Derby Ticket Fiasco

by   |   24/02/2024  14 Comments  [Jump to last]

So Everton have got into bed with another third party to manage ticket sales… Ticketmaster now run the operation — and it's frankly a joke.

I and my son are members of the "Official Membership Club". Prior to Ticketmaster taking over, we've managed to get tickets with no problem. Since they've taken over, we've had nothing but problems purchasing tickets.

This culminated in us not being able to get derby tickets on Monday.

I tried for 3 hours logged into both my own and my son's accounts. For some reason, I was placed at number 7000-odd in the new queing system. My son was placed at 5000-odd — despite the fact he logged in 30 minutes after me! We weren't able to progress to get tickets.

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I tried to call the club. After waiting an hour in a queue, I opted for a call back which was offered... I never received a call back and, after 3 hours, the site stated that the game was sold out!

I rang the Box Office the next day and was told that the system crashed and many fans had experienced the same problem. I emailed my complaint to the club and have received a reply which beggars belief.

They state that Ticketmaster have introduced a new system which means if you join the queue you are put into a place randomly — which is ridiculous. This basically means someone joining the queue after you may get a ticket and you don't.

I suspect (know) that, on Monday, thousands of people joined the queue and obtained tickets who have never purchased tickets before.

I'm sure the club will deny this to be true but all ticket touts (for Liverpool fans) simply have to join the club then log on and hey presto they can join the queue and aquire a ticket.

It's unfair that genuine fans have been hoodwinked and those tickets are now on sale through the black market, priced in excess of £300 a ticket!

I've tried to speak to someone more senior in the Box Office but everytime I call I'm told "They're all in meetings and someone will call you back. I won't hold my breath!

So once again, Everton let you down. So much for "The People's Club"!

Despite my annoyance (and big dissapointment for my 15-year-old son), we're on the coach to Brighton. Even the club's incompetence (not to mention the recent malpractice and points deduction) can stop my love for the team.

Come on you Blues.

 

 


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Reader Comments (14)

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Michael Kenrick
1 Posted 24/02/2024 at 09:40:33
Never liked Ticketmaster.

What was wrong with what they had?

"If it ain't broke…"

Andrew Heaton
4 Posted 26/02/2024 at 14:47:13
I signed in as a member and I was put in a queue. I got onto the site about 25 minutes later and picked a ticket in the Upper Bullen's only to be told that this option was open to members only. Couldn't be arsed ringing because I knew it'd be a farce.
John Raftery
5 Posted 27/02/2024 at 16:32:26
Ticketmaster now provide ticketing services for at least eight other Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Spurs, Wolves, Brentford, Luton and Palace. I presume it reduces costs for the clubs.

Unfortunately, the service will be impersonal, paying only lip service to the needs of fans. Moreover, it won't be long before they impose a service charge as they do with Theatre etc tickets.

The problems over the derby ticket sales should be brought to the attention of the Fans Forum and the Fans Advisory Board.

Brian Wilkinson
6 Posted 28/02/2024 at 22:35:09
I was surprised how quick they sold out on Monday, which were only on sale to Members, so never even reached going on general sale, yet like you say there are lots on a resale platform for hundreds of pounds.

As soon as I heard TicketMaster was involved, I knew tickets would fall into the hands of non-Evertonians.

Thankfully, I just renewed my season ticket, but I feel for fans who will struggle next season getting tickets and even worse when we move to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Those members unlucky not to get a ticket should raise the matter and ask how so many tickets are on offer, when tickets should have only gone to members? They should be able to check who bought the tickets; there is no way all those tickets at inflated prices are genuine Evertonians.

Brian Wilkinson
7 Posted 28/02/2024 at 22:49:43
There is 2 different sellers selling 12 tickets each for £150 a ticket, how can they possibly buy 12 tickets each, when members could only purchase 1 ticket?

Needs to be raised to the club by official members who got stung and unable to buy even 1 ticket.

Brian Wilkinson
8 Posted 29/02/2024 at 13:42:24
Andrew, as a season ticket holder, I was an official member until a few years back, and was fortunate to get tickets with being an official member.

After hearing what you said, I have emailed the football club about the third party ticket sellers, and how individuals were able to buy and sell on 12 tickets at a time for £250 each resale, when official members struggled to get a ticket.

I urge all official members and even season ticket holders to email the club about this and how unfair it is on our fellow Evertonians that ticket touts are gaining tickets via TicketMaster and will no doubt end up with Liverpool supporters in the home end.

Anthony Dove
9 Posted 29/02/2024 at 15:02:55
For reasons which are irrelevant, I needed to buy two extra tickets for the Man City game over Christmas. I bought them off an online ticket site (not TicketMaster) at a price of £200 each.

The tickets were in Row QQ of the main stand. That is the back row and you can't see the pitch unless you stand up. The row in front, which seems to have been added recently, is on the same level as the row in front of that and has virtually no view.

There were a number of Americans and other tourists in the seats around me and they were all disgusted. My thoughts are that the club is selling blocks of restricted-view seats direct to ticket sites at inflated prices.

There is no point trying to contact the club on this or any other issue at the moment. The lights are on but nobody's in.

David Peate
10 Posted 29/02/2024 at 16:18:09
There was quite a lot of interest in the forthcoming FA Cup match in January 1955 between Everton and Liverpool. I had two sources for a ticket. One was a lottery where a friend had a ticket and was auctioning it for sixpence. Needless to say, I did not win.

However, at a reserve match prior to the cup, an announcement came over the tannoy system that tickets were on sale for those in the crowd. I could get one for half-a-crown but I had no money with me.

A man in the crowd lent me the necessary and I repaid him by sending him a postal order. Offering tickets to visitors to a reserve match was one way of satisfying genuine supporters. I won't go into the score of that match.

John Raftery
11 Posted 29/02/2024 at 17:32:25
David (10),

My late father-in-law, a Red, often talked about that game. I know the scoreline without checking. They were in the second division and Billy Liddell played much of the game at centre-half.

Danny O’Neill
12 Posted 29/02/2024 at 17:41:39
TicketMaster has been tricky.

The title of the article brought back a 1987 memory. Me and three friends walked away from school at lunch time to get to Goodison to get tickets for a League Cup match at Anfield as soon as they went on sale. The one when Gary Stevens scored the winner.

We bunked on the train at Hunts Cross and got followed by a conductor all the way to Central when we got kicked off and caught a train to Kirkdale. He was really annoyed.

We got to Goodison and got our tickets!!

Dave Abrahams
13 Posted 29/02/2024 at 20:42:51
John (11),

I think you will find that Billy Liddell played much of the game in the left half position while Geoff Twentyman hobbled along on the left wing, no subs. them days.

It wasn't easy going into school on the Monday after such a hammering by a second division side.

Liverpool didn't go any further in the cup that season losing 2-0 to Huddersfield Town in the next round, not sure if Dennis Law was in that Huddersfield team although he was coming into prominence around that time.

Peter Mills
14 Posted 29/02/2024 at 21:08:45
I queued up for tickets for the 1971 derby at Anfield, and managed to buy two 5 shilling (25p) tickets. On the way home, passing Stanley Park, I sold one for 10 shillings (50p). So I was going to the match for free. Smart.

I went home and told my Dad what a clever guy I was. I received the bollocking of a lifetime, and was told in no uncertain terms never to sell a ticket above face value again. I haven't.

As bad as the bollocking was, it faded into insignificance on the day as we went into a 0-2 lead, only to lose 3-2. I have often regarded that day as the start of our decline, but I refuse to take sole responsibility for it.

TicketMaster are just spivs, and it does our club no credit to be aligned with them.

Dave Abrahams
15 Posted 01/03/2024 at 12:39:41
Peter (14),

I think we were bossing that game until Steve Heighway was given too much space on the left wing and he raced through and either scored or made the first goal for Liverpool, they took over after that and attacked almost non stop with Chris Lawler (?) getting the winner.

Couldn't argue with Red nose fans after the game mainly because they never gave in and fought back from two goals down, the bastards deserved to win!

Ralph Basnett
16 Posted 02/03/2024 at 14:22:44
I have also got my actual ticket as well my electronic ticket.

I have sent it to three people for the games I have not been able to go to and had it back no problems.

I do provide a SAE with postage paid.

I don't know what TicketMaster or any one else makes on them but obviously don't do it for nothing.


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