Sponsor a Season Ticket 2015/16 launched

An open letter from Pars fan Richard Emslie

Greetings from Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I am RhinoPars, and an ex-pat Pars fan. I’ve been a Pars fan since I was five.

It is that time of the year again and once again I am calling on big-hearted Pars fans locally and around the world to come together to join me in helping sponsor/partially sponsor some season-tickets to enable others that are less fortunate be able to go to EEP to support the Pars. I am encouraged that a number of fans have once again expressed an interest in helping others to follow the team.

Building on last year’s efforts this will be the third sponsor a season-ticket initiative. I am pleased that once again I will be assisted locally by Joe Graham, William George and Ishbel Russell. Last year a total of 18 Pars fans worldwide sponsored a total of 22 season tickets for supporters far exceeding the 11 Pars fans that contributed to the first ex-pat sponsor a season-ticket initiative organised through the dafc.net Pars fan website three seasons ago. Let’s hope the big hearted Pars support comes to the party again this year, and we further improve on what was achieved last year. We doubled numbers last year so let’s aim to double numbers again this year so I am challenging Pars fans to see if we can come together to sponsor at least 44 tickets. Getting over 50 would be brilliant. We have a new plan this year to try to help us achieve this target.

A number on dafc.net indicated that they would like to contribute something to this worthwhile cause but can’t afford to sponsor a whole season-ticket. Therefore this year we will also be collecting donations from fans to go towards sponsoring tickets. It is hoped that many more people will now be in a position to contribute and as a result collectively help us provide opportunities for more people to be able to come to games that otherwise would not be able to. What was started as an expat Pars fan initiative last year with fans from as far afield as South Africa, Japan, UAE, USA and Qatar contributing; ended up also being supported by local Pars fans from Dunfermline, the rest of Scotland and England. Let’s hope this year we can add Australasia and Europe this year to make this truly global.

As Ross McArthur, Managing Director of DAFC has noted "This initiative further strengthens the community spirit of our Football Club, at a time when many fans are faced with their own financial pressures. This is a way for fans living abroad to give something back to the local community, recalling their own fond memories of attending games at East End Park.”

This initiative is very much in line with Dunfermline being a caring community owned club. Once again Pars United and 1885 Worldwide will be working with the Club and the local community to ensure that all our sponsored tickets are used to best effect. Last season Dunfermline Advocacy and Fife Council’s Adult Resources Supported Living Division were amongst the recipients of sponsored tickets. The club’s Disability Champion, Ishbel Russell once again will be assisting us distribute unallocated sponsored tickets. However if anyone wants to gift a ticket to a specific person, perhaps a friend or family member, that’s fine too, as it’s possible to nominate your own choice of recipient. I will be writing to those that supported last year’s initiative; but it is hoped that this year we get a more new donors too. Sponsoring season-tickets is a win:win:win as attendances at EEP are boosted; some less well off Pars fans will get pleasure from being able to attend games they otherwise couldn’t get to, and importantly club funds will be boosted in the process. The scheme should also further boost the “feel good factor” associated with the club becoming a community owned and run club.

How you can help

• In order that the club can get all season-ticket money up front (which they won’t get from card payments) the club’s preferred method of payment is by electronic bank transfer for overseas transactions. If you wish to pay by this method, please contact the club by email at tickets@dafc.co.uk and the club’s EFT payment details will be emailed back to you.

• When you make payment please indicate clearly that you are sponsoring a season ticket. If you don’t have someone specific to sponsor in mind please put “USTyour name” as your bank payment reference. Like last year with the help of Ishbel (and possibly others) we will help ensure your ticket goes to deserving recipients (these season tickets will be concession tickets).

• Alternatively if you want to donate the season ticket to someone specific please put “ASTyourname4recipent’s name” as your bank payment reference. If you can’t manage to fit that in the space allowed by your bank’s webpage please drop Matt in the ticket office an e-mail with your details and wishes matthew@dafc.co.uk cc’ing me at 1885worldwide@pars-united.com.

• If you would like to contribute something but cannot afford to sponsor a full season ticket please electronic bank transfer your funds to the club as above, marked with your name and confirmation details that but please drop Matt in the ticket office an e-mail with your details and wishes for a part payment matthew@dafc.co.uk cc’ing me at 1885worldwide@pars-united.com.

• All donations, for full season tickets or a contribution to a season ticket, can be made in person in the Club Shop, by cash or cheque made payable to DAFC.

The Process
In order to keep track of the number of sponsored tickets and the preferences of those intending to sponsor a ticket/tickets those wanting to sponsor a ticket and details of how many people contributed (including partial sponsorships) you are asked to e-mail answers to the following 8 questions to me at: 1885worldwide@pars-united.com In your e-mail please provide the following information…

1) Your name;

2) Your E-mail;

3) Whether you live in either A) Scotland B) Rest of UK C) Rest of the World
4) Your address;

5) Your contact phone contact number;

6) Whether you are sponsoring a) a full ticket or b) making a contribution towards the cost of a season ticket;

7a) In the case of the former please specify the type of ticket you want to sponsor and amount. I am pleased to confirm that the club have kindly agreed to allow these tickets to continue to be purchased at early-bird prices even after the end of May (provided payment is by EFT or cash) as another show of support for this fantastic initiative;

Sponsor a DAFC Season Ticket - Prices 2015-16
Norrie Stand Main Stand
Adult - £215 Adult - £245
Young Adult (18-21) - £140 Young Adult (18-21) - £170
Concessions - £130 Concessions - £150
Under 18’s - £85 Under 18’s - £100
7b) In the case of a donation towards the cost of a ticket please specify the amount you have donated.
8) If sponsoring a specific nominated person please supply the name(s) of person(s) you would like to sponsor, their contact details and why (OAP – father, under 18 son etc). If you would like us to identify a suitable deserving candidate to receive your sponsored ticket please leave this blank; and
9) Method and proposed date of payment:
a) EFT *
b) Club Shop Cash or Cheque
c) Other **
* If you indicate a preference to pay by EFT you will be sent the relevant banking details so you can arrange the transfer of funds. EFT details can also be obtained on request from or tickets@dafc.co.uk
** If for some reason all the above payment options don’t work for you; and you would prefer to pay by a different method please contact me, Richard Emslie, by emailing 1885worldwide@pars-united.com (or the club shop) for further information on alternative arrangements about how else you could pay.
Through this exercise we also hope to add to a database of expat Pars fans. Hope you decide to join me in supporting this initiative.
Cheers
Richard
COYP!!