Ticket Allocation

[Cowboy]

I remember reading somewhere that the guys in ROISSC London brought 35 people to Georgia and Albania away games, they were away for a week and it cost them something like £800/900, but when it came to the game in Basle that October, they got less than 20 tickets. If that was the case then the FAI should be ashamed of themselves for not ensuring that everyone who went to Tbilisi (there were less than 400) got a ticket for Basle.

Thats pretty much what happened

[Cowboy]

Yes, people make choices, some to ensure they feed and clothe their kids, keep up the mortgage payments. If you are in apositioon to do that and go on every away trip then count yourself lucky.

Some make their sacrifices weekly, supporting and following their team in the eircom League and they too should be accomodated. What makes someone who only goes to internantioanl games more superior to those who actively support the domestic game.

While Fran Rooney accepted some of the points raised at the ROISSC function (A group of people I have the upmost respect for btw) he, I understand , pointed out that the Basel tickets (2003) were distributed on a pro rata basis and their was no other fairer way under the system to allocate tickets.

This is an issue that no matter what method is employed will not please all of the people all of the time.

Finally the The " i cant afford to go" arguement does not wash , as I've said we all make choices is a condescending attitude to supporters who literally cannot afford to make those trips.

It was not meant to be condescending and frankly I object to you calling it so. The original poster mentioned work commitments etc and you mentioned mortage etc so I'll repeat you made choices nobody put a gun to your head.

I made no mention of away fans being superior , I was replying to a comment that they had no more right to a home game than someone who does not travel (and i mean more than paris here)

Of cousre I'm lucky to be able to afford to go on away trips but I've worked hard to afford them, thats my choice.

To penalise someone who perhaps has foresaken a mortgage and other finacial commitments (and believe me some have) to follow Ireland is frankly wrong and bear in mind UK based fans have an away game (IE involving travel) almost every time we play. Are you really saying their commitment deserves no recognition?

I agree with you about the eircom league supporters some recognition should also be given , correct me if i'm wrong but dont LOI supporters get a much better allocation then they used to before the Rooney era and rightly so.

To say that tickets for basle were distributed on a pro rata basis in Basle does not account for the fact that there were people inside the stadium who were at their very first game, I heard this from them first hand, having gotten their tickets through Eircom.

[soccerc]

I agree with you about the eircom league supporters some recognition should also be given , correct me if i'm wrong but dont LOI supporters get a much better allocation then they used to before the Rooney era and rightly so.

I wouldn't know anything about that

To penalise someone who perhaps has foresaken a mortgage and other finacial commitments (and believe me some have) to follow Ireland is frankly wrong and bear in mind UK based fans have an away game (IE involving travel) almost every time we play. Are you really saying their commitment deserves no recognition?

I never said or alluded to that, but, now that you mention it, that is their choice

I made no mention of away fans being superior

Nor did I, this is what I asked - What makes someone who only goes to international games more superior to those who actively support the domestic game?

[Colie]

I have 0 cash for the next 5 or six months coza going away. Throw in a mortgage starting next month & a car loan for good measure. People that go to all the away games should get first choice on home tickets. If (& when ) I have a wife & kids I probs won't be able to go to the away games & I'd expect people to get home match tickets over me if they've been to all the away games.They'd deserve them more than me.

[4tothefloor]

with respect thats total nonsense, everybody makes choices, some sarcrifice a lot to go to away games and those that do on a regular basis are more entitled to go to home games than those that do not. This point was well made to Fran Rooney when he visted the ROISSC london bracnch function after the Jamaica game where the point was made that some in the small group who travelled to georgia/albania and numerous other games were not given recognition for this, and AFAIK Mr. Rooney accepted this point.

The " i cant afford to go" arguement does not wash , as I've said we all make choices

With respect I think what you're saying is total nonsense. You're trying to tell me that it's a black and white choice between getting on in life and going to Ireland games, and that you should thus be rewarded for this?! I hope it stays fine for you........I've been going to LR regularly since 1989, I am involved in grassroots football with my local junior club, plus I support my EL club Limerick FC and go to most of their home games. I've been to 2 Ireland away games in my life, England away in Wembley (91) and in Paris recently. I'm still only 23. Only recently finished college and now working full time. That's one of the reasons I was able to go to Paris. So I suppose you're a better fan than me then just cos you go to all the away games What soccerc said was spot on, pity about you if the 'I can't afford it' reason doesn't wash with you, your condescending attitude doesn't wash with me.

You talk about making a choice - if you choose to spend all our money on watching Ireland, fair play, but that's your choice. I'd love to be able to do that, but I can't afford to take 3\4 days off willy nilly to go to games. I work hard too you know. Stop moaning about it, the ticket situation is pretty fair as it stands. As i've already mentioned, the only step up would be a loyalty system a la Liverpool FC's, but even then away games would not gaurantee you any home tickets, it doesn't work that way anywhere. You go to home games, you qualify for away tickets, not the other way around.

To penalise someone who perhaps has foresaken a mortgage and other finacial commitments (and believe me some have) to follow Ireland is frankly wrong and bear in mind UK based fans have an away game (IE involving travel) almost every time we play. Are you really saying their commitment deserves no recognition?

Nobody is saying you should get no recognition. I'm saying you are no more entitled to a home ticket than I am, reasons I mentioned above. Surely UK based fans etc should be looking to negotiate their way on to the block booking list through their S.C. and the FAI? I only went on the waiting list 12 months ago cos I just couldn't depend on my contacts anymore, and recently I was promoted to full Block Booker.

[Colie]

but that's your choice. I'd love to be able to do that, but I can't afford to take 3\4 days off willy nilly to go to games. I work hard too you know.

So do I but everything I earn goes on the away games. I don't take "3/4 days off willy nilly", I work them into my annual holidays; they are my annual hlidays. The grassroots people deserve to get tickets off their club. The away fans should be accommodated too. There's no argument here. Everyone who deserves tickets should get them but they don't.

[4tothefloor]

So do I but everything I earn goes on the away games. I don't take "3/4 days off willy nilly", I work them into my annual holidays; they are my annual hlidays..

That's great if your job allows you to do that. I work in the family business which stretches beyond the normal 9-5 or factory job. I have a lot of responsibility, and can't take that kind of time off. For the Paris game, we flew on the day of the game and home the following day, I couldn't even go for the weekend because of work. Simple as that.

The grassroots people deserve to get tickets off their club. The away fans should be accommodated too. There's no argument here. Everyone who deserves tickets should get them but they don't.

The grassroots people get them by applying through their League body. They get looked after if they are regulars. That's how I used to get my tickets before I joined the waiting list.

Yes, the away fans should be accommodated, but how come I can get on the block booking list in 12 months, yet the away fans just moan about how they can't get tickets? Are they above joining the waiting lists or something? I don't see why they should jump the queue ahead of those on the waiting lists, some of whom have been waiting for years. Surely they knew about the waiting lists and should have put their names down. It's the same for season tickets in England, you go on the waiting lists and wait, even if you attend every single game, you still have to wait. The away fans should maybe lobby the FAI a lot more, write plenty of letters and make plenty of calls. You never know what's around the corner, i.e. Croke Park etc.

[tetsujin1979]

Where's Alan Hunter when you need him

He was on 98FM last night, but I only caught the end of it, something about there's no Guinness in the Faroes Islands!

[Cowboy]

With respect I think what you're saying is total nonsense. You're trying to tell me that it's a black and white choice between getting on in life and going to Ireland games, and that you should thus be rewarded for this?! I hope it stays fine for you........I've been going to LR regularly since 1989, I am involved in grassroots football with my local junior club, plus I support my EL club Limerick FC and go to most of their home games. I've been to 2 Ireland away games in my life, England away in Wembley (91) and in Paris recently. I'm still only 23. Only recently finished college and now working full time. That's one of the reasons I was able to go to Paris. So I suppose you're a better fan than me then just cos you go to all the away games What soccerc said was spot on, pity about you if the 'I can't afford it' reason doesn't wash with you, your condescending attitude doesn't wash with me.

Ok let me clear this up for you, away fans are no better or worse than home fans, never said they were, but for you to say that fans who give a greater commitment should be given no greater access to tickets is in my view wrong.

What about the guys on the waiting list who buy every ticket they are offered, imagine if someone else wrote in and decided they could not afford to buy a particular game, should they both have the same rights?

You talk about making a choice - if you choose to spend all our money on watching Ireland, fair play, but that's your choice. I'd love to be able to do that, but I can't afford to take 3\4 days off willy nilly to go to games. I work hard too you know. Stop moaning about it, the ticket situation is pretty fair as it stands. As i've already mentioned, the only step up would be a loyalty system a la Liverpool FC's, but even then away games would not gaurantee you any home tickets, it doesn't work that way anywhere. You go to home games, you qualify for away tickets, not the other way around.

I'm not moaning about anything, it seems like you assume I dont get tickets, I do, never had a problem in that regard so I'm not pushing a personal agenda here. Its a discussion about ticket allocation in general.

Nobody is saying you should get no recognition. I'm saying you are no more entitled to a home ticket than I am, reasons I mentioned above.

Thats a contradiction, regognition in ticket terms means access to tickets. I also think that those who are involved in grassroots football should be given similar recognition

Surely UK based fans etc should be looking to negotiate their way on to the block booking list through their S.C. and the FAI? I only went on the waiting list 12 months ago cos I just couldn't depend on my contacts anymore, and recently I was promoted to full Block Booker.

They have been and AFAIK the situation is improved but not yet ideal, getting 20 tickets for Basle was a low point, surely you can agree at least that this was wrong.

[Cowboy]

Nor did I, this is what I asked - What makes someone who only goes to international games more superior to those who actively support the domestic game?

I dont believe they are. I've a lot more respect for someone who supports the domestic game then say someone who goes to Ireland home games and games at man u liverpool etc.

[wws]

as somebody who watched Ireland take on Brazil in a more than half empty Lansdowne Road I find this whole thread completely laughable....the whole "100% dedicated" Irish national team fan is a fiction and a modern day phenonemon - these fickle folk will bolt at the first embarressing defeat - Spain half time anyone??

Events demand event junkies. In situations where demand outstrips supply - the majority will always lose out - so spare me the hard luck stories - no system can accommodate everyone - Dont worry another sh;t performance v the swiss and half these ****s will be jumping on the GAA bandwagon or wotever else happens to be rolling by when they need a fix

[Cowboy]

A valid point sir.

as somebody who watched Ireland take on Brazil in a more than half empty Lansdowne Road I find this whole thread completely laughable....the whole "100% dedicated" Irish national team fan is a fiction and a modern day phenonemon - these fickle folk will bolt at the first embarressing defeat - Spain half time anyone??

Events demand event junkies. In situations where demand outstrips supply - the majority will always lose out - so spare me the hard luck stories - no system can accommodate everyone - Dont worry another sh;t performance v the swiss and half these ****s will be jumping on the GAA bandwagon or wotever else happens to be rolling by when they need a fix

[Paulie]

the whole "100% dedicated" Irish national team fan is a fiction

I have to disagree there. My first home Ireland game was in 1991 and I haven't missed a home game since. I go to to as as many away games as I can afford (if that's ok with some of the posters here) and I manage to do all this without supporting a club either here or abroad.

[wws]

I have to disagree there. My first home Ireland game was in 1991 and I haven't missed a home game since. I go to to as as many away games as I can afford (if that's ok with some of the posters here) and I manage to do all this without supporting a club either here or abroad.

.....and does that entitle you to anything over and above someone who went everytime since 1992.... or 1990........Where is the cut off point - who decides who's "dedication" has a greater value?????

Not having a go at you in particular just pointing out that this "I'm a great fan gimme a ticket" is ludicrous. Demand currently outstrips supply - people will be dissapointed - a lot of people - fact of life until someone has the balls to sort out a proper national stadium - which will never happen - cause this is Ireland and we can't even fully utilize the one we have.

[Schumi]

This is a difficult situation and I have sympathy for those who can't get tickets for home games despite going to away games. The fact remains that people with tickets for home games have them because they buy tickets for every home game. There is nothing to stop anyone from joining the waiting list and eventually getting a block-booking. I don't say this glibly as I was on the waiting list for ages before getting a block-booking.

What I do think isn't right is people who go to away games in Albania and the like not being able to get tickets for Basle because people who have never gone to an away game decide to go to one important game. Some sort of away game block-booking system would be the best solution IMO. It's probably not reasonable to expect people to buy tickets to every away game but a system where going to more away games gives you a higher priority for future away tickets should the way to go.

[4tothefloor]

This is a difficult situation and I have sympathy for those who can't get tickets for home games despite going to away games. The fact remains that people with tickets for home games have them because they buy tickets for every home game. There is nothing to stop anyone from joining the waiting list and eventually getting a block-booking. I don't say this glibly as I was on the waiting list for ages before getting a block-booking.

What I do think isn't right is people who go to away games in Albania and the like not being able to get tickets for Basle because people who have never gone to an away game decide to go to one important game. Some sort of away game block-booking system would be the best solution IMO. It's probably not reasonable to expect people to buy tickets to every away game but a system where going to more away games gives you a higher priority for future away tickets should the way to go.

Exactly, and that's the way it works at every major football club and association, which is what I said in one of my initial posts. It is the fairest system, the fact of the matter is that Block bookers\Season Ticket Holders will always get first call when demand outstrips supply. Regarding Basle, I think all those Block Bookers who have been going to away games for years got their tickets, so I don't see where the problem is. It's a fact of life that ticket allocations to visiting nations are often small and thus not everyone can have a ticket, i.e. Faroes in the summer.

The real issue here is that we have individual fans travelling to away games by sourcing their tickets from Supporters Clubs and other sources, rather than sourcing them from the FAI themselves. Getting tickets this way is always unreliable, which is why I stopped doing it and joined the waiting list. I have now been rewarded for that, and now as a Block Booker I should have a better chance of getting away tickets in the future. So my advice to these away fans would be to start getting tickets yourself by joining the waiting list, rather than be relying on the Supporters Clubs or other sources.

[Cowboy]

What I do think isn't right is people who go to away games in Albania and the like not being able to get tickets for Basle because people who have never gone to an away game decide to go to one important game. Some sort of away game block-booking system would be the best solution IMO. It's probably not reasonable to expect people to buy tickets to every away game but a system where going to more away games gives you a higher priority for future away tickets should the way to go.

I think the London branch have such a scheme whereby you agree to take one of 3 options IE all games home games etc thereby ensuring that those who commit to paying for all tickets get a priority of sorts. Perhaps our friends in London can put me right if I've misunderstood this.

I think your last point is very reasonable and this should be based over a number of games IE it requires more than a one away game commitment

[Cowboy]

Regarding Basle, I think all those Block Bookers who have been going to away games for years got their tickets, so I don't see where the problem is.

Thats simply not true, I know of long term block bookers who have been to away games who did not get tickets for Basle.
Imagine yourself in that situation as you meet someone from Eircom who is proudly boasting its their first Ireland game

The London branch has a large block booking and the ratio of block booking to tickets offered was very poor. This is where the problem was, perhaps some of the London guys would care to comment as to the current situation.

Perhaps moving guys up the waiting list who go to away games is worth thinking about as this would encourage more away support, especially to the less popular games.

[stickyjoe]

basle was a one off incident in the last 10 years. i was one of thousands left watching it in the pubs in basle. 13 of us had 1 ticket between us despite us having 13 block bookings and going to a lot of away matches.

the fact is that 3,200 tickets for a match like that simply cant satisfy demand among block bookers, away match only supporters, players, sponsors etc.

and as for sponsors getting tickets, its annoying but theres fcuk all we can do about that. there the ones putting the big money into it, they get their share of tickets as well which is the same in every other club/country in europe. it was a no win situation for the FAI

[gspain]

Lots of BBs and regular away fans missed out on Basle 2003. Huge sympathy here but what can you do - demand was huge.

While it is sickening to see corpo types at these games ther eis little the F.A.I. can do - they take large sponsorship cheques from Eircom and thus have to cough up tickets for the big games. Of course I'll still be annoyed to see them in the stadium if I and other fans are locked out or paying through the nose to the touts.