THE HERALD REPORTS
SRU ‘regrets’ delays but defends online system
KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer April 11 2009
Having claimed they rushed into selling tickets for next season's biggest fixtures as a sympathetic response to customer feedback, the Scottish Rugby Union appears to have upset many more of its supporters.

Would-be ticket-buyers were subjected to a lengthy wait when they tried on Wednesday, less than a week after the Six Nations Championship schedule was announced, to buy tickets online for next season's meetings with England and France.

Murrayfield offered a token apology, but it was hidden in a boast about how many tickets were sold.

The frustration caused to supporters was summed up by Margaret McVean of Bearsden, who contacted The Herald to say: "I received an email advising me that ticket vouchers would be available for purchase as I was on the email list.

"Vouchers would be available for purchase from noon on Wednesday - so far, so good. Come the appointed hour, I and half the population of the western world went online.

"Everyone was advised they were in a queue and not to come out of the site. One-and-a-half hours later the site vanished with a message saying it was being upgraded'.

"I telephoned the ticket office to enquire if the purchase of a ticket voucher entitled the purchaser to know where the ticket was for, and was told no tickets would be allocated until four weeks before the match. I asked why there was a change from last year where it was possible to book specific seats. I was told this was a better system.

"I eventually got into the site sometime around 4pm to be advised that I should click on a specific area of the stadium and choose a section, this did not work. A further telephone call gave me the enlightening information that this was a general site and not appropriate for the Six Nations.

"I was told rather patronisingly that I should click on the blue button in the middle of the screen, something I had already done, before finding out people were indeed being invited to buy a pig in a poke' and take whatever seats the SRU decided.

"Around 4.30pm I phoned Murrayfield asking to speak to someone in public relations or management and was told categorically that the method of communication was email.

"No-one spoke to telephone callers. A sad day when the powers hide behind email.

"At 6.10pm I finally was able to gain access to order tickets after being thrown out a few times as the site crashed again. I succumbed and ordered tickets for the two home internationals for three persons, spending £313.50.

"What has further incensed me is that I was stupid enough to fall for the story that this would be the only public sale of tickets.

"Remembering the mess the SRU made of this season's ticket sales when no tickets were available for sale on match days, one wonders what the SRU are thinking of."

Invited to respond, the SRU suggested they had been victims of their own success.

"To this specific correspondent we apologise for the frustrations he/she experienced yesterday," said their spokesman. "Your correspondent's own description, half the population of the western world went online', gives some indication of the unprecedented demand. Scottish Rugby sincerely regrets any inconvenience caused."

The SRU explanation then went into a detailed description of how this new system worked, rather than acknowledging that the system clearly could not cope with the level of demand they themselves had surely hoped to generate.

It then goes on to attempt, again, to justify their refusal to sell tickets on match day, something that has created an artificial black market for matches that are not sold out.

"Since that policy was introduced the service provided to supporters in the lead-up to games has improved," the spokesman adds.

Many fans would disagree.


The Ed wonders could this possibly be the same Maggie McVean that once took an earnest young cub reporter Cameron Little to task for his observations in the Milngavie and Bearsden Herald

This article was originally posted on 11-Apr-2009, 07:14 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 11-Apr-2009, 07:15.