Sunderland away general sale

[StevieAsk]

God we have some boring fans. I wouldn't dream of driving to Sunderland on a work night. Does that make me less of a blue? No - city are a huge part of my life but a 5 hour round trip midweek to watch us? No thanks.

Christ, I must be dull as f*ck as I do that every week for home games!

 

[worsleyweb]

Christ, I must be dull as f*ck as I do that every week for home games!

Zzzz!!! Fair play to you mate.

 

[lazza]

I'll be there. Nice to have a bonus local game :)

Having said that, I got my ticket through a friend with points, so didn't risk missing out. But I looked on the ticket site today and there still seemed to be tickets left yet when I tried to select a stand, both seemed to show up with no seats available ??! Maybe it's just me ...

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

you are all missing the point. it's not the life choices or work schedules that i have no sympathy for. its the moaning about the system of loyalty points. as i say, its a life choice whether to go or not, if that lessens your chance of attending games in the future dont moan about it.

I think you're missing the point Bill. If you've done the away games like you and others have then you deserve the tickets. No one has an issue with that. It's things like the Platinum scheme, where you can buy extra "loyalty". But mainly it's the fact that increasingly fewer tickets for the popular games are going to people who've done a lot of those games over the years in favour of those who haven't but have shelled out for executive boxes or hospitality, either at The Etihad or one of the jollies on a boat down the Thames they lay on before games like Chelsea. If we get 3,000 tickets for Arsenal, I bet not much more than half of those are going to people who do have the points. There's faults with the loyalty point system but more and more people who thought they were safe getting tickets for most or all games are now missing out and it's not because they're falling behind on picking up points.

 

[newposter]

I never moan about points but life choices? What's that even mean? I'm a cleaner on minimum wage, after tax, bills and shopping I might have about 60 quid a week spare. As prices and train fare and beer prices go up chances of going to games for me goes down.

I never moan about the points system but not having those points is definitely not a 'life choice'.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I think you're missing the point Bill. If you've done the away games like you and others have then you deserve the tickets. No one has an issue with that. It's things like the Platinum scheme, where you can buy extra "loyalty". But mainly it's the fact that increasingly fewer tickets for the popular games are going to people who've done a lot of those games over the years in favour of those who haven't but have shelled out for executive boxes or hospitality, either at The Etihad or one of the jollies on a boat down the Thames they lay on before games like Chelsea. If we get 3,000 tickets for Arsenal, I bet not much more than half of those are going to people who do have the points. There's faults with the loyalty point system but more and more people who thought they were safe getting tickets for most or all games are now missing out and it's not because they're falling behind on picking up points.

This is spot on. I wasn't fortunate enough as a kid to have my dad take me to away games, I considered myself very lucky to have a season ticket and have done since i can remember, built up a decent amount of points considering it was home games only and not missed a home game in well over 20 years. When i was finally old enough to go to away games on my own i went to uni and couldn't find the time or money to go, had to wait until i finished that to start going to away games.

I was lucky in that it was just before the takeover that i started going, couldn't get tickets for the big games but would always manage a handful a season going to the games that were less popular, and slowly moved up the ranks and got to the point were i can get near enough most tickets now bar the Derby and the odd small ground which is what was intended when the points system was introduced.

I go every week i can get a ticket, done everything i can to increase or maintain my ranking in the pecking order, go platinum every year, signed up for all cup schemes etc but i'm starting to find i'm slowly over the last 2-3 years somehow going back down the list despite attending more games than i ever have. If i can't get a ticket because it's sold out i have no problem, the guys above me deserve the tickets, they've put more time effort and money into it. i'm part of a group of lads that organise a bus every away game, i have one of the highest points tally's of us all yet dozens of them get tickets through supporters clubs or people selling them on ahead of me for the likes of the derby despite not seeing them at away games for most of the season, i take that on the chin and accept it but this new increase in corporate tickets being given out isn't right.I'm just about clinging on and getting tickets for most games so it's not yet effecting me too much but there's people like me with slightly less points that go every chance they get that are now missing out because there's a considerably less amount of tickets being sold through the usual means, i.e points

It's completely wrong, it's not fair on the people who are just missing out and also it's ruining the atmosphere too. I can recall a few London away games over the last few years that have been full of tourist/corporate fans that don't even know the words to the songs and instead just stand there in silence with their cameras out. It's bad enough seeing that at home games but it's something we have to deal with now we're an elite team, shouldn't be happening at away games though.

 

[NPBlue]

You nailed it on the head. There are far too few tickets available now for ordinary fans to attend away games these days.

This season the only league game I will be travelling to is Sunderland, and it wasn't sold out the last time we played them in midweek.

I noticed last season it was becoming more difficult buying tickets for away games in the league, but this season it has been impossible.

My only options so far this season have been Norwich and Villa in the FA Cup, and Sunderland in the league.

Fair do's to those that have been to more away's than myself over the years, but there must be many others like myself who are royally pissed off because corporate hangers on take priority over long standing supporters.

 

[Bill]

You nailed it on the head. There are far too few tickets available now for ordinary fans to attend away games these days.

This season the only league game I will be travelling to is Sunderland, and it wasn't sold out the last time we played them in midweek.

I noticed last season it was becoming more difficult buying tickets for away games in the league, but this season it has been impossible.

My only options so far this season have been Norwich and Villa in the FA Cup, and Sunderland in the league.

Fair do's to those that have been to more away's than myself over the years, but there must be many others like myself who are royally pissed off because corporate hangers on take priority over long standing supporters.

you are right about the corporate lot, sadly the club need them to boost our income, we can't be paying the likes of aguero 200 grand a week off normal gate reciepts. i think the op's point, and i agree with him, is that when away game tickets ARE available people snub them because they are for a "lesser" game. i get the days off and low wage stuff but we can't moan about attending away games cos there is a chance to see an away game right there. Norwich away is looking iffy to me, bloody lunchtime ko is ridiculous for a game that far away. cos i'm old i wont do it on the day i'll stop over which means more money, a great trip but more money all the same.that ko time should mean a few more spares knocking about at least. can't see many prawn sandwiches being sold down there.

 

[cleavers]

i think the op's point, and i agree with him, is that when away game tickets ARE available people snub them because they are for a "lesser" game.

I don't think anyone is "snubbing" this game because its a lesser game, its because it a relatively long distance, midweek away game, midweek games are difficult enough as it is, but long distance ones more so, had this been a Saturday 3pm, it would have sold out.

 

[franksinatra]

The fact is it has gone to open sale shows that everyone, in a sense is snubbing this game, even those on a couple of million points.

I have the upmost respect for anyone who follows us around the country week after week, unquestionable they deserve the tickets but also everyone has to start somewhere.

Life is all about habits. Its unrealistic to expect blues, where the regulars decide not too attend, to snap up the tickets for a Sunderland away on a Tuesday and then the regulars return to snap up all the tickrts at stoke/United etc the following weeks. Somewhere there has to be a middle ground.

No system is perfect but I do think the best way would be to have a 'weighting' to the loyalty points system so recent purchases are more valued than tickets bought in 2003 when the system started. Particularly to attract younger fans.

The club has not helped. Being able to 'buy' loyalty through the Platinum scheme, throwing loyalty points at certain games. (I got 20 for Kiev away but Reading in the cup was worth 50).