FAI Rip off Supporters Clubs...

**Maynard** · 03/05/2005, 6:17 PM

Ok, was I the only person in charge of an EL Supporters Club to get an official letter from the FAI's ticket office today telling me;

"As you are aware...we are obliged under UEFA/FIFA regulations to reserve 3,600 seats for visiting associations. These tickets are located in the North Terrace area and on previous occasions we have been fortunately in a position to make these available to you when the visiting associations have not taken up their allocation...Despite indication from the Israeli FA of their full ticket requests, we have been able to allocate seats for the eircom league Supporters Clubs. The total available to all clubs for this game is 240 (the average previous total requests from Supporters Clubs has been 750) As the fairest means of distribution

, we are allocating the available tickets on a straight pro-rata basis with all Supporters Clubs being offered 30% of their previous games' allocation".

This is nothing short of a disgrace. The FAI have strung the Supporters Clubs along with their block-booking of tedious friendlies and when the big games come they take 500 tickets from regular, grass roots EL fans and under the guise of giving them to travelling supporters (if this is the case why did they not say that this was a possibilty for the WC Qualifiers against The Faroes and Cyprus?) and IMO give them to corporate buddies as back sctrathing aperatus'. I find it impossible to believe that the FAI could not find 500 seats in the ground to accomodate their most loyal ticket buyers who must take their allocation for every single game or else forfeit their lot. I have been in touch with the Chairman of my club to inform him about this occurance and he ensured me that this is a point he will raise when next meeting with the other 21 club officials.

Anyone else get issued this horse-manure?

**harpskid** · 03/05/2005, 6:19 PM

Pure and utter ******** yet again from the FAI

**Troy.McClure** · 03/05/2005, 6:21 PM

Unfortunatly, Im not surprised

**Student Mullet** · 03/05/2005, 7:02 PM

This is outragous. Especially considering that a lot of people on the block booking waiting list just got given tickets so it's obvious thet the FAI aren't short of tickets for the upcoming games.

**harpskid** · 03/05/2005, 7:31 PM

Pardon my ignorance on this topic but are we (eL supporters for the N. Terrace) not entitled to these tickets as we should be on the block booking list. After all we pay money for their crap friendlies in order to ensure we receive tickets for the qualifiers!!

Flawed And Inept springs to mind

**A face** · 03/05/2005, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by Troy.McClure

Pointless .... not unless its done right !!

**pete** · 03/05/2005, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by harpskid

Pardon my ignorance on this topic but are we (eL supporters for the N. Terrace) not entitled to these tickets as we should be on the block booking list. After all we pay money for their crap friendlies in order to ensure we receive tickets for the qualifiers!!

I was lead to believe also that the eL allocation was now converted into a block booking allocation i.e. have to take the tickets for every single game.

IMO its a complete scam as probably 3000-4000 seats in the north terrace & i haven't heard that other block bookers are been docked tickets. Don't understand how the FAI can make the eL section block bookers in the first place if cannot guarantee tickets.

I'd put good money down that no chance 3000-4000 israeli supporters are in Lansdowne in June.

**exile** · 03/05/2005, 9:13 PM

just got a text today from the good lads at 451 that organise the tickets for the city fans saying they never got their full allocation either as mentione above just goes to show the utter contempt the fai feel for the eircom league and its supports but lets be honest do we really accept the blazers in the fai to do right by us .

they might think twice when they realize how much poorer the atmosphere will be with less of us you dont see those t0ssers the ireland supporters club making any ****ing noise

**soccerc** · 03/05/2005, 9:21 PM

Originally Posted by Maynard

Ok, was I the only person in charge of an EL Supporters Club to get an official letter from the FAI's ticket office today telling me;

No, every supporters group got the letter and to say they are little upset is an understatement.

A number of them have contacted me seeking clarity on the agreed ticket allocation and I was happy to oblige.

As far as i was concerned before I handed over the details to the FAI each group had been set up as a full blockbooker and this I understand was also indicated to the individuals who look after the ticket collection and distribution.

**MariborKev** · 03/05/2005, 10:21 PM

The need for a fully functioning fans organisation was highlighted over the last few days, and this is the issue to launch the campaign.

We have been screwed right and royally lads and it is time to stand up and be counted. There are plenty of journalists that frequent this site, we must use this to get our message out and get it blanketed across the media. I have no bother going on the record on this one and I would encourage everyone who handles the allocation at their club to get in touch with local and national paper to get the message out there.

At no point since the start of the qualifying campaign was there any notification that this was likely to happen and they leave it to 4 weeks before the game to tell us about it, as we will have little time to react. They were happy to take our money for friendlies, yet never to make us aware that we might not get tickets for the "important games", the whole reason we entered the scheme at the start.

Well we have time enought to make it clear to the FAI that this is unacceptable.

Anyone prepared to join an off board mail to get a press release for this sorted and get the message out there? If so PM me and I will get it sorted

**A face** · 04/05/2005, 1:05 AM

Originally Posted by Maribor

Well we have time enough to make it clear to the FAI that this is unacceptable.

Anyone prepared to join an off board mail to get a press release for this sorted and get the message out there? If so PM me and I will get it sorted

Definitely, anyone involved in the ticketing should pull in with this 100% and try and resolve it ASAP. There is no way on earth they should get away with this.

But i'd suggest that this only be a short term measure .... just going back to what you said earlier ...

Originally Posted by Maribor

The need for a fully functioning fans organisation was highlighted over the last few days, and this is the issue to launch the campaign.

We have been screwed right and royally lads and it is time to stand up and be counted.

I definitely have to stress that any sort of grouping that is going to serve a purpose should have a proper structured organisation .... Obviously there is nothing stopping anyone getting together but getting anything done is a totally different matter. IMO .... it just ain't worth getting involved in unless there is an end product(s) and by that i mean the group achieve some results (serious measured attainable results, not a couple of tickets until the next time this happens) that improve conditions for eircom League and National fans. A lobby group .... something that will change things for fans and prevent this kind of ticketing f�ck happening again.

I dont know if alot of people are aware, of the whole ticketing thing and sometimes the trouble that was involved ..... you forgo this if you knew the effort you put in ensured that you got the full allocation but to get shafted like this ..... bitter .... thats the way you should be, and rightly so.

It is for this very reason that a fans group is more than neccessary.

**Superhoops** · 04/05/2005, 7:15 AM

Originally Posted by A face

.....It is for this very reason that a fans group is more than neccessary....

Is there not already a number of recognised supporters clubs in place who appear to work well enough with the FAI. On this forum I have seen references to supporters clubs in Dublin, London and West Midlands.

Regarding this EL supporters movement, is this the one that Fran Rooney started back in 2003 with the Albania/Georgia home games in conjunction with the Soccercentral website? At the time, I wondered why it was necessary to start this off, after all if the EL clubs themselves had been proactive about more of their own fans having access to tickets to Ireland home games, then surely as a body the EL clubs could have had far more clout in securing extra tickets. Every EL club gets an allocation of international match tickets, It would be interesting to know if any of these clubs actually requested an extra allocation for every home game to meet the demands of their own supporters.

Similarly, if there were EL club fans who were prepared to commit to going to every home game, why were those fans as individuals or as club groups not lobbying their local clubs to seek more tickets from the FAI years ago. It would seem to be a bit late in the day now. I don't know but I guess this EL group is seen as a Rooney legacy which the FAI are keen to see diluted.

**Mr_T** · 04/05/2005, 7:46 AM

I got this letter too, and having organised this for Harps since day one this is nothing short of a scam, quite literally it is fraud.

The FAI told the supporters representatives that the allocation was a block booking for this qualifiying campaign. After Rooney left I phoned them to ensure the allocation was still garaunteed and I was told it was.

This it appears was a lie, a lie which they used to force eL fans to buy tickets for all the qualifiers and meaningless friendlies which they would have struggled to sell out. Then when the big games come along they tell us to get stuffed. That is deception, and fraud to gain profit.

I agree with Marbor that we have to kick hard against this in the media in particular, I would also suggest getting legal advice on the matter.

Those of us organising this have been raisingmoney for the FAI for tickets to games like China by telling people they have to take them to get the tickets at the end of the campaign, now we are being made fools of. I know several people in Donegal, myself included who have paid over cash for tickets for mid week friendlies which we could not get off work to go to, nor had anyone else interested in taking them, just to keep our "block booking". Now we are as Kevin says ROYALLY SCREWED. I have paid for at least 3 matches I have not gone to, and now am being told to get lost.

If anyone is getting together or getting a forum set up to formulate our next move please let me know, or if any of the other organisers want to chat about it PM me and I'll give you my number.

TG

**Ash** · 04/05/2005, 8:16 AM

I havent recieved any letter at all yet saying if we have an allocation
or not any more but if it arrives today I'll let you know.

What they are doing is a disgrace. While its a pain for us to get a few hours off
work and organise lifts etc but its clearly a kick in the teeth to the gangs
(and large gangs at that) from Sligo, Harps, Cork etc who have to take half/full
days off and do a heck of a journey be it car/bus/train and then get home at all
hours of the morning, few hours kip and into work agian, especially for games
against the mighty Canada and China etc.

The FAI might aswell rebrand their name to the Disney Club cos its nothing short
of a Mickey Mouse organisation

**Cosmo** · 04/05/2005, 8:16 AM

We were told at a meeting in Jurys that we would be 'accomodated' for the 'big matches' from FAI officials (i believe John has written documentation from the FAI on this)

Can't say I'm surprised to be honest. After Fran the Man got the bullet I rang the FAI ticket office asking for confirmation that we would be guranteed the tickets for the 'big ones' and your one said yeah we would be as we are now block bookers. I asked for it in writing as I thought something was up which she refused to give me and which was different to what she said over the phone

!!

I was half expecting it for Switzerland and France but not for israel, but sure nothing in life really surprises me!! It just seems the FAI changed their mind on giving us tickets a good few months ago (eh, around the time Fran got the chop maybe?).

**Mr_T** · 04/05/2005, 8:25 AM

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I was half expecting it for Switzerland and France but not for israel, but sure nothing in life really surprises me!! It just seems the FAI changed their mind on giving us tickets a good few months ago (eh, around the time Fran got the chop maybe?).

That would all be fine and dandy if they hadn't lied about it and subsequently used us to shift unpopular tickets to our supporters groups. I now have to go to people who I have badgered money for "the mighty Canada and China" games, often in the knowledge that the tickets were going straight in the bin and telling them that they won't be going to the bigs games after all that.

It is fraud, plain and simple.

TG

**Cosmo** · 04/05/2005, 8:45 AM

Same as Mr T, I'm right behind ye on it - I just can't say that I'm 100% surprised seen as it was Rooney that got us in in the first place and then got booted out!!

Not sure but it would've been handier giving me no tickets that a few because I cant think of any fair way to distribute them

!!

**harpskid** · 04/05/2005, 8:51 AM

Lads if yis are needing any support on this i'll offer my services.

I have an envelope full of tickets for the Italy game in August which people have paid for months in advance and the w@nkers tell us a month before the Israel game to basically get tae fcuk.

What a sham!!

**harpskid** · 04/05/2005, 9:25 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_T

I now have to go to people who I have badgered money for "the mighty Canada and China" games, often in the knowledge that the tickets were going straight in the bin and telling them that they won't be going to the bigs games after all that.

Yep, people bought tickets for such games as those you have mentioned, simply to ensure that they get tickets for the qualifiers.

Us eL fans are nice and handy to get cash off for **** games like these and when the big games come up are shafted!! Like I said in a previous post, I have an envelope of tickets for the Italy game. These I received about 6 weeks ago, and the Italy game aint 'til bloody August!! Yet, 4 weeks before the Israel game we get told "thanks for the money for the friendlies, but yer getting buck all for the qualifiers"

Frauds of the highest calibre and I for one am not prepared to take it from the hoors any longer!!

**OneRedArmy** · 04/05/2005, 9:45 AM

I agree with all of the above.

This is symptomatic of an organisation that cares not an iota for the domestic game or its fans.

What more should we expect from a "leader" whose club allegience is to Man U?