Hard to decide what the most fair way is isn't it.
You can't even apply for aways until you've had a season ticket 3 years. At other clubs, like Reading, you get membership points that build up over many years. Hard to argue against that really.
Then like you say maybe they could do a bit more with the colour coding situation.
After all, should someone who has had a season ticket for 1 year, and done 10/10 cup games, outrank someone who has had a season ticket 32 years, who has done 8/10?
It's awkward.
To be honest, if you gave me the same opt out versus risk dilemma next year, I'd do the same I did this year, ie opt out of League cup and Europa.
You could potentially get about 8 midweekers in those 2 cups, and sometimes I really struggle to shift them, even to pals who live up north! And I live 180miles away so not like that many midweeks is sensible.