The Membership and Subscription Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the membership, ticketing and subscription terms football clubs use, from season ticket waiting lists to the UK's new subscription rules.
All terms, A to Z
Auto-renewal
Renewing a membership automatically each season unless the fan opts out.
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Automatic cup ticket scheme
A scheme that automatically books and charges for cup tickets so fans never miss a home cup game.
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Away Priority Points (APP)
The points that decide who gets first go at away tickets.
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Away ticket allocation
The block of seats the home club gives to visiting fans, and how clubs decide who gets them.
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Championship membership
The paid membership that Championship clubs sell for ticket priority and benefits. Nine of the top ten Championship clubs now offer one.
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Client Reference Number (CRN) / Fan ID
The unique number that identifies a fan across a club's ticketing, membership and retail systems.
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Club streaming service (SVOD / OTT)
A club's own subscription video platform, and an increasingly common membership benefit.
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Concessionary period
A free or reduced-price introductory period that rolls onto a higher price.
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Concessions
Reduced prices for eligible groups such as juniors, seniors and students.
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Debenture
A long-term, upfront payment that secures a seat or rights for many years.
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Digital and mobile tickets
Tickets held in an app or phone wallet instead of on paper or a card.
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Direct debit and instalments
Spreading the cost of a season ticket or membership across monthly payments.
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DMCCA subscription rules
The new UK rules for auto-renewing subscriptions, and what they mean for clubs selling membership.
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End of contract notice
The written confirmation fans must get when they end or cancel a subscription.
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Exiting a subscription contract
Stopping a membership from renewing, which the rules say must be as easy as signing up.
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Family membership
Memberships for several people in one household, managed and paid for together.
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Football club membership
The paid relationship between a club and its fans, and increasingly the centre of everything else a club sells.
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Gift membership
Memberships bought by one person for another, often a junior fan.
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Initial cooling-off period
The 14 days after signing up when a fan can cancel for any reason.
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International membership
Membership for fans who live outside the UK and may rarely get to a game.
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Junior membership
Membership for young fans, bought and managed by their parents.
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Lapsed member
A former member who didn't renew, and one of the best audiences for a club to win back.
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Loyalty points / Ticket Access Points (TAP)
The points football clubs use to decide who buys first when tickets are scarce. Most clubs call them loyalty points, and Brentford calls them Ticket Access Points (TAPs).
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Match categories (Category A, B, C)
How clubs grade fixtures by demand, and why it changes price, access and points.
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Matchday vs non-matchday revenue
Why clubs want to make money on the days when there isn't a game.
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Membership bundles and add-ons
Extra products packaged with, or sold on top of, a membership.
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Membership pack
The physical welcome pack many members receive, from cards to scarves.
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Membership renewal
Keeping members from one season to the next, the single biggest driver of membership revenue.
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Membership tiers
Different levels of membership at different prices, each unlocking more access and benefits.
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Membership upgrade
Moving a fan from one tier to a higher one, ideally at the moment they need the extra benefit.
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Offers and feedback requests
How to run save offers and exit surveys without breaking the easy-exit rules.
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Official supporters club
Fan-run groups, at home and abroad, recognised by the club.
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Online exit
If fans can join online, they must be able to leave online.
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Pre-contract information (key and full)
What a club must tell fans, and how, before they sign up to an auto-renewing membership.
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Pre-contract requirements
The extra checks that depend on how a fan signs up: online, by phone or in person.
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Premier League membership
There is no single Premier League membership. Each of the 20 clubs sells its own, mostly so fans can get tickets for matches that sell out.
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Premium hospitality
The top end of matchday, with lounges, dining and the best seats, and some of a club's most valuable customers.
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Reminder notices
The written warnings fans must get before certain renewal payments.
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Renewal cooling-off period
A second 14-day window to cancel after a trial ends or a contract renews for a year or more.
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Renewal payments
The payment a fan could avoid by ending their subscription, and when it can be taken.
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Retail vouchers and member discounts
Shop vouchers and discounts that link membership to merchandise sales.
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Right to cancel
The statutory right to cancel a subscription, as distinct from simply stopping it renewing.
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Season ticket
A reserved seat for every home league game in a season, and the most committed fan relationship a club has.
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Season ticket renewal window
The fixed period when existing holders can secure next season's seat or membership.
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Season ticket waiting list
The queue for season tickets at sold-out clubs, and one of the most valuable membership benefits.
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Single fan view
One profile per fan, combining everything the club knows about them.
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Single sign-on (SSO)
One login for every club service, from tickets to streaming.
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Ticket access window
The staggered sale periods that let different groups of fans buy tickets before others.
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Ticket ballot
A random draw clubs use when demand for a game far outstrips the tickets available.
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Ticket Exchange
The club's official resale platform, where fans buy and sell tickets at face value.
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Ticket Transfer
Passing a ticket you've bought to someone else, through the club's official system.
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