device as an NFC Mobile Ticket through the official Watford FC app.  For instructions as to how to access your ticket through the app, click here.

Anyone who has ever bought tickets through our Supporter Services team will have a unique Fan ID number assigned. This automatically creates an online account which can be activated and personalised.

Supporters looking to attend games together can buy their tickets all at once. Each ticket bought will need to be assigned to an eligible Fan ID before a purchase can be completed. Supporters can purchase on behalf of other Fan ID numbers by linking their accounts online, this will make it easier if you regularly buy tickets for two or more supporters.

For the purposes of building a booking history, please do not create duplicate Fan IDs.Issues with online purchasing and NFC Mobile Ticketing can be resolved with help from our Supporter Services team: supporters@watfordfc.com or 01923 223023.

TICKET ACCESS GROUPS
WORKING with its data partner Goodform, the Hornets have again created Ticket Access groups to arrange first access to tickets for the most regular ticket purchasers.

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.

When tickets for a match are expected to reach general sale, we may choose to make tickets available to more than one access group at a time, to allow for a quicker and more efficient sales process.

- Group A recognises fans who’ve been to 25 or more home league and cup matches since July 2014
- Group B recognises fans who’ve been to between 10 & 24 home league and cup matches since July 2014
- Group C recognises fans who’ve been to between 1 and 9 home league and cup matches since July 2014
- Group D recognises fans who hold season tickets and wish to purchase additional tickets for friends and family who have not purchased before.

Game count does not include friendlies or matches played with a restricted capacity.

NUMBERS
Group A – 6,510 fans

Group B – 5,244 fans
Group C – 78,702 fans
Group D – 13,232 fans

Should matches take place with limits preventing full attendance within Vicarage Road, processes to determine who can purchase match tickets will be arranged at the time dependant on the nature of those restrictions. Full details will be published by the club at the time.

At the club’s discretion, there may be fixtures for which we do not make tickets available to all Ticket Access Groups.  Details of any change to this process will be announced when sales arrangements are published for those matches.

GENERAL SALE
Any tickets not sold during the access group process may be made available for general sale. Timings will be communicated via our official website and social media channels.

At the club’s discretion, there may be fixtures to which we do not make tickets available to general sale. 

I LIVE ELSEWHERE IN THE UK OR OVERSEAS. HAVE I ANY CHANCE OF GETTING TICKETS?
THE club is keen to ensure that ‘long distance’ supporters, who are likely to have limited purchasing history, still have access to buy home match tickets.

We reserve the right to sell tickets for a home fixture to Watford fans based overseas or exiled elsewhere in the UK who have a valid Fan ID record outside of the stated sales process.

Such tickets will be sold entirely at the club's discretion and will be managed by the Supporter Services team.

WE WANT TO HELP...

The club wants everybody to feel welcome to attend matches at Vicarage Road. As the original family club, we know we must continue to allow and encourage all supporters especially the younger generation of football fans to our games.

If you’ve not been to a football match before and want to find out what all the fuss is about, if you’re a family or group travelling to England from overseas and wish to experience an English game during your stay, if you’re a social club or work colleagues looking for something different to visit together or if you’re a school or youth football club wanting to attend a match collectively we want to help.

Please contact us at the Ticketing and Supporter Services Office by emailing supporters@watfordfc.com. Alternatively give us a call on 01923 223023 or +44 1923 223 023 if calling from overseas and we’ll take you through your options and guide you through the booking process. 

Guidance for first time visitors can be found here.

SALES PROCESS
AT least 72 hours before each sale commences, the Supporter Services team will publish a schedule of sale, broken down by date and Ticket Access Group.

In order to give all fans a good chance to plan for their visit, the windows of time for Ticket Access Groups purchase will be relatively short. This will allow a more flexible approach to decisions during the sale with regards to involving other fans in the chance to purchase tickets well before the date of the fixture.

Whilst supporters are encouraged to purchase in advance, we realise this is not always possible so when availability allows there is the option to pay-on-the-day. To avoid any disappointment supporters are advised to follow the club’s official social media channels, and our dedicated Supporter Services accounts on Facebook, Watford FC Help, and Twitter @watfordfchelp, where any news regarding sold-out fixtures will be published.

To smooth the purchasing process, we ask that any supporters buying tickets on the day have already created a Fan ID for each supporter attending.

A QUESTION FOR US?
Feel free to send an email to supporters@watfordfc.com, an address monitored closely during office hours. Calls are also welcome to 01923 223023, the club's Supporter Services Hotline, Monday-Friday 9am-5.30pm.