Prepare to FAI - L
Open Letter to the FAI on
the disregard towards fans within the Aviva.
Hello John and the Abottstown boys,
Thanks for really taking the supporters for granted. I will start by saying the ticket prices are pretty reasonable and good value, so firstly good work on that.
However I can see where the reduced ticket prices are affecting the whole match experience.
Last night's game v Austria was a triumph of idiocy. Only about half of the concession stands were opened, and those that were were viciously understaffed.
At the main concession in the Herbert Road side upper tier - three staff were serving at half time in each of the two stands - however there were double making hot dogs, fish, chips and burgers in the back. The issue was despite the amount being cooked, there was nowhere near as many punters being served as to sell them all, or anywhere near.
Most of the crowd did not get to a stall, most leaving the queue in disgust. Even though I jumped out after Waters second goal just before half time, and was only about ten people back in the queue - the second half had still kicked off before I got back to my seat.
The nice Italian couple beside me did not make it back until the 56th minute and were very unimpressed.
The policy of the staff removing the bottle tops from mineral bottles before handing them to the punters is mind blowing - they cannot cause that much damage. But when (on a freezing night like last) it took one of the staff well over a minute to remove four bottle tops - its crazy.
This happened on a few occasions while in the queue as punters asked for numerous bottles, then being handed them with no tops on, proceeded to ask for cups. Consternation! This led to the three staff wandering off looking for containers to put them in - causing greater delays and more grumblings.
If all this didn't frustrate enough, the preparation for a glut of customers seemed as a surprise. Who could have thought that thousands would run to the only thing selling anything within radius of the centre circle. Certainly not the people working there.
Hello John and the Abottstown boys,
Thanks for really taking the supporters for granted. I will start by saying the ticket prices are pretty reasonable and good value, so firstly good work on that.
However I can see where the reduced ticket prices are affecting the whole match experience.
Last night's game v Austria was a triumph of idiocy. Only about half of the concession stands were opened, and those that were were viciously understaffed.
At the main concession in the Herbert Road side upper tier - three staff were serving at half time in each of the two stands - however there were double making hot dogs, fish, chips and burgers in the back. The issue was despite the amount being cooked, there was nowhere near as many punters being served as to sell them all, or anywhere near.
Most of the crowd did not get to a stall, most leaving the queue in disgust. Even though I jumped out after Waters second goal just before half time, and was only about ten people back in the queue - the second half had still kicked off before I got back to my seat.
The nice Italian couple beside me did not make it back until the 56th minute and were very unimpressed.
The policy of the staff removing the bottle tops from mineral bottles before handing them to the punters is mind blowing - they cannot cause that much damage. But when (on a freezing night like last) it took one of the staff well over a minute to remove four bottle tops - its crazy.
This happened on a few occasions while in the queue as punters asked for numerous bottles, then being handed them with no tops on, proceeded to ask for cups. Consternation! This led to the three staff wandering off looking for containers to put them in - causing greater delays and more grumblings.
If all this didn't frustrate enough, the preparation for a glut of customers seemed as a surprise. Who could have thought that thousands would run to the only thing selling anything within radius of the centre circle. Certainly not the people working there.
Not only did the coffee
machines run out of coffee, there was no milk or sugar at the condiments
stands. This left one of the three staff dealing with irate customers, before
luckily finding someone resembling a manager (maybe even more resembling than
Trap himself) and came out with a box of UHT (yes that shit!) - leading to a
scrum long before the box got to the condiments stand.
Next the tills ran out of change and remember I started off only ten sales back in the queue, however upon reaching the counter I was astonished to be asked for the exact amount as there were no notes or coins! Seriously?
If the FAI's main focus is a bottle top safety issue, those dangerous little blighters, the Abbottstown mafia in fearing fans may throw them on the field in a kind of Iraqi shoe protest- well FAI here ya go, consider this!
Inside the stadium, despite there being an Elvery's merchandising stand at each concessions area , only one was opened if you wanted to find it and it was at the opposite side of the stadium.
In here all they were selling were the new charcoal jerseys (which will never be worn) and FAI mugs. On a freezing night, the request for a hat was met with laughter; 'no we don't have them here. Scarfs?'
This meant all that could be purchased within the stadium were new jerseys for €60 or a FAI mug for about euro!
The funny thing was there were as many staff in this Elvery's stand as serving behind each concession stand – this trio however were not under as much pressure.
The Elvery’s shop at the main entrance may well have been open - but due to the fact I had to enter the stadium nearly a mile away - and in the wintery conditions, you should not be expected to make a Shackleton-like effort to get some gear. And surely they are losing out on merchandising?
But this gave me an idea!
With a bottle of mineral costing €2.50 – minus the offending cork, and a mug costing a euro, next time I am going to spend my fiver on 5 mugs - which with the weight and size will have a much better chance of laying waste to opposition supporters, something the Irish supporters are famous for, or the FAI fear will happen.
Next the tills ran out of change and remember I started off only ten sales back in the queue, however upon reaching the counter I was astonished to be asked for the exact amount as there were no notes or coins! Seriously?
If the FAI's main focus is a bottle top safety issue, those dangerous little blighters, the Abbottstown mafia in fearing fans may throw them on the field in a kind of Iraqi shoe protest- well FAI here ya go, consider this!
Inside the stadium, despite there being an Elvery's merchandising stand at each concessions area , only one was opened if you wanted to find it and it was at the opposite side of the stadium.
In here all they were selling were the new charcoal jerseys (which will never be worn) and FAI mugs. On a freezing night, the request for a hat was met with laughter; 'no we don't have them here. Scarfs?'
This meant all that could be purchased within the stadium were new jerseys for €60 or a FAI mug for about euro!
The funny thing was there were as many staff in this Elvery's stand as serving behind each concession stand – this trio however were not under as much pressure.
The Elvery’s shop at the main entrance may well have been open - but due to the fact I had to enter the stadium nearly a mile away - and in the wintery conditions, you should not be expected to make a Shackleton-like effort to get some gear. And surely they are losing out on merchandising?
But this gave me an idea!
With a bottle of mineral costing €2.50 – minus the offending cork, and a mug costing a euro, next time I am going to spend my fiver on 5 mugs - which with the weight and size will have a much better chance of laying waste to opposition supporters, something the Irish supporters are famous for, or the FAI fear will happen.
But they are also more
accurate than a bottle top and heavier -
so be-ware the flying crockery when Mr Delaney, if people want to display their
displeasure - buy the cheap missile that
is a mug!
And as a final thought, for all the food cooked - it would be interesting to see how many burgers, fish, hot dogs etc were made, compared to how many were discarded, and what went through the tills at the break. It was a massively missed opportunity.
After all at a soccer match, is it too much to ask to get a hat, a scarf or a hot cuppa?
Well at the Aviva the answer appears to be yes.
And as a final thought, for all the food cooked - it would be interesting to see how many burgers, fish, hot dogs etc were made, compared to how many were discarded, and what went through the tills at the break. It was a massively missed opportunity.
After all at a soccer match, is it too much to ask to get a hat, a scarf or a hot cuppa?
Well at the Aviva the answer appears to be yes.
Colin Bartley
posted by colliebee @ 5:39 AM
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