Tickets for the 2016 GPF Marseille
- Thread starter Lysambre
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It's still a mystery. I also asked them through email and Facebook but they never answer.
Talking about Facebook, they did really message and let me know about the tix sales... 3 hours ago but not nothing like a day before the sale as I asked them previously. Still, thanks FFSG. :sarcasm:
They finally answered re practice...
Practices are not included, it will be on sales during the competition
No comment. ..
Well, they were definitely on-line at 4 am local time, which is when Pamigena found out. That's more than eight hours ago already. So much for advance warning, eh?
Hi I have a question , since I'm 17 y.o I'm still a minor and I would like to know if I can be here alone ??
I ask because in France sometimes for some event if you are minor you must be accompanied by a parents or a major .
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I ask because in France sometimes for some event if you are minor you must be accompanied by a parents or a major .
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I decided the same things. Having examined the few photos & videos I found online of the venue, it looked like the 1st few rows were too low to see over the boards. I also don't even trust them to take down the hockey glass. I can also imagine shenanigans with camera placements.
I also picked the mailing option. The email I got from francebillet has a link where I can track my tickets (if I'm understanding the French correctly). I'll start checking on that in a few days.
Well, I'm actually happy to read that practices will be open to fans, although it's tough to have the added expense. Practice seating is usually general admission & there's an early rush to get the best seats when Yuzuru is going to be there (as I hope he will be), so not selling practice tickets in advance doesn't matter much.
I'm still disappointed and angry about this whole mess, because I was really looking forward to going again this year. But given that Barcelona was such a great success two times already, and the organization of this event has been an absolute nightmare so far, this is bound to become one major disappointment for me. If they handle the rest of this event only half as badly as they did everything else so far, then this is still gonna be pretty damn bad.
I'm not going to get into a queuing contest for category 1 seats, and I'm not paying 460€ for a reserved seat. If I want to make this worth my time (not even worth my money), I'd want to attend practices as well, so I would probably end up with at least about 500€ for tickets alone. And for that kind of money I'd be stuck with most likely more really bad management, plus an arena that doesn't look very inviting by itself, plus seats that look like I'm going to need a chiropractor after two days. (if you want to go so far as to call that little piece of plastic under your butt a "seat". Well I guess you can sit on it, so the word technically applies :sarcasm
As sad as I am about not going again this year but, nope, not like this. I'd worry all year about what else is gonna go wrong, and when I'm there I'd probably be angry about everything that will go wrong. And the way they handle this, things will go wrong. I'll just make a really big note for myself, saying that I just saved 500+€ that I can spontaneously spend on another competition or on upgrading seats for Worlds.
I'm not going to get into a queuing contest for category 1 seats, and I'm not paying 460€ for a reserved seat. If I want to make this worth my time (not even worth my money), I'd want to attend practices as well, so I would probably end up with at least about 500€ for tickets alone. And for that kind of money I'd be stuck with most likely more really bad management, plus an arena that doesn't look very inviting by itself, plus seats that look like I'm going to need a chiropractor after two days. (if you want to go so far as to call that little piece of plastic under your butt a "seat". Well I guess you can sit on it, so the word technically applies :sarcasm
As sad as I am about not going again this year but, nope, not like this. I'd worry all year about what else is gonna go wrong, and when I'm there I'd probably be angry about everything that will go wrong. And the way they handle this, things will go wrong. I'll just make a really big note for myself, saying that I just saved 500+€ that I can spontaneously spend on another competition or on upgrading seats for Worlds.
Pamigena, I sympathise - but from my point of view I just have to pay for the gold seats:
No way I will join the melee for the unallocated seats... and nor am I going to pass up a chance to see some of my favourite skaters competing in Europe, so close to home. There are too many skaters who I could have seen before they retired, but to my regret - I either passed up the opportunities, or they were forced to withdraw with injuries. Now I try to avoid such regrets.
eg. if Mao Asada makes it to the final I will kick myself if I'm not there to see her, it is rare a rare chance to see her in Europe. Same for Hanyu. (And both are likely to retire after just two more seasons...!)
Yes the tickets are expensive, along with the travel and accommodation costs... but not so expensive that I will balk at it, and I am fortunate enough to be able to afford the time and money. It means making some sacrifices and pritoritising skate competitions over other things... but ultimately I think my favourite skaters are worth it...
Although the ticket handling has been rubbish, and the seats may be uncomfortable (I will bring cushion for sure!)... the skating will be Epic, no doubt...!
No way I will join the melee for the unallocated seats... and nor am I going to pass up a chance to see some of my favourite skaters competing in Europe, so close to home. There are too many skaters who I could have seen before they retired, but to my regret - I either passed up the opportunities, or they were forced to withdraw with injuries. Now I try to avoid such regrets.
eg. if Mao Asada makes it to the final I will kick myself if I'm not there to see her, it is rare a rare chance to see her in Europe. Same for Hanyu. (And both are likely to retire after just two more seasons...!)
Yes the tickets are expensive, along with the travel and accommodation costs... but not so expensive that I will balk at it, and I am fortunate enough to be able to afford the time and money. It means making some sacrifices and pritoritising skate competitions over other things... but ultimately I think my favourite skaters are worth it...
Although the ticket handling has been rubbish, and the seats may be uncomfortable (I will bring cushion for sure!)... the skating will be Epic, no doubt...!
At first, I wasn't able to click on a seat and get it added to my shopping cart order. It wouldn't work on the English site for me. I was clicking yellow circles and nothing would happen. After a few minutes and re-installing Java (it said there was a Java error), I was able to click on seats on the French site, add them to my cart, and once I got past the first page I could click the Union Jack for English and it worked.
I agree with those avoiding the first row or 2. By the time I selected seats, the first row was pretty much gone on the side, and sales were starting in the 2nd row. From looking at Google image photos of the rink, I really liked the look of row 5. Yes, it's the last row of the Gold seats, but I think that location is more preferable for me for a couple of reasons. With row 1 or 2, you're not sure how high the railing will be at the front that you need to look over. In the photos of the seats, it looks like there is a railing/partition behind row 5. I think that's a great spot because if you're in front of that railing, you wouldn't have someone directly behind you (who might talk the whole time) and you also wouldn't have their legs and feet right at your back, like you would with the other rows. So, I went with row 5 for those reasons.
I chose the pick up option, so I'll just have to see where there is a ticket outlet around Marseille. This ticket process was a mess (and expensive). Barcelona was so easy and enjoyable. The cost of just Saturday is almost as many Euros as my all-event ticket was in Barcelona. But, as others have said, I don't want to be lining up for unassigned seats. The only good thing is that since I'm flying home Sunday, I didn't need to buy the gala as part of the Gold seats (and then have to try and re-sell it later).
I agree with those avoiding the first row or 2. By the time I selected seats, the first row was pretty much gone on the side, and sales were starting in the 2nd row. From looking at Google image photos of the rink, I really liked the look of row 5. Yes, it's the last row of the Gold seats, but I think that location is more preferable for me for a couple of reasons. With row 1 or 2, you're not sure how high the railing will be at the front that you need to look over. In the photos of the seats, it looks like there is a railing/partition behind row 5. I think that's a great spot because if you're in front of that railing, you wouldn't have someone directly behind you (who might talk the whole time) and you also wouldn't have their legs and feet right at your back, like you would with the other rows. So, I went with row 5 for those reasons.
I chose the pick up option, so I'll just have to see where there is a ticket outlet around Marseille. This ticket process was a mess (and expensive). Barcelona was so easy and enjoyable. The cost of just Saturday is almost as many Euros as my all-event ticket was in Barcelona. But, as others have said, I don't want to be lining up for unassigned seats. The only good thing is that since I'm flying home Sunday, I didn't need to buy the gala as part of the Gold seats (and then have to try and re-sell it later).
I think it's easier for me to say No to all this, because of the two previous GPFs in Barcelona, and knowing Helsinki takes place a few months later, too.
Actually, I've already more or less decided to use the money I'm saving with this on doing something spontaneous, maybe go to Paris instead, and I'm seriously considering going to Worlds 2018 in Milano, as well. I have this sneaky suspicion Hanyu's gonna stick around for a year longer, because of the high possibility of Worlds '19 going to Japan. ;-)
Well, they were definitely on-line at 4 am local time, which is when Pamigena found out. That's more than eight hours ago already. So much for advance warning, eh?
Long working hours with bad result... I admire them.
Btw I just don't want to queue for tickets of training sessions... What's the meaning of getting golden seats of I still need to queue??? I just don't get it... Actually I can't get the whole mess.
I am also guessing Hanyu will stay a while longer to support Worlds 2019 as he loves his home country so much.
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I bought the tickets, I decided to go, but i understand people who don't want to go. Frankly I do feel I am being robbed, I just can't resist to the skaters. The Spaniards did way better than this. I have started missing them recently...:sad4:
I get it, trust me, I get it. And I'm happy for everyone who is able and willing to afford this. If I could finally figure out how to grow that money tree, then I'd be there in a heartbeat. I also totally get if people spend an outrageous amount of money on this if they think it's their once in a lifetime chance to see a certain skater. I've done that before, and I don't regret it. I even understand the people who stand in line all day just to get a good seat. I've done that as well (not for skating though) and I kind of don't regret that either because back then I was younger and could still handle it
But as it is now, for me personally, if I really rationally think about it, then it's just not worth it. Too much money for too many problems. And too many good experiences in Barcelona that will probably only leave me even more disappointed with Marseille. And since I've already spent a crazy amount of money on my ticket for Worlds..... I would love to go, but I'm afraid I had to let my brain win this argument.
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Agreed, I hope it's all a misunderstanding or the decision is not final... and practice tickets will be available in advance. There's still plenty of time to make it so.
If not... then I hope they at least make a ticket that grants access to ALL training sessions, so we only have to buy once.
I'm digging into my memory, trying to remember how this worked out with the first GPF in Barcelona, when they also sold practice tickets separately at the event itself.
I think it was a mess, but I cannot remember the details as to why. Certainly there was something the first day about not all practices being open, but I get the feeling there was more to it than that.
They certainly decided it was a nightmare, themselves, because lo, the next year they sold the tickets on-line. Not with assigned seats, but still.
You'd think the French organizers would learn from others' mistakes. But then, I discovered in my journals that between 2003 and 2013, French organizers of events hadn't learned a single thing about how queueing works, how seat assignments work etc. I have evidence, lol. So not holding my breath.
I definitely bought all my practice tickets online for both Barcelona GPFs & I believe they were also sold at the door each day. The difference for the 2nd Barcelona GPF was you could pay for all practices & for the 1st GPF, you had to buy a ticket for each practice, but all were available online in advance. It was about €9/day. The practices did not sell out. There were no seat assignments, as has been the case for all practices I've gone to at all events, so, if you wanted the 1st-row seats or seats near the skaters' entrance, you had to get there early. But, if you don't mind sitting a few rows back, there are plenty of empty seats.
The 1st practice day at the 1st Barcelona GPF, they restricted the area where fans could sit & they tried to get us to leave before the practices were over. But, they eventually let fans stay. That was the only glitch in the very well-run Barcelona GPFs. The next day, all areas were open for fans & the next year, all areas were open from the beginning except under where some work had to be done on the ceiling.
Not in anyway to minimize how badly this Marseille GPF is being organized, but, I'm not too worried about a massive rush for practice seats, except for us fanatics that want the very best seats. Also, from looking at photos, I think any of the Level 1 seats will be okay, but not great, so even if someone came late & had to take whatever seat was left, it would probably be a decent view.
You are totally right, and yes, the problem was just with the 1st day. I remember arriving at the venue, and there was quite the commotion going on because they refused us entry. But eventually they let us in, after all. ;-)
Of course, the only real times the practices were busy was when the Japanese were on the ice, and mainly Hanyu. The problem was that people got up in the early morning and "reserved" a seat, and then left the venue again, only to come back when Hanyu was gonna skate. Very unfair.
I'm soooooo happy that Helsinki has seat assignments for the practices, too! Best Thing Eva.
You are totally right, and yes, the problem was just with the 1st day. I remember arriving at the venue, and there was quite the commotion going on because they refused us entry. But eventually they let us in, after all. ;-)
Of course, the only real times the practices were busy was when the Japanese were on the ice, and mainly Hanyu. The problem was that people got up in the early morning and "reserved" a seat, and then left the venue again, only to come back when Hanyu was gonna skate. Very unfair.
I'm soooooo happy that Helsinki has seat assignments for the practices, too! Best Thing Eva.
I try to keep in mind that it's Japanese fans that are keeping figure skating afloat (& I get up just as early as them & go stake out seats for me & my friends), but it will be relaxing to have assigned practice seats in Helsinki (particularly if a good premium seat ever comes through for me!).
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