Official *smile* about Telstra Dome topic

[TigerFurious]

[quote author=Ian Collins]“I don’t think anybody gave up and went home. I don’t think that would be an issue.”
But it is an issue Ian. Its a big issue.

I arrived at Telstra Dome at about 1:15pm and lined up. I was still in the queue at the start of the second quarter. Then the word gets around that all the general admissions are gone and that was enough for me and I called it a day.

I accept that the Dome is designed for pre booked tickets but something has to be done about managing the lines. They were out of control, no system no boundries, no hope. And its a pity because by all accounts that first quarter was quite good.

 

[Rosy]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I didn't go down to the game TF, but they were discussing the crowd on 3LO. At 1.55 they said the Saints would be very disappointed cos it looked like they wouldn't get 20,000 there.

Obviously people arrived late. I don't see why they don't have a curtain raiser (TAC cup even, would be great experience for the kids) there to encourage early arrival, because their setup isn't near good enough to cope with last minute rushes.

Their system of printing each ticket is so slow, absolute crap.
I'd never get tickets at the ground there again, I missed a whole quarter once even though our tickets had been pre ordered and just had to be picked up.

Things won't improve while the powers to be have their head in the sand pretending there are no problems there.

Not good enough.

 

[TigersGoddess]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I had the exact same problem as you TF ok I arrived later than planned but the system or what they refer to as a system was bloody pathetic. Waited in line for all that time just to find out there was no general admission left. I'm a richmond member and so is my dad but I brought my little cousin who isn't along so we were waiting to get a ticket for her. And the bloody announcements they had going "we're sorry for the wait we understand you've been waiting a long time but we ask you to remain patient, our ticket sellers are working as fast as they can" blah blah blah they still didnt announce that the had sold out of general admission we found out from people who'd gotten to the ticket booth and been told there was none left so we just went home. BLOODY DISGRACEFUL. When are they going to learn that people don't want to pay $20 or whatever the cost for admission and reserved seating when they have memberships that get them into the game.

 

[mightytiges]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I couldn't make it to the game either but Ian Collins was on 3AW and MMM after the game and he came up with the usual excuses for the queues - 30,000 people turning up after 1pm and since it was a Richmond away game that caused too many cash sales as we have a large supporter base. It came across to me as he was blaming Richmond supporters for turning up. He even made a smart@rse comment about how last year they had half price drinks to encourage people to come early and how Richmond supporters would wish that that was still around. This arrogant head in the sand attitude that exists where everyone else is at fault and not docklands stadium is what ticks me off.

Hey Ian,
*If it wasn't for Richmond supporters, today's game would have made a loss instead of the $200,000 profit the Saints are going to get.
*Don't have a go at footy fans for not turning up early when the AFL has removed curtain-raisers before games (as the surface can't handle the extra game) so that if you do turn up early you sit like a veg for 2 hours waiting for the game to start. I use to get to games around noon to watch some of the reserves match but now I, like so many, turn up with 30 minutes to spare.
*Don't have a go at fans for not pre-booking their seats when it costs at least $5 on top of the price of a ticket to book. If you want us to book then subsidize the booking fee so the pre-booked ticket costs fans the same as at the gate.

Stop treating us like we're idiots!

 

[Koalalill]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I got there at 12.30pm - ONLY because of the lack of parking available at that venue. I refuse to pay $12.00 to park my car at a car park that usually charges $7.50 for a whole day. So I try for Batman Hill. When I got there, there was hardly a sole. At 1.45pm I thought - gee President Slick willl be sooking again because no-ones turned up. Then by the start of the second quarter the place is packed.

MT, you hit the nail on the head - the reason no-one goes early is because there is no reason too. Pre-game entertainment is what we need. Not endless repeats of that vile "Signed, Sealed Sainters" commercials. A 15 minute replay of a game from 4 years ago is not entertainment when you are sitting there for 1 1/2 hours. But I had the opportunity to read the COMPLETE footy record - that accounted for at least 20 mins. Live action is what people want.

Ian Collins says people should pre-book tickets. Give me a break. Explain to me Ian why it takes at least 3-5 minutes for someone to stand at your windows to purchase 1 ticket when they are paying cash. That's right Ian cash - not a credit card but Cash. That's not good enough. How they could then claim that all the general admission seats were sold out - errrr NO NO. I was there and there were empty seats high up at the Coventry end not many but some. Sold out I don't think so.

This is another example of fans being blamed for the inadequacies of high paid executives. May I suggest Ian Collins, Jacko and Andy D stand out with the average supporter and queue one day and see how pathetic the system at the Dome is.

 

[hutstar]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

Gee- why do you think they called it Telstra Dome anyway? Hang around bored sh!tless for the best part of an hour , long line, zero satisfaction and service...
You guys are just not getting the hint! (yep just stirring- sorry) ;D

 

[Harry]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I can't beleive so many people were turned away, the second level on one of the wings was about a third empty. They should have surely opened that up to general admission.

I got there at about 12:45 and I had to wait in line for about 35 mins - disgraceful. If Collins is saying that we should turn up early then what time does he expect us to turn up - 10am and watch the grass grow?

I got in at about 1.20 and the ground was empty. There was more people outside than inside.

And another thing, the bloke who designed the ground is a complete moron. The ground just simply faces the wrong way as the sun is pretty bad at one end of the ground - both for players and supporters. Couldn't the designer have looked at the MCG and see what side it was facing before they built it.

I say just demolish the darn thing, count your losses and start again.

 

[mongrel_punt]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

Just too reiterate previous points:

Parking: F'n too expensive, or at a better price too far away.

Public Transport: Useless on a public holiday, and not much better any other day

Pre game entertainment: No reserves football, therefore watch grass grow, where grass doesn't grow!

Ticketing: Join a queue for a big ticket that needs printing and allocation. Then join another line which validates that ticket. How stupid! That's called double handling, uneccessary and time waisting. Why not buy a ticket in the same queue, that needs no printing and walk straight in. It works fine at the 'G'

Capacity: Knock down one ground that caters for 90 thousand people and has a magnificent playing surface, and build another one that faces directly into the sun (at least for two quaters), grass that gives way and holds only half the amount patrons. The person who commisioned this ground should be sued!

Tenants: Pick a low supporter base club who are financially vulnerable, suck them in, bleed them dry and watch them implode.

Collo: Would never have queued for a ticket in his life, and has his head so far up his arse, he wouldn't realise the sun is a problem and that people are outside and can't access the stadium. I bet he wouldn't have Carlton playing there.

 

[TigerFurious]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

There are some obvious design flaws at Docklands but a couple of simple changes would have done wonders to ease the troubles on Monday.

1. It has been mentioned before but the process of actually getting your ticket takes way too long. They need to speed up the ticket printing process or do away with it all together.

2. Why aren't there a couple of cash only windows??

3. Line control. Its an oxymoron because there was no control. People were everywhere. Is it to much to ask for the red coats to extend the ropeds a bit.

 

[Tigerdog]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

Harry.. In defence of the guy who designed the stadium his brief was to maximise the sunlight hours per day that got into the stadium, in order for the grass to grow properly(well we all know about the grass down there).
So effectively he designed it to what they wanted. At the time wasn't there alot of concerns about if the grass would grow etc?? Anyway the AFL power :-\ must have decided that the most important thing was the grass growing and maybe forgot about the effects of the sun.
Well congrats AFL we got a sterile stadium which if you eventually manage to get into (and once you do as an average punter you are restricted to the crappest seats in the house) and then there is the joke of a surface where despite the max sunlight the grass ... she won't grow and take mon!!

 

[TigerEmma]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

I totally agree with everything you's are saying.
What happened on Monday at Docklands( I refuse to call it Telstra Dome ) on Monday was disgraceful
We had to line up for over half an hour.
I did see mange to see all of the game ( wasn't sure if I would) only just though.
I missed the Richmond players going though the banner for the first time in agers.
I'm glade Richmond are playing at the MCG this week.

Gee- why do you think they called it Telstra Dome anyway? Hang around bored sh!tless for the best part of an hour , long line, zero satisfaction and service...
You guys are just not getting the hint! (yep just stirring- sorry) ;D

haha

 

[wagstaff]

Re:Official b!tch about Telstra Dome topic

Personally, I got there at around 1:20pm and only managed to get in a few minutes before quarter-time. It seems I was one of the lucky ones!

It is no surprise that Ian Collins showed the contempt he did for the supporters as he did on Monday and Tuesday morning. He always showed contempt for supporters in his role with the AFL (especially when taking talkback) and nothing has changed through his unfortunate demeanour. He takes the classic line of the bureaucrat, blame all the flaws of the stadium he runs onto the general public. A classic line of his was that if there had been double the number of ticket selling areas it wouldn't have made a difference. Rubbish! Of course it would've made a difference, you might as well argue that halving the number of ticket booths wouldn't make any difference either. As one talkback caller said, when was the last time Ian Collins had to line up to get tickets to get into an AFL match? A long time dare I say.

As for the parking, what I did was park at Crown Casino. I'm a member there and if you spend 30 mins on a table, you get free parking the next time you go there. Works fine with me!

By the way, how hard would it be to make the production of tickets quicker and make seperate lines for people purchasing tickets on one hand, or those just looking to pick up pre-purchased ones? All it takes is a little bit of effort.