Membership Refunds .

[bwildered]

The latest members forum link invited members to send our questions to the club .
So asked the question regards  numbers who received members refunds due to the current situation.
I received a prompt response  from the club .
  ————
Out of x3,900 Members in March 2020 we had refund applications from x120 Members. Of those x8 requests were withdrawn after further conversation with the Club and x112 refund requests were made. Of those a handful were part-refunds as requested by the individual Member.

No request made on medical, financial or bereavement grounds was questioned or refused and we were happy to be able to help out those Members who were not in a position to help the Club in this difficult year.
 —————

 Obviously I cannot go into individual circumstances and only hope the refunds received help members in these difficult times . 

[LeedsExile]

I think it is wrong to have to "justify" a request for a refund. Money was paid for a service that was not provided, therefore a refund should be automatic. There should be no emotional blackmail involved.

[essexfan548]

Other counties wanted reasons too ... and in very short timescales.

I'm not saying they were right ..

[Slogger]

I'm a life member so have no axe to grind but I would have thought offering a substantial partial refund would have been the way to go (the club will have spent money on servicing the membership etc) with the option of waiving the right to it. Most probably would have done so. Perov won't be the only one thinking along the lines of should I pay for something I might never get to see. I went through the same thought process with my son's National League football season ticket (Dagenham and Redbridge). They expected to have socially distanced crowds from early October but of course that didn't happen so a bullet dodged. Instead it's £9.99 to live stream non televised home games. I wonder if that might be the model for cricket next year if no crowds are allowed - digital memberships?

[nat]

so the latest rumours are that there may be no CC at all with the 20-20 competition pushed back to late summer so that crowds can attend. The (hated) *undred is inviolet.

The 50 over comp will also be sacrificed on the 100 alter.

So those who have paid their membership for 2021 may not get to see any cricket...again.

[Andy]

Some good points and ideas here. However, this sport is a professional business (even though its administrators maybe very amateur) but finance has to be raised somehow: white ball cricket is the only way.

[nat]

Some good points and ideas here. However, this sport is a professional business (even though its administrators maybe very amateur) but finance has to be raised somehow: white ball cricket is the only way.

No Test matches then?! The biggest money spinner of all in the UK.

[stewyww]

so the latest rumours are that there may be no CC at all with the 20-20 competition pushed back to late summer so that crowds can attend. The (hated) *undred is inviolet.

The 50 over comp will also be sacrificed on the 100 alter.

So those who have paid their membership for 2021 may not get to see any cricket...again.

Rumours from where exactly?

[JasonP]

so the latest rumours are that there may be no CC at all with the 20-20 competition pushed back to late summer so that crowds can attend. The (hated) *undred is inviolet.

The 50 over comp will also be sacrificed on the 100 alter.

So those who have paid their membership for 2021 may not get to see any cricket...again.

Rumours from where exactly?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-9257849/County-Championship-postponed-ECB-draw-contingency-plans.html

[SirChef26]

About bloody time they woke up to the fact that pushing the Blast back to September again is the right thing to do. I’ll personally be very surprised if crowds are allowed back by June and if they are, then it’ll be at extremely limited capacity that won’t see the club make any sort of profit. So move the September portion of the Championship forward to June/July when the Blast was originally scheduled to take place. Then fingers crossed when the Blast begins in late August/September, we may be back to high capacity with the vast majority of the public vaccinated by then.

[Perov]

If you don't attend T/20, membership is not looking cost effective again this year.
I've held back from paying,  but the end of Feb discount deadline is getting closer.
Decision time soon, has anyone else also held back?

[bwildered]

 Members forum at Christmas, indicated that five day games at start of season of season would be behind closed doors. If you only attend red ball matches would need about  eleven days to justify outlay, but at present the club is rightly awaiting Government guidelines regards lockdown restrictions, but club hasno choice .
 If lifted could you then be not allocated attendance with social distancing policy in place if certain restrictions put in place. Surely non profitable for the club to open for limited crowd attendance with the managing of lockdown lifted .
 Has far has revenue for the club, streaming could be the answer, has part of the membership package but more information from the club in next forum would be helpful.
 Yes tricky one Perov .

[Perov]

If "exclusive" streaming of all Essex matches is included in the membership, it could just make it viable, but previously it was available (and a better stream) on You Tube for free.
Decisions decisions!

[Slogger]

Two of my mates have signed up as life members and a third is considering it. They either haven't been members or not for many years. One was told that 12 people had signed up last week and so far around £100k has come in via new life memberships.

[nat]

Two of my mates have signed up as life members and a third is considering it. They either haven't been members or not for many years. One was told that 12 people had signed up last week and so far around £100k has come in via new life memberships.

You can see why the club have done it. Cash in the bank. I only hope the new life members get value for their money eventually. It's effectively a gamble on the future of county cricket.