Harvesting Away tickets

In the past England and Scotland travel clubs have had issues with fans harvesting tickets. This means buying away tickets to get loyalty points and not going to the games.

I know of some fans who have bought 4 tickets for each of our 3 away games and still haven't attended an away game in this campaign. I've just heard 2nd hand of another group who have done something similiar. A mate will be buying their Bulgaria tickets.

In Montenegro we had 2,000 tickets sold but I doubt if we had that many in the away end. Over 5,000 tickets sold for the Irish end in Bari yet 3,000-3,500 fans in our end. Some no shows may be down to the recession but surely not all.

It is an expensive business buying tickets you don't use. Thos eof us who do go to all games could well be left without tickets because of people who haven't travelled yet.

Maybe it's time we had a proper travel club with fans required to provide airline boarding passes as per Scotland or occasionally pick up tickets abroad showing your passport as per England.

BTW there is no guarantee that even those that travel will get tickets should we reach South Africa.

The exact same happens for home games with people taking numerous tickets and selling them for every game at face value.

What makes it worse is that sites like foot.ie facilitate people in this 'harvesting'.

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Originally Posted by gspain

In the past England and Scotland travel clubs have had issues with fans harvesting tickets. This means buying away tickets to get loyalty points and not going to the games.

I know of some fans who have bought 4 tickets for each of our 3 away games and still haven't attended an away game in this campaign. I've just heard 2nd hand of another group who have done something similiar. A mate will be buying their Bulgaria tickets.

In Montenegro we had 2,000 tickets sold but I doubt if we had that many in the away end. Over 5,000 tickets sold for the Irish end in Bari yet 3,000-3,500 fans in our end. Some no shows may be down to the recession but surely not all.

It is an expensive business buying tickets you don't use. Thos eof us who do go to all games could well be left without tickets because of people who haven't travelled yet.

Maybe it's time we had a proper travel club with fans required to provide airline boarding passes as per Scotland or occasionally pick up tickets abroad showing your passport as per England.

BTW there is no guarantee that even those that travel will get tickets should we reach South Africa.

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Apart from the later rounds of the WCF's the only places I can remember having to collect tickets abroad were in Tehran in 2001, and in Tbilisi and Tirana in 2003, all of which had very small numbers.

Edit: Forgot Mainz last year.

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Originally Posted by Bluetonic

The exact same happens for home games with people taking numerous tickets and selling them for every game at face value.

What makes it worse is that sites like foot.ie facilitate people in this 'harvesting'.

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Technically a lot of us harvest I suppose. I get tickets and I bring my Dad and brothers to the home games on them. However if for whatever reason they cannnot go, work etc. I will ask one of my mates to go instead and if not we take the hit. The system in one way encourages this or forces this as there is no way you are going to give up your tickets just cause you cant make one match. I go to all the home and away games .

I've always hoped that in some way if you could prove you were there you got the ticket. That's how it ended up working in Mainz & that seemed to work great. The FAI lad had our names down & all & there wasn't a queue or anything. I think it should always be done like this for the away games. That said, I've never not got into the game but paying €300 a ticket is a bit of a bummer when you've been able to get tix no bother for other games. Deffo gonna hurt the wallet when we get to SA. I'd be expecting to pay €300+ per game down there even though the FAI know who goes to all the away matches at this stage anyways.

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Originally Posted by gspain

In the past England and Scotland travel clubs have had issues with fans harvesting tickets. This means buying away tickets to get loyalty points and not going to the games.

I know of some fans who have bought 4 tickets for each of our 3 away games and still haven't attended an away game in this campaign. I've just heard 2nd hand of another group who have done something similiar. A mate will be buying their Bulgaria tickets.

In Montenegro we had 2,000 tickets sold but I doubt if we had that many in the away end. Over 5,000 tickets sold for the Irish end in Bari yet 3,000-3,500 fans in our end. Some no shows may be down to the recession but surely not all.

It is an expensive business buying tickets you don't use. Thos eof us who do go to all games could well be left without tickets because of people who haven't travelled yet.

Maybe it's time we had a proper travel club with fans required to provide airline boarding passes as per Scotland or occasionally pick up tickets abroad showing your passport as per England.

BTW there is no guarantee that even those that travel will get tickets should we reach South Africa.

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surely the reason for the away points system is to ensure that where tickets have been difficult to come by those who freqently travel get them.

However It was stated here in the general consensus that only 2 games in the past number of years were tickets a real issue Belgium and Basle Mk 1 so it was thought there is no need for it as it will cost money to administer.
It became an issue for Scotland when in Kiev how prevelent it was as 20% nearly 200 tickets werent collected for the match. You would hope the FAI have made a note of who bought tickets at least

for recent matches you can't buy tickets without providing travel details, so wouldn't this put most people off doing this?

sorry, not sure i understand how it works

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Originally Posted by magnumpi

for recent matches you can't buy tickets without providing travel details, so wouldn't this put most people off doing this?

sorry, not sure i understand how it works

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I know what you mean but I am pretty sure no one checks the details given. They probably just get filed and only reviewed if someone misbehaves

Tickets for major finals will normally be a problem. England have ticket problems for quite a few away games as they are a big draw in the home country and thus normally just get the minimum away allocation.

This campaign is the first time I've noticed it for us. Clearly there were hundreds of tickets not sued in Montenegro and 1,500-2,000 unused for Bari. No doubt some of these are genuine and we had one unused ticket in our group as somebody who had paid to travel couldn't.

maybe the georgia match venue switch stopped a few going to monty also. they may have been planning attending both matches but when one was switched they had to change their plans

Harvesting homes tickets is worse.
There are holding tickets from the waiting list and then regularly come on here 'doing a favour' by offering tickets :/
I know a lot who are block booking waiting listers but have attended all games in this group (home and away- who have attended homes for years but cant get on the block booking scheme). But should an away allocation number be restricted they would lose out to a blockbooker with homes only when distribition of tickets is being done. I dont think there is fairness there. There have been people on the waiting list for up to 8 years now...

tickets may have been easier got for this qualifier series, but in the last qualifiers we got knocked back from the fai for the czech and germany aways (although we did get sorted with home end tickets).

That said, the way the economy has gone recently, harvesting tickets may not be an option. Though the re-opening of landsdowne will lure some to remain hoarding these tickets.

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Originally Posted by aidz1

Harvesting homes tickets is worse.
There are holding tickets from the waiting list and then regularly come on here 'doing a favour' by offering tickets :/
I know a lot who are block booking waiting listers but have attended all games in this group (home and away- who have attended homes for years but cant get on the block booking scheme). But should an away allocation number be restricted they would lose out to a blockbooker with homes only when distribition of tickets is being done. I dont think there is fairness there. There have been people on the waiting list for up to 8 years now...

tickets may have been easier got for this qualifier series, but in the last qualifiers we got knocked back from the fai for the czech and germany aways (although we did get sorted with home end tickets).

That said, the way the economy has gone recently, harvesting tickets may not be an option. Though the re-opening of landsdowne will lure some to remain hoarding these tickets.

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Its probably luck and timing of the fixtures that havent caused any major issues. Germany away 06 on a saturday in late summer was the glamourous tie last series there seemed to be alot about here requesting tickets although in the end some of the posters couldnt give away tickets. (This was helped in no small measure by the german ticket agency issueing tickets before they caught on) but in theory 12000 travelled we only got 6000 tickets.

Thought Italy away this time (Rome, saturday game, late/early summer etc) would of casued some ticketing issues but with it being in Bari and early april it didnt materialise.

Would fans be willing to pay an admin fee for a guaranteed away ticket subject to a points scheme ?. I doubt it but it may worth looking at if we get to a playoff/finals and loyal travellers (as opposed to loyal home supporters) are screwed. I dont want to spend what ever time I have on foreign soil before a match running around trying to source 2 tickets

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Originally Posted by aidz1

Harvesting homes tickets is worse.
There are holding tickets from the waiting list and then regularly come on here 'doing a favour' by offering tickets :/
I know a lot who are block booking waiting listers but have attended all games in this group (home and away- who have attended homes for years but cant get on the block booking scheme). But should an away allocation number be restricted they would lose out to a blockbooker with homes only when distribition of tickets is being done. I dont think there is fairness there. There have been people on the waiting list for up to 8 years now...

tickets may have been easier got for this qualifier series, but in the last qualifiers we got knocked back from the fai for the czech and germany aways (although we did get sorted with home end tickets).

That said, the way the economy has gone recently, harvesting tickets may not be an option. Though the re-opening of landsdowne will lure some to remain hoarding these tickets.

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Just out of interest I asked to be on the list in 2003 and I was on the waiting list up until the game agaist Israel at home in 2005 so that was 2 years on the waiting list. However I went to every game while I was on the waiting list because the likes of Georgia Albania and Russia did not take up their full allocation. I have been on the full block booking since then. Wondering how it is possible for someone to be on the list for 8 years. Did the FAI preference some over others or did those who have been on the waiting list for 8 years miss friendly games.

[QUOTE=gspain;1147419]I know of some fans who have bought 4 tickets for each of our 3 away games and still haven't attended an away game in this campaign. I've just heard 2nd hand of another group who have done something similiar. A mate will be buying their Bulgaria tickets.
QUOTE]

In fairness the FAI dont really have a loyalty scheme so these people who have bought tickets for away games and have not used them its at their own loss. If we got a small allocation for Bulgaria someone who hasnt been to any away games so far has the same chance in getting a ticket as someone who has been to all the games if both are block bookers. Loyalty scheme wouldnt really work as it would encourage people buying and selling on the tickets. Also not many of our away games have sold out in the last few years

Well, i'm robably guilty of this. I've been getting 2 tickets for every home game since 1992 and numerous occasions i havent been able to go for various reasons so always sell them on to mates. I have been left holding tickets for friendlies which i couldnt get rid of however. No way am i giving this up though!

Good points. If we're in a qualifier you should HAVE to show your ticket stubbs for the away matches to get a ticket. If we're in a qualifier I know most of us that go to them all could be screwed. Guess we'll just have to win the group. Seriously though, there could be some real pain.

I must say if I was offered 3 tickets for a playoff game and 3 mates of mine wanted to go and only 1 was a regular and goes to all the away games I would give my extra ticket to somebody who I meet at all the Ireland games, somebody who I know goes to all the games.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Just out of interest I asked to be on the list in 2003 and I was on the waiting list up until the game agaist Israel at home in 2005 so that was 2 years on the waiting list. However I went to every game while I was on the waiting list because the likes of Georgia Albania and Russia did not take up their full allocation. I have been on the full block booking since then. Wondering how it is possible for someone to be on the list for 8 years. Did the FAI preference some over others or did those who have been on the waiting list for 8 years miss friendly games.

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Im on the waiting list since 2001 roughly. I go to all home games and at least one away game a year. I should be on the block booking list by now but the fai screwed up my application and i think i was put to the back of the list again.

Simple solution is to load tickets (home - away won't work) on a nominated card (social security card, work id, or mobile phone etc.., - we'll rule out bank and credit cards) One card one ticket, unique card id matches swipe at gate preloaded by FAI, scanned by scanner.

Tickets will be less likely to change hands and be harvested if they are loaded onto something personal and valuable.

The technology is out there but then if the FAI can't issue standard swipe cards (even the GAA have this now and although they can be passed around they've cut down touting (or harvesting if you want to call it that) massively) what hope is there for the more secure system above.

Unfortunately touting still alive and well with grounds that use swipe cards such as Old Trafford. It probably does reduce the amount of 'harvesting' I suppose where fans are just looking to recoup face value but dont feel comfortabel in passing on their swipe cards to strangers etc...