Leinster side only - Did you get a ticket?

Tim Robbins

Are you involved in the sport and not get a ticket?

I'm a ref and member of a junior club - got no ticket.

How did you get on?

Timothy Bryce

I've been a Leinster Season Ticket holder the last 4 years - I missed the first half of this season as I was away travelling, and subsequently sold my ticket to a mate who I knew would go to the games. He was nice enough to give me his spare ticket for Saturday.

What really annoys me, is 'fans' who are complete band-wagon merchants, who've never been to a ML game in their life yet profess to be huge Leinster fans.....justifying their status as fans by attending the H-Cup Semi's with 5 of their friends who are as equally 'fair-weather'.

I, like countless others, play junior rugby for a club, I come out and support our firsts in the AIL, go to Magners games (home and away) and generally consider myself as being in the coalface of Irish Rugby. I know so many people who fall under this defenition who haven't a hope of getting tickets for the game despite being genuine rugby fans. Yet, John down the road, together with all his mates are going to their first rugby match on Saturday in Croker.

Just doesn't seem right to me.

Sorry if this was a bit of a rant!

bleg

sure weren't they all taken by munster fans wearing blue?

JohnButler

Im heavily involved with rugby in my hometown but i havent been able to get a ticket for love nor money. Its hugely frustrating since ive only missed a handful of home games in the last few years. Despite this im not giving up and exploring every avenue possible in search of a ticket. If i miss this game i will be hugely dissapointed.

Whats even more frustrating is there will be people there with no knowledge or experience of rugby. Its very unfair but what can ya do??

Tim Robbins

JohnButler wrote: »

Im heavily involved with rugby...QUOTE]
Lads anyone who is involved at grass roots who didn't get a ticket can you select the appropriate option. I selected that one, I can't be the only one. John, Timothy also seem to fall into this option.

zAbbo

I'm a season ticket holder, bought 4, had options of 12.

Downtime

Got mine through the branch

louthandproud

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

I've been a Leinster Season Ticket holder the last 4 years - I missed the first half of this season as I was away travelling, and subsequently sold my ticket to a mate who I knew would go to the games. He was nice enough to give me his spare ticket for Saturday.

What really annoys me, is 'fans' who are complete band-wagon merchants, who've never been to a ML game in their life yet profess to be huge Leinster fans.....justifying their status as fans by attending the H-Cup Semi's with 5 of their friends who are as equally 'fair-weather'.

I, like countless others, play junior rugby for a club, I come out and support our firsts in the AIL, go to Magners games (home and away) and generally consider myself as being in the coalface of Irish Rugby. I know so many people who fall under this defenition who haven't a hope of getting tickets for the game despite being genuine rugby fans. Yet, John down the road, together with all his mates are going to their first rugby match on Saturday in Croker.

Just doesn't seem right to me.

Sorry if this was a bit of a rant!

I can sympathse with your view, however if only people as dedicated as your good self went to the big events they would never sell out, and money is the name of the game unfortunately.

I know a lot of grass roots rugby people in Leinster who are not season ticket holders as they don't live close enough to Dublin to justify it and they are not happy about club ticket allocation.

I foresee a lot of season ticket holders with 4 tickets each trying to find people to sell them to before or on Saturday.

I know of some who have already offered their extra tickets here where I work to anyone that wants them, and they have been taken too, but not by people as deserving as grass roots Leinster rugby people, a couple have gone to Munster folks and a couple to Leinster folks who have never been at a rugby match before.

Tim Robbins

louthandproud wrote: »

I know of some who have already offered their extra tickets here where I work to anyone that wants them, and they have been taken too, but not by people as deserving as grass roots Leinster rugby people, a couple have gone to Munster folks and a couple to Leinster folks who have never been at a rugby match before.

They should have distributed so that season ticket holder get an offer of 2 not 6 which was ridiculous.

Then the clubs, coaches and refs would have had a better chance of getting tickets.

It seem ridiculous that Leinster get 30,000 tickets and still can't look after their grassroots.

Paulw

I must say, out of curiosity, I checked ebay for tickets. Prices from €200 to €1,500 for tickets.

I've gone to almost every Leinster home game this season, and thankfully got a ticket through a season ticket holder. He knew I was a genuine fan.

cruiserweight

I live in Glasgow so I obviously don't get to go to many Leinster games, this year the only ones I was at were the Magners League game away to Glasgow and the HEC game away to Edinburgh. If I was still in Dublin I would probably have a season ticket for Leinster, I don't have one for Glasgow but will be getting one next year.

Anyway I got 4 tickets through the open sale on Ticketmaster.

Pshan

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I'm a ref and member of a junior club - got no ticket.

QUOTE]

I'm shocked at that and this is not a kick at Leinster as the same thing happens in Munster.

Timothy Bryce

Our club apparently got a decent allocation, however with it being a Leinster club with a high proportion of Munster fans, I'd imagine the threat from the Leinster Branch re future ticket allocation was too much of a risk.

Were the same threats dished out in Munster? I doubt it.

NotWormBoy

I've been to about 2/3rds of Leinster home games this season, but I have to balance going to games with the other passion for me (Scouts, so I miss a fair few Friday/Saturdays to this) so I'm not a season ticket holder. I've probably spent enough to be one though. Didn't get a ticket.

Exploring 1 avenue though, the mother of one of our scouts works for the IRFU, seeing if she can get me in...

premierstone

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

Our club apparently got a decent allocation, however with it being a Leinster club with a high proportion of Munster fans, I'd imagine the threat from the Leinster Branch re future ticket allocation was too much of a risk.

Were the same threats dished out in Munster? I doubt it.

Not been smart but in fairness why would they need to issue such a patethic empty threat?

myflipflops

Supporters club member but not a season ticket holder THIS year because work meant i would miss half the games or more. I was at the away Castres match, the away Wasps match and the home Castres match as well as a handful of Magners League games. No ticket for this unfortunately.

louthandproud

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

Our club apparently got a decent allocation, however with it being a Leinster club with a high proportion of Munster fans, I'd imagine the threat from the Leinster Branch re future ticket allocation was too much of a risk.

Were the same threats dished out in Munster? I doubt it.

They must have been an exception, I know of two provincial junior lenister clubs that got allocations of 12 and 7 tickets, as opposed to 40-50 they normally get for such occasions i.e. 2006 semi and internationals. This was a complete surprise to them.

Sabre0001

cruiserweight wrote: »

I live in Glasgow so I obviously don't get to go to many Leinster games, this year the only ones I was at were the Magners League game away to Glasgow and the HEC game away to Edinburgh. If I was still in Dublin I would probably have a season ticket for Leinster, I don't have one for Glasgow but will be getting one next year.

You should get an Edinburgh season ticket considering how often Leinster play them

Downtime

Pshan wrote: »

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I'm a ref and member of a junior club - got no ticket.

QUOTE]

I'm shocked at that and this is not a kick at Leinster as the same thing happens in Munster.

It was handled badly by the branch - they made a rush decision and did not think or the consequences. They wanted to look after the season ticket holders first and foremost but they over did it.

The referees got 50 or so tickets to distribute amongst 177 active refs and others but it is not their fault and they have complained. I think the vast majority of Munster referees got tickets. I think their allocation was 400 or so.

Podge_irl

I got two tickets through being a Blues member. Not a season ticket holder cause I live in England (was at the Cardiff home game and Wasps and Quins away games this season). Leinster have aways used their season ticket holders as their primary avenue of distribution for tickets.

anonymous_joe

Not got a ticket.

Didn't have the cash last summer to buy a season ticket and foolishly decided not to borrow the money off my parents.

I've only been to about 10 or so home games though, so ah well.

shoutman

No ticket here, I know Clontarf Rugby Club got 60 tickets...

accensi0n

Season ticket holder.

Got 2 tickets.

Tim Robbins

Ok I'll have to stop my moaning. Got offered a ticket this morning.
Didn't take it because I was looking for a pair.

Went to 2006 on my own and I am still getting over it. Excuse my weakness on this issue!

damselnat

Blues member (couldn't afford a ST last year...or for a long time probably!), tried to get three tickets, managed two, which left me with a who-do-you-love-more dilemma (or rather, who's more fun to go out with after:P)....sounds like they really messed up the ST allocation, and allocation to those who are actually involved in the sport!

omb0wyn5ehpij9

I couldn't get a ticket through my rugby club, but thankfully i got one off a friend

PCPhoto

got asked if I want to photo the game.... will decide tomorrow maybe (wont make any money from it though)

Anyone wanna buy prints of the game :P will probably go - assuming I dont have anything better to do.

[Jackass]

Got 6 tickets through my season ticket - surprised at the amount of Leinster fans who didn't!! Just so you know I'm lucky enough with tickets and have been able to help out Leinster fans on the supporter site get tickets in the past, I can usually suss a few out - as a last resort in future pop an ould PM if you're really stuck and maybe I can help - worth a shot - but before you PM for this weekend, I have called in every favour and milked every avenue for this game to get as many blue fans into the game (normally 100% more than happy to help out Munster supporters - just not on this occasion, I've even turned away Munster fan friends who have no ticket to keep the place blue!! It's a tribal thing! But get a lot of tickets through Munster so have no problem helping out normally - also poached 2 tickets from Munster allocation for this game!! )

Timothy Bryce

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

I've been a Leinster Season Ticket holder the last 4 years - I missed the first half of this season as I was away travelling, and subsequently sold my ticket to a mate who I knew would go to the games. He was nice enough to give me his spare ticket for Saturday.

What really annoys me, is 'fans' who are complete band-wagon merchants, who've never been to a ML game in their life yet profess to be huge Leinster fans.....justifying their status as fans by attending the H-Cup Semi's with 5 of their friends who are as equally 'fair-weather'.

I, like countless others, play junior rugby for a club, I come out and support our firsts in the AIL, go to Magners games (home and away) and generally consider myself as being in the coalface of Irish Rugby. I know so many people who fall under this defenition who haven't a hope of getting tickets for the game despite being genuine rugby fans. Yet, John down the road, together with all his mates are going to their first rugby match on Saturday in Croker.

Just doesn't seem right to me.

Sorry if this was a bit of a rant!

What are you talking about?
You sold your season ticket to a mate casue you were travelling.He then got you a ticket because he was able to buy 6 to the final through the season ticket that you gave him.

Whats the problem?
Season ticket holders i.e those who pay to go to ML games are first in the que.Any other fan who got one either bought one through the first 5,000 that went on public sale,paid a tout or got them through a club.

Its not as if they have made it easy for people not involved to get a ticket.

Serenity Now!

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

What really annoys me, is 'fans' who are complete band-wagon merchants, who've never been to a ML game in their life yet profess to be huge Leinster fans.....justifying their status as fans by attending the H-Cup Semi's with 5 of their friends who are as equally 'fair-weather'

Thats professional sport for you. If it was any other way there'd be 80,000 at every game these teams play in any comp. Lets be realistic here: Its normal.

Somebody who does not play or coach the game but is a member of a Supporters club has as much right to tickets as the clubbie. For internationals at least, clubs tend to flog off their allocation anyway so whats the problem with the likes of a season ticket holder getting preference? None at all.

PCPhoto

I think what tim bryce was trying to say is that - the core fans (who turn up to magners etc games should be given an opportunity to purchase before the general public- "fair weather fans")


Ideally you would have a system where ticket purchasers must produce ticket stubbs from previously attended games and a min of 2/3 games attended before christmas to prove some level of interest in the game.

as with all sports - touts get their hands on tickets and its all down to who has more money then !! (I think they need to clamp down on touting and prosecute them to stop them doing it in future)

louthandproud

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Thats professional sport for you. If it was any other way there'd be 80,000 at every game these teams play in any comp. Lets be realistic here: Its normal.

Somebody who does not play or coach the game but is a member of a Supporters club has as much right to tickets as the clubbie. For internationals at least, clubs tend to flog off their allocation anyway so whats the problem with the likes of a season ticket holder getting preference? None at all.

Don't think the problem is with Season ticket holders getting priority on tickets(as they should), I think the problem is that they got nearly all of the tickets. As you said yourself they have as much of a right not a complete right.

In fact with 9K people or so getting 80-90% of the 30K allocation it really just plays into the hands of the touts and people looking to make a few quick euros. And basically two fingers to the hard working club officials and refs who might not be in a position to be season ticket holders.

crisco10

PCPhoto wrote: »

Ideally you would have a system where ticket purchasers must produce ticket stubbs from previously attended games and a min of 2/3 games attended before christmas to prove some level of interest in the game.

Apperently this will be the case next year. STH are getting a swipe card which will be read at each game and then noted so its possible to tell how many games a STH went to. Whether this is true is hard to know and if they ever do anything with the information gathered is another thing!

Serenity Now!

PCPhoto wrote: »

I think what tim bryce was trying to say is that - the core fans (who turn up to magners etc games should be given an opportunity to purchase before the general public- "fair weather fans")

Impossible to gauge, even easier to fiddle (tickets are supposed to be non-transferable and you can bet your arse that cards will be passed in even if holder is not present) and much more expensive to administer.

As far as swipe card systems go, Ticketmaster can't even get a password or stock limit system working so that idea might as well end up in a warehouse along with the Lost Ark and the Electronic Voting System. And besides its the same theory behind Season Tickets anyway.

There are only so many tickets available. Somebody will always lose out. The game is supposed to be broadening its appeal. Why keep it a closed shop? Why discriminate against Supporters and Season Ticket holders? Clubs get allocations. People who buy their regular tickets get allocations. Thats pro sport!

Serenity Now!

louthandproud wrote: »

Don't think the problem is with Season ticket holders getting priority on tickets(as they should), I think the problem is that they got nearly all of the tickets. As you said yourself they have as much of a right not a complete right.

I see what you mean now. I'd actually agree with some area of that as an allocation of six per holder is just bloody dumb. I don't know of any high-profile and high-demand event that has that many tickets in one purchase sold. Its just as stupid as selling them in ones.

roryok

I got 6 tickets through my season ticket. i go to almost evry game and have even been to 4 away games this season as well (wasps, edinburgh and quins in HEC and Munster in ML). All tickets going to family, including my mother-in-law who has never been to a rugby game before. she is a fan however, she just normally wouldn't go with us the RDS as she's probably be shocked by how much the lads drink there. Only downside is the fact that my bro-in-law's GF is going and she's a munster fan. However, as she was also at the away wasps game so probably attended more leinster games this year than many others going this weekend.

louthandproud

Serenity Now! wrote: »

I see what you mean now. I'd actually agree with some area of that as an allocation of six per holder is just bloody dumb. I don't know of any high-profile and high-demand event that has that many tickets in one purchase sold. Its just as stupid as selling them in ones.

Normally for high demand events 2 makes sense, I assume Munster couldn't do this as 15'000 season ticket holders and people in the official supporters club which is how they distribute HEC tickets to fans would have meant no tickets for clubs, schools, refs etc...

just a shame so many tickets have go to sponsors/corporate but money talks.

(Even though this is where I got my ticket on this occasion)

smurphy29

Two through my season ticket... was a bit of a struggle as I didn't have ticketmaster or password access that weekend until tuesday when I got into work... had to keep trying the password til eventually it decided there were tickets available. By that time the 6 per person appeared to have been removed. Taking my gf, who has become a dedicated fan this season, and been to a lot of games with me. I've been to all games bar one this season and last, and renewed my ST for next year.

The 6 tix per person was a farce, and they should have thought it throuh better, but I guess the pressure coming on from the ERC to put everything on sale immediately meant the whole thing was rushed and messy.

Don't approve of sniping at non-STH or supposed 'fair-weather fans'... it's a privilege to be able to commit oneself to something as enjoyable as following a rugger team.

crisco10

roryok wrote: »

I got 6 tickets through my season ticket. i go to almost evry game and have even been to 4 away games this season as well (wasps, edinburgh and quins in HEC and Munster in ML). All tickets going to family, including my mother-in-law who has never been to a rugby game before. she is a fan however, she just normally wouldn't go with us the RDS as she's probably be shocked by how much the lads drink there. Only downside is the fact that my bro-in-law's GF is going and she's a munster fan. However, as she was also at the away wasps game so probably attended more leinster games this year than many others going this weekend.

Does your sister know about this?

LeoGilly

I got 3 from Ticketmaster.

premierstone

crisco10 wrote: »

Does your sister know about this?

I would imagine its he's wifes' brother so not really of any concern to he's sister

crisco10

premierstone wrote: »

I would imagine its he's wifes' brother so not really of any concern to he's sister

Yeah but its not as funny that way! Sheesh...:rolleyes:

Anyways, back OT. got 6 as a STH. gave all bar one to true blues. The other is a semi-true blue (my da) who I owe about a million tickets to after a childhood that involved alot of big matches. But he knows if he doesn't cheer Leinster he will be disowned.

Kento

I got schoolboy ticket for the Nally off my manager ( I play U16s) but my mam put it in the wash and now it a bit wrecked but barcode etc is still readable,

any chance I'll get in?

phog

I heard in Limerick today that Leinster sent back tickets to the ERC and they are now with Munstrer clubs, is this true?

Tim Robbins

Kento wrote: »

I got schoolboy ticket for the Nally off my manager ( I play U16s) but my mam put it in the wash and now it a bit wrecked but barcode etc is still readable,

any chance I'll get in?

I'd go to the ground very early mate. Perhaps ring or contact the ERC as well.

niceoneted

Not a season ticket holder due to being a shift worker and not knowing whether I'll make a game or not.
Although I have managed to be at most home games for the last 3 seasons. Have been unable to go on away trips to date due to work. Not a sniff of a ticket. I'll be at the final though.
I was really disappointed like others about the way tickets were distributed. I know several people who would not watch a match on telly never mind go to one in the cold, wind and rain who got tickets for this game. I was at the game last weekend and not a ticket to be seen, why were they not selling a few there to the regulars.
I will be thinking of spending next years ticket money on upgrading my sky package so I can not only get to watch the Leinster games but others too along with the soccer and golf etc and all in the comfort of my own home. I will forfeit the atmosphere the 60 mile sound trip along with the bad weather. I have heard others say this too!

Sundy

I heard of one AIL club today who sold their entire allocation to a "ticket distributor".

So it seems in some cases the LB were very sensible in not giving out too many tickets to the clubs.

ixus

Have premium season tickets so got first refusal.
My club (Junior) had 10 allocated to them.

Kento

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I'd go to the ground very early mate. Perhaps ring or contact the ERC as well.

I can't find a phone number or anything for them... Anyone know how to get in contact with the ERC or Croke Park Stadium?

Crash

From the Ticketmaster email I just recieved:

Sports Dept: 00353 (1) 6486054 (Friday only)
Email:rugbytickets@ticketmaster.ie

Customer Services: 0818 903001 (Saturday only)

Opening Hours: Friday: 09.30 to 18.00 and Saturday: 09.30 to 18.00

Hope that helps mate.

curts82

Pshan wrote: »

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I'm a ref and member of a junior club - got no ticket.


All Munster refs who applied got two tickets!!