FAI Rip off Supporters Clubs...

[Maynard]

Ok, was I the only person in charge of an EL Supporters Club to get an official letter from the FAI's ticket office today telling me;

"As you are aware...we are obliged under UEFA/FIFA regulations to reserve 3,600 seats for visiting associations. These tickets are located in the North Terrace area and on previous occasions we have been fortunately in a position to make these available to you when the visiting associations have not taken up their allocation...Despite indication from the Israeli FA of their full ticket requests, we have been able to allocate seats for the eircom league Supporters Clubs. The total available to all clubs for this game is 240 (the average previous total requests from Supporters Clubs has been 750) As the fairest means of distribution :eek: , we are allocating the available tickets on a straight pro-rata basis with all Supporters Clubs being offered 30% of their previous games' allocation".

This is nothing short of a disgrace. The FAI have strung the Supporters Clubs along with their block-booking of tedious friendlies and when the big games come they take 500 tickets from regular, grass roots EL fans and under the guise of giving them to travelling supporters (if this is the case why did they not say that this was a possibilty for the WC Qualifiers against The Faroes and Cyprus?) and IMO give them to corporate buddies as back sctrathing aperatus'. I find it impossible to believe that the FAI could not find 500 seats in the ground to accomodate their most loyal ticket buyers who must take their allocation for every single game or else forfeit their lot. I have been in touch with the Chairman of my club to inform him about this occurance and he ensured me that this is a point he will raise when next meeting with the other 21 club officials.

Anyone else get issued this horse-manure?

[harpskid]

Pure and utter ******** yet again from the FAI :mad:

[Troy.McClure]

Unfortunatly, Im not surprised :mad:

<Time for another protest me thinks>

[Student Mullet]

This is outragous. Especially considering that a lot of people on the block booking waiting list just got given tickets so it's obvious thet the FAI aren't short of tickets for the upcoming games.

[harpskid]

Pardon my ignorance on this topic but are we (eL supporters for the N. Terrace) not entitled to these tickets as we should be on the block booking list. After all we pay money for their crap friendlies in order to ensure we receive tickets for the qualifiers!!

Flawed And Inept springs to mind :mad: :mad:

[A face]

<Time for another protest me thinks>

Pointless .... not unless its done right !!

[pete]

Pardon my ignorance on this topic but are we (eL supporters for the N. Terrace) not entitled to these tickets as we should be on the block booking list. After all we pay money for their crap friendlies in order to ensure we receive tickets for the qualifiers!!


I was lead to believe also that the eL allocation was now converted into a block booking allocation i.e. have to take the tickets for every single game.

IMO its a complete scam as probably 3000-4000 seats in the north terrace & i haven't heard that other block bookers are been docked tickets. Don't understand how the FAI can make the eL section block bookers in the first place if cannot guarantee tickets.

I'd put good money down that no chance 3000-4000 israeli supporters are in Lansdowne in June.

[exile]

just got a text today from the good lads at 451 that organise the tickets for the city fans saying they never got their full allocation either as mentione above just goes to show the utter contempt the fai feel for the eircom league and its supports but lets be honest do we really accept the blazers in the fai to do right by us .

they might think twice when they realize how much poorer the atmosphere will be with less of us you dont see those t0ssers the ireland supporters club making any ****ing noise :mad:

[soccerc]

Ok, was I the only person in charge of an EL Supporters Club to get an official letter from the FAI's ticket office today telling me;


No, every supporters group got the letter and to say they are little upset is an understatement.

A number of them have contacted me seeking clarity on the agreed ticket allocation and I was happy to oblige.

As far as i was concerned before I handed over the details to the FAI each group had been set up as a full blockbooker and this I understand was also indicated to the individuals who look after the ticket collection and distribution.

[MariborKev]

The need for a fully functioning fans organisation was highlighted over the last few days, and this is the issue to launch the campaign.

We have been screwed right and royally lads and it is time to stand up and be counted. There are plenty of journalists that frequent this site, we must use this to get our message out and get it blanketed across the media. I have no bother going on the record on this one and I would encourage everyone who handles the allocation at their club to get in touch with local and national paper to get the message out there.

At no point since the start of the qualifying campaign was there any notification that this was likely to happen and they leave it to 4 weeks before the game to tell us about it, as we will have little time to react. They were happy to take our money for friendlies, yet never to make us aware that we might not get tickets for the "important games", the whole reason we entered the scheme at the start.

Well we have time enought to make it clear to the FAI that this is unacceptable.

Anyone prepared to join an off board mail to get a press release for this sorted and get the message out there? If so PM me and I will get it sorted

[A face]

Well we have time enough to make it clear to the FAI that this is unacceptable.

Anyone prepared to join an off board mail to get a press release for this sorted and get the message out there? If so PM me and I will get it sorted

Definitely, anyone involved in the ticketing should pull in with this 100% and try and resolve it ASAP. There is no way on earth they should get away with this.

But i'd suggest that this only be a short term measure .... just going back to what you said earlier ...




The need for a fully functioning fans organisation was highlighted over the last few days, and this is the issue to launch the campaign.

We have been screwed right and royally lads and it is time to stand up and be counted.


I definitely have to stress that any sort of grouping that is going to serve a purpose should have a proper structured organisation .... Obviously there is nothing stopping anyone getting together but getting anything done is a totally different matter. IMO .... it just ain't worth getting involved in unless there is an end product(s) and by that i mean the group achieve some results (serious measured attainable results, not a couple of tickets until the next time this happens) that improve conditions for eircom League and National fans. A lobby group .... something that will change things for fans and prevent this kind of ticketing fúck happening again.


I dont know if alot of people are aware, of the whole ticketing thing and sometimes the trouble that was involved ..... you forgo this if you knew the effort you put in ensured that you got the full allocation but to get shafted like this ..... bitter .... thats the way you should be, and rightly so.

It is for this very reason that a fans group is more than neccessary.

[Superhoops]

.....It is for this very reason that a fans group is more than neccessary....
Is there not already a number of recognised supporters clubs in place who appear to work well enough with the FAI. On this forum I have seen references to supporters clubs in Dublin, London and West Midlands.

Regarding this EL supporters movement, is this the one that Fran Rooney started back in 2003 with the Albania/Georgia home games in conjunction with the Soccercentral website? At the time, I wondered why it was necessary to start this off, after all if the EL clubs themselves had been proactive about more of their own fans having access to tickets to Ireland home games, then surely as a body the EL clubs could have had far more clout in securing extra tickets. Every EL club gets an allocation of international match tickets, It would be interesting to know if any of these clubs actually requested an extra allocation for every home game to meet the demands of their own supporters.

Similarly, if there were EL club fans who were prepared to commit to going to every home game, why were those fans as individuals or as club groups not lobbying their local clubs to seek more tickets from the FAI years ago. It would seem to be a bit late in the day now. I don't know but I guess this EL group is seen as a Rooney legacy which the FAI are keen to see diluted.

[Mr_T]

I got this letter too, and having organised this for Harps since day one this is nothing short of a scam, quite literally it is fraud.

The FAI told the supporters representatives that the allocation was a block booking for this qualifiying campaign. After Rooney left I phoned them to ensure the allocation was still garaunteed and I was told it was.

This it appears was a lie, a lie which they used to force eL fans to buy tickets for all the qualifiers and meaningless friendlies which they would have struggled to sell out. Then when the big games come along they tell us to get stuffed. That is deception, and fraud to gain profit.

I agree with Marbor that we have to kick hard against this in the media in particular, I would also suggest getting legal advice on the matter.

Those of us organising this have been raisingmoney for the FAI for tickets to games like China by telling people they have to take them to get the tickets at the end of the campaign, now we are being made fools of. I know several people in Donegal, myself included who have paid over cash for tickets for mid week friendlies which we could not get off work to go to, nor had anyone else interested in taking them, just to keep our "block booking". Now we are as Kevin says ROYALLY SCREWED. I have paid for at least 3 matches I have not gone to, and now am being told to get lost.

If anyone is getting together or getting a forum set up to formulate our next move please let me know, or if any of the other organisers want to chat about it PM me and I'll give you my number.

TG

[Ash]

I havent recieved any letter at all yet saying if we have an allocation
or not any more but if it arrives today I'll let you know.

What they are doing is a disgrace. While its a pain for us to get a few hours off
work and organise lifts etc but its clearly a kick in the teeth to the gangs
(and large gangs at that) from Sligo, Harps, Cork etc who have to take half/full
days off and do a heck of a journey be it car/bus/train and then get home at all
hours of the morning, few hours kip and into work agian, especially for games
against the mighty Canada and China etc.

The FAI might aswell rebrand their name to the Disney Club cos its nothing short
of a Mickey Mouse organisation

[Cosmo]

We were told at a meeting in Jurys that we would be 'accomodated' for the 'big matches' from FAI officials (i believe John has written documentation from the FAI on this)

Can't say I'm surprised to be honest. After Fran the Man got the bullet I rang the FAI ticket office asking for confirmation that we would be guranteed the tickets for the 'big ones' and your one said yeah we would be as we are now block bookers. I asked for it in writing as I thought something was up which she refused to give me and which was different to what she said over the phone :eek: !!

I was half expecting it for Switzerland and France but not for israel, but sure nothing in life really surprises me!! It just seems the FAI changed their mind on giving us tickets a good few months ago (eh, around the time Fran got the chop maybe?).

[Mr_T]

I was half expecting it for Switzerland and France but not for israel, but sure nothing in life really surprises me!! It just seems the FAI changed their mind on giving us tickets a good few months ago (eh, around the time Fran got the chop maybe?).

That would all be fine and dandy if they hadn't lied about it and subsequently used us to shift unpopular tickets to our supporters groups. I now have to go to people who I have badgered money for "the mighty Canada and China" games, often in the knowledge that the tickets were going straight in the bin and telling them that they won't be going to the bigs games after all that.

It is fraud, plain and simple.

TG

[Cosmo]

Same as Mr T, I'm right behind ye on it - I just can't say that I'm 100% surprised seen as it was Rooney that got us in in the first place and then got booted out!!

Not sure but it would've been handier giving me no tickets that a few because I cant think of any fair way to distribute them :eek: !!

[harpskid]

Lads if yis are needing any support on this i'll offer my services.

I have an envelope full of tickets for the Italy game in August which people have paid for months in advance and the w@nkers tell us a month before the Israel game to basically get tae fcuk.

What a sham!!

[harpskid]

I now have to go to people who I have badgered money for "the mighty Canada and China" games, often in the knowledge that the tickets were going straight in the bin and telling them that they won't be going to the bigs games after all that.


Yep, people bought tickets for such games as those you have mentioned, simply to ensure that they get tickets for the qualifiers.

Us eL fans are nice and handy to get cash off for **** games like these and when the big games come up are shafted!! Like I said in a previous post, I have an envelope of tickets for the Italy game. These I received about 6 weeks ago, and the Italy game aint 'til bloody August!! Yet, 4 weeks before the Israel game we get told "thanks for the money for the friendlies, but yer getting buck all for the qualifiers"

Frauds of the highest calibre and I for one am not prepared to take it from the hoors any longer!!

[OneRedArmy]

I agree with all of the above.

This is symptomatic of an organisation that cares not an iota for the domestic game or its fans.

What more should we expect from a "leader" whose club allegience is to Man U?

[Eire06]

Its a disgrace, the FAI just used us to buy the 'lower' profile match tickets and now they have the cheek to reduce our allocations for the 'higher' profile matches...
Were the ones who travel up and down for every match no matter what, we follow the team abroad even if it costs us our life savings and we go out in the cold every weekend to support our local EL teams and this is the way they treat us...

Can someone give me a hand taking the knife out of my back... :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Ash]

I just got the letter now saying that we've been cut by 70%
but if the Israel FA dont sell all their allocation they might be
in a position to recoup the tickets and redistribute them.

[gufct]

trust got the same letter despite taking up its full allocation for each game at a severe cost to itself.I would be interested in getting involved in any group that wishes to publicise this.

[MariborKev]

All those that have replied check your PMs

[niamh]

Not for one second am I ****ed off with eL fans who are organising tickets, but when you are asked how many tickets you want for the rest of the games this year, you tend to believe you will get them and plan accordingly.
The lads have put up with so much crap already that this is hardly fair.
The FAI are a joke and are forgetting who pays for their tickets - fans.
I'm angry, but not overly surprised tbh.

[Green Tribe]

I just got the letter now saying that we've been cut by 70%
but if the Israel FA dont sell all their allocation they might be
in a position to recoup the tickets and redistribute them.

:rolleyes: don't see this happening.......

[observer]

Would ye not get legal opinion on this lads? It would seem that there were enough promises and committments made by the Blazers to form some kind of contract. This is a scandal and I have no doubt some of the "unavailable" tickets will finish up with touts on the day. :mad:

[FourFiveOne]

We got the letter too. Disgraceful.

[MariborKev]

Lads

Can all those who look after tickets for clubs who have yet to get in touch with me as regards this matter then please PM me etc on this issue.

If you aren't the rep, drop the rep and email or phonecall and ask them to get in touch

A united appraoch on this is essential.

[tiktok]

I'm still so angry I can hardly write this.

I agree with everything that's been written before, I was under the impression that we now had the status of block-bookers, something the FAI seem to have confirmed to different groups.

They've lied to us.
We've been shafted.
I'm not going to take this one lying down.
Put my name down for any protest. :mad:

[pineapple stu]

The need for a fully functioning fans organisation was highlighted over the last few days, and this is the issue to launch the campaign.
Definitely.

Hypothetically for the moment, how many Supporters' Clubs would be in a position to have a representative in Dublin for a meeting about four/five times a year? If each Supporters' Club is charged a small membership fee (E50 per year even), we'd then have a bit of cash to work with. We could then organise far more effectively things like media announcements, protests, communication with the FAI, etc.

An Ireland fanzine was also mentioned on aonther thread. This could work too (a few of us were thinking about it a while back, but saw no real need; now, though...). Put in the usual few humorous fanzine-style articles, looks back at and forward to away trips, songs, etc., but include a few pages to point out what the FAI are doing - not just here, but with other things as well (e.g. Delaney getting appointed, etc., etc. - all the things which brought about the protest at the Croatia game). How many fanzine writers (or people in general) would be interested in contributing to or selling this?

[Peadar]

soccerc, it must break your heart to see your baby being strangled like this!?
We, the fans, need to be organised under one banner.
I'll help in any way I can.
Seems like an eternity since we stood in the goal mouth at Lansdowne Road with Fran Rooney, while Brazil had a training session.
The future looked bright then.
It looks particularly bleak now! :(

[Karlos]

I think a fanzine is a good idea, would certainly be interested in contributing to one on a regular basis.

[Rochey]

Yea Stu thats a good idea a united supporters club made up of Ireland and Eircom league fans is a good idea. As you said it could be very effective. Even if we could get two people together from every club. The all ireland Fanzine is also a good idea. I'm sure there would be plenty of people on this site will to give articles ect. I would definitly be up for meeting to get something like this off the ground.

[JohnD]

Hi Lads:

It is really maddening. I have just left a voice mail on Emma Buckleys' (ticket office FAI) phone regarding this. We, the LimerickFC Supporters' club, have a very small allocation 12 in all. We are now going to be cut to 4.

We signed up to this deal in the full knwledge that we would buy tickets for all matches until the end of the World Cup Campaign. This is breaking the terms of the contract we hav with the FAI.

Count us in for any protests etc from Limerick fans

JohnD

[Aberdonian Stu]

Maribor check your Private messages.

Sorry to post this in the thread but I assure you it's relevant.

[fbtn]

This is the lowest they have ever stooped and they should not be allowed to get away with it.

The reps from each club that sorted out the allocations will now, very unfairly, have to carry the can from their respective supporters clubs - absolute shambles.

[Peadar]

We don't want to cut off our noses to spite out faces either so there's no point wading into a vengeful confrontation with FAIreland and killing off the scheme completely.
It's quite possible that FAIreland feel they don't owe us anything and may in turn feel we're more trouble than we're worth.
This needs to be well planned.
Some of the people on here are taking a very positive approach so lets support that before we go chaining ourselves to Merrion Square.

[Karlos]

Lads,

just to clarify my position, I don't currently receive my tickets from a eircom league supporters club (have mine from a local football organisation) but I am 100% behind you in this matter. It's only right and just that should get the tickets that have been promised by the FAI

support in full

K.

[Éanna]

Why anyone bothers giving money to the scum in the FAI I really don't know. To hell with them. Before now there was a small chance of me going back to Landsdowne sometime in the future- can't see it happening now. I won't give my money to british football

[bluemovie]

Lads I go to every home game and get my tickets through various sources. I've never gone through the supporters club, but I'm outraged by this. This is a real sign of the way the FAI operate. I remember after that rubbish Canada friendly, Pat Dolan said in the Star that the 23,000 (?) who turned up should be guaranteed tickets for life. This move is disgraceful and I mean that in it's most literal terms.....they are bringing shame upon our national team.

Let's start bombarding the FAI, the media, the clubs. You know they will try to use the approach that they only promised to "accomodate" the fans and have done this to the best of their ability in the circumstances, bla bla bla, but all the tickets for the IFSC will come through.

Count me in for whatever approach is taken.

[MariborKev]

Let's start bombarding the FAI, the media, the clubs. You know they will try to use the approach that they only promised to "accomodate" the fans and have done this to the best of their ability in the circumstances, bla bla bla, but all the tickets for the IFSC will come through.

We are working on a response. If you know who looks after the Waterford allocation please get in touch with me.

I am still waiting to hear from Rovers, Shels and most of the First Division clubs

[Schumi]

Got that letter yesterday as well. :mad: What an absolute disgrace. How am I supposed to tell people that have paid for tickets for China and paid months in advance for Italy that they won't get tickets for France or Switzerland or Israel? :mad: :mad:

[MariborKev]

Anyone with a comprehensive list of journos writing for Irish papers and their email addresses please get in touch with me

[higgins]

I won't give my money to british football

Eanna since when have the Irish team become a british footblalling team.. Relax a little there.

Does anyone have the figure that the FAI said were for EL fans? Was it always as many as you would take or was there a constant figure..

[Schumi]

Does anyone have the figure that the FAI said were for EL fans? Was it always as many as you would take or was there a constant figure..
750 was the total figure they mentioned in the letter they sent to me. This being dropped to 240. The amount of tickets was constant for every game since Brazil.

[MariborKev]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5th May 2005

Fans accuse FAI of dubious ticket tactics.

Representatives of Irish football supporters from around the country have today rounded on the FAI for breaking promises it gave them regarding match-day tickets. They claim that a block-booking arrangement for international match tickets that was introduced in 2003 has now been exposed as worthless.

Since 2003, supporters clubs from the 22 Eircom League clubs have had a ticketing agreement in-place with the FAI. The agreement was designed to meet FAI concerns regarding a lack of matchday atmosphere at Lansdowne Rd, and to ease the association’s difficulty in selling tickets for less popular games. It also sought to enable many of those who support Irish football week-in week-out at a club level to gain access to home international tickets.

The ticketing arrangement that was agreed at that time saw Eircom League supporters clubs from across the country commit to take a significant allocation of tickets in the North Terrace for all Ireland international matches – including poorly-attended fixtures like the games against Canada and China. In return, they were given assurances regarding block-booking access to all other games. The agreement also enabled Eircom League supporters to introduce a carnival atmosphere to Ireland games, with drums, constant signing and massive flags imported from Italy. The change in noise, colour and atmosphere at the games became quickly apparent, even earning the public praise of Manager Brian Kerr on a number of occasions.

Since 2003, the North Terrace block-booking scheme has proven to be a great success for both Irish domestic soccer fans and the FAI. Members of the scheme have block-purchased over 750 tickets for every game since then - including the less popular friendly and competitive ties (e.g. Cyprus and the Faroe Isles). Through the scheme, supporters clubs were warned by the FAI that failure to take-up their allocation for such “smaller games” would result in the overall future block-booking allocation being cut. As a result, supporters groups around the country forced their own members to take tickets for the less popular games, in return for assurances that they would receive an allocation for the big matches. In total, this block-booking arrangement has seen Eircom League supporters pour over €150,000 into the FAI’s ticketing coffers, whilst also providing a significant boost to the atmosphere at games.

However - with the home game against Israel only 4 weeks away, representatives of the supporters groups involved in the block-booking arrangement have today received letters from the FAI informing them that their allocation for the upcoming game is to be cut by 70%. The FAI claim they are unable to fulfil their usual North Stand arrangement as the Israelis have requested their full ticket entitlement for the upcoming fixture. However at no point were the members of the North Terrace block-booking scheme made aware by the FAI that such a possibility could arise, and no consultation has been offered on the issue. This has resulted in the loss of over 500 tickets to some of Irish football’s most ardent supporters - despite assurances at the start of the qualifying campaign that they were guaranteed tickets for every home game.

Fan’s representative Kevin McDaid commented “The members of this block-booking scheme are the lifeblood of Irish football. They are seen week-in, week-out supporting the local game at stadiums across the country. They also attend Ireland away games – including difficult and expensive ones like Israel and the Faroes. Yet when the FAI needs to find a few extra tickets, we’re the ones who have to suffer. Our support for Irish football at all levels over the years now seems to count for nothing”.

Ciaran Ruane of the UCD supporters club – a member of scheme -, added “ Everyone acknowledges the good work of the FAI at the introduction of the scheme in 2003. It really has helped boost attendances at smaller games, improve the atmosphere in the stadium, and enable genuine fans of the local game to see their heroes at home as well as away. But it appears that the organisation is prepared to destroy the goodwill generated amongst its most active supporters with gestures like this”.

Representatives of the various supporter groups involved in the scheme are now calling on the FAI to review its decision as a matter of urgency. “If they need to find extra tickets to accommodate the Israeli fans, surely they should spread the burden for this around the stadium – and not just focus it upon the very fans who have been so active in supporting them over the years”.

The group is calling upon the FAI to reinstate 400 or more of the 500 tickets they are planning to withdraw, and is urging them to instead deduct tickets from elsewhere in the ground so as not to damage their core fans.

[cullenswood]

Excellent, well-balanced piece. Where is it being published?

[tiktok]

It reads well alright, though I'd be careful about calling them to deduct the tickets from elsewhere in the ground, we need as much support as possible for this, and those that are regular blockbookers are no less deserving.

I'd aim it more towards pointing at the number of corporate tickets the FAI give away

[Danny]

Good piece lads.
Lets hope someone take notice of it.