Final Ticket Allocation

So, a bit earlier than expected, Everton's allocation of tickets for the Cup Final has been announced. The club will get 25,000 or so tickets. The next challenge according to Robert Elstone is to work out a process to divide the tickets fairly amongst Everton's fan base.

I'm not sure what that means exactly. Everton probably has about 20,000 season ticket holders who should, in my opinion, get first shout. But I'm biased because I am a season ticket holder. The club is in a difficult position here. They could follow the same process as with the Semi-Final and utilise a points-based system rewarding season ticket holders who have attended additional fixtures (and therefore further lined the pockets of the club). Alternatively, they could do something radical and split the allocation between season ticket holders and other fans who have only attended a certain number of games but shouldn't feel alienated because they do not have a season ticket, in the form of a ballot. Either way, a lot of fans will be disappointed.

The second option would definitely succeed in reaching a wider audience and it's right that non-season ticket holding fans should get an opportunity to attend the game. But I'll be honest here, if I lose out because of a ballot I WILL GO MAD.

The Cup Final ticket allocation is an annual hand-wringing, teeth-gnashing performance akin to the first day of the Big Brother Show. Apart from the freak 2008 Cup Final where both sides could cope, there are simply never enough seats to go round. The preposterous award of over 30,000 cup final tickets to FA officials, distinguished guests, liggers and other pointless souls prevents a sensible award to the respective fan base of the teams involved. But it will never change, so there is little point moaning about it. So I won't. Call in favours, make new friends, lean on people. Remember that horrible bloke you hated at school but now works in the ticket office at Goodison? He's your new best friend.

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/final-allocation-announced.html