Ticketing nightmares

October 26, 2024

I started writing a blog about the Bodrum stadium, then was diverted to trying to find a match ticket for this weekend, so thought I would change the subject and set out some issues about ticketing for matches.

For some reason, match tickets are only on sale in the week before each match. Why, I don't know, but for home matches I am not really concerned as I have a season ticket. But for away matches, it would be good to know I have a ticket before making travel arrangements.

This weekend's match is against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, much anticipated a one of the highlights of being a Super Lig team.

In anticipation of getting a ticket, I booked a flight to Istanbul on the morning of the match, intending to stay overnight and fly back on Monday, rather than wait to see if Bodrumspor arranged any transport for supporters. Sure enough, they arranged a free bus to Istanbul, leaving Bodrum at 11.30 on Saturday night, presumably returning overnight following the match. I declined the offer of two consecutive overnight bus journeys, and kept my flight reservations.

So far, all well and good, knowing that there would be a group of supporters (like me) waiting for tickets to go on sale. I was looking at the Passolig site (all match tickets are sold through Passolig) several times each day, ready to buy a ticket. By Thursday evening with no tickets on sale, I phoned the Bodrum supporters group and asked them if they knew anything, to be told they would probably go on sale on Friday. So every hour or so I checked and then in early afternoon tickets went on sale,

Great, I thought, now to choose a seat with a view, then follow up with a hotel booking. But....... when I clicked on the "buy ticket" button the next screen said this event was open for "priority sale". Thinking naively that as a Bodrumspor season ticket holder, I must have some sort of priority, I clicked this button and got nowhere.

So what I thought is "priority sale". It seems it's for very important people up to 11.00 today, then for holders of Fenerbahce Fan Cards. From 18.00 today, tickets are on general sale. No mention of any priority for Bodrumsport season ticket holders

I can understand why Fenerbahce Fan Card holders have some sort of priority over others to watch their team, though would have thought most have season tickets. Why have we Bodrumspor supporters no priority over everybody else who may want to buy tickets?

So as things stand, I cannot even try to buy a ticket until after 18.00 this evening, 25 hours before kickoff, 5 hours before some of my fellow supporters should be getting on the bus to Istanbul. This is quite ridiculous.

I have also been asked about scheduling of matches. When the Super Lig schedule was published, all matches were set for Sunday afternoons, so us supporters only knew the weekend, not the actual time and day as they would come later once TV scheduling and other match commitments were determined. Thats much the same in with the Premier league in England.

The actual times of the first few matches was only published in the week of the match, so again, hardly time to plan a weekend, even for a home match. I think this was due to trying to fit around the bigger clubs commitment to European matches. Once the Champions League / Europa League / Conference League group match schedule was published, the Super Lig detailed schedule was published to year end.