RAWA issue statement after derby ticket issues as wider concerns grow during Sunderland renewal period
A Sunderland supporters’ group has issued fresh statements amid growing concern over ticketing issues, with the Red & White Army (RAWA) expressing increasing frustration at the lack of progress in discussions with the club following last month’s Tyne-Wear derby.
The group confirmed it has been in dialogue with Sunderland since before the clash with Newcastle United, which saw a number of tickets rescinded and later returned to sale after what the club described as a “large-scale” breach of ticketing rules. The situation, combined with ongoing renewal issues, has intensified concern among supporters and prompted further scrutiny of the club’s ticketing processes since promotion to the Premier League.
The statement also comes during a renewal period in which a number of long-serving fans have raised issues around their ability to retain or adapt their matchday experience, particularly when moving between corporate packages and general admission.
“RAWA has been engaging with the club since before the Newcastle game to understand what led to fans having tickets rescinded for the Derby match,” their statement read. “The club attempted to clarify matters in a statement to RAWA on 31st March. RAWA has continued to engage with the club to further clarify that specific situation and encourage further communication with the fan base. These discussions are ongoing, and we are pushing for a resolution.
“We have also collated a list of ticketing issues that are rightly causing significant concern and frustration to fans, including moving seats, admin fees, moving between different pricing structures etc and are asking for a further ticketing-specific meeting with the club to try to address these issues as a matter of urgency. We understand that these are very time sensitive, given where we are in the renewal timetable.
“Although we all acknowledge the significant progress that has been made in many areas of the club, there are still far too many examples of customer service and ticketing outcomes that are simply not good enough. We are becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress on these issues, and we are pushing the club to resolve as a matter of urgency.”
In a further update, RAWA also revealed it has urged Sunderland to delay the release of unrenewed season tickets amid ongoing concerns from supporters. The group said it had been contacted by a significant number of fans experiencing unresolved issues during the renewal process, particularly around transferring between pricing categories and finalising their seats for next season.
“Having been contacted by many fans and RAWA members, it is apparent that supporters are experiencing unresolved ticketing issues in relation to renewal of tickets and transferring across pricing categories. If you’re experiencing any issues in relation to renewing season tickets, please contact [email protected].
“With many supporters still unable to resolve ticketing problems, we’re calling on SAFC to delay the release of unrenewed season tickets with the proposed deadline at 5pm tomorrow (April 20th). Fans should not be at risk of losing their season ticket/the opportunity to move due to issues outside their control.”
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