Another ticketing complaint

[shrimperman]

I know its getting boring now, but I thought I would let you all know my situation and seee what you think.

Now before I start, whenever I go to a game (which is not as often as I'd like due to workign commitments) we always go in a 6. I was reading through the ticketing criteria again for collecting tickets with Hull City ticket stubbs when I came across this

"...supporters with a Hull City ticket stub will be allowed to collect a maximum of five tickets, providing that the original five Hull City stubs match those on the purchasers account history"


Now, seeing as I know I'm going to be queing a fairly long time tomorrow I thought I would just check with the club to make sure everything was ok. The plan is for me to collect 5 tickets and my friend (who will be going to the game) to collect the other outstanding ticket. Nothing wrong with that I thought. Apparently not.

According to the club, because all the tickets had been purchased under my account, only I can collect the tickets, that being 5 tickets, not the 6th. The 6th is now apparently null and void for the Man Utd game so one of us will have to miss out on the biggest game in the clubs history because we brought the tickets all on one account.

The thing that really annoys me, is that when we went to get our Hull tickets, there was two of us. If the club had made us aware of the situation beforehand, then I would have brought the five tickets then my friend could've brought the other on her account. With the queue starting to form throughout the club shop, I thought it would fasten the process to buy all tickets on one account, but apparently not.  

 

I await a response from the club....

As if they care anyway, its only a supporter.

 

[South Bank Hank]

I still think the club are trying to get things right. Every time I meet Ron Martin (as you do and not in a cliquey kind of way

), I'm always impressed by his intentions and the likes of Scriven being employed by the club adds weight to the argument.

However, I've been on the wrong side of some less than perfect ticketing policies myself in the past and it sounds like you got a pretty raw deal.

Remember though that despite what we've achieved of late, we're still a small club and things are always more likely to go wrong when pressure is applied to any situation.

Hopefully if you state your case well enough to the right people, it can still be sorted.

 

[McNasty]

Perhaps they are trying make sure that the people who bought the Hull tickets are the ones who get the Man U tickets. They may be trying to stop people giving their unwanted stubs to other people.

 

[shrimperman]

Quote[/b] (mcnasty @ Oct. 31 2006,11:21)]Perhaps they are trying make sure that the people who bought the Hull tickets are the ones who get the Man U tickets. They may be trying to stop people giving their unwanted stubs to other people.

Of course, which is why they have made the measures originally to ensure that distribution is fair, safe and secure.

What annoys me is that they are basing the sale of Man Utd tickets upon the account history of the person who brought them. It would then lead me to believe that they know exactly what I have purchased over the years and therefore conclude that I am not a rogue tout and a geniune supporter who supports the club as much as he can.

What do they want me to do, buy a season ticket when I can only attend a small portion of games per season? Because afterall, the person who puts the most money into a club gets treated the better. Money talks I suppose. Football is in a sorry state, I just didn't realise it had reached the likes of smaller clubs such as ourselves.

 

[Mick]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,11:11)]I know its getting boring now, but I thought I would let you all know my situation and seee what you think.

Now before I start, whenever I go to a game (which is not as often as I'd like due to workign commitments) we always go in a 6. I was reading through the ticketing criteria again for collecting tickets with Hull City ticket stubbs when I came across this

"...supporters with a Hull City ticket stub will be allowed to collect a maximum of five tickets, providing that the original five Hull City stubs match those on the purchasers account history"


Now, seeing as I know I'm going to be queing a fairly long time tomorrow I thought I would just check with the club to make sure everything was ok. The plan is for me to collect 5 tickets and my friend (who will be going to the game) to collect the other outstanding ticket. Nothing wrong with that I thought. Apparently not.

According to the club, because all the tickets had been purchased under my account, only I can collect the tickets, that being 5 tickets, not the 6th. The 6th is now apparently null and void for the Man Utd game so one of us will have to miss out on the biggest game in the clubs history because we brought the tickets all on one account.

The thing that really annoys me, is that when we went to get our Hull tickets, there was two of us. If the club had made us aware of the situation beforehand, then I would have brought the five tickets then my friend could've brought the other on her account. With the queue starting to form throughout the club shop, I thought it would fasten the process to buy all tickets on one account, but apparently not.  

 

I await a response from the club....

As if they care anyway, its only a supporter.

My understanding is they are not checking the identity of single ticket purchases. If they do they'll still be selling come kick off time next week.

 

[shrimperman]

So, technically my friend could just take one of the tickets seperately and everything should be kosher?

 

[shrimperman]

Just to update, the club have been in contact with me and I commend them for doing so in such quick time. However, just as I thought it is beyond there powers to approve me of gaining the one extra ticket and I can only pick up 5.

Thanks Southend United, customer services at its best.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

That is quite possibly the single most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

I understand that they dont want to start selling huge sections of Hull tickets in one go for obvious reasons, but why they did not tell you this at the time, is beyond me. If your Hull tickets were purchased before the draw, then you should absolutely be allowed to collext as many tickets as you have stubs, as there was no way of knowing we would draw Man Utd in the next round.

It has actually made me laugh it is so stupid. Not laughing at your expense I hasten to add, just at possibly the single most stupid thing I have ever heard of!

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,12:28)]Just to update, the club have been in contact with me and I commend them for doing so in such quick time. However, just as I thought it is beyond there powers to approve me of gaining the one extra ticket and I can only pick up 5.

Thanks Southend United, customer services at its best.

Why doesn't your mate go along at the same time as you to buy the tickets. Surely if there's two of you there, including the person who bought the 6 Hull tickets, they'll sell you 6 Man Ure tickets, even if it has to be processed in two separate transactions.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Any chance of finding someone with the same name?

Rather agree with R_C

 

[shrimperman]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ Oct. 31 2006,12:39)]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,12:28)]Just to update, the club have been in contact with me and I commend them for doing so in such quick time. However, just as I thought it is beyond there powers to approve me of gaining the one extra ticket and I can only pick up 5.

Thanks Southend United, customer services at its best.

Why doesn't your mate go along at the same time as you to buy the tickets.  Surely if there's two of you there, including the person who bought the 6 Hull tickets, they'll sell you 6 Man Ure tickets, even if it has to be processed in two separate transactions.

Because its all under my account with the club. When/if they check my account history they will see that I have brought 6 tickets. It just frustrates me that I could've quite easily brought, say, 3 and my friend who went with me to get the Hull tickets could've could have got three tickets under her club account. It's ridiculous I know, but then it is Southend United.

 

[Joolz]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,13:02)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ Oct. 31 2006,12:39)]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,12:28)]Just to update, the club have been in contact with me and I commend them for doing so in such quick time. However, just as I thought it is beyond there powers to approve me of gaining the one extra ticket and I can only pick up 5.

Thanks Southend United, customer services at its best.

Why doesn't your mate go along at the same time as you to buy the tickets.  Surely if there's two of you there, including the person who bought the 6 Hull tickets, they'll sell you 6 Man Ure tickets, even if it has to be processed in two separate transactions.

Because its all under my account with the club. When/if they check my account history they will see that I have brought 6 tickets. It just frustrates me that I could've quite easily brought, say, 3 and my friend who went with me to get the Hull tickets could've could have got three tickets under her club account. It's ridiculous I know, but then it is Southend United.

But as stated before, I don't think they will be checking the identity of single ticket purchases, so if your friend comes too, he/she should be able to get the extra ticket - in theory at least.

In practice I would hope the club apply some discretion on this matter, if not officially then at least once you are at the front of the queue. Remains to be seen though.

Overall I think the club have done just about OK on the ticket distribution. I'm sure there are lessons to be learned, but I don't suppose they've ever had to sell this many tickets in such a short space of time before.

 

[McNasty]

If they are selling tickets using peoples' previous purchase history I should do well , having bought over 100 tickets twice for the LDV Finals !

 

[Smiffy]

Not wise to openly discuss your touting tendancies on a public messageboard Ken!!...

 

[shrimperman]

Quote[/b] (Joolz @ Oct. 31 2006,13:20)]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,13:02)]

Quote[/b] (Upminster Blue @ Oct. 31 2006,12:39)]

Quote[/b] (shrimperman @ Oct. 31 2006,12:28)]Just to update, the club have been in contact with me and I commend them for doing so in such quick time. However, just as I thought it is beyond there powers to approve me of gaining the one extra ticket and I can only pick up 5.

Thanks Southend United, customer services at its best.

Why doesn't your mate go along at the same time as you to buy the tickets.  Surely if there's two of you there, including the person who bought the 6 Hull tickets, they'll sell you 6 Man Ure tickets, even if it has to be processed in two separate transactions.

Because its all under my account with the club. When/if they check my account history they will see that I have brought 6 tickets. It just frustrates me that I could've quite easily brought, say, 3 and my friend who went with me to get the Hull tickets could've could have got three tickets under her club account. It's ridiculous I know, but then it is Southend United.

But as stated before, I don't think they will be checking the identity of single ticket purchases, so if your friend comes too, he/she should be able to get the extra ticket - in theory at least.

In practice I would hope the club apply some discretion on this matter, if not officially then at least once you are at the front of the queue. Remains to be seen though.

Overall I think the club have done just about OK on the ticket distribution. I'm sure there are lessons to be learned, but I don't suppose they've ever had to sell this many tickets in such a short space of time before.

I totally agree with you, infact I even mentioned on one of my emails to club that I thought they had handled the situation well. I think you hit the nail on the head when you say a certain degree of discretion. Common sense should prevail but we will have to wait and see, I might not even get one ticket yet, nevermind 5 or 6!!

It might just be a case of me and my friend being well routined with a plan and putting it into practice with the odd slice of blagging it off.

 

[shrimperman]

Quote[/b] (mcnasty @ Oct. 31 2006,13:28)]If they are selling tickets using peoples' previous purchase history I should do well , having bought over 100 tickets twice  for the LDV Finals !

I don't know if they are or not, this is purely an assumption on the basis that they state

"for these multiple purchasers supporters account history will be checked"

 

[shimp123]

when you say account history, do u mean you have to prove you was the one who bought the hull tickets ? say for example i took my email confirmation with me ?

 

[shrimperman]

Quote[/b] (shimp123 @ Oct. 31 2006,13:56)]when you say account history, do u mean you have to prove you was the one who bought the hull tickets ? say for example i took my email confirmation with me ?

No idea whatsoever, I assume that everything you have purchased from the club will be automated when you hand over your ticket stub but I may be wrong. When you buy something from the club, a file is created so assume this stretches as far as online purchases aswell.

 

[Jonesy]

Having been coming to Roots Hall since 1966 I still think this ticket situation should have been better. If you rely on one match v Hull to issue stubs and tickets then it becomes somewhat first come first serve. You must also remember that Man U have a very passionate support. If you check your football records back to say the early-mid 1970s when they didn't win anything, were at the foot of the table for a number of seasons and even relegated you will find home attendances of 60,000 plus away followings of 10,000+. So maybe after season ticket holders Southend should have moved to the database and those who have already seen 3 or more games so far this season. So after all these years I could still miss out ......

 

[shrimperman]

Just to update you all oce again, and for the last time! Got there this morning at 7am on the dot. Queue was at least 4/5 deep by then, total madness I tell ya. At least 3/4 tents at the front.

Anyway, got within 3 rows from the front when Chris Phillips came along for a chat and told us there was only 1800 left! Cue despondancy. When we finally reached the front, managed to get served by an old school friend who kindly helped us and I managed to get all 6 under my name, so a big thankyou goes your way!

Didn't quite get what we wanted, 6 altogether in the back row of the South Upper. I know its restricted viewing but from my last experience in the SU it didn't appear that bad, can anyone clarify just how good/bad viewing is from the back row?

At around 12oclock there were less than 600 left and they were all 1's and 2's spreaded everywhere. The queue was still 5 or 6 rows deep.