freberta

We were doing some last minute planning for our trip to England early next month and we discovered that there is a Community Shield soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 8. As I am not a soccer fan, can someone tell me what kind of game it is and the best way to purchase tickets. We found a ticket broker here in the States online but I am sure there is a better way (and cheaper way) to purchase 6 tickets. Thanks.

alanRow

Try the websites of Manchester United or Chelsea. The latter is probably a better idea as you could pick the tickets up in London

Lifeman

The Community Shield is the traditional curtain raiser to the English Football season. It used to be called the Charity Shield with "some" of the gate money going that way. It is a semi competitive game with no points at stake, just the trophy and prestige of winning it.

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FAComp...010/Shield2010

The history of the competition is here:

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FAComp...Shield/History

Each team are offering tickets through their websites, the FA does not sell them, so it depends on which set of supporters you might want to join. However, at the moment, tickets are still in the offer stage to members at United:

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pa...newsid=6650358

Chelsea ticket info can be found here:

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pa...newsid=6650358

It is likely that both clubs will sell out their allocation, so you may be left with the only other option of buying expensive hospitality tickets (which include food and drink at high prices) or ticket touts (scalpers in the US) outside the ground.

You could try both clubs websites this week for further information.

HanMan

Both clubs will sell tickets to season ticket holders and members only. We are Chelsea members and are not able to get hold of any tickets. The alternatives are VERY expensive "unofficial" channels.

Lifeman

What sort of cost does your ticket broker want?

alanRow

Here's an option

http://www.thomascooksport.com/Footb...chester-United

They also do similar for several other Premiership clubs including Chelsea

freberta

I knew that while I slept my dear Fodorite friends from Britain would respond to my query (my post went unanswered for hours!).

Thanks for explaining the history and nature of the event. I guess it's a combination charity/exhibition game.

I can't remember exactly which website we contacted about tickets (we called an 800 number to speak to a person), but the tickets were going for £60 or so pounds each. And these were for seats in Category 4 (as we call it in the US, the nosebleed section). After checking the Chelsea site directly, we discovered that we are being ripped off royally, because the most expensive seats for sale are around £60. I think the cheapest seats are around £15. That's quite a hefty markup by the brokers.

Reading through the Chelsea website, I found out that tickets to the general public go on sale during the 3rd and 4th weeks after ticket were first offered to members. That means they should become available to the general public around July 29. I have a real problem paying almost $100 for a ticket that has a face value of $25. Some of us like soccer, but I don't know if we love it that much to spend $700 to see the game (sitting in the worst section of the stadium).

I will continue to monitor the team websites and I will check out some of the websites on this thread.

Thanks.

Lifeman

freberta...it may well be that tickets are planned to go on "open sale" after 3 or 4 weeks, but that is only if there are any tickets to sell in that fashion. The odds are that there won't be.

As you have said you'll do, keep checking the team websites, but I fear that you may have to buy on the black market if you really want to go.

janisj

If you want to see the game -- you'll VERY likely have to pay the broker's prices. Think of a major event in the States that regularly sells out. Sure - there may be a future day when tix go on general sale, but by that date everything is sold out.

A £15 for £60 may sound like a huge mark up-- but the same thing would happen in the States (and that is only where scalping is legal - otherwise it would probably cost more.)

Another problem is you want so many tickets -what you think is fair and what is possible may be entirely different things. Only you can decide what your bottom line is . . .

BigRuss

Good luck with this -- it will be a hard ticket to get because this is one of the biggest rivalries in the EPL.

The Community Shield is between the EPL champion and the FA Cup champion -- unlike US sports leagues, the European leagues do not have playoffs to determine the season's champion. The team with the most points over the course of the double round-robin schedule (slightly different in Scotland) is the league champion. Each of the major national leagues has a country-wide tournament for a separate trophy. In England, it's the FA Cup; in Spain, it's the Copa del Rey. England actually has two national tournaments, as does Scotland, but the FA Cup is the more prestigious.

Last season, the EPL champ and the FA Cup winner were the same, Chelsea. So the second-place team from the EPL received the second invitation to the Community Shield match.

And as much as it's deemed an exhibition match, the participants play their top players and treat it like a big game. Since 1999, every match (except 2008) has been contested by two of the EPL's "Big Four" -- the top four teams of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool -- so the teams do not want to look bad against a top rival -- it's a barometer of the team's training, skill and fitness.

A 4x face value offer does not seem to be much of a stretch.

BigRuss

And another thing.

Re: soccer and your other posts -- I don't know how sheltered (for lack of a better term) your kids are, but if you have Rod and Todd Flanders in your house, don't take them to a soccer match in England. It's strictly R rated for language. You can prepare them for this ahead of time if they're a bit savvy, but they may learn new word combinations that they hadn't ever thought of.

freberta

Everyone's responses have been quite helpful. I think we may only get 2 or 3 tickets (my adult step-daughter, her husband and maybe my 16 yo daughter, who probably can handle the language and rude behavior). My step-son-in-law really wants to go (BIG sports fan). My step-daughter will spend the night researching this further on Google.

How difficult is it to get to Wembley Stadium from central London? I went on the London Underground's website and discovered that there is work being done on some of the lines that would force riders to get off the system, on buses and then back on the system. From a map of the Wembley complex there appears to be at least 2 Underground stations, but only one close to the stadium. There's also a rail station close to the stadium. Is that a convenient way to go?

Knowing how long it sometimes takes to get home from some sporting events and concerts back home, what's it like at Wembley?

flanneruk

I can't find any reference to engineering plans on the Jubilee, Metropolitan or Bakerloo tube lines - the ones that serve Wembley - that day. I can't see how work elsewhere likely to cause problems getting to Wembley

Personally, I've never quite seen the point of getting the railway train to Wembley from central London unless you're based within a couple of hundred yards of Marylebone. To get to Marylebone from anywhere else, you've got to get the Bakerloo tube, which goes onto Wembley anyway. However, people have all sorts of quirks (some people will have tickets for the South terraces, and the railway station is handy for them, for example). Only you know what's right for you

Are American sports stadia with adequate public transport difficult to get home from? My only such experience has been Yankee Stadium, which was painless. Wembley's not materially different: it's just got better rail connections (though getting out of the place if you've come by car is a nuisance). The tube itself can lively though: a good rehearsal for, or recap of, the terrace songs

Lifeman

freberta...the following appeared this morning on www.manutd.com

Tickets to see Manchester United play Chelsea in the FA Community Shield on Sunday 8 August (kick-off 15:00 BST) will go on general sale from 20:00 BST tonight (19 July).

The game will be played at Wembley Stadium and the Club have received an allocation of 26,690 tickets all of which will be located in the East side of the ground. Tickets will cost £40, £30, £20 and £15 for adults with under-16s and over-65s receiving a £5 discount on these prices.

Supporters can buy a ticket when sales open tonight but their purchase must be made online. Those wishing to call 0161 868 8000 and buy a ticket can do so from 08:00 BST on Tuesday 20 July.

Go to United's website and follow this link:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/muticke...p/default.aspx

Alternatively you might want to phone tomorrow and get the tickets sent to the hotel or address that you are at whilst in London. Enjoy!

freberta

Hello. My step-daughter is on the phone as I write ordering tickets for the game. We are able to get £15 tickets for all of us. The tickets will be mailed to us in the States, and if we don't receive them by the end of July, contact them once we arrive in London and they will be resent to our hotel. $25 a ticket is a lot easier to swallow than $100 a ticket. Thanks for the tip on calling (no tickets were available online this morning).

flanneruk, we will be near the Tower Hill tube station that morning. Checking on the Underground's website to map the route to Wembley, every route given included the following message, "No service planned. Engineering works are taking place." In addition, every route given ends with a rail leg. Is there an easier way for us to get to Wembley from Tower Hill? Does the Underground leave you off at Wembley Stadium or Wembley Arena? Is it a long walk from the arena to the stadium?

FedEx Field in Washington, DC is a nightmare. I've only been there once. Parking is horrendous and the Metro is a long walk. They used to have shuttle service to the Metro but I don't know if they still offer it. Anything to do with the DC Metro system is usually a nightmare.

Again, thanks for the help.

freberta

flanneruk, I think I must eat my words. Rechecking the Underground website, I discovered that only two lines will be out of service that day, and those won't affect my ride to Wembley. I think we may walk to Aldgate and catch the Underground from there. It seems like an easy ride, changing trains only once.

Is Wembley Central the stop we need to get off? Is it a short walk to the Stadium?

Again, thanks. This will be exciting for everyone, and I will bring a pair of earplugs for my son.

Gordon_R

All you need to know about tranport to/from Wembley Stadium:-
http://www.wembley.co.uk/Travel.htm Wembley Central is the closest stop on the tube, as you can see from the pdf map at the website. No more than 5 minutes walk. The crowds may seem enormous, but Wembley is a highly experienced stadium operator well used to this sort of event. Just follow the signs round the stadium to the correct entrance gate (there are MANY, but your's will be indicated on your ticketing).

freberta

As long as we hold on to each other, we'll be fine (I'm originally from NY and I am not intimidated by big crowds). We'll just try to avoid those who appear to be intoxicated and rowdy (maybe the entire crowd????).

2g

lol, BigRuss about our R rated language.

freberta, I have been to games like this in the past, have a great time! Oh, and cheer for Chelsea please!

annhig

hi freberta,

what a hoot. we went to rugby games in Rome and Paris this year - the first time ever we've attempted such a thing - and had a great time.

and with any luck, you won't understand most of the insults the fans aim at each other - let alone the songs.

do US sports fans sing?