Tag Archives: allocations

FA Cup final tickets sold on black market for over 10k

Posted on by

Fan fury as FA Cup final tickets are sold on the black market for over 10k

|

UPDATED:

10:18 GMT, 4 May 2012

Chelsea and Liverpool fans unable to buy tickets for Saturday's FA Cup final were left fuming as it emerged that pairs were being sold abroad for prices of up to 10,400.

The two sets of fans have been allocated 25,000 seats each, with the other 40,000 Wembley seats set aside for the FA's 'football family', which consists of Club Wembley members, county associations and sponsors.

Fury: Fans are being priced out of tickets

Fury: Fans are being priced out of tickets

Foreign agencies can avoid the restrictions of the Ticket Touting Order of 2007 and, according to the Daily Star, several websites in Spain have been selling tickets for five-figure sums.

Madrid-based 1st4footballtickets.com are charging 10,400 – including a service fee – for 'brilliant seats on the halfway line', available in either fan sections.

Another Spanish agency, ticket4football.com, are asking 4,129.50, while TicketBis want up to 2,651.85 a pair.

'Football family': Only just over half the tickets are going to fans of the two sides

'Football family': Only just over half the tickets are going to fans of the two sides

Fans have taken to Twitter to hit out at the FA, believing their allocations are forcing people to pay over the odds. The Spirit Of Shankly Liverpool supporters’ group branded the allocation 'insulting'.

The FA have stated: 'We would urge members of the public not to purchase tickets from unauthorised sources as they are likely to be either fraudulent or the tickets offered are not genuine and fans will be left disappointed and out of pocket.'

Champions League final: Bayern win is what everyone wants, says chief

Posted on by

It's Chelsea against the world! Bayern chief claims 'home' win is what the people want

|

UPDATED:

15:45 GMT, 28 April 2012

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has received messages of support from colleagues throughout Europe backing his side to beat Chelsea in the Champions League final on May 19.

The even ticket allocations to both finalists mean Bayern cannot really expect home advantage to be clear in the stands of their Allianz Arena home, but Rummenigge reckons many neutrals around the continent will be rooting for his team.

Rummenigge, who has been one of the most active supporters of UEFA's financial fair play initiative and is a strong critic of the trend of billionaires buying and funding football clubs, said: 'Since Wednesday night, I have received an incredible number of text messages and emails from colleagues throughout Europe.

Home comforts: Bayern Munich are playing in their second Champions League final in three years, and this time it is at the Alianz Arena

Home comforts: Bayern Munich are playing in their second Champions League final in three years, and this time it is at the Alianz Arena

Leading by example: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (centre)

Leading by example: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (centre)

'They like that we are in the final with the philosophy that we have. They feel we deserve the title. And there are many non-Bayern fans who will be keeping their fingers crossed for us.'

And Rummenigge feels his side deserve the title too, although he knows Roberto Di Matteo's Blues will want it at least as much as Bayern.

'Our team would deserve it because of the incredible will that they have,' he told the Bild newspaper. 'But I would warn against getting too euphoric and thinking that we have already done the hard work and now we have an easier game on our hands.

'For Chelsea, this is an incredible chance to end what has not been a really satisfying season with a huge success. We must not underestimate that.'

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes would join an exclusive group including Ottmar Hitzfeld and Jose Mourinho to have won the title with two different clubs if the Bavarians were to win.

Rummenigge expects him to last longer than he did after leading Real Madrid to the title in 1998, when he was dismissed just six days later, and he cannot see him walking away after his biggest triumph.

'Jupp is not like that. He doesn't have such thoughts,' Rummenigge added. 'If he wants, he could even stay longer – beyond the end of his current contract in 2013.'

Euro 2012: No England fans invasion in Ukraine

Posted on by

Exclusive: No England Euros invasion as Ukraine base drives fans away

The Football Association fear England will compete in next summer’s European Championship without anything like the high level of support they enjoyed at previous tournaments.

England can boast the most passionate and dedicated fans in the world. At the quarter-final of Euro 2004 it was claimed that they had more fans than the Portuguese inside Lisbon’s Stadium of Light.

But the cost of travelling to Ukraine, not to mention logistical problems and concerns over a lack of accommodation in Donetsk —where England play France and Ukraine — means the FA may struggle to sell their quota of tickets.

No invasion: England are struggling to attract fans to Donetsk

No invasion: England are struggling to attract fans to Donetsk

This week, official carrier Thomson advertised two-night trips to Kiev for the group game against Sweden, staying in a three-star hotel, for 1,244. Even fly-in, fly-out packages are as much as 600.

UEFA have already been heavily criticised for allowing the tournament to be staged in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, which presents particular problems when there are so few hotel rooms and the transport links are so poor. It is unlikely to appease fans that special lodgings are being organised at the university, while there will also be temporary campsites created.

This week the FA received confirmation from UEFA that England will receive a substantial ticket allocation for each group match.

The ticket allocations for ‘englandfans Gold’ members are 7,065 for the France game in Donetsk on June 11, 8,872 for the Sweden game in Kiev on June 15, 7,065 for the Ukraine game in Donetsk on June 19.

Likely lads: Fabio Capello (right) lines up with England

Likely lads: Fabio Capello (right) lines up with England”s opposition bosses

The allocation will drop to 4,302 for a possible quarter-final and 4,301 for the semi-final. If England were to reach the final, 8,001 tickets would be available.

But the FA suspect they may not be taking up that allocation because, for once, supply might outweigh demand. The FA are, however, pleased to report that the tickets are predominantly split between the lowest two price categories for England matches.
This means more than 90 per cent of the tickets allocated to ‘englandfans’ members will be within the most affordable price range.

For group matches, tickets will be priced between €30 and €70 each (25-60).