As part of our continued efforts to achieve greater transparency across all ticketing processes at NUFC, Newcastle United Supporters Trust Chair, Lisa Mole, was invited by the club to observe the full Mags Member ballot procedure in operation.
This invitation afforded NUST a level of direct visibility and access not routinely extended to those outside the club. The intention was for the process to be observed first-hand, enabling us to provide informed clarification and reassurance to Mags Members about how the ballot functions.
A ballot is run independently for each area of the stadium, depending on where the application is made - Family area, Rest of the stadium, and Accessible seating, resulting in three total overall ballot draws (one for each of the areas).
Each ballot is administered entirely via the SeatGeek platform, the club’s official ticketing provider. Once the application window closes, the system produces a comprehensive list of all entries, detailing both the total number of entries submitted and the total number of tickets requested. As a single application can request up to six Mags Member tickets, the screen clearly displays the number of entries, the number of tickets applied for, and the number of tickets available.
Each entry is allocated a unique reference number. No distinction or preference is given to single applications or to those comprising of grouped applicants. Applications are processed solely in accordance with their system-generated reference numbers. The ballot is then run automatically, with the platform randomly selecting the successful applications.
The entire process is fully automated, with no human input or manual intervention. Confirmation emails are issued directly from the platform to successful applicants. Consequently, Lisa did not observe any indication that club staff have the ability to influence or alter the outcome of the ballot process.
We appreciate the club’s willingness to provide this opportunity for independent observation and to facilitate greater transparency around the ballot process.
