When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other (NT)

In a traditional ticket sale if you're enter the queue with two goes (I'm not sure if this can be 2 browsers on the same machine, or needs to be 2 separate machines), then you're effectively getting 2 rolls of the die when queue-it assigns the queue positions. Assuming that each entry gets randomly assigned a number and the top X will effectively get tickets, then by entering twice you're (almost but not quite) doubling the likelihood of one of your randomly assigned numbers being within the top X. Your entering twice won't have much effect on everyone else, since your increased likelihood is distributed across the thousands of other entrants, but you are still reducing their chances ever so slightly. It's no different to buying two raffle tickets.

Of course, with entering the ballot this makes no difference since getting in earlier or later in the 24 hours shouldn't affect your chances of success (unless you have a second account).

None of which backs up your claim that the only people who watch 'their' football team in a pub fall into the 2 categories you described though, does it?

You posted this on a theatre forum, so, no I won't go to a football forum.

So when I'm down the pub with all my friends watching our team, who are very much not in the premership, nor currently anywhere near, which category do I fall under? Or am I, rather conveniently, one of the few not covered in your sweeping statement?

If, like me, you follow a team with little chance of success and who occasionally get on television then, as you know, you are clearly not a glory hunter.

You clearly know, however, that Iain from Ipswich who has never been to Manchester and has no family connection to the city will be, rightfully, ridiculed and called a plastic Glory Hunter for proclaiming to be a Manchester City 'fan'. Even old school City fans don't regard him as a fan. He should be supporting Ipswich and his local community.

There's a reason why you will find it next to impossible to buy tickets in The Kop, Stretford End or whatever the Kippax is called post move if yu are a glory hunter... It's because the regular fans don't want people like you near them because you don't understand what the club represents to the local community and you dilute the atmosphere.

Anyway, as you say, this is a theatre forum and not a football one but if you're being honest about your allegiance to a small club you know that what I am saying about how glory hunters are received, regardless of whether you agree with the position or not, is the consensus opinion. For a reason...

lol to all this if the show ends up being bad

American Football is based on franchises.

British Football is based on a deep routed conviction that the club represents the area they are based and the local community.

That's why, as you know, glory hunters are ridiculed and why my 'tosh' opinion is the prevalent one among football fans.

I suspect the franchise system would render an outsider at grounds in the USA to be run of the mill but there are popular movements at Liverpool and Manchester United, for example, trying to have restrictions on non locals buying tickets in some parts of the ground and the clubs are starting to listen.

We'll never agree but we will bore everyone else so let's agree to disagree 👍

I agree with wiggymess that those comments don't back up your binary categorisation of pub football-watchers, who according to you will also include disenfranchised fans. Plus you wander into the realm of stuff getting more expensive, which is another issue. I'm sure I could indeed see comments on football forums which are in line with what you said, I don't doubt that, but that's just a load of people making the same sweeping statement, which is exactly what it is; it doesn't make it reasonable.



Also, whatever the reasons for some no longer being able to regularly watch their team from the stands while others who are relative newcomers can, who are you to question and belittle them and their experience and enjoyment? Taking it back to theatre, the same question applies. If a theatre newbie decides to enter the NT ballot purely because they like the idea of seeing a film star in a small venue and successfully gets tickets, while long-time theatregoers miss out, so what? Equally, so what if the same thing happens in a normal ticket sale, not a ballot? It's disappointing, possibly annoying for the regular but I can't find it in myself to use that as the basis to question or resent the enjoyment or motivation of the non-regular, or make dismissive blanket comments about them such as your "Alistair and Tabitha" one.

For whatever reasons, some people come to something they previously had no interest in, whether it's football or theatre or something else. It happens. Getting riled by it and dismissing those people as somehow unworthy seems a waste of energy to me. 

Royal Court did this for Unreachable which went on sale before Matt Smith was announced. A good approach I think!

We most definitely WILL get back to theatre now you've announced yourself a Packer!!

No, why this ballot thing again?

If there's a big name with teen or mainstream appeal why not simply release bunches of tickets at various times of day or over several days so people who are at work or school can queue online to buy them, say, at lunchime, 7pm or on a Saturday? And have a returns policy like the one the NT usually uses where returns go on sale immediately rather than holding returns back as additional day seats as some theatres seem to (which, as I said, is only good for locals).