How to get tickets to EPL game on Boxing Day?
May 30, 2010 12:10 PM Subscribe
Best way to secure Boxing Day EPL tickets?
We will be in London for Christmas. Would love to take in a Premier League game. How hard is it to get tickets? I would love to see one of the larger teams (Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool), but I'm not familiar with their locations relative to London or how easy it is to secure tickets.
Any ideas?
We will be in London for Christmas. Would love to take in a Premier League game. How hard is it to get tickets? I would love to see one of the larger teams (Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool), but I'm not familiar with their locations relative to London or how easy it is to secure tickets.
Any ideas?
Oh, and West Ham as well.
posted by djgh at 12:38 PM on May 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by djgh at 12:38 PM on May 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
The fixtures for next season haven't been released yet. I just checked and in 2009 they were released in mid June, I thought it was usually a few weeks later than that, but I was probably mistaken. So once they are released you can pinpoint any games you'd particularly like to see.
The current Premier League teams in London are Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham. Chelsea finished top, Arsenal 3rd and Tottenham 4th last year.
I think getting a ticket to see two top sides play each other will be very hard without paying way, way over the odds. For Chelsea, for instance, their website details when tickets are made available and to who.
posted by selton at 12:40 PM on May 30, 2010
The current Premier League teams in London are Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham. Chelsea finished top, Arsenal 3rd and Tottenham 4th last year.
I think getting a ticket to see two top sides play each other will be very hard without paying way, way over the odds. For Chelsea, for instance, their website details when tickets are made available and to who.
posted by selton at 12:40 PM on May 30, 2010
Ok, if you have a look here you can see that members get first shout on tickets (this is last season's). I'd imagine it's similar with the other clubs (example). You can buy online.
You're going to have to work out
a) Which of the London clubs is playing at home
b) When tickets go on sale
c) Which fixture you want to go to
Bear in mind the likelihood of it being oversubscribed (e.g. derby match, big four match), stadium capacity etc.
Look up each club's refund policy. That way, if you really want to go to fixture X, but it's the last on sale, if fixtures A, B and C all allow you to refund, you can just buy tickets to all of them and see if you get the one you want. If not, choose from the others and return the rest.
I'm going to stop spamming now
posted by djgh at 12:44 PM on May 30, 2010
You're going to have to work out
a) Which of the London clubs is playing at home
b) When tickets go on sale
c) Which fixture you want to go to
Bear in mind the likelihood of it being oversubscribed (e.g. derby match, big four match), stadium capacity etc.
Look up each club's refund policy. That way, if you really want to go to fixture X, but it's the last on sale, if fixtures A, B and C all allow you to refund, you can just buy tickets to all of them and see if you get the one you want. If not, choose from the others and return the rest.
I'm going to stop spamming now
posted by djgh at 12:44 PM on May 30, 2010
It's also worth noting that most clubs have home and away support sections (Fulham also has a "neutral" section that is usually support for the other club as well). If you want to see a "big team" play and they happen to be playing away from home, you won't be able to sit in the home seats and cheer for the away side. Stewards will eject you.
posted by proj at 12:57 PM on May 30, 2010
posted by proj at 12:57 PM on May 30, 2010
Oh, another note. Boxing Day matches are a big deal and lots of people attend, but many of the trains do not run. Make sure you figure out how to get to where you are going.
posted by proj at 12:59 PM on May 30, 2010
posted by proj at 12:59 PM on May 30, 2010
Datapoint: I got tickets for my dad and me to see West Ham play Portsmouth at home on Boxing Day last year with relative ease (no pun intended). (Avram) Granted it's not exactly a pulsating fixture but I think I left it till quite late to buy them, probably only 3 or 4 weeks beforehand. Cost me >£70 for the two us (and my dad's half price because he's a senior) so it's not exactly cheap. Worth every penny though.
posted by Chairboy at 1:16 PM on May 30, 2010
posted by Chairboy at 1:16 PM on May 30, 2010
Others have mentioned the obvious: the fixture list isn't out yet; Fulham's "neutrals section" is aimed deliberately towards visitors who can't get tickets at the other London grounds, and your success at buying tickets will depend upon the matches on offer.
(It's also increasingly rare to be able to buy tickets for the away section on the day of the match. I'd suggest avoiding the away end: it's not that you won't be safe, but you will stick out: Boxing Day away travellers are generally the loyalest of the loyal.)
I'd add that you might want to look beyond the Premier League to get into the proper spirit of Boxing Day football. Of all the London matches I've attended as an away supporter (far too many of them at Selhurst Park) I enjoyed visiting Charlton Athletic the most: the description "family club" gets used a lot, but it's well-deserved, because there's a real sense of community there. They're in the third tier, but tipped for promotion, and it's going to be a cheap ticket, with lots of singing and Santa hats.
posted by holgate at 7:59 PM on May 30, 2010
(It's also increasingly rare to be able to buy tickets for the away section on the day of the match. I'd suggest avoiding the away end: it's not that you won't be safe, but you will stick out: Boxing Day away travellers are generally the loyalest of the loyal.)
I'd add that you might want to look beyond the Premier League to get into the proper spirit of Boxing Day football. Of all the London matches I've attended as an away supporter (far too many of them at Selhurst Park) I enjoyed visiting Charlton Athletic the most: the description "family club" gets used a lot, but it's well-deserved, because there's a real sense of community there. They're in the third tier, but tipped for promotion, and it's going to be a cheap ticket, with lots of singing and Santa hats.
posted by holgate at 7:59 PM on May 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Unless you're massively keen on seeing Man U, Liverpool etc, it's just too far away.
I'd imagine your odds with the big clubs will be low, but you can always try. Tickets are pre-allocated to season ticket holders and the away club, but you can often pick up tickets in other sections. Just keep plugging away at their websites - probably a good idea to sign up for notifications when tickets go on sale (I don't know if all tickets go on sale at the beginning of the season or a pre-determined time before each match. If it's the latter, work out the earliest you can buy tickets).
If you're going to a home game, make sure you don't wear the away team's strip (especially for derby matches like Arsenal v Spurs).
posted by djgh at 12:37 PM on May 30, 2010