Block Bookers 2011/12

Hi lads, just a quick question. I know last season that the FAI removed the obligation of BB's having to buy friendly games, leaving it up to people to decide themselves on a game-to-game basis. Just wondering if anyone knows whether this is going to be the case again for the next campaign? Good old Irish Rail have stopped running the special match train to Cork/Limerick for friendlies, so I ended up with a lot of friendly tickets that I couldn't use. Trying to avoid this happening again which is why I vetoed the season ticket - anyone know if the friendlies are no longer obligated going forward as well?

i thought that being a block booker you had to purchase friendlies also. would help explain the much smaller crowds if this wasnt the case

It used to be that way but AFAIK they relaxed that rule for the Carling Cup

*Edit: Been told BB's no longer have to purchase friendlies but apparently this will be the last campaign of Block Booking, all season tickets going forward

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Originally Posted by 4tothefloor

It used to be that way but AFAIK they relaxed that rule for the Carling Cup

*Edit: Been told BB's no longer have to purchase friendlies but apparently this will be the last campaign of Block Booking, all season tickets going forward

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JUst to clarify.... I have been a block booker for a number of years now, signed up to the season ticket last year. Was not going to do it again this year....but does this mean I can continue to be a block booker for this year and not have to buy friendlies?

I am of the same understanding as '4tothefloor' has posted, in that the Block Booking System will be no more and it is a case of Season Ticket or purchase on an individual game basis meaning different seat each game and also subject to availability.

For me, The season ticket cost worked out at around €30 per game @ €189 (for 6 Competitive & Friendly fixtures + FAI Cup Final). The Individual match price was €45 for competitive and €30 for friendlies.

Personally, I dont get to many friendlies at all these days but I still opted for the season ticket as the price differential wasn't massive and I was happy to put a little extra in to the FAI coffers in the hope it goes down the line to grassroots.

The FAI need to sort out the train issue and hammer out a deal of some sorts with Irish Rail. No return train for friendlies pretty much equals no fans as hardly any fans from outside Dublin are going to bother. They'd also be better off putting some meaningful discounts on the Season Ticket card and Irish Rail would be a good start. €50 return train from Limerick to Dublin is a joke to begin with. Any time there's a GAA match there's always discounted match specials available.... I'm sticking to Block Booking this year, will move to the Season Ticket next year. Going by the amount of phone calls and emails I got from the TO, I doubt the season ticket sales went too well.

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Originally Posted by 4tothefloor

The FAI need to sort out the train issue and hammer out a deal of some sorts with Irish Rail. No return train for friendlies pretty much equals no fans as hardly any fans from outside Dublin are going to bother. They'd also be better off putting some meaningful discounts on the Season Ticket card and Irish Rail would be a good start.

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Never going to happen, trains cost too much to run. Buses may be a better idea though.
There's a late-ish bus service to Derry and Letterkenny, with buses ye can get if ye rush to Busáras after a match, but it's a push. If you miss it though, ye're sitting about until 4 in the morning.
Belfast has one every hour/2 hours, so that's handy enough.

Normally I drive down, but I've decided to give up on the friendlies. With the price of petrol recently, it's just not worth it.

The FAI could easily come to some sort of an arrangement with Bus Éireann though. Something like €15 return with your ticket.
Even if the bus wasn't full, say there was 40 people, that'd be €600, more than enough to break even.

The more dealings I have with the FAI re tickets the more Im starting to feel they couldnt give two fcuks about us.

Pretty much true.

Heard that a lot of people are giving up their BB's so tickets for most games shouldn't be a problem, except the double-edged sword of having to go via the FAI/Ticketmaster.
An unholy alliance if there ever was one...
:(

The gaa have started to use tickets.ie in recent times. Little or no admin fee in most cases. FAI should follow suit. Ticketmaster admin fees are a joke.

2 tickets for Tipp-Dublin 80 on tickets.ie, 87.90 on tm. Disgrace.

The GAA started to use tickets.ie for the season ticket holders this year and tbf they've been far superior to tm over the previous 2 years.

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

Never going to happen, trains cost too much to run. Buses may be a better idea though.
There's a late-ish bus service to Derry and Letterkenny, with buses ye can get if ye rush to Busáras after a match, but it's a push. If you miss it though, ye're sitting about until 4 in the morning.
Belfast has one every hour/2 hours, so that's handy enough.

Normally I drive down, but I've decided to give up on the friendlies. With the price of petrol recently, it's just not worth it.

The FAI could easily come to some sort of an arrangement with Bus Éireann though. Something like €15 return with your ticket..
Even if the bus wasn't full, say there was 40 people, that'd be €600, more than enough to break even.

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Busaras will go to Belfast, Derry, and Donegal. Private companies will run night buses to Kilkenny, Waterford, and Galway, from Dublin City and the Airport. Those Derry and Donegal bus journeys seem to go on forever though. It takes an hour to get in and out of Co. Monaghan alone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brendy_éire

Never going to happen, trains cost too much to run. Buses may be a better idea though.

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Regardless of what trains cost to run, €58 return from Limerick to Dublin is an absolute **** take. It's a train, not a plane. Like I said previously, Irish Rail can discount tickets for GAA matches and the odd concert, yet they can't do it for the football? If they can offer discounts to Students they can offer it to other groups as well, i.e. football fans. The only other option is for the FAI to bring forward the kick-off times to 5pm or 6pm so that fans can avail of regular trains rather than having to pay top dollar for 'special' trains. I'd rather cut my balls off than travel on a public bus.

just received a letter telling me I am a valued customer and FAI block booker. Been waiting 7 years to get on the list and now I see that it's just for this season? I turned down season ticks as I was skint and flying home is expensive but the irony of this letter is making me weep a little.