View Full Version : No notice on WC Tickets any time soon.
Jimbo
03 Jan 2006, 03:29 PM
What's today's date?
Right, Mike. My point is based on the premise of this thread, as noted below, that notification would not occur by mid-month. If the rumor is false that would be great and we'll all know where we stand after the insider-allocation period closes at COB tomorrow.
This deserves it's own thread:
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http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/show...675#post7122675
"I just called US Soccer and spoke to Amy. She said that we would not be notified until mid to late January. She said they have not decided if they are going to open up sales to the public."
dfb547490
03 Jan 2006, 03:30 PM
Given that USSF has said it's implementing a first-in-time priority for allocating tickets, it should have had a system in place to allow it to allocate tickets as the requests came in. If the first in the door requested 4 tickets to every game, that's four tickets off the top. If the second request in the door asked for two tickets to the first two games, then those tickets are allocated. It's a simple iterative process as long as you have determined the order of priority for applications, which they announced ahead of time to the world, they had done. USSF should be in a position to tell somebody whether they're going to receive the tickets they requested by now. There really isn't a good excuse for failing to notify anyone before the FIFA deadline.
Exactly. I understand that they need to get the corporate sponsor tickets sorted out, but how long can that take?? Besides, no-one held a gun to their head and said tickets had to go on sale less than 36 hours after the draw. I think everyone on here would've been much happier waiting until, say, the 20th for the sale to start, if it meant that by that time they'd been able to figure out exactly how many tickets in each category for each game were available on sale to the public and you would find out immediately upon submitting your application whether or not you got tickets.
This is COMPLETELY. ********ING. INEXCUSABLE. (if the "not until mid-to-late-January rumor is true)
MikeLastort2
03 Jan 2006, 03:31 PM
Right, Mike. My point is based on the premise of this thread, as noted below, that notification would not occur by mid-month. If the rumor is false that would be great and we'll all know where we stand after the insider-allocation period closes at COB tomorrow.
This deserves it's own thread:
----
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/show...675#post7122675
"I just called US Soccer and spoke to Amy. She said that we would not be notified until mid to late January. She said they have not decided if they are going to open up sales to the public."
I think people are completely overreacting about tickets. Again.
See post #2 in this thread, which is my first reply. :)
NBlue
03 Jan 2006, 03:33 PM
I think people are completely overreacting about tickets. Again.
See post #2 in this thread, which is my first reply. :)
I'm glad your so confident, but I wonder what it is you are basing this confidence on? I tried to fax in my application (all day) but it did not go through so I ended up overnighting it and have an 85xx # -- am I getting tickets?? If you know, please let me know. Thanks!
I think people are completely overreacting about tickets. Again.
See post #2 in this thread, which is my first reply. :)
Is your point (1) we will get tix from the USSF because there are plenty - it's just a matter of getting the paperwork right, or (2) we will be able to buy scalped tix at the stadium?
If (1), I haven't heard anything from the Fed to allay my fears.
If (2), like a number of others here, I'm not willing to shell out 2k (or convince my family to shell out even more) on speculation of getting scalped tix and also being able to actually enter the stadium.
I think this is why some of us are reacting the way we are (neuroses and all). We can justify the expenditures if we know we will have tickets, but we can't if we don't know. And every week we don't know likely increases the total cost of the trip for us (if in fact we actually can get tickets).
To be honest, it is amazing to me that I (or others) can find the cash to do such a trip. For me, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip with my father and brother. It's also 2k I'm not putting into my kids' education funds. And it is a serious amount of marriage capital (to quote another post).
All the USSF has to do is email people and let them know what is going on. That's all.
MikeLastort2
03 Jan 2006, 03:40 PM
I'm glad your so confident, but I wonder what it is you are basing this confidence on? I tried to fax in my application (all day) but it did not go through so I ended up overnighting it and have an 85xx # -- am I getting tickets?? If you know, please let me know. Thanks!
At this point, I don't know if I'm getting tickets or not. My confirmation number is 8713. I've just decided that there's not much point worrying about it.
If I get tickets through USSF, that's awesome. If not, I'll get them some other way.
Is your point (1) we will get tix from the USSF because there are plenty - it's just a matter of getting the paperwork right, or (2) we will be able to buy scalped tix at the stadium?
If (1), I haven't heard anything from the Fed to allay my fears.
If (2), like a number of others here, I'm not willing to shell out 2k (or convince my family to shell out even more) on speculation of getting scalped tix and also being able to actually enter the stadium.
I think this is why some of us are reacting the way we are (neuroses and all). We can justify the expenditures if we know we will have tickets, but we can't if we don't know. And every week we don't know likely increases the total cost of the trip for us (if in fact we actually can get tickets).
To be honest, it is amazing to me that I (or others) can find the cash to do such a trip. For me, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip with my father and brother. It's also 2k I'm not putting into my kids' education funds. And it is a serious amount of marriage capital (to quote another post).
All the USSF has to do is email people and let them know what is going on. That's all.
It's a combination of the two. I think USSF will have enough tickets for everyone who wants to go, and if not that they will be readily available elsewhere. And as I said in other posts, I think that getting in with scalped tickets will not be a problem.
As far as what USSF has to do, today is January 3rd. If they haven't notified people by Friday, then there's a legit reson to complain.
NBlue
03 Jan 2006, 03:50 PM
At this point, I don't know if I'm getting tickets or not. My confirmation number is 8713. I've just decided that there's not much point worrying about it.
If I get tickets through USSF, that's awesome. If not, I'll get them some other way.
It's a combination of the two. I think USSF will have enough tickets for everyone who wants to go, and if not that they will be readily available elsewhere.
Like I said above, I don't want to worry about it anymore.
Mike,
I certainly understand your situation and its great that you don't feel the need to worry about this type of thing. I wonder -- have you already shelled out $$ for plane tickets, train fare and hotels. I have as have many of us here and its not like I'm making tons of dough to do it with. I am certainly hopeful, like you, that if the USSF does not come through with tickets that I will find some other way to get them. However, in looking at the scalping costs available on the internet -- you are looking at paying a 500% premium or so on getting tickets. And, by the way, I really don't think there are going to be extra tickets laying around for the US v. Italy or US v. Czech matches played in a country that borders both of those football crazy nations.
I am concerned because I know the last chance I have to get tickets (without stretching even further my financial resources) is through the FIFA lottery if the USSF app falls through and now it seems I may not even be able to do that -- or doing that could actually forfeit my tickets if I were to get them through the USSF. For someone that has invested a good amount of time, money and enthusiasm into going to Germany to see us play, I think it certainly reasonable to be a bit worried about this.
If you're not -- that's fine too -- but you really have no reason to write posts telling all not to worry and "people are completely overreacting about tickets" when you have no idea whether it is an overreaction of not. jmo
eissman
03 Jan 2006, 03:51 PM
And what's the "chip" thing?
Chip embedded in ticket that will identify ticket holder... thus the page under the application requesting detailed information on each person for whom you are purchasing a ticket for. I don't think anyone knows for sure, one way or another, how FIFA will use this with regards to tickets, but the fear is that if they are stringent about showing passports to verify tickets or to verify that a company/corporation/group has "guestlisted" people on their tickets, then how will it be possible for scapled tickets to work? Will they be useless? Or is this some gigantic scare tactic to discourage scalping?
FC Tallavana
03 Jan 2006, 03:53 PM
At this point, I don't know if I'm getting tickets or not. My confirmation number is 8713. I've just decided that there's not much point worrying about it.
If I get tickets through USSF, that's awesome. If not, I'll get them some other way.
It's a combination of the two. I think USSF will have enough tickets for everyone who wants to go, and if not that they will be readily available elsewhere. And as I said in other posts, I think that getting in with scalped tickets will not be a problem.
As far as what USSF has to do, today is January 3rd. If they haven't notified people by Friday, then there's a legit reson to complain.
If they already know now that Friday will come and pass w/o notification (as this thread states) then they should immediately send out an email letting us know. I actually have a very expensive reservation on hold until Friday (I had to beg them to let me hold it until Friday w/o a deposit) because that is the date I had been expecting to know by. I do not want to pay my 40% deposit for my lodging on Friday w/o hearing from US Soccer. But, if I don't pay the deposit on Friday, I have already been told that others are lined up waiting to book it.
MikeLastort2
03 Jan 2006, 03:55 PM
Mike,
I certainly understand your situation and its great that you don't feel the need to worry about this type of thing. I wonder -- have you already shelled out $$ for plane tickets, train fare and hotels. I have as have many of us here and its not like I'm making tons of dough to do it with. I am certainly hopeful, like you, that if the USSF does not come through with tickets that I will find some other way to get them. However, in looking at the scalping costs available on the internet -- you are looking at paying a 500% premium or so on getting tickets. And, by the way, I really don't think there are going to be extra tickets laying around for the US v. Italy or US v. Czech matches played in a country that borders both of those football crazy nations.
I am concerned because I know the last chance I have to get tickets (without stretching even further my financial resources) is through the FIFA lottery if the USSF app falls through and now it seems I may not even be able to do that -- or doing that could actually forfeit my tickets if I were to get them through the USSF. For someone that has invested a good amount of time, money and enthusiasm into going to Germany to see us play, I think it certainly reasonable to be a bit worried about this.
If you're not -- that's fine too -- but you really have no reason to write posts telling all not to worry and "people are completely overreacting about tickets" when you have no idea whether it is an overreaction of not. jmo
If they already know now that Friday will come and pass w/o notification (as this thread states) then they should immediately send out an email letting us know. I actually have a very expensive reservation on hold until Friday (I had to beg them to let me hold it until Friday w/o a deposit) because that is the date I had been expecting to know by. I do not want to pay my 40% deposit for my lodging on Friday w/o hearing from US Soccer. But, if I don't pay the deposit on Friday, I have already been told that others are lined up waiting to book it.
Feel free to worry. I'm just not going to join in. :)
Oh, and I haven't bought airfare yet. I've been watching BestFares.com's site until they show flight info for ticket purchases later than May 29th, which is the latest date they have as of right now.
I guess I'm not worried because this will be about my 7th or 8th trip to Europe for a vacation.
jimmyodonnell
03 Jan 2006, 03:58 PM
:rolleyes:
Jesus, you guys never give up, do you?
Did you ever think that the demand they received far out-weighed anything they could have ever imagined and that is why this is taking longer than expected? God no, instead let's just blame them and call them idiots and morons...
For all you know this poor Teresa girl, one of the two in charge of ticketing at US Soccer, has been working 18-hour days trying to get this all sorted out.
But nahh, instead let's act irrational and lead the charge to get her fired. Some of you are pathetic.
Who's pathetic here? How in the hell would the response outweigh their expectations when the application process was by-invite-only? They should know the exact number of passwords they issued and emails they sent to open the application process, therefore they should be prepared for replies representing a significant percentage of the pool invited to apply. If anything, they should have been prepared for a really high ratio of the invitations to result in applications. As it apears, they were nowhere close . . . NOWHERE CLOSE. It doesn't matter whether (A) they underestimated the workload OR (B) they knew this was going to happen -- it's a joke either way, and people are pissed.
Reagrdless of HOW this mess happened, it happened . . . that's what's pathetic. If you ran a business and invited your most loyal customer base to arrive at a certain time and fork over several grand apiece . . . then your didn't even open your doors on time, you didn't handle their business and you didn't make any replies or apologies for blowing it in so many ways after nearly a month's time, then you should be fired. Who wants to do business like that?
Or am I being irrational?
FC Tallavana
03 Jan 2006, 04:03 PM
Chip embedded in ticket that will identify ticket holder... thus the page under the application requesting detailed information on each person for whom you are purchasing a ticket for. I don't think anyone knows for sure, one way or another, how FIFA will use this with regards to tickets, but the fear is that if they are stringent about showing passports to verify tickets or to verify that a company/corporation/group has "guestlisted" people on their tickets, then how will it be possible for scapled tickets to work? Will they be useless? Or is this some gigantic scare tactic to discourage scalping?
Mostly a scare tactic but for a few unlucky people it will be a real life nightmare as I have no doubt that they will attempt to make examples out of a few in order to deter most.
What I would do is tell them that I left my passport in my hotel room, get my ticket back (if they give it back), and walk to another gate. Another plan would be to swear up and down that it is my ticket and that there was a mix up in the computer system. I would support my claim that it is my ticket by producing my US Soccer ticket application as well as my email confirmation from US Soccer.
I once talked me and my buddies out of a Tijuana jail by talking a cop down from a $100 "fine" to a $20 "fine" for jaywalking by convincing him that $20 was all the money we had to our names. As he counted out our $80 change from a hundred dollar bill I realized I could talk my way out of anything. :D
FC Tallavana
03 Jan 2006, 04:04 PM
Feel free to worry. I'm just not going to join in. :)
Oh, and I haven't bought airfare yet. I've been watching BestFares.com's site until they show flight info for ticket purchases later than May 29th, which is the latest date they have as of right now.
I guess I'm not worried because this will be about my 7th or 8th trip to Europe for a vacation.
I have been to Europe a zillion times but I have never been to Europe for a World Cup. I think we'll find that there's a major difference.
NBlue
03 Jan 2006, 04:06 PM
What I would do is tell them that I left my passport in my hotel room, get my ticket back (if they give it back), and walk to another gate. Another plan would be to swear up and down that it is my ticket and that there was a mix up in the computer system. I would support my claim that it is my ticket by producing my US Soccer ticket application as well as my email confirmation from US Soccer.
Brilliant. Truly. The result of a University of Florida education there, no doubt. :)
eissman
03 Jan 2006, 04:08 PM
Feel free to worry. I'm just not going to join in. .
I also am not losing sleep over it anymore. What is in my control is done with already. I and my wife made the decision to go enjoy Germany as our first priority, so we wouldn't be so bent out of shape if we did not get tickets allocated to us. The tickets would be the icing on a very good Xmas as far as I am concerned.
Oh, and I haven't bought airfare yet. I've been watching BestFares.com's site until they show flight info for ticket purchases later than May 29th, which is the latest date they have as of right now.
I guess I'm not worried because this will be about my 7th or 8th trip to Europe for a vacation.
Cheeky bastard! SMart thinking... I wish I had that confidence. I am not the experienced traveller, so airline tickets were the first thing I booked. I have kept an eye on them since just out of curiousity and nothing has dropped at all in price for that time of year (so far).
Hope we can meet up for a beer!
MikeLastort2
03 Jan 2006, 04:11 PM
I have been to Europe a zillion times but I have never been to Europe for a World Cup. I think we'll find that there's a major difference.
I was in Europe during World Cup 1990. Granted, I was in Germany at the time, and I didn't try to go to Italy. I didn't notice too many problems getting around.
I think the airline transpotation infrastructure will be able to handle the influx of World Cup fans.
eissman
03 Jan 2006, 04:11 PM
I have been to Europe a zillion times but I have never been to Europe for a World Cup. I think we'll find that there's a major difference.
LOL!! I keep telling myself that when I read my travel "bible"... Rick Steve's travel guide to German/Austria. All sounds fine and dandy, but has Rick Steve's every been to Europe during a WC? We actually asked him point-blank after a seminar about the WC2006 and his response was "he knows nothing about it". He travels. I watch soccer. I will take his advice on travel, and be glad to offer mine on watching soccer.
jimmyodonnell
03 Jan 2006, 04:14 PM
If I don't get tickets through USSF, I'll buy them outside the stadiums on game day.
Haven't you folks ever bought from scalpers before?
That's certainly the spirit, but I wouldn't be surprised if scapler tix are hard to come by at this World Cup. Tickets were relatively easy to come by in Korea, probably because it's half a world away from most of the countries participating.
But in the middle of Europe, a LOT of Europeans will make the trip reagrdless of their ticket status and I think scalper tickets will be at a premium. ALSO . . . I think fewer tickets will be available than ever before, based on how many special interests will be served with all the European-based federations, the local and global sponsors, and just the local culture surrounding the tournament.
I know you will get your scalper tix if you want them, but I don't think it will be a slam-dunk.
FC Tallavana
03 Jan 2006, 04:18 PM
Brilliant. Truly. The result of a University of Florida education there, no doubt. :)
I actually never attended Florida, even though I applied and was accepted to undergrad and grad schools. But, it never quite worked out geographically. That said, I have spent enough time on campus for parties and football/basketball games that my IQ is off the chart. Of course, living in Tallahassee for three years dumbed me down to the point I can fit in on BigSoccer. :p
FC Tallavana
03 Jan 2006, 04:20 PM
LOL!! I keep telling myself that when I read my travel "bible"... Rick Steve's travel guide to German/Austria. All sounds fine and dandy, but has Rick Steve's every been to Europe during a WC? We actually asked him point-blank after a seminar about the WC2006 and his response was "he knows nothing about it". He travels. I watch soccer. I will take his advice on travel, and be glad to offer mine on watching soccer.
I was in England for the 98 World Cup and there was a buzz in the air there. I cannot even imagine what it was like in France.