Expected Better From Exeter Chiefs

"Exeter Chiefs have issued a statement following controversy surrounding the refusal to allow Flybe staff who lost their jobs last week into Sandy Park on Saturday.
The club sparked outrage by cancelling tickets which had been given to the now defunct airline as part of a sponsorship deal and were then handed out to staff in prize draws in recent months.
The winners arrived at Sandy Park on Saturday expecting to be able to watch the Premiership clash against Bath - only to be told they weren't allowed in.
Chiefs initially refused to comment on the situation but the club's chairman and chief executive Tony Rowe issued a statement on Monday morning saying the club informed management at Flybe that the tickets would no longer be valid.
"Exeter Rugby Club would today like to issue the following statement in relations to former employees of Flybe being turned away from Sandy Park ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership fixture between Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby," said Mr Rowe. "Match-day tickets were issued as part of a commercial agreement between the Rugby Club and Flybe. Sadly, Flybe has failed to conclude that commercial agreement, which in turn has led to the cancellation of tickets. The Rugby Club had no idea as to who these tickets were issued to, nor for what reason they would be used. We are now aware that some of these tickets have been used for staff incentives.
Detailed information, however, was sent to senior Flybe management informing them of the fact that any future benefits would no longer be in place. It appears this key information was not forwarded onto those staff who had been allocated tickets for this game and that of future games."

One former Flybe employee told Devon Live on Saturday: "Way to kick a person when they're down." Tanya Lloyd who worked as Flybe's health and safety manager was one of those who was turned away. She said: "It was so humiliating. I was almost in tears." Ms Lloyd messaged Exeter Chiefs but has had no reply. She added: "A very embarrassed lady on the ticket sales said it was a ‘higher management decision’. "We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Chiefs and it was so disappointing after the week we’ve had."

I don't know how many tickets they used to gove FlyBe staff but IMHO that's pretty petty by what I always thought were one of the more community minded clubs in The Premiership.

Doesn't look good does it.

I imagine that FlyBe have used the arrangement for lots of high level management entertaining and so when they didn't pay up the unimpressed Exeter board obviously cut them off. Sadly like most of these things it's the employees who get the raw end of the deal.

That's surprising.normally seem a pretty good set up down there and while I appreciate the reasons behind it given they now know where those tickets went (at least some of them) they surely have to back down?

formerly known as Sam wrote:Doesn't look good does it.

I imagine that FlyBe have used the arrangement for lots of high level management entertaining and so when they didn't pay up the unimpressed Exeter board obviously cut them off. Sadly like most of these things it's the employees who get the raw end of the deal.

i can fully understand them going "you're not using the executive boxes and bars anymore" to the high ups but this just seems wrong and petty.

Accidents and bad communications happen.  Some people who just wanted to see a game get caught up in all the official big biz shenanigans.

So I can understand unfortunate publicity things happening at such a time when one company ceases to exist suddenly.

I'm sure too, that after some reflection and when Chiefs get the necessary details on the actual individuals turned away, they will contact these people, offer them an apology and offer some form of recompense - another game perhaps?

Anyway.  The confusion is understandable but the wording from the Exeter chairman wasn't.   A 'commercial decision' - 'there isn't a lot of compassion in business'.
No, Mr Rowe, but there are real consequences of bad publicity in business.  And damage limitation might be best sooner than later before other sponsors get cold feet if your Rugby club is defined in social media as insensitive, cold, callous etc etc.

Why do some business men absolutely fall over themselves trying to project this functional, cold, dispassionate robotic ideal that people are just unimportant numbers in a machine?  
We don't need too many more showey, brash, cold characters talking about what business is and how cold it needs to be (Wray, Michael O'Leary, Philip Green etc)
We know.  We get it.  You don't care.  You're good business people.

SecretFly wrote:Accidents and bad communications happen.  Some people who just wanted to see a game get caught up in all the official big biz shenanigans.

So I can understand unfortunate publicity things happening at such a time when one company ceases to exist suddenly.

I'm sure too, that after some reflection and when Chiefs get the necessary details on the actual individuals turned away, they will contact these people, offer them an apology and offer some form of recompense - another game perhaps?

Anyway.  The confusion is understandable but the wording from the Exeter chairman wasn't.   A 'commercial decision' - 'there isn't a lot of compassion in business'.
No, Mr Rowe, but there are real consequences of bad publicity in business.  And damage limitation might be best sooner than later before other sponsors get cold feet if your Rugby club is defined in social media as insensitive, cold, callous etc etc.

Why do some business men absolutely fall over themselves trying to project this functional, cold, dispassionate robotic ideal that people are just unimportant numbers in a machine?  
We don't need too many more showey, brash, cold characters talking about what business is and how cold it needs to be (Wray, Michael O'Leary, Philip Green etc)
We know.  We get it.  You don't care.  You're good business people.

Apparently former Flybe employees have been offered free admission to a B Team cup game against Saracens B on Monday night.  Whoop dee do.

Jesus! This chairman is some Scrooge.

I am assuming that having cancelled the tickets they had not re-sold the seats, if not then what is the problem, it costs Chiefs nothing, the seats are empty, they may have got some income via the bar.

A publicity "gift horse" sent packing and as a result a lot of negative publicity. The minimum required is a full and very public apology and then some good seats or maybe a match in one of the exec boxes as a sorry.

I wonder if if the "higher management" that made the decision has been reprimanded and if had some of his/her perks removed.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I am assuming that having cancelled the tickets they had not re-sold the seats, if not then what is the problem, it costs Chiefs nothing, the seats are empty, they may have got some income via the bar.

A publicity "gift horse" sent packing and as a result a lot of negative publicity. The minimum required is a full and very public apology and then some good seats or maybe a match in one of the exec boxes as a sorry.

I wonder if if the "higher management" that made the decision has been reprimanded and if had some of his/her perks removed.

Sounds like it's come from the top at Chiefs. I can't see them backing down from their current stance. The brief coverage I've seen seems to indicate that FlyBe weren't keeping up their end of the bargain and that hasn't gone down well at Exeter.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-devon-51803164

They've been offered tickets to a second team match instead.