Was ticket allocation for the game handled correctly? Your responses
We received a number of responses to our recent comment about the allocation of tickets for the Manchester United game. As expected, there were a number of viewpoints, and the debate rumbles on! A selection of responses is reproduced below - thanks to everyone who provided feedback.
Full marks (well 9 out of 10 anyway) to Burnley Football Club for their policy towards the Manchester United game. As a season ticket holder the club have ensured that we have had plenty of time to claim our usual seats for this match (once we were informed that the full season ticket book was required and not just the relevant voucher).
The last time there was such a demand for tickets, I missed out. As a non-season ticket holder at the time, I missed Ian Wright's debut against Wigan Athletic. There must have been hundreds (maybe thousands?) of people who turned up for this game who hadn't been to the Turf for years - and where are they now when we're getting c.14,000 for an average league home game?
Encouraging people to buy a ticket for another game is a masterstroke by the club, preventing the one-off glory supporter claiming a ticket for Manchester United, never to return until the next time we draw Arsenal or Liverpool in a cup competition. It also helps to get a good gate for another league game and helps the club out financially as well.
As regards the issue of Foundation members, I suspect many of these are already season ticket holders anyway, and would only be getting an extra ticket for family or friends. It didn't make sense to prioritise Foundation members over people who bought a ticket for the Norwich game. Besides, these people have had a good week and a half to buy their ticket prior to non-season ticket seats selling out, so this appears to have worked out very well all round.
So I think on the whole that this situation has been handled just about as well as it could be, despite some criticism that appears to have been bandied about from some quarters.
Dave R, Season Ticket Holder
Just a point of interest for you: I rang up BFC box office last week to buy two tickets for the Norwich game for one of my rare trips north from London. Eventually I got through to the box office, sorted out with them where to sit etc., and was told the cost was about £59! I wondered if we had suddenly moved into the Premiership, but was woken from my shock when they said that £59 was of course for 4 tickets. I pointed out that I had asked for only two, and was told, yes, two for Norwich and two for Man U! I declined the Man U tickets.
Basically, everyone buying Norwich was buying Man U and they automatically assumed that this was the case. I think I was the first person in 5 days only to buy Norwich tickets...
Finally, I think Foundation Members should have priority for 'big' games like Man U and it was clear in this case they did not get priority. That's half the reason for paying the £104 per year, and I think it is stated in the Foundation details that members get priority for such games... I should know, I am one.
Jeremy D
I think that ultimately, BFC handled it right in that season ticket holders, Foundation members and shareholders got priority, but this was not clear from the Club's communications and caused a lot of concern and confusion.
Yorkie Claret
With the Norwich tickets, there was nothing to prove that the people getting a Man U ticket were Burnley fans. Why didn't they ask for ticket stubs as well? It's alright the club saying that any MU fans in the home end will be ejected, but the fact they have tickets means that a Burnley fan lost out.
Towneley Holmes
You couldn't get through to the ticket office even for information. You just got a recorded message. That's no good when you want to ask a question. What about those people who aren't on the Web?
Anon
If you are a season ticket holder, foundation member, bond seller and shareholder, do you get four "priority" tickets? One person should only get one ticket. Season ticket holders should get first priority and ABOVE foundation members. Season ticket holders are the people who go to home games. Foundation members should not get the same priority. Shareholders and bond sellers should not get any priority. They are not supporting the club they are just in it to make money.
Andy E
Only two sets of people should have got priority. Season ticket holders and people with home stubs. Away stubs don't count because no money goes to Burnley.
Claret4Eva
The club is money mad now. Money is the root of all evil. Profit should not come before loyal fans.
Aristotle
You can't blame the ManU fans if they buy a ticket. I would do the same at Old Trafford. It's the club's fault if there's trouble because they sold Norwich tickets to anyone with enough cash.
Turfite
I would like to think that after every situation which causes fans concern, which the Man Utd game ticketing has, the Club would do the following. Take any criticism on the chin. Review what could have been done better. Do it better the next time. Let the fans know their views have been heeded. Sadly, the current commercial regime don't ever seem to admit that they're anything less than perfect.
Clarice
Foundation members should have had the same priority as season ticket holders. It's stated in the Foundation literature that members get priority for big matches. I can understand the club's desire to sell the tickets as quickly as possible, though.
PJ
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views expressed in the comments section are those of the individual contributor, and do
not necessarily reflect the view of the Burnley FC London Supporters Club
