Author Topic: All we want is some clarity ... and a change of system (Read 8057 times)

Rushian · « **on:** May 10, 2007, 01:45:24 pm »

Someone should ring up the Anfield switchboard and ask them to pass on to senior members of the club the old adage, "if you're in a hole stop digging".

With the farcical ticket allocation for the Athens Final totally overshadowing the game itself, a spokesman for the club told this morning's Daily Post that they would "not be drawn into the numbers game" and reveal how many tickets had been up for grabs in the computerised ballot, which was open to season ticket or fan card holders who had attended six Champions League games this season.

We'd like to know why? Surely we as fans have the right to know how, why and where tickets are distributed? When it appears that an absurdly large number of time-served and loyal fans have missed out in the ballot, questions have to be asked as to how many tickets actually went into the ballot and how many were creamed off for other sources. The inherent institutional secrecy which LFC retreats to at times like this belies any notion of the image of it being a "family club", an image LFC and its friends in the media still like to nurture.

It's fair enough for LFC spokesman Ian Cotton to stress that the club is "sympathetic to the fans' plight", but to pin the blame entirely on UEFA demonstrates an almost blatant misreading of the situtation, a slap in the face for those who travel the length and breadth of the country come rain or shine inspiring the team.

Any analysis of the situation has to start with UEFA's paltry allocation of 16779 to both clubs in a 64,000 capacity venue. Once again UEFA's "football family" seems to come higher up the list than the fans of the competing clubs with 20,000 tickets allocated at UEFA's discretion and 9000 distributed via a public ballot which has become a tout's early summer bonus. Michel Platini was recently swept to power as head of UEFA with part of his manifesto being the belief that " the game has to stay in the hands of those who make it: the players and fans". Well Mr Platini try tackling the corporate beanfeast that prevents real fans supporting their team at your prestige finals.

But UEFA isn't the crux of fans' complaints. The distribution system the club has implemented is receiving both barrels from every direction. Before we even touch on the loyalty scheme, and the automatic entry into the ballot of everyone with 6 credits even if they had no interest in going to Athens, it'd be nice to know how many "ordinary" fans qualified to enter the ballot, and how many tickets actually made it as far as the ballot pool. Also:

How many tickets are going to Priority Rights Holders (Ex-Shareholders)?
How many to the players and staff of the club?
How many to the Development Association?
How many to the club's sponsors, Carlsberg, adidas and other associated companies?
How many to corporate season ticket holders and box holders?
How many have gone to agencies and travel companies?

Could as many as 5000 tickets have been removed before the ordinary fan had his shout? Is the number even higher? We know from Rick Parry that around 4500 fans had 7 or more European credits making them automatically eligible for a ticket suggesting after the corporate take just 7000 tickets may have remained for those with 6 credits. Anecdotal evidence suggests it may have been much lower, with many fans reporting success rates of the nature of just 1 out of 15 from friends they know in the ballot. Can't the club see that by not being open with regards to this information they're just fuelling accusations of backhanders, tickets for friends and widescale legitimised touting?

Loyalty schemes should be a fair method of rewarding a fan's loyalty in supporting the team. Badly implemented loyalty schemes aren't. And that's what we have here. How can someone who theoretically may have been to just 6 Champions League games have the same right to a ticket as season ticket holder who's been to the same 6 European games plus all the Premier League home games, Premier League away games and the two cup ties at Anfield?

And this isn't an anti-fan card rant. They should be an essential tool in recording and rewarding fans loyalty. But when the requirements imposed by the ticket office for a final ticket place fan card holders (let alone season ticket holders) who have been to 19 home League games, both cup games and the 6 European games at the same level as a fan card holder with just 6 European games on their card, the system is fundamentally flawed.

What's needed is a new cross-competition loyalty system recognising attendance at all games, such that season ticket holders are rewarded for coughing up for 19 league games at the start of the season and PTS and fan card holders who spend the time getting tickets for all 19 league games through the season are also rewarded. Only then will we see someone who has been to 27 games at Anfield this season rewarded above someone who has cherry-picked their 6 European games. The technology is there to implement such a system and the club should use it.

This is one hell of a sorry mess, and it has to be hoped the new owners take notice and implement some serious changes at the club. The fans do not deserve to be treated with such contempt.

© RAWK 2007

Armin · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:05:32 pm »

Very well put Steve.

jwill2127 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:07:05 pm »

Does Rick Parry, have an email address? Is there a forum for RAWK to contact him? Jon

Spartacus. · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:08:37 pm »

Quote from: Rushian on May 10, 2007, 01:45:24 pm

Loyalty schemes should be a fair method of rewarding a fan's loyalty in supporting the team. Badly implemented loyalty schemes aren't. And that's what we have here. How can someone who theoretically may have been to just 6 Champions League games have the same right to a ticket as season ticket holder who's been to the same 6 European games plus all the Premier League home games, Premier League away games and the two cup ties at Anfield?

And this isn't an anti-fan card rant. They should be an essential tool in recording and rewarding fans loyalty. But when the requirements imposed by the ticket office for a final ticket place fan card holders (let alone season ticket holders) who have been to 19 home League games, both cup games and the 6 European games at the same level as a fan card holder with just 6 European games on their card, the system is fundamentally flawed.

Absolutely spot on and basically what my letter of complaint says.

Loyalty should not be based on a particular competition, its simply about supporting Liverpool FC and its ridiculous that someone who ‘potentially’ went to just the six games all season has the same chance of a ticket as someone who went to 25 games plus.

It’s absolutely disgusting and everyone needs to make themselves heard, it won’t make any difference this time round but you can’t just moan on the internet but do nothing else.

redmen77 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:21:08 pm »

Absolutely Agree.

Also, what will the club do if any tickets remain after Tuesday?

No doubt they will disappear into the ether called the T icket O ffice U rgent T reatment S cheme.

Scully · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:22:36 pm »

Agree with every word. Well in. Should remain on the front page until something is done.

james_f · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:26:07 pm »

A good summing up of the whole fiasco there. Something needs to be done. The situation has now turned into a farce with the stories of people buying for loyalty etc etc, and if you don't get to the first game next season you won't be getting to any for the rest of season. A ballot was probably fairer than a first come first serve idea, but that discussions been done to death already.

A loyalty system including games from all competitions seems to be the most logical and fairest way, but whether the ticket office will implement this is another story. After all, they won't have any problems selling the tickets, so I won't be holding my breath for changes anytime soon.

jwill2127 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:28:46 pm »

Steve,

The problem I see is that we are going to get fans buying for more and more loyalty and then just selling the tickets. As I have said elsewhere the first Euro away next season is going to get 40000 applicants. My wife uses my PTS and only applies for the games she wants to go, this season 14, next season she would be incouraged to buy the other 5 and sell them on. This will make its so diificult to new fans to come. And we will probably have the same situation with 35000 with every match on a fancard/ST?

Jon

Vulmea · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:58:35 pm »

can't argue with the need for openess but the season ticket waiting list is enormous - those with season tickets or in a large number of cases somebody else's season ticket are lucky to have them but the idea that all season ticket holders are super fans is a joke - the atmosphere at Anfield can be as limp as anywhere else no wonder if half those holding the tickets are dead or over 100 years old and its on european nights when the place comes alive

away supporters whether champs league or in the domestic competitions deserve priority treatment they are the core around which a lot else is built dont see why those supporters can't be given the same preferential treatment that ex-shareholders get - over time they've both probably spent the same probably more and with the fan card they can be easily tracked

an open ballot for the rest

Paul · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2007, 03:57:35 pm »

Thanks for putting this together Steve.

My letters of complaint say pretty much the same thing - everyone needs to write individually so our voices are heard.

The more media outlets that get hold of this the better IMO

MichaelA · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2007, 04:04:19 pm »

An excellent and even handed summary of a very sorry scenario. The club owe it to the fans to explain the numbers behind the lottery, and ensure that in future any similar situation is avoided.

There are likely to be very few individuals who were successful in the ballot who have attended only the six home matches. However, the fact that there will be a minority in these circumstances makes this a particularly bitter experience for those fans who have made a more significant effort across all competitions.

seasonticketnomore · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2007, 04:19:48 pm »

Season Ticket holders should show how they feel after Sundays game with a demonstration. Anyone interested? Old / used season ticket walllets onto the pitch would leave Parry in no doubt what we think of LFC's decision. We are a 20,000+ majority and should collectively express our outrage. LFC understands the power of visual protest and posting on web-sites and message boards will not convey appropriately the strength of feeling.

ArthurNunez · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2007, 05:16:05 pm »

Totally agree with the first post, and again, it's pretty much what I've put in my letter of complaint - if you're going to have a loyalty scheme, why make it so competition specific? Having said that, I agree with those who have gone to the euro aways having priority, even those who effectively played the system (Gala away).

With the way the current system works, I can only see things getting slightly ridiculous next season when 20,000 people are applying for the euro aways, the vast majority with no intention of going should they get a ticket. Since the introduction of the fancard, this certainly seems to have happened with the league aways, with people picking and choosing which games they go to, buying tickets for the rest then selling them on. Whether or not this explains the gradual decline in atmosphere at away games or not I don't know, but the atmosphere at the aways towards the end of the season has been nothing short of embarrassing in some cases (City, Villa, Portsmouth...even Fulham considering we'd just made it to the final).

Sorry, went off on one a bit there...basically, I agree with the fancard loyalty system in principle, it's just not being used as effectively as it could be.

kevinbrodie · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2007, 06:07:00 pm »

It seems to be that club told everyone, at the start of the season that each competition was being treated indepently, so fan card holders who were League season ticket holders were not going to be given priority over just fan holders. From their position what are they going to do. This mess starts and ends with UEFA. 17000 tickets is a joke. While I agree that every fan who has been to 6 games and and is a season ticket holder should get a ticket, with that allocation it is just no possible.

While I do agree it would be nice if the club opened up and said we had to take xx amount of tickets out of the 17,000 for the folks you have listed. It still wouldn't stop people from being upset about not getting tickets.

The problem is that Liverpool FC supporters travel better then any other team in Europe and we have been given an allocation that is a complete joke. Liverpool FC is doing the best they can under the circumstances but they can't make everyone happy. Just my opinion like. I'm sure I will get lambasted but oh well.

kwalityproducts · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2007, 06:41:55 pm »

It's fairly obvious that with an allocation of less than 17000 tickets that some people who deserve tickets will not get them unfortunately....Uefa are the people responsible for this not LFC.....if money making is such a target then the finals should be played in bigger stadiums....i feel that LFC should have looked at the situation before we reached the final and attempted to work out the best of what is a very bad situation....some will be winners some will be losers......that is the bottom line.....LFC are not to blame......the touts make a huge profit as usual......uefa should not sell 9000 tickets in the ballot....that'a an extra 4500 tickets for both finalists......as stated LFC are not to blame.....it's hard for those who have not got a ticket to accept this.....head up and keep marching!!!

Rhino · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2007, 06:43:35 pm »

The big problem is that any loyalty scheme at the moment is based on tickets purchased, not games attended, therefore is subject to widespread abuse

mctavish · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2007, 07:40:48 pm »

I am fed up with people continually missing the point raised in the original post. Is anybody asking the question to the club.....

HOW MANY OF THE 17,000 TICKETS HAVE BEEN PASSED ONTO THE FANS ?

LIVERPOOL HAVE CREAMED OFF MAYBE 7,000 BEFORE THE FANS CAN HAVE THEM.

IT IS OK PARRY BLEATING ABOUT UEFA KEEPING TICKETS FOR SPONSORS, CORPORATE etc...BUT THEN HE GOES AND DOES THE SAME WITH OUR ALLOCATION..

He needs to answer these questions.

RWC · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2007, 07:46:30 pm »

100% agree

Rhino · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2007, 08:10:52 pm »

Quote from: mctavish on May 10, 2007, 07:40:48 pm

I am fed up with people continually missing the point raised in the original post. Is anybody asking the question to the club.....

HOW MANY OF THE 17,000 TICKETS HAVE BEEN PASSED ONTO THE FANS ?

LIVERPOOL HAVE CREAMED OFF MAYBE 7,000 BEFORE THE FANS CAN HAVE THEM.

IT IS OK PARRY BLEATING ABOUT UEFA KEEPING TICKETS FOR SPONSORS, CORPORATE etc...BUT THEN HE GOES AND DOES THE SAME WITH OUR ALLOCATION..

He needs to answer these questions.

You have to more more specific than just say 'sponsors' or 'corporates'

Sponsors like Carlsberg, Adidas and such like pump millions into the club and an allocation of cup final tickets is probably written into the contracts.

Smaller, perhaps more local sponsors also provide revenue and in the business world, you'd have to expect them to receive 'perks' for the money they put in.

Corporate STH's and Executive Box holders are entitled to cup final tickets, end of story.

The UEFA football family on the other hand probably includes an allocation for every Football Association in Europe and probably FIFA too.

I don't have a issue with these groups getting tickets, its the scale of how many they get that's the problem

mctavish · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2007, 08:22:40 pm »

Wait til the new stadium is built... More Executive Boxes... More Sponsors...More 'Club Seats'....
Get to a Cup Final... we, the ordinary fans will get less and less of a share of the ticket allcation.
The club does have 'an obligation' to the people who pay money into the club, but this will be at the expense of fans like me and you.

CalvinMalteseRed · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2007, 09:09:35 pm »

Very well put.

Big Red Richie · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2007, 09:23:18 pm »

Steve, I agree with 95% of the above, but have you considered another angle.

If you were to look at the info on my fancard, all that is recorded this season is:

1 community shield
1 fa cup
2 league cup
6 euro home(including Maccabi Haifa - not counted towards loyalty)
3 euro away

............... and nothing else.

I have actually been to a further euro away, but it's not on my fancard as I was knocked back in a ballot.
I also went the the Chelsea home semi due to a good RAWKite giving me a ticket when the club fucked up my application.Therefore it was someone else's ticket.

So my 8 euro credits get me a cup final ticket.

Look at the above list. Does this mean that I have only been to 14 games all season ? Well not quite.

Consider the fact that I have a season ticket.

Then consider that that season ticket is not in my name.

I have actually been to 33 games all told this season, but MY fancard only records 14.
Now tell me that a season ticket holder with 5 credits deserves it more than me with all home league games and 8 euro credits(plus 2 not recorded).

I am not unique either. I'm sure that there is hundreds if not a couple of thousand in the same situation.

The why's and wherefore's of the season ticket alias is another debate for another time, but suffice to say, because a fancard only records a certain amount of games, it does not actually tell the full picture.

------------------------------------------

Steve, regarding the breakdown of ticket allocation to other sources within the club, I think a full disclosure by the club is the least we expect.

Will we get it though. Will we fuck.

Libero · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2007, 09:36:17 pm »

Quote from: Rushian on May 10, 2007, 01:45:24 pm

.
Michel Platini was recently swept to power as head of UEFA with part of his manifesto being the belief that " the game has to stay in the hands of those who make it: the players and fans". Well Mr Platini try tackling the corporate beanfeast that prevents real fans supporting their team at your prestige finals.

© RAWK 2007

What a brilliant piece there Rushian.... Kudos

I was hit hard by all of it, but particularly by the extract above...

I honestly believed that Platini's reign would mean great changes for the better (starting with *REAL* fan allocation of tickets), but alas, football's finance is a machine, out of control, feeding on our hard earned cash, and it doesn't look like it's going to be fixed any time soon.

coachpotato · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2007, 12:29:07 am »

A majority of the comments on here and on several other sites i've visited centre around the disappearance of tickets from our allocation.

That the club seems to have creamed off a substantial amount of tickets for whoever looks nailed on, and i've no doubt there are more notable people than I who will be able to put the fans case in a more eloquent and structured manner when they get to meet the people who matter.

The other thing is that i've no doubt people at LFC took the decisions about the allocation knowing full well what the reaction would be, and they'll have their answers ready.

What can't be overlooked though is UEFA's part in all this.

It is completely wrong that only about 55% of tickets have gone to supporters of both of the teams in the Final. And that's if the figures about advertising boards knocking 7,000 off etc are to be believed.

UEFA would have known from the past that clubs like AC Milan would probably return tickets (as they have in the past) and this should have been taken into account. Similarly, what interest (other than to tout them) would tickets given to the FA's of the likes of Georgia or Uzbekhistan or whoever have?

If these people are "true football fans" then they'd willingly give their allocations up to ensure the likes of us actually got to support our team, wouldn't they?

Platini, Gaillard and there ilk know what happens to a vast number of their tickets and don't give a toss.

The only way these tossers will be jump started into action is if their "big show" gets bad press.

I'm not condoning any kind of violence or hooliganism in any way when I say that.

Personally, i'd be in favour of a mass walk out as the half time whistle goes regardless of the score, that way a three quarters empty stadium being broadcast across the world for the whole of the second half might just make a few people sit up and take notice.

Unfortunately though, i'd likely be the only one walking out, but surely there could (should?) be some form of demo, (maybe doing a Juve and turning our backs for 15 minutes and just keeping quiet might be more appropriate?) it'd be open to suggestion, but at the root of this is their paltry allocation.

If there'd been a 40%-40% split to the finalists we'd have got approximately 26-27,000 tickets, and if Milans likely failure to take up their allocation could have been factored in, there'd have been possibly 35,000 tickets. UEFA would still have been left with 12-15,000?

I know these figures are guesstimates but you get the gist.

In other words had UEFA been more realistic, then our allocation could have been doubled and many more genuine people would have had tickets.

Like I say, we should have some kind of protest, otherwise it'll carry on unabated year in, year out.

One of our claims is that we lead and others follow. We should try and show UEFA what we think of their fat cat policies and spoil their back slapping party in the most appropriate manner we can, in front of a worldwide audience.

(PS: Don't forget to go to Olympiakos' Stadium and pay your respects to the 21 if you're going to Athens.)

anygasman · « **Reply #24 on:** May 11, 2007, 12:54:40 am »

Weird with the advertising boards knocking 7,000 off,
because i read in another post quoting the maximum the stadium held was for the Olympics about 72/74000 and theres noway UFEA would have more ads than them.
So wheres the difference gone.
segregation ?
Where down to 64000 thats 8/10000 less than what it held for the Olympics,
Sure it would have the same amount of camera men equipment.
something smells funny.
And its not just Vieras breath.

anygasman · « **Reply #25 on:** May 11, 2007, 01:27:33 am »

Sponsors like Carlsberg, Adidas and such like pump millions into the club and an allocation of cup final tickets is probably written into the contracts.

Smaller, perhaps more local sponsors also provide revenue and in the business world, you'd have to expect them to receive 'perks' for the money they put in.

I just can't see the sponsors saying no thats it,
if we don't get some tickets were not doing the sponsoring.
Yep that multi million pound deal hinged on those there tickets,
to a final which at the start of the negotiation's no one knew who would be there anyway.
they sponsor the event not to get tickets but to get a global awareness of there brand.
Get what ever maximum number of people seeing them.
I could possible see the club big boys passing out tickets to the big main sponsors as
they do.
But would like to think someone high up has a second thought about it and remembered the loyal fans who didn't get one.

Haven't got one myself and there are a lot more deserving people in front of me who haven't
but will be going out to Athens to see if i can get my hands on one of UFEA tout agents.

Was at Barca away with me boy (His First LFC game lucky boy), and home
and Chelsea home.
So had some cracking games which i know I'm lucky to have seen them as again there was probably lot more deserving people who didn't get to see those games.
The club do owe it to those supporters to have every thing on the table.
If people feel it's wrong then they can express there disapproval to the club and hopefully next time it will be different.
Just feel so sorry for those who deserved a ticket and were perparted to go to Athens who got knowthing not even a clear explanation.

Stumo · « **Reply #26 on:** May 11, 2007, 01:46:44 am »

That is quite simply the most sensible thing written or I've heard said about the whole situation and should be sat in front of Rick Parry right now. We all feel totally shat on by the club about the way tickets have been distributed and finally someone has put the whole thing completely into context. The people who have been to most games this season deserve priority, what was the whole point in introducing the electronic cards otherwise.

SteQuinny · « **Reply #27 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:25:27 am »

Liverpool have cast a sorry tale of woe and misery that they had no choice but to hold this ballot. The crux of the problem seems to be that this ballot placed fans with an apparently equal level of loyalty into the same pot. By splitting this pot of what Iv'e heard was 30,000 plus it would have made the process a whole lot easier.

Parry had claimed that the process was explained at the start of the season and to deviate from that would be unfair, but that in my honest opinion is a get-out clause from heaven.

The easiest thing to do would be to split this pot into season ticket holders with six credits, then fancard holders with six credits. Problem solved as far as I can see.

I'm okay I've got mine, I've got ten on my 'fancard' (how corny) But it still wrangles with me the level of respect the club seems willing to give me for my efforts.

What this suggests is that me, who paid £600 for my season ticket has the same priority at £2.50 joe with a fancard. That is what pisses me off the most, and the cry of, "we'd all pay £600 if we could just get off the waiting list." doesn't cut it in my opinion.

I'd like to think that the loyal fan who goes to 38 league games (probably more that some of the shareholders might I add) would not be cast at the bottom rung of the priority ladder along with the junior norwegian liverpool supporters club membership holders.

Ste G · « **Reply #28 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:30:54 am »

Quote from: anygasman on May 11, 2007, 12:54:40 am

Weird with the advertising boards knocking 7,000 off,
because i read in another post quoting the maximum the stadium held was for the Olympics about 72/74000 and theres noway UFEA would have more ads than them.
So wheres the difference gone.
segregation ?
Where down to 64000 thats 8/10000 less than what it held for the Olympics,
Sure it would have the same amount of camera men equipment.
something smells funny.
And its not just Vieras breath.

Champions League advertising hoardings are massive. The reason the front few rows of the Kop and Anfield Road end and the front row of the centenary stand are netted off and unused for champions league games is because the height of the boards causes a restricted view - only by a tiny amount but it's still officially classed as restricted.

It was the same in Istanbul and will be the same in Athens. It also helps with security and discourages pitch invasions.

Segregation will take up a few thousand seats and there will be even more press and media people than for any other game bar the world cup final.

The capacity in Istanbul was reduced for the same reasons.

Anyway, I agree with the original article. I've come round to the idea that I'm not going and I can accept that there are people ahead of me in the queue for tickets. But I just want to know where they've gone.

I've no problem with us giving tickets to staff, carlsberg etc, that's the way it is these days. I just want to know how many have gone there.

Yorkykopite · « **Reply #29 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:59:31 am »

Cogent stuff Rushian.

This is also a very good point:

Quote from: mctavish on May 10, 2007, 08:22:40 pm

Wait til the new stadium is built... More Executive Boxes... More Sponsors...More 'Club Seats'....
Get to a Cup Final... we, the ordinary fans will get less and less of a share of the ticket allcation.

Anyone who wants to see the end result of a ticket allocation driven by corporate kick-backs should remember the vociferous nature of Arsenal's support at the European Cup Final last season. Remember it? Exactly.

nikko9 · « **Reply #30 on:** May 11, 2007, 01:08:33 pm »

it really is shoking,i miss out by 1 credit.my heart goes out to all.i have however booked my flights to athens,along with 3 other mates(2 will bee in the luck).i am reesigned to the fact,even tho i will be there,i mite not see a kik of the ball.thats wrong,we should be so damn xcited,another final!!!

Rushian · « **Reply #31 on:** May 11, 2007, 02:22:10 pm »

Quote from: SteQuinny on May 11, 2007, 09:25:27 am

What this suggests is that me, who paid £600 for my season ticket has the same priority at £2.50 joe with a fancard. That is what pisses me off the most, and the cry of, "we'd all pay £600 if we could just get off the waiting list." doesn't cut it in my opinion.

As I said above it's not just the ST holders who are missing out, it's the joes with fan cards who have been to all 19 league games and the 6 CL games and spent £750 on league tickets who are losing out to the joes with fan cards who have only been to European games.

Little Star · « **Reply #32 on:** May 11, 2007, 02:45:48 pm »

I agree the system needs to be changed. We all know the stadium will be 80% red but it is a shame we may have to pay above face value.

dunnythered · « **Reply #33 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:10:14 pm »

i agree with season ticketnomore hes spot on. something needs to be done. i havent missed a game this season home or away in the league. id go to europe but i simply cant afford it. its a disgrace that part timers(fan card holders) have got a ticket for athens and i havent. i think the best way to show are digust with the club for their pathetic handling of the athens tickets is for each and every season ticket holder who was in the ballot and did not get a ticket should abstain from the game....then they would see the importance of our support to the club

anygasman · « **Reply #34 on:** May 11, 2007, 10:52:20 pm »

Quote from: Ste G on May 11, 2007, 09:30:54 am

Champions League advertising hoardings are massive. The reason the front few rows of the Kop and Anfield Road end and the front row of the centenary stand are netted off and unused for champions league games is because the height of the boards causes a restricted view - only by a tiny amount but it's still officially classed as restricted.

It was the same in Istanbul and will be the same in Athens. It also helps with security and discourages pitch invasions.

Segregation will take up a few thousand seats and there will be even more press and media people than for any other game bar the world cup final.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply:

Theres a 8 lane running track around the pitch theres no need to have First two rows empty.

The Olympics were held at this stadium the same amount of media if not more would have been there.

And i can't imagine that the ad hoardings would be much bigger.

alvaro · « **Reply #35 on:** May 12, 2007, 04:39:07 am »

Hi, Im chileam and I support Liverpool because I lived in England for a couple of years when I was like 5.
Anyway Im really puzzled about this chaos, why didnt Liverpool simply say ok X tickets are for sale, sale starts at Y time, the first X ppl get a ticket, only 2 tickets per person are sold.
Am I missing something obvious?

Hway · « **Reply #36 on:** May 12, 2007, 11:29:20 am »

I'm one of these 'Fancard Joe's', who's been on the ST waiting list since man was a boy.
Theres only a small proportion of ST holders who bother to go to away games - I know because I get tickets for most through the supporters club I'm in and I see the same faces every time.
Many ST holders are as fickle as OOT- Fancard holding- 'Joes'. I remember 2005 when I was able to buy Kop tickets for Juve and the Chelsea semi because many ST holders couldn't be arsed to shell out the extra money.
I've got a ticket because I saved up and went to Eindhoven and Barca and I would be mighty pissed if I'd lost out to someone who demonstrated less active loyalty.

redmen77 · « **Reply #37 on:** May 12, 2007, 05:59:32 pm »

Went to the club shop today and was told by a p/t staff member (who was gutted) that EVERY full time member of staff for LFC is getting a ticket to the final.

Now you know why the ballot was massaged to include the Fan Card holders, rather than just the ST holders, followed by the FC holders as with every previous game.

Its because had they only included the ST holders then it would have exposed how few tickets the club actually made available to the fans. Perhaps as low a figure as 7000 but certainly less than 10,000. Had they just included ST holders (14,000 or so who had 6 credits or more) then they would have had to admit that they couldn't satisfy these people despite there being 17,000 tickets in total.

We need answers from the club as to how many tickets were actually made available to match goers versus staff, players etc. I'm sure it will expose the club for shafting the fans good and proper.

Red Alert 2006 · « **Reply #38 on:** May 12, 2007, 09:18:29 pm »

What a superb article. You are 100 % correct in everything you said. I was lucky, me and my son qualifyed throught the ballot but I know about 50 people who didnt. The whole thing stinks to high heaven. I should be shouting from the rooftops that I am off to Athens, but its hard to feel enthusiastic at the moment when so many friends and genuine fans of our great club have been badly let doen and are desperatley trying to get tickets. This situataion has got to be stopped and not allowed to happen again. I like many other supporters would be disappointed to miss out in any ballot for tickets, but as long as everyone in the ballot had attended the same number of matches in all competitions at home, you would reluctantly accept that you had been unlucky, but the system used this time was a total disgrace.

DerekW · « **Reply #39 on:** May 15, 2007, 07:36:26 am »

I agree with what has been written, particularly concerning fancard holders who most likely would have attended relatively few games.

The Club talks about fans commitment - well, Mr Parry, my home game attendance involves a 530 mile round trip, which with the daft kick-off times means I'm often getting home around 5-30am having left some 18--20 hours earlier. My fault entirely for living where I do!

And for the record, I first watched LFC in 1947 - so I've got the year in.