Can I Get a Refund on My Football Club Membership if they Change The Location of a game

wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 15:16

I am a member of Western United, the new A-League team. I purchased a membership called Geelong 9, which gave me entry to the 9 games the club would play in Geelong. Anyway, they have just announced a last-minute change of venue to Footscray for the home game on Australia Day (to try and get more fans). This has annoyed me as I based my Australia day weekend planning around this, was going camping in Warrnambool and planning to drive back to the game in Geelong. Footscray would take an extra 2 and a half hours return..

No contact from the club so far (also annoyed me) it is just a press release, it is going to leave us with tickets to only 8 games though we paid for 9. Do you think I would have a case to have my membership refunded in full as they are not giving me what was promised? The whole thing…. if you bought a pack of 10 of something and it turned out there was only 9 in it. You would take it back to ask for the other one… if they cant give you the other one (because it no longer exists) then you would be entitled to a refund.

Or is a portion of the membership fee the best I can hope for? It was widely advertised as being for the 9 games that would be played in Geelong.

Discuss?

General Discussion

Related Stores

Western United FC
Western United FC

Comments

  • Presence on 10/01/2020 - 15:19

    Is there a disclaimer saying they might change locations?

    • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 15:22

      Not sure, never saw one… it was quite clear 9 games in Geelong, 5 games in Ballarat and they sold seperate memberships for each or you could buy one to cover both

  • rompastompa on 10/01/2020 - 15:22

    Here are the terms

    8.Cancellation, Refunds and Replacements

    8.1 Once your Form is sent to the Club you cannot cancel your Membership and, without limiting
    clause 5, refunds and exchanges are allowed only as expressed in this Agreement.

    8.3 If a Match is rescheduled to another date or venue, you may either:
    (a)obtain a refund of the face value of your Ticket; or
    (b)exchange your Ticket for a ticket of the same or lower face value to the rescheduled Match,
    provided you contact the relevant call centre number or website, within a reasonable period before
    the rescheduled Match.

    So, that reads to me, No to membership refund, yes to specific match refund/reschedule.

    • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 15:26

      Thanks…. they should at least be offering us that up front.. just been contacted, no mention… just saying your tickets will be valid at new venue…

      • rompastompa on 10/01/2020 - 15:32

        I think with enough pressure they should refund you. Nothing in their terms mention anything about membership refunds if matches are changed. I think changing from 9 to 8 matches is a significant enough change to warrant a refund. Being a new club, they'd want to keep as many fans happy as possible, and if you are really a fan, I'd push for a 1/9th refund or some free merch rather than the full amount - you should still want to support your club.

        Additionally, their fixtures still says it's played in GMHBA. If you don't get a response, it might pay to ask the question on social media to get more attention, as you mention it's now 'Geelong 8'.

        Edit: As mentioned below, I don't think they're wrong to say 'your ticket is still valid at the new venue' being the next suburb across. If the venue changed to Perth, then refunds off the ball would be appropriate.

        • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 15:56
          +1

          It is still an 2-hour round trip further… well thats presuming there is no traffic in inner melbourne..

      • original15 on 10/01/2020 - 15:33
        +1

        Well they’d be heaps out of pocket if they advertised it upfront and people were encouraged to take it up (even those who weren’t planning to attend the original game)!

  • Pootie Tang on 10/01/2020 - 15:22

    No

  • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 16:10
    +1

    Geelong to Footscray isn't that big a difference in venue, heck it's arguably a better one. And if they're honouring your membership in that they're giving you a ticket to that game, then I'm afraid I don't think you have much recourse.

    • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 16:19

      but the membership is called Geelong 9, specifically for games in Geelong.. there was an option to buy another membership if you wanted to attend other venues. And also as pointed out below their own terms say that they should give a refund if the move venue

      • HighAndDry on 10/01/2020 - 16:40
        +1

        True, I should've clarified that per the conditions you're seemingly allowed a refund of the face value of the ticket, but not a refund of the entire membership. Would you be able to sell that ticket for sightly more?

    • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 16:19

      if it was MCG to Ethiad I would agree with u

    • o53djz7qTPY4der on 10/01/2020 - 16:21
      +2

      I agree, it is better. At GMHBA with only 4000-6000 people the atmosphere sucks.

      They're kidding themselves though if they think more people will come because it's in Footscray.

  • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 16:20

    but i would have an extra $50 in train fare to pay plus the extra two hours out of my very well planned holiday weekend

    • Ryanek on 10/01/2020 - 16:37
      +1

      Your query appears to have been answered. T&C states you are entitled to a refund. I suggest you wait on the club to get back to you.

  • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 16:46

    Do you think I would have a case to have my membership refunded in full as they are not giving me what was promised? The whole thing

    This sounds like a change of mind.

    Ask for a new ticket at Geelong or a refund for one game.

    • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 17:22
      +1

      It is defo not a change of my mind. I signed up wanting to go to all 9 games, I have been to all so far (6 I think) but they haven't sold me the product as advertised so I was wondering if there was something in consumer law to say they would have to issue a refund for the product that I purchased..

      • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 17:27

        Ask for one new ticket at Geelong or a refund for one game. Or do you want a full refund?

        • wolvesaussie on 10/01/2020 - 17:36
          -1

          They cant give me another ticket to Geelong as I get into all the games there as part of my membership. but yes it looks like i am entitled to a refund for the one game. I was just wondering if they were openning themselves up to having to refund the whole thing as they are not offering what I paid for. I may not have signed up if it was only for 8 games

          • whooah1979 on 10/01/2020 - 17:42
            +2

            @wolvesaussie:

            I was just wondering if they were openning themselves up to having to refund the whole thing

            This sounds like you are looking for a loophole to get a full refund after watching 6 games.

          • lolz112 on 10/01/2020 - 17:43

            @wolvesaussie: Why would you get a refund of the full amount? Think reasonable person. Would a reasonable person expect a full refund if 1 out 9 services wasn't delivered to the exact specifications?

            • Agarwal on 10/01/2020 - 17:59

              @lolz112: Especially since he's already been to 6 of them.

  • brendanm on 10/01/2020 - 17:15

    Far out, can't be much of a fan if a 2.5 hour round trip is off-putting for you.

  • rambutann on 10/01/2020 - 17:36
    +1

    Fair enough. If you didnt have a car id be pretty salty about it.

  • Donaldhump on 10/01/2020 - 19:00

    i don't see why not.
    you wanted to go 9 games, can only goto 8, ask for a 11.1% refund

  • Jules85 on 10/01/2020 - 19:00
    +4

    So you've been to six out of nine games and are asking if you can have your full membership refunded because a game is moved an hour away? That takes cheap to a new level.

    • Frayin on 11/01/2020 - 23:14

      This is ozbargain lol.

      But in saying that, expecting a full refund is a bit much, partial refund definitely.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join