ILSA
Newsletter June 2001 -
Issue 1
First of all we would like to extend a welcome to all of our members.
This is our first newsletter and it will become a monthly feature.
The newsletter will be used to keep members up to date with news on
campaigns ILSA is undertaking, the latest communications with LFC
and other bodies and also as a means of soliciting help and gathering
suggestions and ideas on what ILSA should be doing for you.
What
have we been doing since the launch?
After
the initial meeting on March 18th when 34 fans signed up we have seen
membership grow to almost 370. It is taken some time but we now have
the membership database up and running which will allow us to contact
you on a regular basis.
Contact
with Liverpool Football Club
Within
a week of ILSA forming LFC was contacted to inform them of our existence,
the aims of ILSA, and the sorts of issues ILSA would be dealing with
(ticketing, fans welfare in Europe, disabled facilities, racism, youth
access etc).
We
have since followed up with a series of further communications on:
·
Requesting more information be released on the allocation of tickets
for European away ties where confusion and rumour is often rampant.
·
Asking the club to contact and liase with QXL the auction website
over the regular touting of Liverpool tickets on there (QXL is a main
sponsor on the liverpoolfc.tv site).
·
Passing on complaints from fans who have purchased adult/child tickets
in the Kop only to find themselves on row 75 (an 80 step trip to the
toilets with a young child is unacceptable).
·
Pointing out that the titling and accompanying PR releases for the
video “Are you watching Manchester?” - were found to be
puerile to many members and quite frankly embarrassing for a club
with our size and history.
·
Passing on complaints over the handling of tickets for two late season
games i) the semi-final against Wycombe when many fans were told their
applications had been unsuccessful when clearly 2-3000 empty seats
were in the LFC section ii) the Charlton away game when the information
was only released on a Wednesday afternoon with the tickets going
on sale on Thursday morning and touts were able to buy 20-30 tickets
each.
·
Commenting on the widespread view that loyalty schemes for the distribution
of cup final and away tickets should be introduced.
Unfortunately
LFC has yet to reply to any of our correspondence (though they are
more than aware of our existence) however we will keep knocking at
their door until we at least get some form of an answer.
Communications
with other bodies
We
have started to form links with bodies such as Supporters Direct,
the Football Supporters Association, Kick Racism Out of Football,
and other major clubs ISAs as there are many issues affecting fans
common to all Premier League clubs.
What’s
next?
We
will continue to try to get recognition from LFC and further the links
we have already made. Two groups of ILSA members have also started
to look into youth ticketing and loyalty schemes with the aim to produce
submissions on both subjects. If you can help with these areas (or
on any other issues) please contact us - the expertise and knowledge
of ILSA members is vital in making us a successful and relevant fans
organisation.
Contact
us
email:
lfc_isa@hotmail.com
website:
http://www.ilsa.org.uk/
fax:
0870 136 6532
write
to: ILSA, c/o TTWAR, PO Box 23, Bootle, Merseyside, L30 2SA.
Thanks
ILSA
back
to current newsletter >>
