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How/Where did you get your ticket?

  • 24-09-2013 1:47pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,839 ✭✭✭✭


    Now that the scramble is over for us football fans, I thought it might be interesting if posters could give a brief description of their struggle to obtain the much sought after ticket.

    As usual, I did only the bare minimum searching inside the county (Mayo), was in the club draw but no luck there.
    Because of my job, a season ticket is not really a runner for me as my 'weekend' can fall in the middle of the week. Having said that I still managed to get to a few league games, 2 provincial matches and all from quarter finals onwards:o

    I got sorted via my boss in Tipperary quite early in the week, he knows a guy on the Tipp. county board so was very grateful for that.


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,493 ✭✭✭DazMarz


    Parnell Pass sorted me. But also picked up 2 tickets on the eve of the game from a contact I have. A good friend of mine got one of them, sold the other one to a Dublin fan I was put in touch with through the Dublin GAA Facebook page. both sold for face value, before anyone jumps on me! :o


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,607 ✭✭✭sgarvan


    Season ticket


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,736 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Got 3 in the end

    One from a county board member of the county I live in.
    One from a county board member of another county.
    One from a club member of a club in the county I live in

    I obviously only needed one so the other two went to family members


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 15,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭rebel girl 15


    Football - got a text message to say that I was entitled to two tickets, reply if I wanted them and to send payment! :D Ended up giving them to a friend of mine, as I wasn't going to be at the game


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,399 ✭✭✭✭ThunbergsAreGo


    Season Ticket


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Got my AI ticket via the Parnell Pass.

    Same for the semi against Kerry. I needed an extra one for the semi. I got it from someone I follow on Twitter. He runs a supporters page on Facebook. He knew someone who had a spare who wanted it to go to a real fan & asked him to post it on Twitter/Facebook. First come, first served. I was first to respond, so I got it. I know a couple of other people who sourced tickets to the game on Sunday via social media. Even if you aren't into social media, it can be a handy tool to source tickets if the usual sources dry up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.

    Clearly i didnt get a ticket, but went to all the other Championship games.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,493 ✭✭✭DazMarz


    Only missed one league game all year (v. Kerry) and was at all the other Championship games. Will admit this, however. I actually only HEARD of the Parnell Pass after the semi-final against Kerry. Naturally, snapped one up and got my Final ticket that way. Bloody wish I'd heard of it before; would have saved me a fortune in League ticket costs.

    Don't ask me how I'd never heard of it before! Go to all the Dublin games, and I'd honestly never heard of it before until someone on here mentioned it to me! :o


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,736 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Slattsy wrote: »
    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.

    Clearly i didnt get a ticket, but went to all the other Championship games.

    Went to 2 Mayo league games and 5 of the 6 championship games


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 152 ✭✭malascoile


    what is the parnell pass?


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  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,514 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Parnell Pass is the Dublin "season" ticket. We get one ticket through season tickets and can sometimes get one through Cumann na mBunscol (it's a lottery and you have to pay, of course.)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    malascoile wrote: »
    what is the parnell pass?

    It's a pass that gets you into all club and league games run under the auspices of the Dublin Co Board & entitles you to an AI ticket if Dublin make it to the final.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 727 ✭✭✭C.O.Y.B.I.B


    Season Ticket , Was in Croke Park 14 times this year inc. a bandwagon jump to support the hurlers in the Semi. No away league games this year (except Kildare :) )


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭bohsboy


    Was outside the Big Tree early enough on Sunday and there was crowds everywhere. Saw a guy with a sign held up "Ticket Required" written on it. He was there a while and I saw a Tyrone man go over and give him a ticket for face value. I thought it was a lovely act by an obvious true GAA fan.

    Leaving the Big Tree an hour later however I was far from impressed when the same guy was still there with his sign still held up. :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭W123-80's


    Slattsy wrote: »
    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.

    Clearly i didnt get a ticket, but went to all the other Championship games.

    Went to league semi final, A.I semi final & final.
    If I only went to the final I would have no problem admitting that too. I don't see anything to be ashamed about in attending a major final and a huge sporting event.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,839 ✭✭✭✭padd b1975


    Slattsy wrote: »
    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.
    Two of my sisters only went to the final.

    Although one is heavily involved with our home club, the other is a total event junkie:(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    There is a bit of an event junkie in all of us really, if we are honest. All sports attract them, not just the GAA. Imagine that you are offered a ticket to a prestigious sporting occasion, such as The Masters or Wimbledon or the Six Nations. It is the final of a sport that you have no serious involvement in, but it's so prestigious and famous an event, you'd love to go to it anyway. Tickets are like gold dust, so if you get one, you get to brag about it to all and sundry later on. Would you say " oh yes please", or would you say "oh no, I think that a real tennis/golf/rugby fan, who goes to all the unimportant games all year long, should have that and not me". I think we all know what the answer is there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 53 ✭✭El Viz


    Parnell Pass had me sorted but I did end up swapping it for a ticket in the upper hogan stand.
    I was a bit worried about the view as I'd never been in the upper tier before as most of my trips to HQ are on the hill or the lower stands.

    Was in row Q and I must say, after my initial reaction to hold on for dear life to my seat I loved it. The view was spectacular and I even got to take in a fine view of Dublin.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 613 ✭✭✭rodge68


    Getting my tickets from Tyrone. My clubs (Clare) first allocation for the first day were terrible seats...swapped them..


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 15,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭rebel girl 15


    Slattsy wrote: »
    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.

    Clearly i didnt get a ticket, but went to all the other Championship games.

    Yep, I'll be honest with you - never went to a men's senior championship game in my life, yet I've tickets for the finals, and will be going to the hurling final replay since I'm home. My first men's senior intercounty championship game, been to a few league games but never championship. Lot of the days clashed with other things, and the fact that I'm now based abroad but a lot of the time it was hassle to get to the matches, and I'm busy involved with ladies football - Sunday might be the only day I get a chance to be at home for a few hours, or it could be there was matches in the evening and I'd always watch the match, excuse to turn off the phone and ignore people!

    Most of my life is dedicated to ladies football, and to be honest, given that I was hardly spending any time at home, heading to a match that I can watch in peace and quiet on the TV and relax for a few hours wasn't a draw.

    Through my hard work in the evenings, I'm now lucky enough to get an option to buy 2 tickets for the finals, but thats hours of hard work, and to be honest, I feel like it is a nice reward for the amount of work I have to put in, while still holding down a full time job! Would I give it away to a person who has gone to every championship match - probably not. I gave my hurling tickets to a friend of mine who is a referee for men's and ladies, my football tickets went to the Mayo lad who is coaching our team here on his own. I'm home for the hurling replay, so I'm going to go to it!

    There is always going to be event junkies who will get tickets, thats the way things go. It does annoy me, and I can understand why it would annoy others, but money is money - just because you have been to every game this year doesn't matter. I think if people are going to go to every game, get the season ticket - its great value and a good idea by the GAA to give hard weathered fans the chance to guarantee tickets. But I think if you put the hard work in, you generally will get rewarded one way or another.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Donnielighto


    Not from either county. Been to one game all year but went to final. Dad was on the 1980s team so I aint feeling any guilt btw.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,789 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Meh, I'm very dubious about this idea of so called real fans getting left without tickets. There are so many avenues available, from season tickets, ticket schemes, getting the tickets through clubs etc.

    What was the attendance at the Mayo vs Dublin league game? 15 or 20k?

    The Mayo population is something like 130k people, the idea that there are 40k people who would fall under the classification most people have when they talk about "real fans" seems very unlikely to me. The same goes for every other county too.

    Probably even including Dublin when you consider that there were 5,000 people in Killarney for one of their only away games of the year.
    bohsboy wrote: »
    Was outside the Big Tree early enough on Sunday and there was crowds everywhere. Saw a guy with a sign held up "Ticket Required" written on it. He was there a while and I saw a Tyrone man go over and give him a ticket for face value. I thought it was a lovely act by an obvious true GAA fan.

    Leaving the Big Tree an hour later however I was far from impressed when the same guy was still there with his sign still held up. :mad:

    Ha! I was laughing about those guys on Sunday and wondering if anyone could possibly fall for what they were at!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,126 ✭✭✭Santa Cruz


    padd b1975 wrote: »
    Two of my sisters only went to the final.

    Although one is heavily involved with our home club, the other is a total event junkie:(

    I read Georgia Salpa was very upset that she couldn't make the final to support her beloved Dubs as she was in London shooting her 2014 Calendar.
    Funnily enough I think I would remember her if I had seen her play in any Camogie of Ladies football club games around Dublin


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,429 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    bohsboy wrote: »

    Leaving the Big Tree an hour later however I was far from impressed when the same guy was still there with his sign still held up. :mad:

    I heard about someone who does this for both finals every year. Passes the tickets onto his mate who then touts them outside a different pub.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,785 ✭✭✭Dubliner28


    Season ticket is the only way to go..
    Cant wait till next year.. 4 away games rather than the 2 this year..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 845 ✭✭✭skydish79


    Dubliner28 wrote: »
    Season ticket is the only way to go..
    Cant wait till next year.. 4 away games rather than the 2 this year..

    Season tickets are great if your county has a chance of being in the all ireland

    went to over 10 matches in croker, few of the round matches, the quarters and semis, but no chance of an all ireland

    Think there should be some system or loyalty card that if you attend matches throughout the year and build up enough loyalty points that there is a chance/lottery of some sort

    Hate these fair weather fans just coming looking for a ticket for one match in the year


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 21,727 ✭✭✭✭Godge


    skydish79 wrote: »
    Season tickets are great if your county has a chance of being in the all ireland

    went to over 10 matches in croker, few of the round matches, the quarters and semis, but no chance of an all ireland

    Think there should be some system or loyalty card that if you attend matches throughout the year and build up enough loyalty points that there is a chance/lottery of some sort

    Hate these fair weather fans just coming looking for a ticket for one match in the year

    but if you are not interested in a season ticket for the league, don't you then meet the definition of a fair-weather fan?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 845 ✭✭✭skydish79


    Godge wrote: »
    but if you are not interested in a season ticket for the league, don't you then meet the definition of a fair-weather fan?

    I go to louth league matches, but would go to the championship matches in croke park as im living close by


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,264 ✭✭✭✭Fireball07


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    There is a bit of an event junkie in all of us really, if we are honest. All sports attract them, not just the GAA. Imagine that you are offered a ticket to a prestigious sporting occasion, such as The Masters or Wimbledon or the Six Nations. It is the final of a sport that you have no serious involvement in, but it's so prestigious and famous an event, you'd love to go to it anyway. Tickets are like gold dust, so if you get one, you get to brag about it to all and sundry later on. Would you say " oh yes please", or would you say "oh no, I think that a real tennis/golf/rugby fan, who goes to all the unimportant games all year long, should have that and not me". I think we all know what the answer is there.

    I might be a bit weird in that sense, but I would honestly have no interest in going to Wimbledon or the Masters. If I somehow got tickets, I would almost certainly sell them to someone who actually wanted to go.



    If my team got to the AI final and I didn't get a ticket, I would be really annoyed. I don't have a season ticket but I'm not sure whether it would be a good investment or not..... as far as I know, you have to specialise in one code? But Limerick are unlikely to make a final in football, although may play more games during the year... so if I got a football one, and attended x amount of games, but also went to the majority of hurling matches, I wouldn't necessarily be entitled to a hurling final ticket if Limerick reached it? I might get one anyway, but it would kinda put me off.

    Also, as I don't drive, I'm unlikely to get to more than 1 away league game, being realistic.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 868 ✭✭✭Gerry91


    I can see why people would go up for a day out though- the "event junkies"

    Look from my own perspective I travelled up Sunday morning. Firstly went to demolish a fry up, and even in the place itself there was great banter at about 11 in the morning, load of friendly banter between fans and great atmosphere. Then the streets were thronged, again absolutely unreal atmosphere and vibe around the place. Then was in Quinns for 11.45 to meet a mate of mine who I hadn't seen since Galway races 2012, met a few in there had great craic and when it got overly busy went down to another spot to see cousins from Dublin, one I see regularly the other not since 5 years ago! Had great craic with all their Dub friends too, love that about GAA having banter with the opposition before

    From my own perspective it was a savage day out, can easily see why people go for the "day out" aspect. Of course, I'd class myself as a big Mayo GAA fan and I try make most games so the match took complete preference to "day out". But still I really enjoyed it, until after the game that is. I could only imagine if they won how it would have been. If I'd no real interest in GAA I'd probably still try get involved that's the reality :o

    Agree with Keane on this one. I saw a lot of "genuine fans" on twitter, the book, even ticket forum here looking for tickets. I'd be dubious. Surely if you were that genuine you'd be either (or all of) a club member, know others in different clubs, have plenty of contacts, or the best of the lot a season ticket!

    And I'd be amazed that many "genuine fans" are using boards as a medium.

    Of course there'll be load of fairweather fans. What's the average league attendance for a game in Castlebar?

    Don't know one fan I'd class as genuine myself not getting sorted through multiple avenues though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    I am another Parnell Pass holder. It is better than the season ticket, because it guarantees free entry to all our league games at home or in Croke Park, though not the away ones. It guarantees tickets for all championship matches, Hurling and Football, though you pay for those. It also guarantees free entry to all county championship games. We've seen it in this thread, but it is amazing how many Dublin fans that do go regularly to games have never heard of it. I suppose it is a bit like the fans who go to a lot of matches but don't know that tickets for finals don't go on general sale or on Tickets.ie or Ticketmaster.

    Last Sunday was my 19th time in Croke Park so far this year. I'm like part of the furniture. :) I have not got a ticket for it yet, but hopefully Saturday will be my 20th time and then the International Rules match to make it 21. Last Sunday was my 37th consecutive All-Ireland Football final. I've been at 34 Hurling finals, giving a total of 71, hopefully making it to 72 on Saturday. How do I get tickets? With great difficulty and a lot of luck. :) I am hoping a club contact will come through for Saturday and if not I'll head into town to look for one. As things stand, in a strange coincidence I have been at one more football final than Kerry have won and one more Hurling final than Kilkenny have won. If my luck holds out, I hope to go to my 100th final in 2027, though a few more replays could make that sooner. :) Oh, and if anyone does have a ticket for Saturday, PM me. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,255 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    Slattsy wrote: »
    I'd like to know if anyone is honest enough to admit that they didnt go to any other games during the year but went to the final.

    Clearly i didnt get a ticket, but went to all the other Championship games.

    On final day, I was shocked to see four or five Cavan/Meath people I know check in separately at Croke Park.

    These are people who are from Cavan or Meath and would struggle to know where Breffni Park or Pairc Tailteann are.

    Perhaps they were there with partners from the counties involved but it just seemed an awful waste of tickets to me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,429 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    Kinda off-topic but 3 Tyrone people sat down behind me approx 5mins from the end of the minor game. Now what teams were in the minor game? Also the Dublin lad that was beside me told me a story about how he was in having a few jars and a Tyrone guy came in and sold his ticket for a few hundred euro. Hate that kinda muck happening.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    I'm curious.

    Do people think that a lack of attendance at games is the same as not supporting your team?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,429 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    prospect wrote: »
    I'm curious.

    Do people think that a lack of attendance at games is the same as not supporting your team?

    It is a lack of physical and noise support. Emotional support from afar isn't o much use to any team.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    It is a lack of physical and noise support. Emotional support from afar isn't o much use to any team.

    But do you consider that maybe there are reasons people don't/can't attend?

    Some may work weekends, Hospitality or retail employees.

    Some may have personal and family reasons they cannot attend.

    Some simply may not be able to afford to attend.

    Some may have commitments at their local club training youth teams.



    Do you consider someone who stands at the pitchside a few times a year enjoying a game more committed than those who cannot attend county games because they are involved in training, support, maintaining and administrating the game on a local level?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,429 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    prospect wrote: »

    those who cannot attend county games because they are involved in training, support, maintaining and administrating the game on a local level?

    I do all of these as well as playing while living/working 3hours from home and still manage to go to games. Where there is a will there is a way.

    These people who have alternative things pressing on their time always somehow manage to get the weekend/day off to go to the AI. The county are involved in approx 6 championship games a year if they get to the final. Maybe 8 league games if they get to the final. Now away league games are a different story as a league game in Cork at 7:30 on a Saturday evening would mean someone possibly not getting back home until 2am depending on where they live. Sat Mayo have 3/4 games at home during the league. Combine that with ALL the championship games would mean about 10 games a year to attend.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,358 ✭✭✭kollegeknight


    COst is a massive factor. My wife and I attend most games, My brother cannot afford to. Another gets grief for going away at weekends. Both of them equally support the teams as I, they have the exact same interest.

    Both of them have tickets for the replay ahead of me and I wouldnt begrudge them it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    It's the kind of "fan" that didn't know their team was in the semi-final until after they heard the result and then goes to the final that people have the problem with. Every county has sunshine fans and you are not going to get a huge crowd at a league game on a cold February day, but there still should be more people at those games. There are the reasons of time, cost, travel etc., but the ones that could easily go and just don't bother and then expect final tickets are the ones that people have problems with. The "Ah, sure it's only a league game" and "Sure if they get to the final I will go." people!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,736 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Godge wrote: »
    but if you are not interested in a season ticket for the league, don't you then meet the definition of a fair-weather fan?

    No it's not as simple as that

    I am a Mayo man living in Kerry
    I do not have a season ticket as I only really get the chance to get to two league games a year.
    Also I am not in a position to get someone else to use the ticket in games that I cannot get to.
    If Mayo get to a league SF or final I can use a Kerry persons season ticket.
    Therefore the season ticket is not value of money for me.
    I go to most Championship game, I may miss a Connaught QF or SF the odd year.
    I am not a die hard nor am I a fair weather fan.
    And every time Mayo have been to an All Ireland I have had no problems getting a ticket


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    I do all of these as well as playing while living/working 3hours from home and still manage to go to games. Where there is a will there is a way.

    These people who have alternative things pressing on their time always somehow manage to get the weekend/day off to go to the AI. The county are involved in approx 6 championship games a year if they get to the final. Maybe 8 league games if they get to the final. Now away league games are a different story as a league game in Cork at 7:30 on a Saturday evening would mean someone possibly not getting back home until 2am depending on where they live. Sat Mayo have 3/4 games at home during the league. Combine that with ALL the championship games would mean about 10 games a year to attend.

    But do you not see that, just because you can do it, that means nothing to the next man/woman.

    Add in Kids training in GAA & Other sports, helping with a dependent relative, cooking a Sunday dinner for elderly parents, not having the free use of a car, working long hours during the week and wanting to spend time with your family.


    I'll happily admit that the only GAA game I attended this year was the Football Final. I watch as many on TV as I can, but due to the nature of my work, my wifes work, our family commitments etc, I find it hard to make it to games.
    My wife plays GAA for our local club, she used to play county. Before we had kids and other commitments I used to attend most of her club/county games but now cannot.

    It's not that I choose to park my arse for the year until the glory game. I was offered two tickets to the Game last Sunday on the previous Thursday, I took them. I don't apologise for it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    prospect wrote: »
    But do you not see that, just because you can do it, that means nothing to the next man/woman.

    Add in Kids training in GAA & Other sports, helping with a dependent relative, cooking a Sunday dinner for elderly parents, not having the free use of a car, working long hours during the week and wanting to spend time with your family.


    I'll happily admit that the only GAA game I attended this year was the Football Final. I watch as many on TV as I can, but due to the nature of my work, my wifes work, our family commitments etc, I find it hard to make it to games.
    My wife plays GAA for our local club, she used to play county. Before we had kids and other commitments I used to attend most of her club/county games but now cannot.

    It's not that I choose to park my arse for the year until the glory game. I was offered two tickets to the Game last Sunday on the previous Thursday, I took them. I don't apologise for it.

    Fair enough, but how was it that on All-Ireland Final day you managed to get out of all of those other commitments, but not on any other day? As people would see it, if you could get out of them on All-Ireland Final day, then surely you could get out of them on at least some other match days in the year. People would see it as you just not bothering to make the arrangements, except on All-Ireland Final day. There will have been some match days that they were completely unavoidable, but surely there would have been some days in the year when you could have done it if the effort was made and if you wanted to make that effort. That is how people will look at your scenario.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,174 ✭✭✭mobby


    On a side note, I looked at the eircom fanpic website http://fanpic.huggity.com/197-2013-eircom_gaa_final/app/index.php on
    on Monday and again last night and I notice a lot of the corporate box's in particular the Banks have a blurred out the faces of who was sitting there. Interesting. I am of course, having never been to a corporate box, presuming that the sponsors name is under each box.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    Flukey wrote: »
    Fair enough, but how was it that on All-Ireland Final day you managed to get out of all of those other commitments, but not on any other day? As people would see it, if you could get out of them on All-Ireland Final day, then surely you could get out of them on at least some other match days in the year. People would see it as you just not bothering to make the arrangements, except on All-Ireland Final day. There will have been some match days that they were completely unavoidable, but surely there would have been some days in the year when you could have done it if the effort was made and if you wanted to make that effort. That is how people will look at your scenario.

    Well, the All Ireland is a special day, you make a special effort.
    Would you take a day off work for your Cousins birthday, probably not. But would you take it off for their wedding?

    It is all moot, nobody has to explain their reasons, I am just illustrating that it is a pretty blunt instrument you (the tone of the thread in general) are using here by saying, "I've been to more games, I'm a better fan, I deserve a ticket more than that guy".

    The thing is, I don't really care how people see my scenario, they don't know my circumstances no more than I know theirs. I got two free tickets, I went, I enjoyed it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    prospect wrote: »
    Well, the All Ireland is a special day, you make a special effort.
    Would you take a day off work for your Cousins birthday, probably not. But would you take it off for their wedding?

    It is all moot, nobody has to explain their reasons, I am just illustrating that it is a pretty blunt instrument you (the tone of the thread in general) are using here by saying, "I've been to more games, I'm a better fan, I deserve a ticket more than that guy".

    The thing is, I don't really care how people see my scenario, they don't know my circumstances no more than I know theirs. I got two free tickets, I went, I enjoyed it.

    Yes All-Ireland final day is special, but so are the other days. You need to make progress in them to get to the final, so in that sense they are all equally important. If they are your team then their participation in the first round is as important as the final. The qualifiers have given an extra chance, but if your team is in the qualifiers then every game they play is critical to winning the final. Finals are special, but though they may not be as special, semi-finals are special too, quarter finals a little less special but still special and on we go.

    Talking to some other Dublin fans after the match we agreed that the semi-final victory was more special than the final victory. Dublin v Kerry is special no matter which round it is in, so there are other factors that make a match special. The same can be said for other pairings. There is always a "Tie of the round." It has something extra special about it and is a game that real fans want to see, and even go to if at all possible. If someone only sees the final as special and not any other game, that is a blinkered approach.

    Fans will go to as many games as they can and make the arrangements to do so if they really want to. They use a different and more genuine system of grading importance of matches. If you think that a final is the only game that is special then you don't have a true appreciation of the matches. Personally, I want to go to every final for the rest of my life, but I also want to go to semis and quarters and other games, because they are all special too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,775 ✭✭✭✭Slattsy


    Although i didnt get a ticket for the final, I'd have been feeling worse if i missed the Kerry match, what a game to be there for.

    Its annoying how people pick and choose what matches they go to, and then justify it by saying 'work/family commitments ensured i couldnt go to ANY other game but it was ok for the final' :rolleyes: but sure what can ye do.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 897 ✭✭✭moycullen14


    Well, I want a ticket but I don't feel I 'deserve' one. To be honest, the problem isn't with the event junkies - the 'undeserving' (whatever that is) - that get a ticket but with the distribution system that overlooks those that have either been to a lot of matches or done work for the club.

    Because the tickets don't go on general sale, every ticket can be traced back to the GAA. If they end up in the 'wrong' hands, then the fault is with the organisation, not the person who ends up with the ticket.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    Slattsy wrote: »
    and then justify it by saying 'work/family commitments ensured i couldnt go to ANY other game but it was ok for the final' :rolleyes: but sure what can ye do.

    But nobody has an obligation to justify anything, I'm certainly not anyway.

    Out of courtesy I am explaining the multitude of reasons somebody might not go, and trying to illustrate how ignorant it is to assume that because someone does not go to a game they are not as deserving of a ticket as another person.


    I suppose the counter-argument is:
    If a 'non-fan' is expected to move mountains and attend X games a year, then it is reasonable that a 'real fan' should move mountains and source a ticket, rather than whinge about not getting one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,429 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    prospect wrote: »
    But nobody has an obligation to justify anything, I'm certainly not anyway.

    Out of courtesy I am explaining the multitude of reasons somebody might not go, and trying to illustrate how ignorant it is to assume that because someone does not go to a game they are not as deserving of a ticket as another person.


    I suppose the counter-argument is:
    If a 'non-fan' is expected to move mountains and attend X games a year, then it is reasonable that a 'real fan' should move mountains and source a ticket, rather than whinge about not getting one.

    I will give you an example. I am a member, player and trainer in/of an exclusive hurling club in Mayo. Our club got x amount of tickets and have y members. The total number of members is approx 4 times the number of tickets that we got. Nearly of of these would also be involved in football to some degree. Just not enough tickets actually given to clubs in the competing and then we have plebs like those I outlined earlier(Tyrone minor 'supporters') and also those who get tickets who can't even name players on the county team/the colours of their local club et


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,787 ✭✭✭prospect


    I will give you an example. I am a member, player and trainer in/of an exclusive hurling club in Mayo. Our club got x amount of tickets and have y members. The total number of members is approx 4 times the number of tickets that we got. Nearly of of these would also be involved in football to some degree. Just not enough tickets actually given to clubs in the competing and then we have plebs like those I outlined earlier(Tyrone minor 'supporters') and also those who get tickets who can't even name players on the county team/the colours of their local club et

    I certainly empathise.

    But there is a distinct difference (in my mind) between someone who cannot attend as many games as they would like, and someone who does not know the teams/rules etc.


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