I have a love / hate relationship with our ticketing system, Eventbrite. I get sick to the back teeth of seeing complaints about it because I remember queuing in the rain, but I also admit it isn’t really fit for purpose.
I’ve been involved in the implementation of new software and hardware, back in my days working the Builder’s Merchant scene. t took ages to install chip and pin readers and new software, so I knew last season it wasn’t going to happen overnight.
When it did come in I was even willing to forgive the early blemishes on it’s record. The truth is, I’ve had a nightmare with Eventbrite, but as someone who gets a few readers I didn’t want to trash it publicly before the problems had been ironed out. My first season ticket arrived in the wrong location of the ground, possibly their error, possibly human. Either way, the problem was rectified.
Then came away tickets, a smooth process that seemed effortless. No queuing, no fuss and no hassle. I happily applauded the system in public because it seemed to be making progress. After all, anything that meant I didn’t have to drive a sixty-odd mile round trip deserved some praise. Besides, it was easy, how tickets should be purchased in the 21st century.
I had no worries as we approached our cup run and by the time it came to the Chelsea U18s game I was highly confident that things would go smoothly. By now there had been a subtle change, no longer did I need my season ticket number, I needed an order number. Those who didn’t fully understand were derided by those who did and I again kept quiet. Honestly? It was properly explained and I’m by no means a technophobe. I run two websites and use back end interfaces for several others and it baffled me for a short while.
Anyway I found the elusive nine-digit number, entered it and ordered my Chelsea ticket. Nothing happened, no notification, nothing at all. I contacted the club and was informed there was no issue. I’m pretty hard to please so, doubting the outcome, I went in and bewildered the girls in the office. They were incredibly helpful and showed me, in detail, where my ticket was reserved on Eventbrite as best they could. I got the impression that the information available to them was limited, but I believed it nonetheless.
Four days later I went to my seat for the Chelsea game to find it had been sold to someone else. I sorted it like a grown up, not by punching people or calling the club names, but by finding somewhere else to sit and reporting it quietly through the proper channels. I didn’t put it on here because I had no desire to whip up a frenzy.
We reached our major final and all manner of memories started to flood back to me. It is a little known fact that I attended both Millennium Stadium finals as Poacher, both times buying a ticket because it was unclear whether I had to and neither time having to use it. In 2003 I phoned the club non-stop for over a week trying to nail down my place in the stands, I tore my hair out of my real head and Poacher’s as I stressed over tickets. Coupled with my recent Eventbrite experience, I was full of trepidation and fear this evening.
I’m not really sure why, two minutes after seven I had my tickets and those of Dave, Fe, Dad, Mo and my Uncle and his lad from Exeter who used to live in the city. Before anyone jumps on it, he’s been to a match a season ever since moving down there in the early 1980’s, before that he went home and away with the Imps. I shouldn’t feel shame at using my allocation for them, but the whole ‘best fan’ competition scars me anyway!
That is it. Two minutes, our first ever Wembley final booked. I feel a bit less excited than I should, I don’t believe all of the negativity around it is justified and there’s too many people knocking it as a nothing game. We’re going to a Cup Final and I don’t give a shit what your politics are, that is an achievement. If we win and fail to go up, I will class the season as a success, not a resounding one but a success nonetheless. I’m a little saddened that the experience is being tarnished by others, but in this world of instant news and views it was lways going to happen. Once I see my team run out on April 8th, it won’t matter at all.
That is it now, as far as I’m concerned were done with Wembley until the week before. We still have every chance of ending the season in the top seven and the players will be going all out to make sure we do. I know one thing, if we do get to the play offs and there is another need for using Eventbrite, I won’t be as worried as I have been today.
Like you Gary, I have mixed views about Eventbrite. I to found it easy to buy my Wembley tickets but when prompted to go to “My tickets” the site suddenly decided it didn’t recognise the very password that gave me the access to buy the tickets in the first place. Also, I have no idea whether they are going to be posted to me or I have to collect them from the club office. Ah well, c’est la vie!
I’ve had no problems with Eventbrite, generally found it straightforward to use, buying and returning (when my brother decided he wanted to come and I had to book new seats). The ‘app’ ticket works great for home games and my ST holder friends have booked full allocations of tickets tonight ok.
Only problem so far has been this week, Chesterfield ticket ordered but ‘post’ option not entirely clear and have emailed the club to confirm its coming to me. Seems to work less well with physical tickets for away games? I’ve also used for professional seminars (its ‘you may also like’ recommendations get really confused!)so I was familiar with it before this season.
Ok it took us over an hour to get tickets. We were after 9 tickets for four season ticket holders who always sit together at the Bank. At 7.05 it was telling us that all tickets were sold in category 3, our first choice. We went to category 4, no luck there then so to 5 and then 1. Facebook users were saying they were successful so keep trying. Eventually we took out the postage which, apparently, constituted a’ticket’ so technically were we over our limit. Doh! It would have been helpful if Eventbrite had said we had exceeded our limit instead of saying ‘sold out’ . All is well however and at least we were not queuing in the cold. We are abroad at the moment so missed dinner and nearly missed a booked show but the Mighty Imps are far more important.
The Junior imps bit worked fine for me last night just my useless tablet kicked me out halfway through so had to start again, otherwise all good.
We definitely have to collect ours!