Ireland Soccer Fans Shafted Again

~Rebel~

PRman wrote:

Rebel, I can tell you for a fact there are software packages and mathematical formulas that can do this very easily

Of course there are but your missing the point, it would take months to send out the letters to the first choice, wait for reply's, yay or nah, then send out letters to the next batch, again wait for the replys, then send out again etc etc etc untill eventually all tickets have been sold and noone has gotten an offer that couldn't be fulfilled. It just doesnt make sense. Also as an aside, given how far you were down the line, you simply never would have gotten an offer in the first place under this method.

Its just makes more sense to do it all in one fell swoop. Again would you have had a problem if the letter head was clear and said "This is an Offer for you to apply for the chance to get tickets"? You're right it is wrong the way they worded it, it wasn't clear at a glance over, but they did cover themselves later in the letter so theres not much can be done.

Raytown Rocks

Hey PRman
Just a quick word to let you know that I have just contacted the FAI to see if there were many non-takers of tickets. They are currently in the process of checking all non-payers etc and hope to offer tickets ( if any) to people further down the list in the next week or so. So fingers crossed.

Chef

PRman

Nice one Chef - Hopefully they can issue a few more tickets. The bloke in the FAI also told me that they will try and look after the handful of people who received the letter with tickets that the away fans hand back - so I can't see too many Slovaks or Cypriots coming over, but can't see any throwbacks from Wales or Germany. I was around 4000th in the queue rebel so I wasn't that far down. Especially considering there was 30,000 or so extra tickets...

dcarroll

a lot of people (like me) will only got to 2 games, for several reasons, yes i admit they are the more glamourous games, but also the midweek games won't suit people living outside dublin, and we could possibly be eliminated by the time of the Cyprus match, so i would imagine a large amount of tickets being on sale from unofficial sources for the slovakia and cyprus matches

Collie D

chef wrote:

Hey PRman
They are currently in the process of checking all non-payers etc

Phew, glad to hear that. My cheque was slightly delayed...by two weeks. Although in fairness I did only get confirmation four days before closing date for payment.

Bateman

Meant to read this thread before tonight, but didn't get a chance. Couple of things...

*What on earth is anyone going to do with 200 tickets??? I can't see there being much of a sellers' market for either the Wales game or the Slovakia game. If we don't beat Wales, which is a distinct possibility, the stadium probably won't even be full for the Slovakia game. People talking about demand this and demand that should get a grip; we have a rookie manager, most of the players are playing like they couldn't give a toss, and the association is virtually at war with sections of the media over justified criticism perceived as unnecessary aggression.

*All the people who are whinging about not having tickets: have they EVER attempted to head up in the direction of the ground and buy on the open market? I have, several times, and usually with success. For Mick McCarthy's last game, Switzerland at home, shortly after World Cup 2002, I bought tickets for face value in Ballsbridge. This was a relatively big game; as a football match, certainly no less important than the upcoming internationals.

*If you're that desparate on the waiting list etc, fill out forms with the names and address of your parents, your siblings, your mates, your aunts, uncles, and grannies. If you want a ticket that badly you'll get one. :rolleyes:

eirebhoy

Both matches are sold out so I don't see why the Slovakia game won't be full, maybe the Hill won't. Also, 2 €50 tickets for the Wales match sold for €400 on Ebay last week.

Collie D

eirebhoy wrote:

Both matches are sold out so I don't see why the Slovakia game won't be full, maybe the Hill won't. Also, 2 €50 tickets for the Wales match sold for €400 on Ebay last week.

Are you serious? Whoever paid that is crazy. As someone pointed out, if you're wiling to put in the effort you will nearly always find a spare ticket for face value or close enough

Bateman

eirebhoy wrote:

Both matches are sold out so I don't see why the Slovakia game won't be full, maybe the Hill won't.

Of course they're "sold out". You're missing the point of the open market here. The open market (ie, people who have purchased more tickets than they physically need) deals in sold out events, and it deals in how much above face value that people are willing to pay for these events; for both these games, my guess is ultimately (ie, outside the ground 20 mins before KO) not a lot.

eirebhoy wrote:

Also, 2 €50 tickets for the Wales match sold for €400 on Ebay last week.

I'm sure that's true. Same way that hundreds / thousands of Brits buy tickets for Barcelona - Madrid games for £200-£300 (on ticket brokerage websites that I'd be banned for linking to) every season, yet I personally know people who buy them for face value outside the Nou Camp 20 mins before KO, and probably will do myself next week.

Bluetonic

Bateman wrote:

*All the people who are whinging about not having tickets

People, including plenty on this thread generally like whinging. If they didn't have something to whinge about how would they be able to bad mouth the FAI.

Bateman

Bluetonic wrote:

People, including plenty on this thread generally like whinging. If they didn't have something to whinge about how would they be able to bad mouth the FAI.

The FAI are never slow to give people something to whinge about though, in fairness.

The Rooster

Has anyone got their tickets in hand yet?
Must be due to be sent out shortly. They took the money from my credit card on 16 Feb.

Bluetonic

The Rooster wrote:

Has anyone got their tickets in hand yet?
Must be due to be sent out shortly. They took the money from my credit card on 16 Feb.

Invoice states that tickets will be issued two weeks prior to the first game in each each set. First games is two weeks and 5 days away.

BaZmO*

I'd hate to be around when the original poster gets junk mail.... "CONGRATULATIONS YOU'VE JUST 1 MILLION EUROS!!!!!"

....and then he realises that "terms and conditions apply" just like in his letter from the FAI.

Anyway, it's quite obvious what the FAI have done with regards to ticket allocation. Everyone that's part of the of the BB system gets first refusal with the option of getting more tickets. Any remaining tickets are then offered to people on the waiting list on a strictly "first opened, first served" basis. Doing it any other way would just be too messy.

If you really want to complain about the FAI you should be complaining about the fact that they were so short sighted as to only offer tickets for the first 2 matches at the same time and not all 4. Fran Rooney had it sussed with the Brazil game. And another thing, why did they wait for so long to allocate the tickets? They could've had the money for all 4 games gaining interest in the bank and the guarantee of a full house for every game.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

If you really want to complain about the FAI you should be complaining about the fact that they were so short sighted as to only offer tickets for the first 2 matches at the same time and not all 4. Fran Rooney had it sussed with the Brazil game.

Wrong.

Not sure if your part of the block booking but they have offered tickets for all 4 games, the original letter from late December was to apply for all four games, once application process. Two invoices, one in Feb for the march matches, one in September for the October matches.

BaZmO* wrote:

And another thing, why did they wait for so long to allocate the tickets? They could've had the money for all 4 games gaining interest in the bank and the guarantee of a full house for every game.

I'm sure they would be well aware of the backlash had them attempted to this this. Anyhow all the 4 games are sold out already, I've a feeling your not aware of the ticketing situation.

People love to give out about the FAI

BaZmO*

Bluetonic wrote:

Wrong.

Not sure if your part of the block booking but they have offered tickets for all 4 games, the original letter from late December was to apply for all four games, once application process. Two invoices, one in Feb for the march matches, one in September for the October matches.

Exactly, "two invoices". There's a very good chance that we could be out of the running for qualification after the Welsh game so therefore do you really think that the people on the block booking that asked for another 10 tickets are gonna still take the extra tickets when invoice number two comes around?

Bluetonic wrote:

I'm sure they would be well aware of the backlash had them attempted to this this. Anyhow all the 4 games are sold out already.

Really? I would think it'd be more a case of the FAI finally showing a bit of foresight.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

Exactly, "two invoices". There's a very good chance that we could be out of the running for qualification after the Welsh game so therefore do you really think that the people on the block booking that asked for another 10 tickets are gonna still take the extra tickets when invoice number two comes around?

People will want to see the German match regardless.

More power to the people who refuse tickets from their requested amount - it will only result in the block booking list being shaken up with people loosing their place. Do you think that people will forego their place so easily?

BaZmO*

Bluetonic wrote:

Do you think that people will forego their place so easily?

I'd like to think not, but for some people it might be a difficult decision considering there's a possibility of taking a hit for a considerable amount of dosh. The point I was making was that it shouldn't be and wouldn't have been a factor if they just invoiced for the 4 together. I dunno, maybe I'm just nit picking but it just seems odd to me.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

The point I was making was that it shouldn't be and wouldn't have been a factor if they just invoiced for the 4 together. I dunno, maybe I'm just nit picking but it just seems odd to me.

The FAI could never invoice for an event 9 months in advance. If your going to go down that road suggested why not just be done with it and introduce qualifying series season tickets - it would never work.

If they did as you suggested and had invoiced for all 4 at the same time people would still try and off load the October tickets on the black market if they didn't want to go, they'd end up in the hands of touts. With the system currently in place at least people who do no take up the October tickets (of which I would imagine there will be few) will be bumped off the blocking booking list and the tickets can be offered through the FAI to people who are on the block booking waiting list.

BaZmO*

Bluetonic wrote:

The FAI could never invoice for an event 9 months in advance.

Why not?

Bluetonic wrote:

If your going to go down that road suggested why not just be done with it and introduce qualifying series season tickets

Is that not essentially what Block Booking is all about?

Sure anyway, it's 4 isolated matches, it's not as if I'm suggesting it should be done all the time.

Bluetonic wrote:

If they did as you suggested and had invoiced for all 4 at the same time people would still try and off load the October tickets on the black market if they didn't want to go, they'd end up in the hands of touts.

It seemed to work fine for the Brazil match and the other friendlies.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

Why not?

A lot of people wouldn't not have the finances in place.

BaZmO* wrote:

It seemed to work fine for the Brazil match and the other friendlies.

For the tickets they grouped Brazil, Czech Republic and Romania together, 3 matches over the space of 3 months, when the average cost of ticket was a lot less than the current set up in Croker. They never grouped anything together with a bigger time span than this.

Let me get this right, you'd like to see the FAI ask people in February (around the time most people get their Christmas credit card bills, book summer holidays et..,) for a lump of cash to cover their football for the months ahead? Football - The Peoples Game. :rolleyes:

Salmon

Yeah, Ican just imagine the backlash if they asked for the money for all four games together! Its hard enough to swallow the price increase without having to pay out so far in advance!
So im guessing the tickets should arrive late this week or early next week?

CiaranC

Didnt they sell out the allocation of 10 year tickets for Eircom park?

BaZmO*

Bluetonic wrote:

A lot of people wouldn't not have the finances in place.

I find that hard to believe. Ask Ticketmaster about paying for events months in advance.

Bluetonic wrote:

For the tickets they grouped Brazil, Czech Republic and Romania together, 3 matches over the space of 3 months, when the average cost of ticket was a lot less than the current set up in Croker.

Which proves the point that it can be done, the only thing that's different is the time scale and people were always gonna pay extra for the Croke Park matches.

Bluetonic wrote:

Let me get this right, you'd like to see the FAI ask people in February (around the time most people get their Christmas credit card bills, book summer holidays et..,) for a lump of cash to cover their football for the months ahead? Football - The Peoples Game. :rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Oh would you stop, people have bills every time of the year. You're making it sound like we're some kind of 3rd world country.


Anyway, I think this is just going around in circles at this point. My original point, which I think you've missed, was that in these particularly different set of circumstances (4 games in Croker) coupled with the distinct possiblilty of our qualification hopes being over after the first home game, I just felt it would've been prudent of the FAI to have the money in the bank from the off.

The Rooster

The FAI taking money 9 months in advance would be a PR disaster. So its a surprise they didnt try it

Totally different to 10 year ticket schemes or the Brazil situation.

However, people were asked to commit to the 4 games - if you opt out for Germany/Cyprus then you lose your block booking status. And if you've got 10 for Wales/Slovakia, then your choice is 10 or None for Ger/Cyp - there is no scope for reducing back to 2 and save your BB status.

The FAI could have handled the ticket situation differently, but I don't think they could have done it much better than they have.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

My original point, which I think you've missed, was that in these particularly different set of circumstances (4 games in Croker) coupled with the distinct possiblilty of our qualification hopes being over after the first home game, I just felt it would've been prudent of the FAI to have the money in the bank from the off.

Didn't miss it at all. There are two games next year in Croker two, for the WC2010. Where do you draw the line of asking people to be upfront with the cash?

BaZmO*

Bluetonic wrote:

Where do you draw the line of asking people to be upfront with the cash?

I think you know the answer to that.

Bluetonic

BaZmO* wrote:

I think you know the answer to that.

Can an admin please close this thread, we're done

Cloud

Certainly, was just about to...