People seem to be overeacting to the idea of a ballot for ACS, majority will still be on it, everyone with full credits will still get to most games, I understand the later rounds aren't guaranteed which isn't ideal but people are talking like they'll be locked out of every game
We have a group of 8 of us that have gone together for years. We try to be together. Usually we get the Kop sorted. Last year we managed to get two adjacent rows of four- which took a lot of work on the day of the sale. But a ballot itself prior to the sale presumably just needs one of us to fail for them to be sitting in the Main Stand all season away from us. Imagine getting that email, "sorry fella you've failed so you'll not be with your mates who all passed the 80-95% chance while you didn't". At least in the current set up, whoever gets in on the morning can sort out the tickets for all of us wherever that may be. If it's over subscribed, simply go back further. Didn't have to compete with people at all when it was FC Sion etc. If we're in the Europa none of this probably matters, but we may have the same problem in 22/23 as the credits won't count.
Will we be able to apply as two groups of four in a ballot? As a group of eight? Or as single individuals? If the latter, I'm not sure I like the chances of one of us being cut adrift considering we've been going together. If we can apply as an eight, then despite the chances being low admittedly, imagine all failing coz you get unlucky. All 8 of us battering the website in the week before for singles around the ground when we've got games going back years?
Also, I'm not a fan of them shafting 300 loyal supporters either. I don't have a horse in that particular race. I had 11 in 18/19 and 4 in 19/20 so it doesn't really impact me. People who attack going to matches like a full time job are the epitome of the very 'legacy fans' that the club so unsubtly told us not two weeks ago that they wanted to get to fuck, so it's a crying shame to see some people so quick to giddily write them off because they'll be alright themselves. Less in the pot for me if they get sorted, but I think it would be fair to sort something out somehow for them.
On a point made earlier, of course the main thing about buying a ticket is the ability to go to that individual game, but people want to buy tickets and attend to enable them to buy more because they want to go to other games. I've been going into away grounds around the country and abroad on other peoples tickets for years, I've got no shot of getting a season ticket while I'm alive, I've got no shot to get to 13 league homes anytime soon with these new changes, I've got no shot of getting any Premier League away tickets on my own card so long as I have a hole in my arse, and have had to take my chances to get onto the league and FA Cup away ladders through being diligent and organised around possible chances of them dropping to all members.
But despite the credits I have going back years in a competition myself, I'm gonna be thrown into a ballot (no matter how high the chances of success) and could potentially be off the ladder by the seasons end (if I don't get tickets to the later rounds when UEFA allocations increase). That's bollocks.
While I accept the point also raised earlier about the hypothetical 70 year old Dave who struggles to purchase, you used to be able to get an advantage if you worked together on getting tickets and were organised for the sale. Much like queuing up in years gone by, if you put the hard yards in for the sale, and wanted it enough you'd be sound by the end of it. Now there's a chance that my mates will each be run through a ballot on a 90% chance and we just need the computer to say no once and won't even be able to purchase for them in the ACS. Just need to struggle to get one thereafter in the latter stages once and goodbye and off you pop next season because you're out ACS the following season as well. Thanks for coming for over 10 years but goodbye.
I also appreciate it shouldn't be a closed shop either. And that at least if people get knocked off, new people can get on. But as a match going fan it is frustrating to see people with season tickets who are boxed, away tickets boxed, 13+ and boxed but European history? We'll start raffling that off. I've always said, I can't get all the others, but at least I've got the cup competitions and I can ensure I continue to attend those.
If the club likes ballots so much, ballot every fucking game and I'll apply for them all.
Perhaps not in the ACS case in particular, as you still weren't guaranteed the ACS before either, but the 300 argument shows a definite inclination towards the club trying to have a more revolving door. If 1000 13+ cards were pulled off with the fan update, there is plenty change to sort them out. But 300 extra in a ballot means 3900 minimum over a season away from the pesky legacy fans and into the hands of people who are turning up as if Anfield is a theme park.
