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I would have liked to have gone to the game saturday, but an overnighter in Dublin is not an option for me.
I notice that not all tickets are sold for the game? Is the late KO affecting the numbers? Would an earlier KO have suited better?
Why is KO so late? Is it a Sky requirement?
Thoughts, opinions?
I think the game is at 8. Correct me if I'm wrong. Will be travelling from Donegal - headin out on the first flight to Rome on the Sunday. So we are caught between a rock and a hard place result depending - it would be a shame to miss a good night out in the capital if we won. Come on up man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by sullanefc
It's not going to affect attendance in a bad way. Same time as a Wednesday kick off and obviously Saturday's are a lot more convenient for most people.
Personally i prefer an evening kick off (its at 7:45), usually is better atmosphere etc. Althou doesnt really matter to me as I live in Dublin, but im originally from Cork and often made the journey up for sat evening games. Doubt it will affect attendance to be honest.
Personally, i think the late kick off adds to the atmosphere, and we need all the help we can get in that regards in croker!
Apparently it is a Sky requirement because they want to show the England (friendly!) game at 5.15 first but as pointed out by other posters it's the same time as a midweek game so the timing really shouldn't have any negative impact on attendance.Quote:
Originally Posted by sullanefc
Think there's just a number of people who aren't very optimistic based on recent home performanaces so are giving it a miss. That's their choice but no doubt they'll all be back moaning about lack of tickets if we are still in the hunt for qualification by the time of the Italy home game in October.
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Originally Posted by eaststand85
Sky aren't showing the England game - it's on Setanta and/or ITV.
Sky are showing Wales at 3.00pm and Northern Ireland at 5.15pm and then our game at 7.45pm.
There are late trains back to Galway on Saturday so I presume as usual there will be late trains to Cork,Waterford etc.
The reason it's not selling out is not because of the team or the ko time. We're doing fine with both at the moment, it's because of the sky high prices in a recession.
A father taking his two kids to a game can pay anything between €150-210 for tickets alone, throw in transport costs around the country, and other expenses, and you could easily be talking €300 per family. For a qualifier, every qualifier regardless of opposition. :mad:
The FAI are not prepared to reduce the prices, so there are rows and rows and rows of empty seats.
Isn't the price fixed, on the basis of their contract with The G.A.A.??
Though granted prices are too dear....
What's the expected crowd, 60k, 65k, 70k?
and lets face it, they can't go cutting the prices now....
there is one plus point though, and that is that cos we are at Croker we don't have to buy tickets to a load of ****ty friendlies against the likes of China and Canad just to keep our tickets (although i think we all remember duffer's goal v Canada, especially those in the terrace behind the goal ;))
Well if they don't cut them, the situation will continue. It's the same as every other business. Less customers = less revenue. Their prices haven't changed since 2007 when more people could afford them.Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperDave
Given that there will be no official away support when Italy visit in October, bar those living here, there won't be many more at that game than currently attend.
And ticket prices are going to remain the same once we move back to Lansdowne. The FAI announced last year that there was a price freeze on tickets for Lansdowne.
Also, everyone on the block booking list has had to buy their tickets for the friendlies. If not, expect your block booking to disappear when we move back to Lansdowne. The same for those on the block booking waiting list - it you didn't take tickets for the friendlies in Croker, you can expect to be removed from this waiting list. The FAI may have continued to offer you tickets for every game, but once we're finished in Croker next year, the lists will be "updated."
The reason the evening kick-off is if I remember correctly after the awful dry atmosphere in Croker for the 1st match against Wales which was a 3 o clock kick off, either the management or players were consulted by the FAI and the conclusion was to move kick-off to the evening time like ALL big European continental teams regardless of what day of the week to ensure there was a good atmosphere.
I personally think this was a great initiative by the FAI for a change. I can see this saturday's match creating a real buzz in Croker. Remember we haven't had a meaningful qualifier on a saturday since Wales.
Its nothing to do with tv, especially SKY, if anyone was deciding times it would be RTE as they are the host broadcaster at all Irish home competitive games.
I talked to a girl in the ticket office about this and she was crystal clear.... while it mattered for block bookers to take up their allocation at croke park, it made no difference to waiting listers. My friend is a waiting lister in his own right, as am I, and he hasn't bought any tickets for any of the croke park games (I get four, and he takes one of them, along with my dad and bro), and the ticket office were quite clear that he had retained his place on the list just below me.Quote:
Originally Posted by harps1954
So when we go back to Lansdowne, Block Bookers will be dealt with first, but only at their previous allocation. While they were given the opportunity to increase the number of tickets they receive while at croke park, it was quite clear (and confirmed in my recent conversation with the ticket office) that on the return to Lansdowne, they will return to their previous allocation.
What wasn't exactly clear is what happens after that, although I anticipate that block bookers would be dealt with first, in date order. That was the impression I was given, although there was no clarification as to how many tickets each would be given. I got the impression it would be a maximum of two each, but who knows? The thing is, the capacity of the new stadium is 50,500 (500 obstructed view seats) and the attendance at the czech game last time out was 35,500.... so allowing for 10,000 premium seats, that's only 5,000 more seats for Joe Public (although obviously some of the premium seats will go to exisiting block bookers). Nonetheless, it was made quite clear to me that it was irrelevant that current waiting listers hadn't bought tickets to croke park games, as they still retained their place on the list, and it was listed quite clearly in the first few application forms I received when we first moved to croker, i.e. that this applied only to croke park, and the current block booking system was to be reactivated when they return to lansdowne road. The impression I got was that the previous system was pretty much frozen, and would only be reactivated on a return to LR.
Hope this helps.
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Originally Posted by gufct
none back to belfast
Judging by the tickets selling in The FAI Store , i'd say the attendence is going to be very high. Seems to be a great buzz about the game .
For the people who constantly seem to text in the likes of Today FM etc close to our games and complain about tickets............i can understand the viewpoint of a dad with two sons etc, its an expensive day out and there should be some sort of family ticket to accomodate this situation. But other than that, I think the ticket prices are reasonable if you consider our competitors:
The gaa charge 80 for an AI final ticket, irrespective of where you sit. Semis were 45 i think last year.
Rugby charge min 90 per ticket, again irrespective of where you sit. (where were all the texts to the radio stations during the six nations???)
FAI charge 70/50 and pricing is based on the seating which is only right and fair imo.
Your average concert in the 02 is anything from €60 upwards.
Im not saying the fai should be praised for the prices they charge, in comparison to european standards they are high, however in comparison to our Irish competitors, they are imo the fairest of the lot. And def dont expect a reduction in LR, if they can get 60k plus into croker at these prices, they'll def get 50k in LR.
Earth Hour is at 8:30 and the FAI have confirmed that the second half will be played in the dark. :eek:
Trappatoni has contacted Stan for tactical advice, apparently he was in the dark throughout his tenure in the position.
So far, Stan has mentioned "bamboozling" and "Clinton Morrison"
My advice would be to put the clock forward early i.e. at 7:30 and have Earth hour then, with the game starting at 8:30 which would really only be 7:30. Genius. :D:p
I’m on the FAI’s block booking list for Republic of Ireland home games since they started their series of games at Croke Park in 2007. I buy eight tickets @ €50 each for myself, friends and family for every home game including friendlies. I was telephoned yesterday by the FAI to tell me that unfortunately I wouldn’t be getting to see the boys in green playing any time soon at their fabulous new stadium on Lansdowne Road. Due to supply and demand I’m roundabout position 1,200 on the waiting list. That’s fair enough. I only signed up relatively recently and though the Aviva has more capacity (50,000) than the old Lansdowne Road (36,000 fully seated) it is a lot smaller than the cavernous Croke Park (82,300). What gets me though, is that once the bad news had been broken, the chat turned into a sales pitch for premium level Vantage Club tickets. My caller was ringing all the block bookers on the waiting list, who regularly buy six or more tickets for RoI home games, to try and sell the “prawn sandwich” tickets that cost €12,000 for ten years. I simply can’t afford that and told him so. Then his tack changed to “well, if you bought a couple of premium tickets on direct debit, we might be able to get you a couple of general admission tickets as well”. Now hang on... I thought they were all allocated. Hmmm... Apres Match once described the FAI as the best run football association in Merrion Square. They’ve moved offices but some things never change.
WTF? 1,200 and you aren't getting tickets? That's madness!! We have to organise some sort of protest!! Especially if they are giving access to general access tickets as part of vantage club tickets. That is absolutely disgraceful and is a break with FAI tradition.... in that we expect rank incompetence and maybe even a little subtle corruption, but blatant public unapologetic disregard of ordinary fans without so much as lip service to the part they play in the game is a slightly lower new low.Quote:
Originally Posted by eamon666
Quote:
Originally Posted by eamon666
Right,
Just to clarify, was it ING or the FAI ringing you?
The FAI. I got the same phonecall from them about three or four weeks ago. I'm around the 1200 mark on the waiting list as well and was told that at a maximum only the first 150-200 on the waiting list "have any chance of being upgraded to full block bookers."Quote:
Originally Posted by MariborKev
I think you are mistaken, the FAI are not selling the van tage club and if you were to ring the ticket office to enquire about buying vantage club tickets they willput you in touch with ING.Quote:
Originally Posted by harps1954
What you have encountered is a less than honest sales person from ING who is on commission and will say anything to get a sale, knowing he is only on a short term contract and has nothing to lose by lies and misrepresentations and all to gain if some suckers take the bait.
Tickets for LR should be relatively easy to get for all games for genuine suporters who go to al matches,
MariborKev, The caller definitely identified himself as being from the FAI. Dunno if he was telling lies, but that's what he said. I'm glad harps1954 got a similar call, so I didn't imagine the whole thing. Phew! The caller told me that all the existing Lansdowne Road block bookers had already been contacted to confirm their ticket requirements, and the place was more or less full, and that I was about number 1,200 in the queue virtually standing outside the ground. However, I checked with the FAI ticket office in the last few days and I'm number three thousand and something on their list. Even worse! My big problem, though, is that the FAI are using the ordinary block booking tickets as sweeteners to get people to set up direct debits to buy the outrageously priced Vantage Club tickets. I can get an Old Trafford season ticket for the best (but not premium) seats for just shy of €1,200 per year. The fare on offer there is generally better than what you'll see in Lansdowne Road, but that's another story. I would love to have a couple (or more) of regular tickets for the Aviva and would go to any auld ****e (as I've done over the years at Croke Park and at Lansdowne Road) just to retain my block booking and support the Boys in Green. It's annoying though that the block booking tickets are being frittered away to hawk overpriced corporate seats that are well out of the reach of most people's incomes. Any thoughts, suggestions or comments welcome. Thanks. :mad:
eamon,
I wasn't having a go- in fact I think it is a disgrace.
However I'd still go with GreenForever's analysis of the situation.
I'd email or phone the FAI and alert them as to the sales practices of the ING staff.
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Originally Posted by eamon666
aaaaaa
If they are trying to flog premium tickets they are hardly going to say you are sorted for the ordinary tickets.
However as the existing BB tickets and new BB tickets are likely to be similar in numbers given the away/premium allocations I too am more pessimistic about becoming a BB.
The lack of uptake on the premium seats may well be advantegeous from a waiting list point of view - if not an FAI finance point of view.
The recession also has possibly had an effect on exisitng BB's
Its all guesswork at this stage not sure when a decision will be made but would rather know sooner rather than later
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Originally Posted by Newryrep
They will increase the BB to the very max possible as they are guaranteed sales, you are correct though the old capacity meant about 33,000 tickets available to home supporters and this will only increase by a couple of thousand as the premium level is a seperate area altogether. Don't be surprised if these are eventually offered on a match by match basis for c €20 extra per ticket except the likes of Italy, and suddenly those who purchase them are automatically re offered them on a match to match basis. Bottom line is they can't afford not to sell them so there should be another 5,000 tickets or so available this way. They probably will however categorise matches for these tickets with the likes of Italy costing up to double say Montenegro.
No matter who was making the call, they could not have offered the possibility of buying ordinary block booking tickets along with vantage club tickets unless that was possible and they were given authority by the FAI to do it... which leads me to think that this offer must be for real and means the number of people on the waiting list who will get standard block booking tickets may not be as high as we would like it to be. I hope it's not true cos I am about 1,200 on the list but I think the FAI probably need to do something like this to sell vantage club tickets. I just hope it doesn't mean I can't get tickets when Aviva opens.
On a completely unrelated note, I was talking to the ticket office a few months back and as I currently get four tickets at croke park, I asked how many I might get at LR, but they didn't know. Grr. As long as I get at least two, I'll be happy.
MariborKev, I know you weren't having a go. I just wanted to clarify that the guy said he was ringing from the FAI.
Newryrep, the caller said if I signed up for some premiu tickets, they'd do their best to sort me out for some regular tickets for my friends (I currently have a block booking of 8 tickets at Croker)
GreenForever, I'd say you're right that it probably was some over-zealous ING telesales person in a commission-driven frenzy, misreresenting themselves as an FAI employee. I don't want to get anyone fired from their job, but it makes my blood boil that the FAI might be using precious affordable block booking tickets to shift the overpriced Vantage Club tickets. I just want to be able to stake my claim to a pair of those block booking tickets, which I would use-long term (guaranteed revenue for the FAI).
On your other point, I honestly can't see FAI charging a measly extra twenty quid for premium tickets on a match-by-match basis. I'd expect they'd prefer to halve the prices of the ten year tickets to get guaranteed revenue in before they'd resort to that.
It looks like I've been told two lies already by my caller: 1. they were from the FAI and 2. I was number 1,200 not 3,xxx on the waiting list. Who knows what other bull**** he spun me? I think I'll wait and see how it pans out.
As a matter of interest, has anyone on the Lansdowne Road block booking been contacted by the FAI to confirm their requirements for the Aviva (as my caller said has happened)?
Thanks for the comments and support lads! :)
Hi Superdave. Just saw your post. Either my caller was making a genuine offer, sanctioned by FAI, or he was talking ****e to make a sale. I don't know. He already seems to be guilty of 2 porkies
1. He's not from the FAI and
2. I'm further down the waiting list than twelve hundred. It's hardly likely that, you me and Harps1954 are all number 1,200 on the waiting list. Email or call the ticket office and ask them whereabouts you both are on the waiting list.
I currently hold 8 tickets for Croke Park and according to my caller and the Ticket Office I won't be going to any games at Aviva any time soon. :(
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Originally Posted by SuperDave
Unscruplous sales people do things like this all the time and I would guess if you complaines to the FAI the unnamed salesperson would deny all, best thing would be if you get another phone call is to say YES I'm interested in taking 2 Vantage club seats if you can guarantee a further 4 tickets on the block booking scheme and ask him to confirm this in writing on official FAI headed paper.....I reckon that would be end of conversation
The FAI hold all the aces here as far as the BB waiting list is concerned so they are going to come out with a definite decision anytime soon. They have approx 12 months before the next game so i would not be expecting any correspondence untill spring next year.
In relation to the premium tickets, if the reports are to be believed they wont sell out so it will be interesting to see their strategy. I cant see them reducing the overall price of the ten year tickets as that would be a bit of an admin nightmare having to refund a portion of the tickets bought so far plus theres no guarantee that it would result in the rest of the premium level selling out.....so a gamble in other words.
The FAI hold all the aces here as far as the BB waiting list is concerned so they are going to come out with a definite decision anytime soon. They have approx 12 months before the next game so i would not be expecting any correspondence untill spring next year.
Elroy, What is the "definite decision" that the FAI have to make? I spoke to a Lansdowne Road BB friend of mine today who originally had 2 Lansdowne Road tickets and now has 4 Croke Park tickets. He has been told he'll be getting 2 Aviva tickets. The old Lansdowne block bookers seem to have been sorted and the rest of us are on the waiting list. Maybe some of the posters on this forum could confirm this? The only way we'll move up the list is through people giving up their block booking due to changes in personal circumstances (redundancy, reduced imcome, emigration, illness, etc.) or if the team's fortune's change for the worse and people just don't want to spend their hard earned cash following the team. I think if you're on the waiting list, the only option is to go to what games you can get tickets for, and there will be some. If Ireland get to play any big ticket games, I'd say we'll all be back up to Croke Park again on a per game basis. Thoughts, lads?
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Originally Posted by eamon666
There will always be a bit of movement on the BB list for the above easons, mind you in my own case we have had 2 drop out (geting on in years / health reasons) but the tickets have been snapped up by thier grandkids which imo is acceptable.
THere will NOT be any internationals played in Croker after LR reopens due to the naming rights deal with Aviva.
Greenforever, I've no problem with grandkids taking over the family block booking. Didn't know that about no more internationals at Croker. So, theroetically, if we had a ECQ or WCQ against England, for which the demand for tickets would be massive, we'd be stuck in Aviva. Wow. Interesting.
Imagine a scenario where you pay €€€€ for advertising and then it turns out no one sees your ad, you would not be happy. Same logic applies with the aviva, everytime an international is played there, they get exposure, they would not be happy if for every big game its moved to croker. Wont happen. And thats ignoring the financial side of things, if you compared fais profit on a full aviva versus fais profit on a full croker less rent and additional costs, i doubt there would be much difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by eamon666
And anyways as can be seen from the attendance at croker, i think an approx 50k seater stadium is about right for us, will no doubt not be enough for the big games but in general the size will be about right.
The definite decision I was referring to was how the FAI are going to allocate the additional BB seats. They may decide to offer more to existing BB's (however I understand this is not the case). It would seem obvious that if there are 5000 additional seats, then 2500 people on the WL get two tickets each but I've learned to expect anything from these guys. At the end of the day, the FAI just want to have guaranteed sales, be it to existing BBs or WLs, I dont think they really mind. They also may come up with some plan where the WLs are offered BB seats but only at premium level, as I said in my earlier post I cant see how they would do this, as an adjustment on price would lead to outcry from those who have bought premium level already.
The first case is patently unfair I would be amazed if it was even considered.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
There will only be additional BB seats if existing BB gave up their allocation for whatever reason or moved to the premium seat option if say they were 'corperate' tickets but I was advised that not many done that but then again it was in their interest to say that.
Any extra BB seats should be allocated on the basis of the waiting list original request (if the numer is reasonalble say 4 max). I am on the waiting list for 2, am currentlly taking 2 and want 2 at the new Lansdowne.
I thought myself an extra 4000 (small increase in actual seat numbers + existing 'corperate' BB moving to actual corperate tickets) with the first 2000 on the WL sorted. I doubt now it is going to pan out that way
The FAI are in a no win situation unless premium sales rise dramatically (a world cup appearence ?) .
The average guy is currently reluctantly forking out e50/70 for a match ticket the premium ticket prices per game are a no brainer as far as most people are concerned.
Does your FAI customer number indicate where you are on the waiting list? I've been on the waiting list for a while but only getting tickets from the BB scheme since the move to Croke Park.
Also, just a thought but only came across this thread by chance, shouldn't the whole Waiting List/Block Booking subject have a thread of it's own with all these posts included? Maybe it does and I just haven't seen it but otherwise maybe one of the Mods could move?