I'm an American expat living in London and one approach not mentioned was the use of so-called hospitality tickets. I support Liverpool, and my only way into Anfield is one of these packages or something like StubHub. I have done both but I prefer hospitality. Quite simply, for the big clubs, even if you are a club member (I am) there are many more members ahead of you. In this season's Liverpool ticket sale, once they had gotten down to members who had only attended 6 or more matches the previous season everything was sold out. You're just not getting face value tickets for somewhere like Liverpool. I have a friend on the season ticket list hoping his grandchild will get them - his son is 8.
Enter hospitality packages. Instead of getting ripped off by a "fan" on StubHub, you get ripped off by the club itself. Say the ticket (Upper Anfield Road End) is worth £60 in the members sale. The club holds some of them back and sells them as hospitality packages for $250. You get your ticket but you also get something like a sad pre-match buffet lunch in a local pub. Some of the packages are fancier - really good seats and a pre-match three course meal and a meet-and-greet with a club legend, but now you're paying £1,000+. Every club has something like it in their ticket sales section. Just make sure you know when they go on sale, as these sell out quickly too, but they're open to anyone, not just those who get to 10 matches a season.
Pros vs StubHub:
- Club gets your money instead of the ticket reseller. I helped pay for Luis Diaz!
- You 100% know you have a real ticket. Even for me the train up from London and a hotel is a signficant outlay, let alone most of you folks with a transatlantic flight. Peace of mind helps.
As for StubHub, I do know of a site that came highly recommended to me and I have used it myself successfully, where you might find better tickets and a higher success rate. I'll happily list it here if Bob gives the go-ahead. I'm not trying to spam the site with unwanted links.
Also. I have an established relationship w/ a very good broker. Happy to introduce anyone to him. If interested email me at KickAroundRadio@gmail.com and I’ll reply with a cut and paste response. He’s hugely dependable and Ive recommended him to more P1’s than I can count.
Would be interested in the P1 turnout if there were to be a gathering on your next visit. I understand this would be taking away from your holiday, but I think there are more of us on this side of the pond than you would think.
Great advice and insight! So glad that you're free to touch on topics like these now that you're no longer shackled to only write what your bosses want!!!
What can you comment on about the pub scene? Is it "all that" to belly up to a bar on the outskirts of the stadium? Is it 80% of the full experience? 20%?
Yes. Yes it is. But it depends on the stadium. Craven Cottage is great for the pub scene, but others not as much. You need to look in advance at the the stadium and surroundings - for example West Ham isn’t a huge pub scene.
Thanks Bob! When I went to see Man U in 2019 the StubHub option didn't work for me as, at the time, you needed a UK address in order to get tickets. Do you know if that has changed?
It’s easier now. There’s a few different ways to get them - quite a few sites are trustworthy. Also, some teams do resale directly through their own site.
Thanks very much. I am an Arsenal fan and went to the 2-2 draw with Man City in 2017 and the Arsenal 4-1 win over Crystal Palace in March of this year. For what it is worth I used StubHub for tickets both times and it was also very easy to do as I just used the App on my phone. I splurged in March and did pay $400 a ticket for two tickets ( birthday present to myself) but I got Club level tickets with a private entrance and access to all sorts of restaurants and bars. Next time I will try the concierge approach at my hotel.
Dig, Bob. Have been to Camp Nou but not an EPL game which is on my list. Which episode was your son in on “We are Newcastle”? Aggie dad from Flower Mound.
I'm an American expat living in London and one approach not mentioned was the use of so-called hospitality tickets. I support Liverpool, and my only way into Anfield is one of these packages or something like StubHub. I have done both but I prefer hospitality. Quite simply, for the big clubs, even if you are a club member (I am) there are many more members ahead of you. In this season's Liverpool ticket sale, once they had gotten down to members who had only attended 6 or more matches the previous season everything was sold out. You're just not getting face value tickets for somewhere like Liverpool. I have a friend on the season ticket list hoping his grandchild will get them - his son is 8.
Enter hospitality packages. Instead of getting ripped off by a "fan" on StubHub, you get ripped off by the club itself. Say the ticket (Upper Anfield Road End) is worth £60 in the members sale. The club holds some of them back and sells them as hospitality packages for $250. You get your ticket but you also get something like a sad pre-match buffet lunch in a local pub. Some of the packages are fancier - really good seats and a pre-match three course meal and a meet-and-greet with a club legend, but now you're paying £1,000+. Every club has something like it in their ticket sales section. Just make sure you know when they go on sale, as these sell out quickly too, but they're open to anyone, not just those who get to 10 matches a season.
Pros vs StubHub:
- Club gets your money instead of the ticket reseller. I helped pay for Luis Diaz!
- You 100% know you have a real ticket. Even for me the train up from London and a hotel is a signficant outlay, let alone most of you folks with a transatlantic flight. Peace of mind helps.
As for StubHub, I do know of a site that came highly recommended to me and I have used it myself successfully, where you might find better tickets and a higher success rate. I'll happily list it here if Bob gives the go-ahead. I'm not trying to spam the site with unwanted links.
I did hospitality for Man City-Man U and it's the best $3k I've ever spent :)
Also. I have an established relationship w/ a very good broker. Happy to introduce anyone to him. If interested email me at KickAroundRadio@gmail.com and I’ll reply with a cut and paste response. He’s hugely dependable and Ive recommended him to more P1’s than I can count.
listen to this man on this one. Trust me.
The one issue Bob and I failed to mention are “beer sales”.
Be aware: there is NO ALCOHOL allowed in the stands. Beer is sold in the concourse but you have to consume it there.
P1 (Sturmhead) that lives in England here. Happy to help in any way I can.
Would be interested in the P1 turnout if there were to be a gathering on your next visit. I understand this would be taking away from your holiday, but I think there are more of us on this side of the pond than you would think.
Let’s do it!
Great advice and insight! So glad that you're free to touch on topics like these now that you're no longer shackled to only write what your bosses want!!!
Great stuff. Super resource.
What can you comment on about the pub scene? Is it "all that" to belly up to a bar on the outskirts of the stadium? Is it 80% of the full experience? 20%?
Yes. Yes it is. But it depends on the stadium. Craven Cottage is great for the pub scene, but others not as much. You need to look in advance at the the stadium and surroundings - for example West Ham isn’t a huge pub scene.
Hopsitality packages are great too. See Tim O'Brien's comment for more details.
Thanks Bob! When I went to see Man U in 2019 the StubHub option didn't work for me as, at the time, you needed a UK address in order to get tickets. Do you know if that has changed?
It’s easier now. There’s a few different ways to get them - quite a few sites are trustworthy. Also, some teams do resale directly through their own site.
Bob
Thanks very much. I am an Arsenal fan and went to the 2-2 draw with Man City in 2017 and the Arsenal 4-1 win over Crystal Palace in March of this year. For what it is worth I used StubHub for tickets both times and it was also very easy to do as I just used the App on my phone. I splurged in March and did pay $400 a ticket for two tickets ( birthday present to myself) but I got Club level tickets with a private entrance and access to all sorts of restaurants and bars. Next time I will try the concierge approach at my hotel.
Thanks Bob. Been wanting to do a trip like this for some time and I appreciate all the advice and info. Cheers.
Dig, Bob. Have been to Camp Nou but not an EPL game which is on my list. Which episode was your son in on “We are Newcastle”? Aggie dad from Flower Mound.
Found you end of episode 3! Come on!!!