Arsenal Away - 3rd March 07- Ticket Details UPDATED

[Royalphil]

Firstly let me point out I am an ASTH with 685 points.

The reason I went for the AST this season was for this very reason, I just knew there would be games (days!) like this...

HOWEVER, I am not that sure you had to even be a regular STH to 'buy' an AST... so there could well be ASTHs out there with very few points indeed!!

[SpaceCruiser]

How many ASTHs are HSTHs?

I would think that most of them if not all. You have to be pretty dedicated to go to all the away games and I would be surprised if they then didn't want to support them at home also.

I know a friend who has an AST for NORTHERN games as he lives in Manchester and does not go to many home games. Therefore some of those ASTs don't neccessarily go to all the home games.

[Stranded]

On hold now, and they report it sold out been on hold for 45 mins!

yep, recorded message says they've sold out. They really need to change those Royalty Points bands

If anyone who has 601 points or more missed out on a ticket, then yes, they need to look at the banding. If not then they've done the job surely?

I don't like the idea of an AST subscriber without the required points getting a ticket, but surely 99% of them will also have a HST and so that together with the AST will give them enough points anyway?

Why not? An AST holder is comitting to paying for a ticket for every game regardless of opposition on even if they can make the game. Everybody else is not making the same commitment and going to away games as and when.

Why not? Because the club bought in a points system to make sure that the loyalist of fans can go to the games. If someone only has half the amount of points needed but still gets to go to a game I don't see this as particularly fair. And it's not like they're committing by paying an upfront fee. But like I said, I can't see any AST holders not having the right amount of points anyway, by virtue of the fact that they will have been collecting points for every game.

But surelt committing 100% to buying a ticket for your club's games over a season without knowing what may happen over that time is the most loyal you can be?

Each AST will pay for a ticket each game but they committed to that in July. You may well go to each away game, but you have the freedom of knot having to commit until roughly a fortnight before the game. As a result, you will know if there is a game you can't make and not look to buy one whereas the AST holder is stuck buying the ticket regardless.

[Schards#2]

Not bad and no change in Points bands which is very good news

I would have preferred a change in points band. Make the first day for those with >700 points, second day >650 points, so that we don't have too many people clogging up the queue...

We asked for this at a recent meeting with the club and were told that as Man U was the only away game that people with 100 points or less were not able to go to they did not intend changing the bands. This will be the next real test.

Can I suggest that both the club and STAR have failed the test miserably?

It was blindingly obvious that the bandings for this game were unsuitable though neither the club nor STAR seem to care in the slightest.

People with the most points got their chance yesterday and bought. People in the next band got there's with what was left. I'm struggling to see how they could have changed it. They would have got complaints anyway.

Say they move the bands to 700+ for yesterday, 650 for today, 600 for tomorrow and then say 580 on Thursday we would have been in the same situation but just come Thursday.

That would have given a better opportunity for the available tickets to go to those with the most points rather than those with the highest number of points only having one day to use this advantage and those below having no advantage over those 30 points lower.

Incidentally, the on day also fell on the sale of replay tickets when phone lines were jammed so anyone who couldn't personally get to the stadium was buggered.

Replay date was unfortunate timing and the club did the best they could by allowing sales from Saturday evening online for that and many used it before it crashed on Sunday/Monday.

I take you point that it would have given people with the real top end of points an extra day or two but the fact is the majority of the tickets available went to those with the highest points available and the rest to those in the upper reaches of the next tranche.

I'd have loved a ticket but knew that the chances of any being available come Weds were slim - that's life. When there are more people than tickets available people will always miss out and what even system the club put in place there will always be those that miss out and blame them to ease their own frustration.

There's no hurry to sell these tickets though, the game's still a couple of weeks away and we've sold out slightly over 24 hours after going on sale. Do you not concede that the bandings could have been more staggered?

The replay is inconvenient but was entirely forseeable as a possibility.

I should say that I have enough points and have a ticket but, if I didn't have a brother who was happy to go and queue at the ground, I either would not have or would have had to sit on a premium phone for an hour or two at work. I'm sure some 601+ points holders won't have tickets because they couldn't get to the ground or sit for hours on the phone in the 24 hour window offered them.

[Huntley & Palmer]

On hold now, and they report it sold out been on hold for 45 mins!

yep, recorded message says they've sold out. They really need to change those Royalty Points bands

If anyone who has 601 points or more missed out on a ticket, then yes, they need to look at the banding. If not then they've done the job surely?

I don't like the idea of an AST subscriber without the required points getting a ticket, but surely 99% of them will also have a HST and so that together with the AST will give them enough points anyway?

Why not? An AST holder is comitting to paying for a ticket for every game regardless of opposition on even if they can make the game. Everybody else is not making the same commitment and going to away games as and when.

Why not? Because the club bought in a points system to make sure that the loyalist of fans can go to the games. If someone only has half the amount of points needed but still gets to go to a game I don't see this as particularly fair. And it's not like they're committing by paying an upfront fee. But like I said, I can't see any AST holders not having the right amount of points anyway, by virtue of the fact that they will have been collecting points for every game.

Wrong on all accounts. I have spoken with many an AST holder, most are home ST holders and quite a lot are exiles that find it easier to follow RFC away than make the journey to Reading for home games only. Royalty points were only brought in to allow the more loyal HOME FAN get a ticket for home games, hence why away games are not worth as many points. That is why exiles are reliant on the AST to guarantee they get tickets to Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool as these are the only games they can go to. They would not necessarily have enough points to get a ticket for a home game.

I am an AST and HST holder and have just crept over the 500 point barrier with my Arsenal ticket. I have only missed four away games all season, the missed games saw my tickets sold to a mate that wanted to go.

[Rawlie19]

On hold now, and they report it sold out been on hold for 45 mins!

yep, recorded message says they've sold out. They really need to change those Royalty Points bands

If anyone who has 601 points or more missed out on a ticket, then yes, they need to look at the banding. If not then they've done the job surely?

I don't like the idea of an AST subscriber without the required points getting a ticket, but surely 99% of them will also have a HST and so that together with the AST will give them enough points anyway?

Why not? An AST holder is comitting to paying for a ticket for every game regardless of opposition on even if they can make the game. Everybody else is not making the same commitment and going to away games as and when.

Why not? Because the club bought in a points system to make sure that the loyalist of fans can go to the games. If someone only has half the amount of points needed but still gets to go to a game I don't see this as particularly fair. And it's not like they're committing by paying an upfront fee. But like I said, I can't see any AST holders not having the right amount of points anyway, by virtue of the fact that they will have been collecting points for every game.

But surelt committing 100% to buying a ticket for your club's games over a season without knowing what may happen over that time is the most loyal you can be?

Each AST will pay for a ticket each game but they committed to that in July. You may well go to each away game, but you have the freedom of knot having to commit until roughly a fortnight before the game. As a result, you will know if there is a game you can't make and not look to buy one whereas the AST holder is stuck buying the ticket regardless.

It is loyal, but if you haven't got the same amount of points as the top band then you've clearly not been going to as many games as those IN the top band. That's my only point. As for those northern exiles having an AST just for the northern games, again it's a little poor for the loyal fans who are travelling all that way from Reading.

But hey, I'm not looking for an argument on this really. I've got my ticket as I have been going to enough away games this season to accrue enough points. And I didn't go to the Fynord game as I had to work that day and couldn't justify taking one of my precious few holidays for a friendly.

[Rawlie19]

On hold now, and they report it sold out been on hold for 45 mins!

yep, recorded message says they've sold out. They really need to change those Royalty Points bands

If anyone who has 601 points or more missed out on a ticket, then yes, they need to look at the banding. If not then they've done the job surely?

I don't like the idea of an AST subscriber without the required points getting a ticket, but surely 99% of them will also have a HST and so that together with the AST will give them enough points anyway?

Why not? An AST holder is comitting to paying for a ticket for every game regardless of opposition on even if they can make the game. Everybody else is not making the same commitment and going to away games as and when.

Why not? Because the club bought in a points system to make sure that the loyalist of fans can go to the games. If someone only has half the amount of points needed but still gets to go to a game I don't see this as particularly fair. And it's not like they're committing by paying an upfront fee. But like I said, I can't see any AST holders not having the right amount of points anyway, by virtue of the fact that they will have been collecting points for every game.

Wrong on all accounts. I have spoken with many an AST holder, most are home ST holders and quite a lot are exiles that find it easier to follow RFC away than make the journey to Reading for home games only. Royalty points were only brought in to allow the more loyal HOME FAN get a ticket for home games, hence why away games are not worth as many points. That is why exiles are reliant on the AST to guarantee they get tickets to Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool as these are the only games they can go to. They would not necessarily have enough points to get a ticket for a home game.

I am an AST and HST holder and have just crept over the 500 point barrier with my Arsenal ticket. I have only missed four away games all season, the missed games saw my tickets sold to a mate that wanted to go.

I am shocked that you only have 500 points being a AST and HST frankly.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Some people have other things in their lives other than RFC, it seems the people that moan the loudest clearly don't.

[Rawlie19]

Some people have other things in their lives other than RFC, it seems the people that moan the loudest clearly don't.

Those that moan the loudest don't have a ticket I wasn't really having a big moan, just pointing out my views. Like I said, I'm alright Jack.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Not bad and no change in Points bands which is very good news

I would have preferred a change in points band. Make the first day for those with >700 points, second day >650 points, so that we don't have too many people clogging up the queue...

We asked for this at a recent meeting with the club and were told that as Man U was the only away game that people with 100 points or less were not able to go to they did not intend changing the bands. This will be the next real test.

Can I suggest that both the club and STAR have failed the test miserably?

It was blindingly obvious that the bandings for this game were unsuitable though neither the club nor STAR seem to care in the slightest.

People with the most points got their chance yesterday and bought. People in the next band got there's with what was left. I'm struggling to see how they could have changed it. They would have got complaints anyway.

Say they move the bands to 700+ for yesterday, 650 for today, 600 for tomorrow and then say 580 on Thursday we would have been in the same situation but just come Thursday.

That would have given a better opportunity for the available tickets to go to those with the most points rather than those with the highest number of points only having one day to use this advantage and those below having no advantage over those 30 points lower.

Incidentally, the on day also fell on the sale of replay tickets when phone lines were jammed so anyone who couldn't personally get to the stadium was buggered.

Replay date was unfortunate timing and the club did the best they could by allowing sales from Saturday evening online for that and many used it before it crashed on Sunday/Monday.

I take you point that it would have given people with the real top end of points an extra day or two but the fact is the majority of the tickets available went to those with the highest points available and the rest to those in the upper reaches of the next tranche.

I'd have loved a ticket but knew that the chances of any being available come Weds were slim - that's life. When there are more people than tickets available people will always miss out and what even system the club put in place there will always be those that miss out and blame them to ease their own frustration.

There's no hurry to sell these tickets though, the game's still a couple of weeks away and we've sold out slightly over 24 hours after going on sale. Do you not concede that the bandings could have been more staggered?

The replay is inconvenient but was entirely forseeable as a possibility.

I should say that I have enough points and have a ticket but, if I didn't have a brother who was happy to go and queue at the ground, I either would not have or would have had to sit on a premium phone for an hour or two at work. I'm sure some 601+ points holders won't have tickets because they couldn't get to the ground or sit for hours on the phone in the 24 hour window offered them.

I had a mini argument with the STAR rep on this or another thread. I received my Arsenal ticket on Saturday, which meant that RFC must have had them since at least Thursday/Friday. They have a database of members and their respective points, they could have done a much better job of spreading the points bandings. Heaven forbid they invested in some resource and had a seperate home and away ticket number

[Spirit of Elm Park]

500 left this morning. (source: Ticket Office)

Queue of about 200 this morning. (over the hour 10-11)

I doubt they will make midday.

Queued for 45 minutes but got 5 tickets no probs. Seemed to be plenty left.

Maybe most of those queuing are after ManU replay tickets rather than Arsenal. Maybe some people don't have a bottomless pit of cash and have to choose.

So I was right!!!! smugly

[Lower West]

When Reading were going so well least season in the Championship I don't recall their being 3,000 away fans at Burnley ....................

A paltry two Royalty points was the reward.............

I refused to pay excessive money to watch Feynord in a friendly so missed out on 20 points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet I am not complaining as to me the Royalty Points system is as fair as any system will ever be.

[EASTENDER MARKY]

When Reading were going so well least season in the Championship I don't recall their being 3,000 away fans at Burnley ....................

A paltry two Royalty points was the reward.............

I refused to pay excessive money to watch Feynord in a friendly so missed out on 20 points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet I am not complaining as to me the Royalty Points system is as fair as any system will ever be.

Definatly agree with you. It is unfair that the fans that travelled to the likes of Burnley, Leeds, Preston etc could have less points than someone that went to the Feyenoord friendly. You would of had to do 10 away games to make up the points that someone else got by going to the Feyenoord friendly.

[Silver Fox]

Someone really should have raised that at the time

[Stranded]

Not bad and no change in Points bands which is very good news

I would have preferred a change in points band. Make the first day for those with >700 points, second day >650 points, so that we don't have too many people clogging up the queue...

We asked for this at a recent meeting with the club and were told that as Man U was the only away game that people with 100 points or less were not able to go to they did not intend changing the bands. This will be the next real test.

Can I suggest that both the club and STAR have failed the test miserably?

It was blindingly obvious that the bandings for this game were unsuitable though neither the club nor STAR seem to care in the slightest.

People with the most points got their chance yesterday and bought. People in the next band got there's with what was left. I'm struggling to see how they could have changed it. They would have got complaints anyway.

Say they move the bands to 700+ for yesterday, 650 for today, 600 for tomorrow and then say 580 on Thursday we would have been in the same situation but just come Thursday.

That would have given a better opportunity for the available tickets to go to those with the most points rather than those with the highest number of points only having one day to use this advantage and those below having no advantage over those 30 points lower.

Incidentally, the on day also fell on the sale of replay tickets when phone lines were jammed so anyone who couldn't personally get to the stadium was buggered.

Replay date was unfortunate timing and the club did the best they could by allowing sales from Saturday evening online for that and many used it before it crashed on Sunday/Monday.

I take you point that it would have given people with the real top end of points an extra day or two but the fact is the majority of the tickets available went to those with the highest points available and the rest to those in the upper reaches of the next tranche.

I'd have loved a ticket but knew that the chances of any being available come Weds were slim - that's life. When there are more people than tickets available people will always miss out and what even system the club put in place there will always be those that miss out and blame them to ease their own frustration.

There's no hurry to sell these tickets though, the game's still a couple of weeks away and we've sold out slightly over 24 hours after going on sale. Do you not concede that the bandings could have been more staggered?

The replay is inconvenient but was entirely forseeable as a possibility.

I should say that I have enough points and have a ticket but, if I didn't have a brother who was happy to go and queue at the ground, I either would not have or would have had to sit on a premium phone for an hour or two at work. I'm sure some 601+ points holders won't have tickets because they couldn't get to the ground or sit for hours on the phone in the 24 hour window offered them.

I will concede that having additional bandings above 601 would have allowed those with those points more time to get the tickets. The fact remains however that as the ticket office is mainly open on weekdays no matter what day you put them on sale and at what bands you will still either have to go down yourself, have go down yourself or sit on the premium phone line whether you had one day or three days to get your ticket.

[Irvinchangeyaname]

As far as I'm concerned, everybody that wanted an AST got one. This was not charged as an up-front lump sum payment, but on a game-by-game basis and so, anybody who claims that they go to every game could have quite easily bought one.

The reason I didn't get an AST was that I knew I would only get to about half the games and so I can have no complaints now.

[Stranded]

When Reading were going so well least season in the Championship I don't recall their being 3,000 away fans at Burnley ....................

A paltry two Royalty points was the reward.............

I refused to pay excessive money to watch Feynord in a friendly so missed out on 20 points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet I am not complaining as to me the Royalty Points system is as fair as any system will ever be.

Definatly agree with you. It is unfair that the fans that travelled to the likes of Burnley, Leeds, Preston etc could have less points than someone that went to the Feyenoord friendly. You would of had to do 10 away games to make up the points that someone else got by going to the Feyenoord friendly.

For the umpteenth time, the points are given out dependent on the money that the club gets from you. So spending £20 on a friendly in August is more important that a game at Burnley that's why it's Royalty points not loyalty points.

[Huntley & Palmer]

When Reading were going so well least season in the Championship I don't recall their being 3,000 away fans at Burnley ....................

A paltry two Royalty points was the reward.............

I refused to pay excessive money to watch Feynord in a friendly so missed out on 20 points !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet I am not complaining as to me the Royalty Points system is as fair as any system will ever be.

Definatly agree with you. It is unfair that the fans that travelled to the likes of Burnley, Leeds, Preston etc could have less points than someone that went to the Feyenoord friendly. You would of had to do 10 away games to make up the points that someone else got by going to the Feyenoord friendly.

Just to reitierate the point for the 100,000th time. They are called Royalty points, not loyalty points. Hence why you are rewarded for going to home games

[lozz2601]

I and my family have all got around 590 points - can't believe the tickets are sold out!

[Royal Lady]

I can only assume from this that young son didn't get a ticket then. I might have to give him mine.