Why Football Clubs Should Sell Tickets Online
Grassroots football clubs have traditionally relied on cash at the gate. But online ticketing offers huge advantages: you know how many fans are coming, you can plan staffing and catering accordingly, and you reduce queues at the turnstile. Plus, with Tickts, it costs nothing — zero fees for the club and zero fees for the fans.
Setting Up for Match Days
- Create your club as an organiser on Tickts and connect Stripe
- Add your ground as a venue with capacity and standing/seating areas
- Create your season as a multi-date event with individual fixtures
- Set ticket prices for adults, concessions, and under-16s
- Offer season tickets alongside individual match tickets
On Match Day
Assign a volunteer or door staff member to scan QR codes at the gate using the Tickts scanner on their phone. It works offline, so poor signal at the ground is not a problem. Combine with box office mode for fans who want to pay at the gate.
Setting Up Your Football Club on Tickts
Getting your grassroots football club onto Tickts takes under five minutes. Create an organiser account, add your club logo and details, connect your Stripe account for payments, and create your first match event. You can set up an entire season of home fixtures as sub-events under one parent event, making it easy for fans to see all upcoming matches in one place.
Ticket Types for Football
Most grassroots football clubs use a straightforward ticket structure:
- Adult: Full-price entry, typically £5 to £12 depending on the level
- Concession: Reduced price for over-65s, students, and benefits recipients
- Child: Usually free or a nominal fee (£1-2) for under-16s
- Under-5s: Free entry, but worth creating as a ticket type for accurate attendance counting
- Season Pass: Access to all home league matches at a discounted rate
Matchday Operations
On matchday, the digital ticketing workflow is simple:
- Position a volunteer with a smartphone at the gate 30 minutes before kick-off
- Open the Tickts scanner and select today match
- Scan each fan QR code as they arrive — one second per scan
- For walk-up fans, use box office mode to sell and scan tickets on the spot
- Monitor the live attendance dashboard to track how many fans are inside the ground
For clubs transitioning from cash-on-the-gate, the digital approach takes one or two matches to get comfortable with. After that, most clubs find it faster and more reliable than counting cash.
Growing Matchday Revenue
Online ticketing does more than streamline gate entry — it helps grow your revenue:
- Pre-sales: Fans who buy in advance are more committed. They have already paid, so they show up even in bad weather or when the team is struggling.
- Data capture: Every ticket buyer gives you their email. Use this list to promote future matches, club events, and merchandise.
- Planning: Knowing how many tickets are pre-sold helps you plan catering, bar stock, and matchday staffing more accurately.
- Season passes: Pre-season revenue from season pass sales gives clubs financial stability to plan ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if fans do not have smartphones?
Fans can print their QR code ticket at home, or door staff can look up their booking by name or email. You can also maintain a small cash-on-the-gate option alongside digital tickets if your ground allows it.
Does this work for non-league grounds without WiFi?
You need internet for real-time ticket validation. A mobile phone with 4G/5G data is sufficient — you do not need venue WiFi. In areas with poor mobile signal, a portable WiFi hotspot provides a reliable backup.
How do visiting fans buy tickets?
Share your Tickts event page link on social media and your club website. Visiting fans buy through the same event page as home fans. You can create specific ticket types for away supporters if you have a segregated ground.
