TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Important information for supporters visiting The Suit Direct Stadium
Definitions
In the Conditions of Issue the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings: “Conditions of Issue” means these terms and conditions governing the issue and use of a Season/Match Ticket. “Ground” means the football stadium and all other locations owned, occupied or utilised by the Club and/or its Football Team. “Ground Registrations” means those ground regulations issued by the Club from time to time that set out the terms and conditions upon which spectators are granted entry to the Ground. “Match” for the purpose of validity of the ticket, means any League match in which the Club participates and takes place at the Ground during the season. “Season Ticket” means a Season Ticket Card for admission to Matches. “Terms & Conditions” means each of the rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA, The Football Association, The Football Premier League Limited (“FAPL”), EFL and The National League; the Ground Regulations; the Conditions of Issue.
1. Issue of Season Ticket /Match Ticket
1.1 The issue of an HUFC Season Ticket valid for regular home League matches only and subsequent access to the Ground is subject to the following Terms & Conditions of Entry.
1.2 Season Tickets are for the use of supporters of HUFC, (“the Club”) only. By applying for and/or using a Season Ticket you hereby warrant and represent that you are a supporter of the Club. Adults applying for children’s tickets will be fully responsible for such children under these Terms & Conditions.
1.3 These Terms & Conditions apply to the purchase of single Match tickets for home or away games by any person for any game where the relevant clause is appropriate
2. Admission to the Ground
2.1 You are advised to occupy your seat in the last thirty minutes prior to kick-off. Please contact a Steward if you have any query regarding your seat.
2.2 Save as set out in clause below, you shall not bring into (or use within) the Stadium any equipment which is capable of recording or transmitting(by digital or other means) any audio, visual or audio visual material or any information or data in relation to a Match or any aspect of it.
2.3 Mobile telephones are permitted within the Stadium, provided that they are used for private and personal use only and for short periods of time (less than 5 minutes). Phones should be switched off at other times.
2.4 Save for Official Club merchandise and/or other football related clothing worn in good faith, you shall not bring into, use or display within the stadium any sponsorship, promotional or marketing materials.
2.5 You shall not offer or distribute (either free or for sale by any person) within the Ground any consumer article or commercial product or notice of any nature. For the avoidance of doubt this clause shall not prevent the lawful distribution of text publications in any format which do not infringe clause:
2.6 Where both the content and the publication are lawful in all respects and do not in the Club’s reasonable opinion constitute a threat to public order.
2.7 The Club reserves the right to refuse admission or eject from the Ground any person who fails to comply with these Terms and Conditions.
2.8 The Club’s policy is to take such legal action as it deems appropriate against any persons found attempting to gain access to the Ground under false pretences.
3. Use of Season Ticket
3.1 Use of a Season Ticket constitutes acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.
3.2 A Season Ticket permits you to occupy at the match the seat/area indicated on the Season Ticket or such other alternative seat of equal price as the Club may, from time to time, allocate to you at its reasonable discretion.
3.3 After the commencement of the season the Club will only consider requests for seat changes in extenuating circumstances and always subject to availability.
3.4 Nothing in these Terms & Conditions shall constitute or imply any entitlement to occupy the seat indicated on the Season Ticket in any subsequent season.
3.5 Season Tickets are issued for your sole use, and you shall not resell, assign or (save as set out in the clause 3.6 below) transfer or lend the Season Ticket or the benefit of it to any other person without the prior written consent of the Club. For the avoidance of doubt (and by way of example only) this Season Ticket may not be offered as a prize in any promotion or competition or transferred, lent out or sold to any third party as part of a hospitality or travel package, save expressly authorised by the League or the Club.
3.6 You may only resell or transfer the Season Ticket with the express written consent of the Club given at the Club’s absolute discretion. No such resale or transfer will be permitted except where the same takes place in consideration of no payment or benefit in excess of the face value of a ticket to that Match and such lending does not take place during the course of any business.
3.7 The unauthorised sale of any tickets may be illegal under section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
3.8 The Season Ticket will remain the property of the Club at all times and must be produced together with evidence of your identity if required to do so by any official, steward or employee of the Club or any police officer. The club reserves the right to retain the Season Ticket at any time.
3.9 Any Season Ticket obtained or used in breach of these Terms & Conditions shall be void and all rights conferred or evidenced by such Season Ticket shall be nullified. Misuse of this Season Ticket may result in the holder being ejected from the Ground in respect of a particular Match and/or the cancellation and withdrawal in accordance with this clause 3.4, no refund shall be payable to the holder in respect of any unexpired portion of the Season Ticket. The Club further reserves the right to take any legal action against any appropriate persons as it sees fit in connection with such matters.
3.10 In order to gain admission to the Ground, the Season Ticket Card must be presented to the scanner at the turnstile. Suitable identification may be required for any concession ticket used.
3.11 The Club reserves the right to relocate Season Ticket holders to alternative seated accommodation where, for safety reasons, visiting supporters have to be allocated the entire Teesside Int. Airport (Neale Cooper) Stand. This also applies in the case of televised fixtures to accommodate TV equipment.
4. Changes to Dates, Refunds & Exchanges
4.1 All fixtures are subject to change. No guarantees can be given by the Club that a Match will take place at a particular time or on a particular date. The Club reserves the right to reschedule any Match without any liability whatsoever. Your Season Ticket will enable you to attend the re-arranged Match.
4.2 The Club will have no further liability whatsoever, including (but not limited to) any direct or consequential loss or damage, loss of enjoyment or travel costs.
4.3 No refunds can be made in respect of unused tickets. Also see Point 13.
5. Lost or stolen Season tickets
5.1 In the event that you forget your Season Ticket in respect of any individual Match, the Club shall not be obliged to admit you or issue any other form or ticket for that Match. If a match day duplicate ticket is issued, the Club may require payment of a non-refundable administration charge.
5.2 The Club cannot accept any responsibility for lost or stolen Season Ticket cards. If you lose your Season Ticket card please report this to the Police and to Hartlepool United Ticket Office immediately. The Club reserves the right not to accept requests for replacements or forgotten, lost or misplaced vouchers. If, in the Club’s opinion, the Season Ticket is irreparably lost, stolen or destroyed, a duplicate Season Ticket shall be issued by the Club as soon as reasonably practicable after the payment of a non-refundable administration charge of £5. Only one duplicate Season Ticket will be issued to you per season, and you will be required to sign a document confirming that the original Season Ticket is irreparably lost, stolen or destroyed and indemnifying the Club against any direct or indirect consequences of such matter having been falsely represented or stated to the Club. Applications for the issue of a duplicate Season Ticket cannot be made on the day of a Match.
5.3 Should any Season Ticket when applied for not arrive in the post after purchase, you will be required to sign a document confirming this and undertaking to immediately return the original Season Ticket to the Club should it come into your possession at any time. There will be no charge for the issue of a duplicate Season Ticket in this instance. Claims must be made 7 days before the first home game of the season.
6. Change of Address
6.1 If you change your postal address, telephone contact number or email address during the season you must notify the Club as soon as reasonably practicable.
7. Cancellation & Withdrawal of Season Ticket
7.1 Without prejudice to any other remedies it may have, the Club shall have the right to eject the offender and in the case of any serious or persistent breach of these Terms & Conditions or Ground Rules applicable to Victoria Park or in any other stadia, whether in the United Kingdom or Europe, where the holder had purchased tickets against his/her membership to cancel and withdraw your Season Ticket. In the event of such cancellation no refund will be paid in respect of any unexpired portion of the Season Ticket. Without prejudice to the general nature of the above the following actions shall constitute serious breach of these Terms & Conditions:
7.1.1 smoking in any area of the ground except for designated smoking areas;
7.1.2 persistent standing in seated areas whilst the Match is in progress;
7.1.3 sale or transfer (save as permitted) of this Season Ticket to any person;
7.1.4 deliberate misuse of the Season Ticket;
7.1.5 the supply of any misleading or incorrect information in any application;
7.1.6 persistent swearing during the Match;
7.1.7 the throwing of any object within the Ground without lawful authority or excuse;
7.1.8 the chanting of anything of an indecent or racist nature
7.1.9 any misrepresentation in relation to the clause 1.2;
7.1.10 breach of the terms of any Membership;
7.1.11 any failure to pay or default of payment in respect of any sums owing to the Club (or any third party) in respect of this Season Ticket.
7.1.12 any offence under the Football Spectators Act 1989; the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol Act) 1985; the Football Offence Act 1991; or subject to a Banning Order under the Football Disorder Act 2000 (all as may be amended from time to time).
7.1.13 behaviour likely to cause damage, injury, nuisance or annoyance or for failure to comply with the reasonable requests of Club officials.
7.2 In the event that your Season Ticket is withdrawn or cancelled the Club reserves the right to exclude you from any membership scheme maintained or organised by the Club and/or to disqualify you from applying for any Match ticket or Season Ticket at its discretion.
8. Disability Discrimination Act
8.1 In accordance with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 the Club has made reasonable adjustments in respect of access for disabled supporters. Applicants who apply for a disabled ticket will be required to provide supporting information. Please note that an attendant for a disabled person is admitted free of charge for the sole purpose of giving assistance to the disabled person and does not infer any right to attend matches without the disabled person. The disabled person must provide documentation to show that they need the help of an attendant and are in receipt of high-rate DLA/enhanced rate PIP.
9. Exclusion of Liability
9.1 To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Club hereby excludes any liability for loss, injury or damage to persons/property in or around the Ground.
10. Governing Law
10.1 These conditions of Issue shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The Season Ticket holder and Club hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.
11. Amendments
11.1 Any part, or the whole, of these Terms & Conditions may be altered, modified or otherwise amended by the Club from time to time. Any such amendments will be announced in the Club programme and on the Official Club Website and will also be available for the inspection at the registered office of Hartlepool United. In the event of what the Club deems to be a major change to these Terms & Conditions then Season Ticket holders will be notified in writing.
12. Miscellaneous
12.1 Information on how to obtain tickets for matches not included in the Season Ticket will be in the press, the Club programme and/or on the official Club website (www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk). Please note that your purchased Season Ticket seat is not guaranteed for such matches and the Club reserves the right to re-allocate you for any reason whatsoever without liability in the event that your normal seat is unavailable.
13. Ticket Returns/Refunds
13.1 Those who choose to pay in monthly instalments via external providers (subject to availability) will be subject to the terms and conditions set out in the financial agreement plus an administration fee due to Hartlepool United FC in the event of defaulting on season ticket payments.
13.2 For all other payment methods, once the season has commenced the full cost of the ticket will be retained.
13.3 The Club does not normally offer refunds for any match tickets not used but would consider it under very exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Management.
13.4.1If a match is postponed before kick-off, but the supporter has paid and entered the ground, ticket holders are entitled to free admission to the rearranged game.
13.4.2 If a match is abandoned after kick-off, but before half-time, spectators are entitled to half price admission to the rearranged fixture.
13.4.3. However, if the match is abandoned after the commencement of the second half, no refund will be made.
13.4.4 Proof of original ticket purchase must be retained and produced to the Club upon request for any of the above re-entry requirements.