So they'll evaluate this prior to next season starting and pluck a number out? wow... wasn't aware of that... Usually though shouldn't set criteria be published now? rather than moving goalposts (excuse the pun) at the end of the season?
Like Matt said, they can't know how many are on 13+ next season, might be more qualify than seats available, what do they do then??
Its a difficult balance between loyalty and not closing the shop completely to new fans
There'll always be an argument for them to do it one way or another, usually coming from someone who would benefit from their suggestion
Tiered membership wouldn't happen at LFC as there's already too many people who'd be at the top, and you cant just walk up and buy a top tier membership, people would buy the bottom one or 2nd bottom one and struggle to work their way up just as they do now
My suggestion on what I think would resolve
most problems if combined together
1) make 13+ members season ticket holders in a 1 off offer, they can choose to take it or decline it
2) put a cap on 3 transfers a season for season ticket holders, 0 transfers for members
3) minimum attendance requirement for season ticket holders set at 11/12/13 matches a season or a rolling average over 3 seasons
4) after the 3 transfers mentioned in point 2 the rest must be sold back to the club
5) 1 type of membership to buy, with these remaining members then tiered based off their attendance each season, say 0-4, 5-10, 10-15 and 16-19 as an example
6) those tiers are used to enter a ballot, with the % chance of a ticket each match matching up with your tier system. Example, 0-4 you have a 3% chance per game, 5-10 have a 20% chance per game, 10-15 you have a 40% chance per game, 15-19 you have a 75% chance per game or whatever it may be
6a) percentages would depend how many qualified in each basket from the year before, but for example let the club allocate the 10k+ members tickets as 1k, 2k, 3k, 4k into each bucket and so on... with the idea being no member is guaranteed anything, but random odds allow people to move up and fall down the ladder
6b) all ST returns come with credit as it wont affect a 13+ figure and will all be chance
6c) I dont suggest this, but to shut twitter up, give a % boost (lets say 3%) to those with L post codes - make every L post code account validate their address through proof of bills etc.. like they use to on collecting paper tickets
7) introduce ID checks again at the turnstiles, randomly choose a set of turnstiles each match and check every person using that turnstile for that match, or choose 1 in every 2 going through it - this will slowly weed out the burner phones
8 - allow cups to be passed on, but if you do and we reach a final (or semi at wembley) then you cannot qualify for the ballot