Rick's been swamped with requests. There is a lot of interest this season for obvious reasons and a lot of questions about how to go about requesting tickets. At Rick's request, I've been answering a lot of questions from folks who don't know how things work. Here's what I know....maybe it will save a few PMs and e-mails. 1. You must be an Arsenal supporter and you must be a paid member of Arsenal America. Chelski, ManUre or Spurz supporters.....well, get your own damn tickets. 2. PM Rick with the date of the match(s) and how many tickets you require. Know that nothing is guaranteed. If you are asking the impossible, he will let you know. It's expected that you've already made arrangements and tickets are the final detail. I know it's scary but to my knowledge no one has been disappointed yet. 3. Once he's confirmed that tickets are available through the club, he'll need your credit card and home address to give to the club to pay for your tickets. 4. PM your flight info and contact info while in London to Rick. This is very critical as it is how he knows for sure you are coming and how to reach you when you get there. 5. Arrange to meet on match day. 6. Buy the man a beer (or 6) for ********'S sake. He's partial to Pabst Blue Ribbon in cans. All this takes a little faith but it's well worth it. Any questions...send me a PM. If I'm stumped, I'll get you an answer.
Rick is Arsenal America's official Ticket Officer, so he's the one you would need to contact. Send an email with the following details: 1. You must be a paid member of Arsenal America. 2. Email Rick with the date of the match(s) and how many tickets you require. 3. Once he's confirmed that tickets are available through the club, he'll need your credit card and home address to give to the club to pay for your tickets. 4. Your flight info and contact info while in London to Rick. This is very critical as it is how he knows for sure you are coming and how to reach you when you get there. 5. Arrange to meet on match day. 6. If you have Red membership #, provide that to Rick, as it may be helpful, but really, by having contacted him , you've just played your best bet in getting tickets. Of course there are no guarantees that he'll be able to get what you're looking for, but his success rate has been excellent so far. Keep in mind though that it was never the last season at Highbury before.
Ok, even after all of this, it's still not working as it maybe should....... I am waiting for money to come in from people who have ordered tickets and as I am sure you can appreciate, it's difficult for me to keep outlaying money before I get money back in from people whom Ive paid out money for. Paying the club happens roughly every 10 days for a game, more over the busy periods. Therefore if it takes people 2 weeks to pay me back, that means I am having to keep paying out more money. Everyone get me so far? Quite frankly Paypal is not difficult, everyone knows that I ask for the money generally between 8 and 10 weeks before the game date - so have it ready. I have to have my money ready in the first place, so why can't you? Most people are doing and send me the money the same day I ask or the next couple. Thats what I need. So what do I do? Well some will say if they don't give you the money within say 5 days, they don't get tickets. But that doesn't help me. I won't be able to get rid of the tickets generally until match day, which means I am then without the money for 8 weeks. Others have said get the money when people request. But then what happens if I can't get the tickets? People lose money through paypal fee's and no-one gets anything from it except paypal. I honestly don't know what to do. I am not picking on anyone here in particular, those who I am referring to know who they are (trust me, it isn't just one person) hence not naming anyone - maybe that might work? Name and shame if I don't get the money within 5 days? But isn't that harsh and humiliating? Any idea's will be gratefully received.
Right. Doesn't look like the above post worked or got through to some people. Quite annoying really, so therefore the following is going to happen, I will ask for payment (obviously only from those who have asked for tickets and confirmed they want to go). If I do not get that payment within 5 days (Paypal is simple people, I asked for payment yesterday for a pair of tickets from someone who hardly posts here and wasn't expecting to hear from me at that particular time, yet he got the money to me in a matter of hours - thankyou David) then you will not get your tickets PLUS I will put your name up here and excuse/no answer etc. The reason I will not just cancel your tickets is that I will still be out of pocket MYSELF NOT THE CLUB OR ARSENAL AMERICA until the match data TWO MONTHS later. Which isn't on. So those who are mucking me around have been warned. The person that has not paid at the moment has 24 hours (I've been waiting since the 28th November which was when I asked for the money) before seeing his name up showing he is spoiling it for people. The reason I am in such a bad mood over this today is that I don't have enough money in my football account to pay for Villa away for everyone. Therefore I have to go into another account, which I am ONLY having to do because people are not getting money to me on time.
I will save you the trouble. I apologize for the delay. I am posting to your account ASAP. My BS/excuse is that I am having problems with my Paypal account. I sincerely apologize, and do not mean to ruin such a great thing for everyone.
For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal Yep, you got it - me again re this never ending subject. I'm going to do this in a few short points. I'll sticky this thread until Friday which will hopefully mean most will read it and then put it in the Main ticket thread. 1) Paypal charge fee's of about 3.9% I tell everyone this in my PM's yet still get at least 20% of people saying "It just comes from my account" or "I don't get charged fee's". Well the receiver's account DOES get charged fee's. If I was making a profit the fee's would be down to me, as I'm not - the fee's are down to you guy's. I don't think it's too much to ask to work it out properly!!! 2) Paypal takes 5 working days to get from my Paypal account to my Bank account. That means if you leave it about a week before paying, it's two weeks before it hits my bank account which means that I will of had to pay out money to the club again without having the last match paid for. This is a never ending spiral. All of you know that I pay out for a game 10 weeks in advance. Therefore have the money ready in your account to get it to me quickly. I know that you can move money from bank account to Paypal and it takes a few days. It doesn't take any time at all if you use a Credit Card with Paypal or a Debit Card. Yes it may cost you an extra $2 in fee's. But I'm sure you can all cope with that to make sure the money reaches me asap. 3) Paypal e-cheques. I have only just noticed this, as I don't have hours to spend checking on Paypal, that some of you are putting money into my account by e-cheques. I am assuming as this is cheaper? Please don't. It then takes 7 days to clear into my account and then the 5 working days to get into my bank account. Pay the extra $2 and get it in my card. 4) Timing - If you have requested tickets from me, you know when the game is going to be. Therefore keep an eye on the board and your inbox for messages from me. Last Tuesday I asked for payment for 19 Villa tickets asap. By the Thursday I had payment for 9 of them into my paypal account. Only 3 people managed to Paypal me the money that Tuesday, which meant that on Sunday when I went to pay Arsenal for the tickets (£532/$1000) I had actually received into my bank account a total of £120. I'm not bothered about all the excuses I have had in PM's - you all knew you were going to Villa, I told everyone I would be asking for payment in the early part of December so why did everyone not have money in their paypal accounts ready? I have to find the money ahead of time to pay Arsenal - why can't you? 5) At present I add on £3 for home games and £2 for away games as fee's. This is what it costs me in Credit Card fee's/phone calls etc etc. Except that it is starting to cost me more as people are not getting the money to me quick enough. So if this carry's on I will have to put it up by another £1 or so. Thanks, Rick
Re: For all those getting Tickts from me part 437 - PayPal Rick is not Ticketmaster, people. He's providing us all with massive favors to help American and Canadian fans see Arsenal at face value. Pay him promptly and fully...PayPal is way too easy for you to have excuses.
Re: For all those getting Tickts from me part 437 - PayPal People, Pay the man for crying out loud. You're spending hundreds of dollars on flights/hotel stays and yet are taking the time writing emails and PMs about paypal fees? We do realize that without Rick/ArseAm, we wouldn't have the luxury of having tickets at face value, don't we?
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal Guys, What bothers me most about this (sadly ongoing) issue is that many of you fail to see what Rick does for what it really is: a guy helping fellow fans get their hands on tickets that would otherwise be impossible to secure at anything approaching reasonable prices (if at all). The guy has a real job and a real life, things which he takes time away from to help total strangers. I'm astounded that people can't get him money when he asks for it, and I'm appalled that people don't show for tickets. Unbelievable. You've clearly managed paying for travel to Europe - you can pay the guy in a timely way for the assistance he provides. Rick - please do whatever you must to make this easier for you. I think that you may need to really take a hardline with folks - set a deadline beyond which their is no reprieve, charge a Rickmaster fee to protect yourself from getting stiffed, etc. Just ridiculous.
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal I live in one of the most expensive cities in america, New York. I am an administrative assistant, albeit to a major corporation, nonetheless make an asst's salary. I go see buttloads of concerts....not cheap ones too. I paid Rick the day after he requested the money....why? because if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be able to see arsenal play in person...the greatest experience other than a phish show and/or sex. p.s.-mariah carey has huge titay's (radio music awards are on)
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal I've never used Rick and will probably never use Rick but people need to pay up! I see the work Rick does for everyone. One of my best friends (N4100) uses Rick and Rick always comes through. The NY Blues and US Blue are lucky enough to have a club liason now. That is a full-time, paid gig that Rick is doing for FREE on here.
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal This is just sad. My wife and I are not poor, but because of some remodeling and my son getting braces there's just no way I can swing seeing Arsenal in their last year at Highbury. I would give almost anything for the privelige of paying Rick double, if that's what it took, to see a match. WTF is wrong with people?
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal It's Christmas people! (and Hanukah for Ryan ) Could you people please please please pay Rick on time? His girlfriend deserves a decent christmas present! And Ryan...phish? sex? arsenal?...I'm buying you a gift certificate to my shrink for Christmas.
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal Dear Mr Rick B, I recently met a man in London. I handed him a roll of twenties for three match tickets. Fairly unimportant matches, just a couple of London Derbies between Chelsea, and West Ham, and some minor club - Man-something United. *shrug* He made some convenient excuse about "forgeting" the West Ham ticket, and the Chelsea ticket was pretty horendous. a whole FIVE rows from the front in the North Bank. If I'd know I was going to be that far from the action I wouldnt have bothered. All this and he had the cheek to charge me face value for the tickets, with no discount for being a super-fan or anything. Wouldnt even take a chrimbo drink from me. Clearly this man ripped me off - what should I do
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal I probably won't ever use Rick (I'll PM if I need to ) but I'll offer a suggestion. If its already been offered or isn't feasible then fine, but I'm putting it out there. Rick, you must know a date by which prior to matches the tickets are all or mostly gone. So you should have an idea for when you'll need to purchase tickets for each game. 2 weeks, 2 months... whatever. You know it. Or, just arbitrarily decide a date that is good for you and say that while you'll keep a list of people who PM'd interest for a first come first serve basis - you will only purchase/reserve tickets for those who've paid half by said date. The remainder should be paid by your current due date which is apparently, too late. If someone is travelling all the way from the US or Canada or from outside of Europe they should make plans in advance and clear their budget to do so. You are providing a GREAT service to Arsenal fans, a service that I paid nearly £90 (annually between MUSCUSA and MUFC) to recieve, that is guaranteed seats to see the best team in the world (this works both ways as I'm sure u lot think AFC is best too) play football. People have to purchase plane tickets and make hotel reservations and they pay in advance for those, arrange time off etc and generally plan these events. I know, I've planned one now, and its been in the pipeline since the summer. It might be a minor inconvenience to pay half a month or two prior to when its due - but if that's what it takes to see your favorite club, a fraction of the total cost of the trip - it can and should be done in order to make Rick's life less of a living hell. No matter what the result is I hope you can continue doing such a great job Rick and the world, and football is better for having people like you who are willing to make sacrifices to help others out.
Re: For all those getting Tickets from me part 437 - PayPal The problem as I see it is three fold 1) People keep shafting Rick, not turning up for tickets that have been paid for. And thus not paying. And thus he's out of pocket. 2) Even though the VAST majority of people turn up and pay up, the fact is Rick often has 20 tickets in hand, which is £1000, which is $2000, which is a LOT of money to be waiting on for up to two months until the match eventually kicks off. 3) Rick feels he can't ask for cash up front because if for some reason he can't get a ticket, the PayPal fee is non refundable. However I think this is utter tosh and he needs to be more ruthless. At the end of the the day the Paypal fee ammounts to what - $4-5? Lets face it anyone with enough cash to make a transatlantic hop, stay in a London Hotel, and pay for tickets to Arsenal shouldn't be short of $5. Christ its pocket change - I'd take the chance of never seeing that money again if it meant having a high chance of getting a FACE VALUE TICKET. I also think Rick should employ Coach and Surfcam as US enforcers.