FAI Ticket Office RE: away matches

[zenokelly]

Are they clueless?

In my opinion, if there are such dedicated fans that go to every away match & go to the expense and whole lot to get there they should be the first on the away allocation list. Am I wrong? I don't think so.

There are plenty of blockbookers that will go to the glamour tie next year in Rome or Milan or wherever in Italy it may be and get their tickets no problem from the FAI for this one match. And that will be it then for a lot of blockbookers.

That leaves the die-hard that goes to every game that isn't a blockbooker, right down the bottom of the list.

I don't go to every single away match at the moment, but this rubbish angers me and really sums up the organisation.

But can someone make sense of this? Blockbookers that only travel to Montenegro get preference of the mere 1200 tickets over other fans who have also came from Tbilisi the previous week. (not having a go at anyone that is only going to 1 but you can see where I'm coming from)

FAI my bleep. End of rant.

[gspain]

If you consider blockbookers to be the equivalent of season ticket holders of a club then just about every club I've ever heard of gives home season ticket holders priority for away games.

So yes only bbers should get a chance at Montenegro tickets. There still won't be enough to go around.

[Newryrep]

Are they clueless?

In my opinion, if there are such dedicated fans that go to every away match & go to the expense and whole lot to get there they should be the first on the away allocation list. Am I wrong? I don't think so.

There are plenty of blockbookers that will go to the glamour tie next year in Rome or Milan or wherever in Italy it may be and get their tickets no problem from the FAI for this one match. And that will be it then for a lot of blockbookers.

That leaves the die-hard that goes to every game that isn't a blockbooker, right down the bottom of the list.

I don't go to every single away match at the moment, but this rubbish angers me and really sums up the organisation

But can someone make sense of this? Blockbookers that only travel to Montenegro get preference of the mere 1200 tickets over other fans who have also came from Tbilisi the previous week. (not having a go at anyone that is only going to 1 but you can see where I'm coming from)

FAI my bleep. End of rant.

There is probably a fairer way of doing things but it is complicated as you need separarate home and away lists and you get points awarded for attending games.
However and it is a crucial that it it kept up to date and well policed by the ticket office. After viewing the Tartan Army forum alot of them were up in arms about point harvesters - basically guys buying tickets for difficult trips with no intention of going just to get the point to enable them to get tickets for the more glamerous ties such as Italy/France eg Tbilisi had 300 tickets not collected. It means that you phyically have to collect the ticket from the FAI at the away venue to prove that you actually attended.

Personally I think away matches should be treated differently but you would need 1 campaign to get the points for the following campaign.

[zenokelly]

If you consider blockbookers to be the equivalent of season ticket holders of a club then just about every club I've ever heard of gives home season ticket holders priority for away games.

So yes only bbers should get a chance at Montenegro tickets. There still won't be enough to go around.

Its ridiculous to compare season ticket holders of clubs which can have 30+ games (with cup matches) and blockbookers who have a 5 game package in this case. I don't see where you're coming from. Your showing no sense at all here.

The reality is the FAI's stance is a farce and there should be a points system or something along those lines put in place.

[pineapple stu]

Its ridiculous to compare season ticket holders of clubs which can have 30+ games (with cup matches) and blockbookers who have a 5 game package in this case.
No it's not. It's very similar.

[DmanDmythDledge]

No it's not. It's very similar.
It is similar but not the same. Block bookers can sell tickets for the smaller games if they don't want to show up (obviously doesn't apply to everyone). I don't know you could work it but somesort of loyalty card scheme would work better I think (you have a card that is stamped as you go into ground). As I said though, don't know if this would be feasible or not.

[Schumi]

I don't understand why people who go to all the away games wouldn't have a block booking. The waiting list isn't so long that you wouldn't be on after a few years is it?

[Greenforever]

Anyone who goes to all or even most of the away games normally end up with tickets. The only game in the last 10 yrs with a shortage was Basle MK1 and Montenegro will probably end up like the Czech game, no tickets leaving Dublin and then on sale at the ground on the day of the match!! also the fai do have your ticket record going back at least 10 yrs so if you fell hard done by drop the ticket office an email with evidence of all games attended and you may be pleasently surprised as some of our game were for Prague last year.

[Newryrep]

I don't understand why people who go to all the away games wouldn't have a block booking. The waiting list isn't so long that you wouldn't be on after a few years is it?

Probably because the waiting list doesnt move that much . I am sure there are BB's who dont go to any away games due to cost/time off issues, i dont see why they should have away ticket priority over people who go to all/most of the away games or the same chance (via a draw/ballot)as other BB's who go to away games.

I dont think the season ticket anology stands up which is more expensive in terms of money and time off, attending all home games or all aways games ? ie which is the greater sacrifice ?

If you go to Norway,Georgia and Montenegro I think that it is only fair that you get a ticket for Italy/Bulgaria - (just an opinion and not out of self interest as i am only going to Georgia)

[Schumi]

Probably because the waiting list doesnt move that much.I was on the waiting list years ago and got onn the block booking list within a couple of years of when I started to get tickets for friendlies, etc. I'm sure someone who got a block booking more recently would know more, but my impression was that the wait was only a few years. I wouldn't have any objection to people on the waiting list getting priority too.


I am sure there are BB's who dont go to any away games due to cost/time off issues, i dont see why they should have away ticket priority over people who go to all/most of the away games or the same chance (via a draw/ballot)as other BB's who go to away games.If they don't go to any away games, they're unlikely to want tickets I'd say.

[Newryrep]

I was on the waiting list years ago and got onn the block booking list within a couple of years of when I started to get tickets for friendlies, etc. I'm sure someone who got a block booking more recently would know more, but my impression was that the wait was only a few years. I wouldn't have any objection to people on the waiting list getting priority too.

If they don't go to any away games, they're unlikely to want tickets I'd say.

It is the glamourous away ties and hopefully tournament games that I was referring to when people who normally dont go to away games end up getting tickets ahead of those who are more deserving

[gspain]

I agree that their should be some from of travel club aka England and Scotland however a block booking should be the minimum requirement or at least being on the waiting list.

As has been stated Basle 03 has been the only away game in recent years where fans have been locked out. There have been problems in advance for Prague and possibly San Marino but nobody got left outside.

As for this campaign I think Italy and Bulgaria away will both be OK in the end. Montenegro is tougher to call but I can't see the locals packing that one out either especially with Irish fans willing to pay over the odds outside.

[NeilMcD]

I think Switzerland is a bit of a one off due to a number of reasons

Winner takes all nature of the game
Central Europe and easy to get to
Economy of Switzerland is quite strong so our money does not have the same power as it does in other more eastern countries
Small stadium by central European standards.

Put all these factors together and you get what we got in Switzerland. For all the rest tickets have been easy enough to get for, even if you don't have one leaving Dublin.

[elroy]

I was on the waiting list years ago and got onn the block booking list within a couple of years of when I started to get tickets for friendlies, etc. I'm sure someone who got a block booking more recently would know more, but my impression was that the wait was only a few years. I wouldn't have any objection to people on the waiting list getting priority too.

If they don't go to any away games, they're unlikely to want tickets I'd say.

Have been on the waiting list for about 7 years and only recently have started to receive offers for the friendlies, was offered block booking for the prior campaign but they screwed up my application so got nowt - still bitter over it. I think alot depends on who you get onto in the ticket office, there is one or two in there so have gone out of their way to help me, others are useless. For away games, ive nearly always relied on other sources, namely wait till i get out there etc. Although i think for stuttgart, an awful lot of us got the tickets from the german equivalent of ticketmaster!

[zenokelly]

I agree that their should be some from of travel club aka England and Scotland however a block booking should be the minimum requirement or at least being on the waiting list.

As has been stated Basle 03 has been the only away game in recent years where fans have been locked out. There have been problems in advance for Prague and possibly San Marino but nobody got left outside.

As for this campaign I think Italy and Bulgaria away will both be OK in the end. Montenegro is tougher to call but I can't see the locals packing that one out either especially with Irish fans willing to pay over the odds outside.


That is one of the main reasons I started this thread. For a fan who goes to a good number of away games & to go to the huge expense of travelling to all these matches then have to pay more for away tickets than the aul blockbooker that may go to the big fixture (Italy).

Also for the past couple of years the waiting list has been suspended.

& it is always better to be in the away end than be down on your own in the home end.
The ticket office should sort this out and get it in line with say Scotland, but it is the FAI:mad:

[gspain]

England have it better sorted than scotland as they do spot checks and also for obscure games only distribute the tickets in the country before the game.

Now I would like to see such a scheme introduced here but given that we've only had problems with one away game in years it may well be low down the priority list.

Of course there will be fans at the Italy game that won't be at any other away games. In this case I don't think there will be a problem with tickets anyway. If people can only attend one away game then Italy is th eobvious one. I don't thin kthey should get priority over people who attend all home and away games.

Montenegro will almost certainly be a problem to get away end tickets. I would hope the ticket office would note which bbers go to Oslo and Tbilisi and gives them preference. They may not. I still think tickets in the home end will be OK and even paying a bit over the odds (which I hate) will probably still be cheaper than a home game.

[Greenforever]

That is one of the main reasons I started this thread. For a fan who goes to a good number of away games & to go to the huge expense of travelling to all these matches then have to pay more for away tickets than the aul blockbooker that may go to the big fixture (Italy).

Also for the past couple of years the waiting list has been suspended.

& it is always better to be in the away end than be down on your own in the home end.
The ticket office should sort this out and get it in line with say Scotland, but it is the FAI:mad:


If you go to a lot of away games and dont have a ticket for say Montenegro, start passing the word around in Oslo and Tbilisi or even Fullham and you should get sorted. Start getting ph nos of people who are regular travellers and text them etc. You'll probably be pleasently surprised how quick you may be sorted out.

[jbyrne]

I don't understand why people who go to all the away games wouldn't have a block booking. The waiting list isn't so long that you wouldn't be on after a few years is it?

exactly. anyway, regular away fans usually end up with tickets one way or another. how many of us have been in an away city and failed to get a ticket?

[Colie]

All this talk has me sh1titn it for Montenegro now. It is true though, I go to all the away games & I've never ended up without a ticket. Even for Basle 1 (though I did have to pay over €600 for 2 tix off some Swiss on ebay!!:eek:).