Cup Final Tickets Scramble – Here We Go Again! (2 Feb)
-
gooner.ed
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3458
- Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 3:05 pm
- Location: Scotland Yard's 10 Most Wanted List
Cup Final Tickets Scramble – Here We Go Again! (2 Feb)
usual thread starter... are you in or out and what do you think it will be like when we next make an FA Cup or CL final, where the allocation will be half what we get at Cardiff?
-
gooner.ed
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3458
- Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 3:05 pm
- Location: Scotland Yard's 10 Most Wanted List
Steve Bott emailed me after reading this piece. So here's what he had to say...
I must admit that having been a season ticket holder for 27 years and an away traveler for a mere 15 years, the whining letters regarding the Carling Cup Final angered me a tad. In regard to the opening letter of complaint. whilst being a fan for 14 years (the glory period I hasten to add) is admirable it gives you no obligation whatsoever to get a final ticket in your first season of putting you money where your mouth is. Being a red member puts you quite a few rungs down the proverbial ladder in regards to getting tickets anyway and why do you consider yourself more worthy of a ticket to Cardiff than somebody who has been a season ticket holder for many years and attends many away games? I have been to Cardiff on every occasion the team have, spending more hours than I care to mention, an unbelievable amount of money and a lot of misery trawling the M4 in search of happiness in the F.A Cup and Community Shields whilst still attending every league game at home and many away. I don’t want thanks or appreciation for this as every Gooner will tell you, the joy is in the success, but please don’t tell me you are more deserving of a ticket to the final of the Carling Cup because I had to attend my firms AGM on the night we beat the scousers in the ¼ final. I will get a ticket for the final because I have attended more than enough away games and I am a season ticket holder. Do you honestly believe that you deserve or warrant a ticket more than the many thousands of long term paying Gooners like me?
I must admit that having been a season ticket holder for 27 years and an away traveler for a mere 15 years, the whining letters regarding the Carling Cup Final angered me a tad. In regard to the opening letter of complaint. whilst being a fan for 14 years (the glory period I hasten to add) is admirable it gives you no obligation whatsoever to get a final ticket in your first season of putting you money where your mouth is. Being a red member puts you quite a few rungs down the proverbial ladder in regards to getting tickets anyway and why do you consider yourself more worthy of a ticket to Cardiff than somebody who has been a season ticket holder for many years and attends many away games? I have been to Cardiff on every occasion the team have, spending more hours than I care to mention, an unbelievable amount of money and a lot of misery trawling the M4 in search of happiness in the F.A Cup and Community Shields whilst still attending every league game at home and many away. I don’t want thanks or appreciation for this as every Gooner will tell you, the joy is in the success, but please don’t tell me you are more deserving of a ticket to the final of the Carling Cup because I had to attend my firms AGM on the night we beat the scousers in the ¼ final. I will get a ticket for the final because I have attended more than enough away games and I am a season ticket holder. Do you honestly believe that you deserve or warrant a ticket more than the many thousands of long term paying Gooners like me?
although i respect your opinion greatly i would like to make some points very clear. first of all i never said i deserve it over some of the die hard gooner fans who have had season tickets for years but surely u can agree that in all fairness i shouldnt be penalised just because i am further down the rung. in regards to the comment of the glory years im 22 years old man. i take offense to the implication that ive only been supporting arsenal during the glory years particulary when i have only in the last two seasons been able to afford to go to arsenal games. i counted myself lucky to go to one game a season when i was young which was all the family could afford. i respect that u are a hard working and devoted fan and i have no quarrel with you whatsoever. put urself in my position and you would probably be the same. thats all i can really say on the subject so i will wish you adue and regardless of your opinion of me wish you a very happy journey to cardiff
I aplologise if my response appeared a little vitriolic mate, and I genuinely hope you get a ticket for the final. The thing that annoys me is that this problem has been raging for many years and last season's C.L Final brought the whole issue to an abrupt head. Before I start let me tell you that I got a ticket officially through the club but many mates of mine that have been going to away games for many years missed out due to the club's insistance of rewarding people for wearing a scarf a couple of times. The lack of organisation was put down to red tape and administrative blunders and many loyal, long serving fans missed out on the biggest game of their lives whilst many people there were what i would refer to as 'newbies' in regards to supporting the team. As I say, I hope you get a ticket for the final and are a genuine fan for many years to come, but not at the expense of me and my pals who have travelled the length and depth of the country supporting the team even when we were absolute sh!t.
Carling Cup Final Tickets
This is a one of those no win situations and I do feel a lot of sympathy for the Red Member who can't apply.
Just ask yourself why it is that a Red Member has been able to go to so many away games? You know the answer - it is because only a relatively small number of our 44,000 Gold Members and who knows how many Silver Members regularly travel away. He's put in the miles, late nights and forked out the cash so why shouldn't he get a ticket?
I suppose it all boils down to the question of why should a Cup Final be treated any different to any other away game?
Season ticket holders who don't travel away will always say that having priority for Cup Final tickets is their reward for being so loyal. However, for most season ticket holders I know they were just in the right place at the right time. They were lucky enough to have a season ticket as the Club hit a good run and have been able to afford to keep it ever since. For that reason I don't agree with the view that season ticket holders should be guaranteed first bite of Cup Final cherry unless they have a reasonable number of away credits.
Also, I am sure the Club could come up with a more sophisticated system that rewarded both season ticket holders and other classes of member who travel away. For instance you could say that Gold Members had to have attended five away games, Silver Members ten and Red Members twenty away games in the last two seasons before they could apply for a Cup Final ticket.
And please, can we have no more of the I am a better Gooner than you.
Just ask yourself why it is that a Red Member has been able to go to so many away games? You know the answer - it is because only a relatively small number of our 44,000 Gold Members and who knows how many Silver Members regularly travel away. He's put in the miles, late nights and forked out the cash so why shouldn't he get a ticket?
I suppose it all boils down to the question of why should a Cup Final be treated any different to any other away game?
Season ticket holders who don't travel away will always say that having priority for Cup Final tickets is their reward for being so loyal. However, for most season ticket holders I know they were just in the right place at the right time. They were lucky enough to have a season ticket as the Club hit a good run and have been able to afford to keep it ever since. For that reason I don't agree with the view that season ticket holders should be guaranteed first bite of Cup Final cherry unless they have a reasonable number of away credits.
Also, I am sure the Club could come up with a more sophisticated system that rewarded both season ticket holders and other classes of member who travel away. For instance you could say that Gold Members had to have attended five away games, Silver Members ten and Red Members twenty away games in the last two seasons before they could apply for a Cup Final ticket.
And please, can we have no more of the I am a better Gooner than you.
Woody,
Mostly agree with what you say. Trouble is, it's almost impossible for these debates not to turn into "who's the best Gooner".
Lines have to be drawn somewhere when demand exceeds supply.
A few points:
1. As a Red Member only (long story, been following the Arse for 40 years, moved out of London etc etc), I decided to get onto the Away Scheme when the chance came up, mainly because I love going to away games (more fun, more noise, more excitement) but also because it gives priority for European and cup final tickets.
2. You can understand the Club giving priority to Season Ticket holders. Traditionally, it has been season ticket money which has kept Clubs going as they get the cash upfront. One of the biggest incentives in selling season tickets is they come with priority for cup final/big game tickets. Of course this is changing now with TV money being the biggest earner and season tickets would sell anyway, so I agree it's time for a bit of a rethink.
3. I totally agree that regular away fans should be moved up the list and it wouldn't be too difficult for the Club to say that anyone with x credits over the last 1 or 2 seasons deserves a ticket. If you set x at the right level (say 20) then I would imagine we are only talking about 1000 people at most (ie people who aren't season ticket holders or away scheme members). Surely these people would deserve tickets and few people would begrudge them. That would still leave the bulk of tickets to share among season ticket holders.
All the best,
Angelo
Mostly agree with what you say. Trouble is, it's almost impossible for these debates not to turn into "who's the best Gooner".
Lines have to be drawn somewhere when demand exceeds supply.
A few points:
1. As a Red Member only (long story, been following the Arse for 40 years, moved out of London etc etc), I decided to get onto the Away Scheme when the chance came up, mainly because I love going to away games (more fun, more noise, more excitement) but also because it gives priority for European and cup final tickets.
2. You can understand the Club giving priority to Season Ticket holders. Traditionally, it has been season ticket money which has kept Clubs going as they get the cash upfront. One of the biggest incentives in selling season tickets is they come with priority for cup final/big game tickets. Of course this is changing now with TV money being the biggest earner and season tickets would sell anyway, so I agree it's time for a bit of a rethink.
3. I totally agree that regular away fans should be moved up the list and it wouldn't be too difficult for the Club to say that anyone with x credits over the last 1 or 2 seasons deserves a ticket. If you set x at the right level (say 20) then I would imagine we are only talking about 1000 people at most (ie people who aren't season ticket holders or away scheme members). Surely these people would deserve tickets and few people would begrudge them. That would still leave the bulk of tickets to share among season ticket holders.
All the best,
Angelo
As a season-ticket holder who's not exactly minted, i cannot afford to go away from home as the 900 or so pounds for the ticket + matchday expenses leaves me skint. Say if i was a red member and hadn't forked out for a season ticket i could possibly get to 10-12 away games a year(ticket permitting) would that make me more worthy of final ticket??. The money that i give to Arsenal might not be up there compared to others, but, the percentage i give in comparison to what i earn would. Does anyone think that season ticket holders the same as me that religiously go to every home game just couldn't be arsed to go when we're playing the likes of Fulham,Charlton or West Ham away. It's all about money and i personally believe that ANY Gooner that gets a ticket for Cardiff through the proper channels deserves it. Whether that includes me or not we shall see.
All these arguments are valid - I personally feel it's an absolute joke that we've only been given 29,000 ticket for the final in a stadium that holds 74,500.
58,000 tickets for Arsenal and Chelski supporters leaves 16,500 seats spare - like the CL final last year I think this needs to be looked in to.
I believe season ticket holders should get priority (although my view is rather biased as I have one) - I have been lucky enough to attend a good few league and European away trips over the past 2 seasons so have enough credits and have got a ticket for the final this morning.
I do however have mates who also have season tickets with few 'credits' for away games who are sweating over whether they will be able to get to Cardiff.
I suppose the only way the club can judge 'loyalty' is by the amounts of money supporters spend - be that by buying a home season ticket (in my case the best part of a grand) and then being as they have more season ticket holders then cup final tickets - by the amount of games the attend on the road.
To reverse other arguments - why should I miss out as a season ticket holder who goes every week and carts himself around Europe watching Arsenal just because other less 'active' fans have supported Arsenal for longer than I've been on the planet?!
This is not a test of loyalty or passion, it's simply the best way around the problem - I did not get a ticket for the Spurz semi at WHL because other more 'active' fans than myself got them, and fair play to them.
I am no more Gooner than the next man - but maybe me and others like me do deserve a ticket given the amount of games we have attended in the period stated.
58,000 tickets for Arsenal and Chelski supporters leaves 16,500 seats spare - like the CL final last year I think this needs to be looked in to.
I believe season ticket holders should get priority (although my view is rather biased as I have one) - I have been lucky enough to attend a good few league and European away trips over the past 2 seasons so have enough credits and have got a ticket for the final this morning.
I do however have mates who also have season tickets with few 'credits' for away games who are sweating over whether they will be able to get to Cardiff.
I suppose the only way the club can judge 'loyalty' is by the amounts of money supporters spend - be that by buying a home season ticket (in my case the best part of a grand) and then being as they have more season ticket holders then cup final tickets - by the amount of games the attend on the road.
To reverse other arguments - why should I miss out as a season ticket holder who goes every week and carts himself around Europe watching Arsenal just because other less 'active' fans have supported Arsenal for longer than I've been on the planet?!
This is not a test of loyalty or passion, it's simply the best way around the problem - I did not get a ticket for the Spurz semi at WHL because other more 'active' fans than myself got them, and fair play to them.
I am no more Gooner than the next man - but maybe me and others like me do deserve a ticket given the amount of games we have attended in the period stated.
Db10, I sat in the West Stand at Highbury, so no I wasn't involved in that. In fact, I never usually get involved in these kind of debates at all. I have my ticket for the final confirmed today and as I said before I hope you all get yours too. The problem is, that this issue is going to be a hundred times worse if we get to an F.A or C.L final with average home gates of 60,000 now at the Emirates.
Perhaps we are all blaming the wrong people and should be directing our anger at the fatcats who distribute match tickets all over the world in the ugly facet or hospitality.
I personally think that the club is being taken further and further away from genuine supporters and we are now a hindrance in the whole money making plan. But that is another issue.
Adios Gooners.
Perhaps we are all blaming the wrong people and should be directing our anger at the fatcats who distribute match tickets all over the world in the ugly facet or hospitality.
I personally think that the club is being taken further and further away from genuine supporters and we are now a hindrance in the whole money making plan. But that is another issue.
Adios Gooners.
All these arguments are valid - I personally feel it's an absolute joke that we've only been given 29,000 ticket for the final in a stadium that holds 74,500.
58,000 tickets for Arsenal and Chelski supporters leaves 16,500 seats spare - like the CL final last year I think this needs to be looked in to.
I believe season ticket holders should get priority (although my view is rather biased as I have one) - I have been lucky enough to attend a good few league and European away trips over the past 2 seasons so have enough credits and have got a ticket for the final this morning.
I do however have mates who also have season tickets with few 'credits' for away games who are sweating over whether they will be able to get to Cardiff.
I suppose the only way the club can judge 'loyalty' is by the amounts of money supporters spend - be that by buying a home season ticket (in my case the best part of a grand) and then being as they have more season ticket holders then cup final tickets - by the amount of games the attend on the road.
To reverse other arguments - why should I miss out as a season ticket holder who goes every week and carts himself around Europe watching Arsenal just because other less 'active' fans have supported Arsenal for longer than I've been on the planet?!
This is not a test of loyalty or passion, it's simply the best way around the problem - I did not get a ticket for the Spurz semi at WHL because other more 'active' fans than myself got them, and fair play to them.
I am no more Gooner than the next man - but maybe me and others like me do deserve a ticket given the amount of games we have attended in the period stated.
58,000 tickets for Arsenal and Chelski supporters leaves 16,500 seats spare - like the CL final last year I think this needs to be looked in to.
I believe season ticket holders should get priority (although my view is rather biased as I have one) - I have been lucky enough to attend a good few league and European away trips over the past 2 seasons so have enough credits and have got a ticket for the final this morning.
I do however have mates who also have season tickets with few 'credits' for away games who are sweating over whether they will be able to get to Cardiff.
I suppose the only way the club can judge 'loyalty' is by the amounts of money supporters spend - be that by buying a home season ticket (in my case the best part of a grand) and then being as they have more season ticket holders then cup final tickets - by the amount of games the attend on the road.
To reverse other arguments - why should I miss out as a season ticket holder who goes every week and carts himself around Europe watching Arsenal just because other less 'active' fans have supported Arsenal for longer than I've been on the planet?!
This is not a test of loyalty or passion, it's simply the best way around the problem - I did not get a ticket for the Spurz semi at WHL because other more 'active' fans than myself got them, and fair play to them.
I am no more Gooner than the next man - but maybe me and others like me do deserve a ticket given the amount of games we have attended in the period stated.
-
DB10GOONER
- Posts: 59322
- Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:06 pm
- Location: Dublin, Ireland.
- Contact:
Steve,
I agree totally with you about the club looking on non-corporate fans as a hinderance, a nuisance even.
I have to say, that after reading all these posts from obviously loyal Gooners I'm slightly reconsidering my opinions on who deserves tickets etc.
I still think we the fans all deserve tickets for the big finals but that obviously is impractical so I admit there does have to be some way for the club to allocate them, but as mentioned earlier in this thread the methodology has to be looked at.
I was in one of the "side" Uefa stands at the CL final and while there were a lot of Gooners and BarcaHeads, there were a helluvalot of French people and other nuetrals. This is not right at all. The tickets should be split 50/50 between the two clubs playing.
As for Cardiff, I'm genuinely happy you got a ticket mate. You do deserve it - but so do we all...
I agree totally with you about the club looking on non-corporate fans as a hinderance, a nuisance even.
I have to say, that after reading all these posts from obviously loyal Gooners I'm slightly reconsidering my opinions on who deserves tickets etc.
I still think we the fans all deserve tickets for the big finals but that obviously is impractical so I admit there does have to be some way for the club to allocate them, but as mentioned earlier in this thread the methodology has to be looked at.
I was in one of the "side" Uefa stands at the CL final and while there were a lot of Gooners and BarcaHeads, there were a helluvalot of French people and other nuetrals. This is not right at all. The tickets should be split 50/50 between the two clubs playing.
As for Cardiff, I'm genuinely happy you got a ticket mate. You do deserve it - but so do we all...
When I were a lad, there were no terrace season tickets and you paid on the gate for away games. Your only chance of a Cup Final ticket was collecting vouchers from the programmes and hoping you got lucky in the ballot. Nowadays the allocation method is greatly improved - but I know of Home and Away season ticket holders who regularly sell their seats so, hey, this might be as good as its gonna get but is still far from perfect. I agree with earlier comments that the tickets should be split 50:50 between the two clubs. Also, don't forget as well that Arsenal FC haven't been 100% honest in what they say. Away credits ok, but their 1st priority on allocation will be to players & staff & this must take a fairly conservative 500 tickets out of the equation to start with!!
