How do you get tickets for an All Ireland Final?

blue note · 21-08-2017 10:36am #1

So how does everyone do it? I read about how they're distributed and people tell me that they're confident of getting them "from their source." But what has been your source in the past?

I've only been to the 2008 final and got them through a county board member at the time. We had been getting tickets through him for all championship games for close to a decade - between 3 and 6 each time and he was very decent to sort us out with 4 for the final. Rubbish tickets, but they were in the ground so we were fairly grateful! Club allocations never seem to be even close to enough, so where else do people get them?

Admittedly I'm concerned for this one. I think one will show up somewhere. I'm asking around with everyone I know but there's no route I'm confident of getting one through. Unfortunately I'm a member in a Dublin club which is made up of country lads, so I think we'll get two and have about 40 lads in the draw for them.

buck65 · 21-08-2017 10:56am

There is always massive demand for tickets leading up to the hurling final but usually if you have your work done they do tend to appear around Friday or Saturday. Lads tend to buy too many when they can and suddenly find out family member or buddy who asked them to keep an eye out got sorted elsewhere.

I would speak to as many people from the counties involved as possible if you know anyone. In your work perhaps there are suppliers/banks etc with corporate tickets?

I know an umpire that always has a ticket or two when I'm stuck. I go every year if I can and would chance Gills pub or somewhere like that at 12 0 clock too you might meet someone selling at face value before the game.

road_high · 21-08-2017 10:59am

Usually knowing people in other counties is a big help. Other than that, being a member of the local GAA of course is how we got them in the past but sounds like you know that already. With Waterford and Galway in the final a lot of people are going to want to go than usual making things even harder.

seamus · 21-08-2017 1:09pm

Managed to get one through a FOAF in 2011. Between five or six of us we all managed to land tickets individually, but every year since then it's been impossible to get anything for football finals involving Dublin. I think between all of us the last time we got any tickets was two of them in 2013.

To be fair, none of us are involved in clubs (yet) for a number of reasons, so we don't feel hard done by or entitled to tickets. Sources for us have usually been 3rd hand - someone who can get tickets because they've a business connection involved in a club. We've managed to find a couple of sources this year, so fingers crossed...

homerjay2005 · 21-08-2017 1:45pm

how do you get tickets to an all ireland final?

you become an active member of your local club.
you become a season ticket holder in your county.
you go to games and get your tickets through your club.

generally 1 or a combination of the above, guarantees everybody a ticket.

blue note · 21-08-2017 2:05pm

Ah, that's the way a lot of people get tickets, but it far from guarantees everybody a ticket! The season tickets certainly do guarantee people tickets, but between Waterford and Galway would there be 2,000 season ticket holders? I doubt it to be honest.

And being an active member with your local club and going to games far from guarantees you tickets. It gives you a good chance, but come all Ireland final time you might very well be in trouble.

But anyway, I think competing counties get about 35,000 tickets between them including the minors. What about the other 45,000 tickets. How do they end up in people's hands? I've often heard of people getting a corporate tickets. Or from guards and people selling them around the ground on the day. And there are a hell of a lot of active GAA members in clubs not in their own county. They usually end up getting in, but again where do these people get tickets from? Clubs from non-competing counties get very small allocations, I can't imagine it's easy to get your club tickets for a final.

fg1406 · 21-08-2017 2:11pm

As someone who is married to a Kilkenny man and who has attended their fair share of all
Irelands over the past decade or so, you get them by being a member of your local club (even then it's not guaranteed as it's a lottery) or having a season ticket. Other than that it's down to who you know. Whether it's a sponsor with an allocation or someone in the GAA locally.

adrian522 · 21-08-2017 2:12pm

A few years old but this is where the tickets go to...

All-Ireland ticket breakdown for 2011

Any changes from the 2010 allocation are indicated in brackets.
County allocations: 58,401 (-604)
Provinces: 335 (-50)
Overseas: 470 (-29)
Central Council and former Presidents: 798 (-107)
Camogie: 120
Ladies’ football: 150
Rounders and handball: 147 (-15)
Sponsors: 935 (-35)
Press: 254
TV and radio: 74
Schools and educational bodies: 2,229
3rd Level: 240 (-38)
Croke Park residents: 250
Match officials and national referees’ panel: 103 (-5)
Irish Sports Council and health bodies: 60 (-10)
Match day / Vertigo / minor teams: 148 (-52)
GAA staff and sub-committees: 718 (-93)
Jubilee teams: 68 (-69)
Mini-sevens: 244 (-2)
Term tickets: 4,144 (-11)
Season tickets: 1,884 (+1,120)
Total available for distribution: 71,772
Premium and corporate seating*: 10,528
Total capacity (as per planning permission): 82,300

quadrifoglio verde · 21-08-2017 2:15pm

blue note wrote: »

Ah, that's the way a lot of people get tickets, but it far from guarantees everybody a ticket! The season tickets certainly do guarantee people tickets, but between Waterford and Galway would there be 2,000 season ticket holders? I doubt it to be honest.

And being an active member with your local club and going to games far from guarantees you tickets. It gives you a good chance, but come all Ireland final time you might very well be in trouble.

But anyway, I think competing counties get about 35,000 tickets between them including the minors. What about the other 45,000 tickets. How do they end up in people's hands? I've often heard of people getting a corporate tickets. Or from guards and people selling them around the ground on the day. And there are a hell of a lot of active GAA members in clubs not in their own county. They usually end up getting in, but again where do these people get tickets from? Clubs from non-competing counties get very small allocations, I can't imagine it's easy to get your club tickets for a final.

Every club in the country gets Tickets.
Then you've camogie, ladies football, rounders and handball getting an allocation
Provinces get a few hundred
500 go overseas
Central council gets an allocation
10000 is corporate and premium seating
Gaa staff
Irish press
Corporate sponsors get 1000 or so
Croke oark residents get 250
Vertigo tickets. if you get a crap ticket in the corner of the upper Davin find a steward and say you suffer from vertigo. They've a number of seats in the lower tiers reserved for people who suffers from vertigo/fear of heights
Season ticket holders
2000 tickets go to schools and the likes of cuman na mbunscoil

shmeee · 21-08-2017 2:36pm

road_high wrote: »

Usually knowing people in other counties is a big help. Other than that, being a member of the local GAA of course is how we got them in the past but sounds like you know that already. With Waterford and Galway in the final a lot of people are going to want to go than usual making things even harder.

That will work if you go to a county that has no interest as such in Hurling.

Tipperary got an awful small allocation of this for this years AI, 700 or so and mostly upper Davin. When you break it down to current panel members, each club to get tickets, county officials and previous AI winners etc it is a small amount and nothing spare for those asking in Tipp.

I've never failed to get tickets for an All Ireland my county was involved in, again I've very good sources but anyone that wants to go, will get a ticket, be it the Sunday morning of the game.

Don't panic is the main thing, tickets will come around. Lads ask about 50 people in the build up then end up having too many tickets.

Last year a group of use ended up with a heap of spares on the Sunday morning and effort to off-load them to be honest.

buck65 · 21-08-2017 3:19pm

Tipp v Kilkenny is easy peasy for tickets as both counties have had their share of finals recently. 2 yrs ago there were all Ireland tickets on sale the night before online and outside the ground on the day!
Last year I got 6 tickets without too much bother. Kilkenny bring about 15-20k fans to the final.
There will be big demand for tickets this year allright

blue note · 21-08-2017 3:27pm

I'm not going to panic. neither county brings particularly big support, so I don't think it'll be too mad to get a ticket. I remember for the 08 final being offered 2 more tickets on the day - as someone here said everyone asks everyone they know and then some people end up trying to offload them.

But those saying be active in your club and go to the games - if less than half the tickets go to the competing counties, clearly the majority of people don't get their tickets this way. I'm curious to hear from people themselves how they get them.

Oldtree · 21-08-2017 5:48pm

Press Here for All Ireland Ticket request list :

Here

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 9:32am

blue note wrote: »

I'm not going to panic. neither county brings particularly big support, so I don't think it'll be too mad to get a ticket. I remember for the 08 final being offered 2 more tickets on the day - as someone here said everyone asks everyone they know and then some people end up trying to offload them.

But those saying be active in your club and go to the games - if less than half the tickets go to the competing counties, clearly the majority of people don't get their tickets this way. I'm curious to hear from people themselves how they get them.

The crowd on the day isn't going to be 40k from Galway and 40k from Waterford. You will have thousands of neutrals there. I go every year and there are many more like me.

blue note · 22-08-2017 9:39am

Stationmaster wrote:

The crowd on the day isn't going to be 40k from Galway and 40k from Waterford. You will have thousands of neutrals there. I go every year and there are many more like me.

Ands where do you get your tickets so?

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 9:44am

blue note wrote: »

Ands where do you get your tickets so?

From my club usually.

blue note · 22-08-2017 9:52am

Stationmaster wrote:

From my club usually.

And is there not massive demand for them every year? My club will get a couple this year, but I reckon I'll have about a 5% chance of getting one through the club because we're a non competing county. Do your club raffle them or do they set one aside for you?

Or are you from Kilkenny and therefore basically always a competing county?

shmeee · 22-08-2017 9:56am

blue note wrote: »

And is there not massive demand for them every year? My club will get a couple this year, but I reckon I'll have about a 5% chance of getting one through the club because we're a non competing county. Do your club raffle them or do they set one aside for you?

Or are you from Kilkenny and therefore basically always a competing county?

A 5% chance is decent.

Our club will only get between 4 - 6 tickets and the officers will have first call at that even.

How many tickets will your club get?

glack · 22-08-2017 9:58am

When Mayo is competing I get my ticket from my season ticket and prior to that I always got one from my club. But on the club part, it totally depends on what size of a club you're dealing with. In Mayo, senior clubs get the most tickets, followed by junior and intermediate. Our club would generally have enough tickets to accommodate all/most of their members but often times a good 50% of what they get are terrace tickets. Other clubs would have 100s of members so it's a total lottery.

To source tickets you have to be persistant (ask everyone you know!!) and remember to help out friends in years your county isn't competing in the hope the favour will be returned. I've twice won tickets in competitions, I've gotten tickets from a friend that's club chairman in another county, I've gotten tickets by going to a competing county's hotel the night before/morning of a game, and as a teacher I've gotten tickets through cumann na mbunscoil, I've gotten tickets from a friend that worked in Croke Park.

You'll hear lots of different ways of getting them but it's down to what leg work you're willing to put in to get that ticket. Always hear people saying they can't get tickets but when you ask, they've done very little to try and secure one!

A few years ago, a friend of mine was walking down the street in Drumcondra the week before I game and literally bumped into the GAA president. He recognised him and introduced himself and asked if there was any chance of a ticket and he whipped one out of his pocket and gave it to him! He didn't even have to pay for it!!!! If you don't ask you don't get....

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 9:59am

blue note wrote: »

And is there not massive demand for them every year? My club will get a couple this year, but I reckon I'll have about a 5% chance of getting one through the club because we're a non competing county. Do your club raffle them or do they set one aside for you?

Or are you from Kilkenny and therefore basically always a competing county?

Not from Kilkenny.

We get 5 tickets usually every year. They are given out to people who work in the club and who are going themselves. We feel it's the fairest way and there's never been much of an issue with it. If there's a lot from the club looking to go I'll usually get tickets elsewhere from contacts in other counties.

blue note · 22-08-2017 10:08am

shmeee wrote:

Our club will only get between 4 - 6 tickets and the officers will have first call at that even.

shmeee wrote:

How many tickets will your club get?

shmeee wrote:

A 5% chance is decent.

In the past we've gotten 2, we might get a third since we've an extra team in the championship this year. But we do an open draw. There aren't enough to look after the officers, managers and whoever, so just throw them all in.

A 5% chance isn't the worst, but it means there's a 95% chance I'll bide stressed about getting one!

blue note · 22-08-2017 10:21am

Stationmaster wrote:

We get 5 tickets usually every year. They are given out to people who work in the club and who are going themselves. We feel it's the fairest way and there's never been much of an issue with it. If there's a lot from the club looking to go I'll usually get tickets elsewhere from contacts in other counties.

When you say contacts in other counties, is that other clubs giving their allocation to you? Is there really a club in the country who wouldn't want tickets to the ai hurling final?

Sorry, I'm just trying to get my head around how the tickets actually get to the patrons.

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 10:36am

blue note wrote: »

When you say contacts in other counties, is that other clubs giving their allocation to you? Is there really a club in the country who wouldn't want tickets to the ai hurling final?

Sorry, I'm just trying to get my head around how the tickets actually get to the patrons.

Don't be sorry, ask all you want. It would be someone from another club - not the club themselves. County board officials are another good source if you knew any or anyone close to them.

glack · 22-08-2017 10:53am

You'd ask someone heavily involved in another club to request a ticket and if they get it, they'll give it to you basically.

howiya · 22-08-2017 10:55am

Stationmaster wrote: »

Don't be sorry, ask all you want. It would be someone from another club - not the club themselves. County board officials are another good source if you knew any or anyone close to them.

Another good source is county players from non-competing counties if you know any

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 10:59am

glack wrote: »

You'd ask someone heavily involved in another club to request a ticket and if they get it, they'll give it to you basically.

Yea, that's one way.

Then another way is to ask someone you know that has long term tickets if they're been used. Someone else just mentioned county players - every county player in every county is entitled to 2 tickets.

Basically you just try and identify as many possible sources of tickets as you can and follow up on them. I have yet to meet someone who didn't get a ticket for the hurling final if they made some bit of an effort to source them elsewhere.

blue note · 22-08-2017 10:59am

Stationmaster wrote: »

Don't be sorry, ask all you want. It would be someone from another club - not the club themselves. County board officials are another good source if you knew any or anyone close to them.

Thanks. As I say, I'm genuinely curious and want to understand, but don't want to come across as aggressive demanding to know where people get their tickets!

08 Ireland final I got them through a county board officer, but on the morning of I was offered two more tickets. Just people trying to get all they could I'm sure and ending up with more than one. We no longer have that connection (my friend worked for him and doesn't any more). I reckon that sort of thing will happen again. But that's okay for me living in Dublin. I don't think my father would come up and take the chance that he'll get one if he doesn't have it in his hand the night before.

Ah, it's just such a bloody stress!

howiya · 22-08-2017 11:02am

Stationmaster wrote: »

Yea, that's one way.

Then another way is to ask someone you know that has long term tickets if they're been used. Someone else just mentioned county players - every county player in every county is entitled to 2 tickets.

Basically you just try and identify as many possible sources of tickets as you can and follow up on them. I have yet to meet someone who didn't get a ticket for the hurling final if they made some bit of an effort to source them elsewhere.

I know last year wasn't a novel pairing with Tipp and KK in the final but I was drinking in the Hogan Stand pub before the game and the amount of tickets being sold outside on the road.

I'd be the same as yourself, I've never met someone who wanted a hurling ticket and didn't get one. Different story for the football

blue note · 22-08-2017 11:08am

glack wrote: »

You'd ask someone heavily involved in another club to request a ticket and if they get it, they'll give it to you basically.

I got one for my housemate for the football final last year that way. I'm asking everywhere, and I think one will turn up eventually.

briangu · 22-08-2017 11:33am

blue note wrote: »

So how does everyone do it? I read about how they're distributed and people tell me that they're confident of getting them "from their source." But what has been your source in the past?

I've only been to the 2008 final and got them through a county board member at the time. We had been getting tickets through him for all championship games for close to a decade - between 3 and 6 each time and he was very decent to sort us out with 4 for the final. Rubbish tickets, but they were in the ground so we were fairly grateful! Club allocations never seem to be even close to enough, so where else do people get them?

Admittedly I'm concerned for this one. I think one will show up somewhere. I'm asking around with everyone I know but there's no route I'm confident of getting one through. Unfortunately I'm a member in a Dublin club which is made up of country lads, so I think we'll get two and have about 40 lads in the draw for them.

If you are a member of a club in Dublin or live in Dublin just join the Waterford GAA Supporters Club in Dublin - we get allocations for each match including the Final - might be too late this year but keep in mind for next year when we are going for 2 in a row

blue note · 22-08-2017 11:42am

briangu wrote:

If you are a member of a club in Dublin or live in Dublin just join the Waterford GAA Supporters Club in Dublin - we get allocations for each match including the Final - might be too late this year but keep in mind for next year when we are going for 2 in a row

I probably will do for next year. Some of the events I hear ye do sound very good too!

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 11:45am

howiya wrote: »

I know last year wasn't a novel pairing with Tipp and KK in the final but I was drinking in the Hogan Stand pub before the game and the amount of tickets being sold outside on the road.

I'd be the same as yourself, I've never met someone who wanted a hurling ticket and didn't get one. Different story for the football

Football is very hard alright. I suppose you have way more neutral county club people going.

glack · 22-08-2017 11:45am

blue note wrote: »

I got one for my housemate for the football final last year that way. I'm asking everywhere, and I think one will turn up eventually.

Of course one will. I've yet to meet a genuine fan who put in any kind of effort that didn't get sorted! Might be the morning of the game but you'll get one.

Oldtree · 22-08-2017 12:04pm

Join your local small club now paying the top tier membership and you may be in time to get an Ai ticket this year.

If not, then do it next year and get a season ticket too for a stress free life

Stationmaster · 22-08-2017 12:06pm

Or if money is plentiful buy a few long term premium tickets.

PTH2009 · 22-08-2017 12:07pm

Money taken out for a ticket through my season ticket ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

First year I bought a season ticket too

Lollipop95 · 22-08-2017 12:14pm

howiya wrote: »

I know last year wasn't a novel pairing with Tipp and KK in the final but I was drinking in the Hogan Stand pub before the game and the amount of tickets being sold outside on the road.

I'd be the same as yourself, I've never met someone who wanted a hurling ticket and didn't get one. Different story for the football

That's interesting howiya, do you reckon it could be the same for Galway V Waterford? Would love to go this year myself, what time of the day was this?

howiya · 22-08-2017 9:44pm

Lollipop95 wrote: »

howiya wrote: »

I know last year wasn't a novel pairing with Tipp and KK in the final but I was drinking in the Hogan Stand pub before the game and the amount of tickets being sold outside on the road.

I'd be the same as yourself, I've never met someone who wanted a hurling ticket and didn't get one. Different story for the football

That's interesting howiya, do you reckon it could be the same for Galway V Waterford? Would love to go this year myself, what time of the day was this?

It might not be the same this year as it's a more novel pairing but I still think you'd have a good chance if you were down a bit before the minor game. As many have said already, people are asking everyone they know and then one person might be lucky enough to get a ticket twice. Nobody wants to pay for an 80 euro ticket twice though

howiya · 22-08-2017 9:45pm

Lollipop95 wrote: »

howiya wrote: »

I know last year wasn't a novel pairing with Tipp and KK in the final but I was drinking in the Hogan Stand pub before the game and the amount of tickets being sold outside on the road.

I'd be the same as yourself, I've never met someone who wanted a hurling ticket and didn't get one. Different story for the football

That's interesting howiya, do you reckon it could be the same for Galway V Waterford? Would love to go this year myself, what time of the day was this?

It might not be the same this year as it's a more novel pairing but I still think you'd have a good chance if you were down a bit before the minor game. As many have said already, people are asking everyone they know and then one person might be lucky enough to get a ticket twice. Nobody wants to pay for an 80 euro ticket twice though

Diabhal Beag · 23-08-2017 12:07am

Used to get them through my Junior club when I played, had a falling out with the club in 2015 so I had to rely on friends getting me a corner Upper Cusack but that wasn't till the Friday before the game or so IIRC. This year I have the season ticket and only missed an away trip to Kerry out of all 13 Galway games. Could not recommend the season ticket enough and will be looking to get one for the footballers next year too.

PTH2009 · 23-08-2017 12:13am

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Used to get them through my Junior club when I played, had a falling out with the club in 2015 so I had to rely on friends getting me a corner Upper Cusack but that wasn't till the Friday before the game or so IIRC. This year I have the season ticket and only missed an away trip to Kerry out of all 13 Galway games. Could not recommend the season ticket enough and will be looking to get one for the footballers next year too.

Yeah it the first year myself and my Dad are on the season ticket and only missed 2 games (Clare and Galway In the league) and it's nice not too worry about getting final tickets. Nice bonus is that you get free AI Club final and NHL final tickets and you get a €5 discount on championship games too. We picked a good year too start on the scheme lol. Deff going too renew next season

Bonniedog · 23-08-2017 10:12am

I've been at four hurling finals in past ten years; only one of which featured the Dublin minors so got one through club. Others were through people in work who knew I was hurling person and who had spare tickets from their clubs at home.

My experience is that because of lower playing numbers that it was relatively easy to get tickets through Kilkenny clubs. Even as a club member in Dublin who attends lots of games and gets tickets from club for football up to semi final and final, you are still going to find it hard as every dog and its mother will be looking for one.

If you are with a Dublin club then you should ask Secretary, and if the few they get are taken, maybe even ask him to contact DCB. They will be sure to have a stock of tickets and may even be waiting for someone to ask!

lemmno · 23-08-2017 10:21am

had every intention of getting a season ticket and kicking myself now that I didn't. You live and learn! Anyway, I got tickets in 2012 and 2015 relatively easily but all 'sources' this year say it's extra tough. In the past it was 'probably', now it seems to be a lot of 'very tough'. I will of course head to Croker either way and hope something turns up. However, does anyone think it's worth my while sending club secretaries in my new adopted town in north county Dublin a message, and ask them if there's any chance? Or ask to join as a social member? I don't begrudge giving them the money as either way it's just going to a GAA club. I really want to avoid buying on the street that day, I want to enjoy that day without the pressure of still hunting for a ticket.

Needs Must · 23-08-2017 10:41am

You could try Pat Hickey, but I hear he's been a bit hard to contact lately.

Stationmaster · 23-08-2017 1:24pm

lemmno wrote: »

had every intention of getting a season ticket and kicking myself now that I didn't. You live and learn! Anyway, I got tickets in 2012 and 2015 relatively easily but all 'sources' this year say it's extra tough. In the past it was 'probably', now it seems to be a lot of 'very tough'. I will of course head to Croker either way and hope something turns up. However, does anyone think it's worth my while sending club secretaries in my new adopted town in north county Dublin a message, and ask them if there's any chance? Or ask to join as a social member? I don't begrudge giving them the money as either way it's just going to a GAA club. I really want to avoid buying on the street that day, I want to enjoy that day without the pressure of still hunting for a ticket.

I don't think it is to be honest.

I understand your feeling on waiting until the day itself but, if you still have one that morning, you will get one on the street.

PTH2009 · 23-08-2017 1:28pm

Tickets came this morning Cusack Lower Sec 305 Row O

:D:D

Realt Dearg Sec · 23-08-2017 3:16pm

Our allocation for hurling is usually two tickets, it being a club full of country lads there's always demand. We will prioritise Galway and Waterford members in the draw, and run an honesty policy where if you win the ticket and then source one elsewhere you pass the ticket on to the next person in the draw.

At least that's how we did it when I was the secretary. Secretary now is a Waterford man, so I wouldn't like to predict how the draw will be run.

lemmno · 23-08-2017 3:29pm

PTH2009 wrote: »

Tickets came this morning Cusack Lower Sec 305 Row O :D:D

Must be great to have them physically in your hands!! Hope you have a great day with your dad!

PTH2009 · 23-08-2017 6:27pm

lemmno wrote: »

Must be great to have them physically in your hands!! Hope you have a great day with your dad!

There nice tickets and will be great souvenirs too keep no matter what the result

Saw this on EBay http://www.ebay.ie/itm/222619237918
ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬

lemmno · 23-08-2017 6:53pm

PTH2009 wrote: »

There nice tickets and will be great souvenirs too keep no matter what the result

Saw this on EBay http://www.ebay.ie/itm/222619237918
ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬

Disgraceful. Wouldn't bet on it being real either

RamonD3 · 23-08-2017 9:04pm

That's Martin Breheny or Colm Keys with an article sorted for next week!

How do you get tickets for an All Ireland Final?

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