I love Nepali football. With the recent success of the Nepali football team in the group qualifying matches of the SAFF Championship 2013, I was eager to actually watch the football match between Nepal and Afghanistan on September 8, 2013 in the stadium.
Having heard that the ticket counter would open at 8 am, I and my father got in the queue at Thapathali opposite of Blue Bird mall at 7:30am. There were already 50-100 people in the line, and we waited behind them, hoping to get a chance to see and support our beloved national team.[break]
Republica
The excitement to watch the game live slowly faded when we ran into multiple challenges when waiting in line in the hours that ensued. First, some people started cutting in and joining the line to get the tickets. Security personnel were not close by to discipline them. There was a group of youth who cut the line a few steps ahead of us, and we politely suggested them that it was not fair for us to have them come late and join in the middle. This was not fair to anyone who came in early to queue up.
Second, there were many rumors and talks about the number of tickets an individual could buy. It ranged from three, five, and 10 to 20, and changed depending on who you asked. Reliable information regarding this could not be obtained from a credible source, and the whole time we waited in line, we were confused. There was just chaos, and several individuals were running around spreading rumors and silly statements.
Third, there was the rumor that all the tickets had been sold by 8:30 am or 9:00 am. We were not sure if the rumors were spread by certain individuals who wanted to sell tickets in black market, or if they sincerely believed the tickets were sold out. Some people standing in line, especially towards the front, did protest that the tickets were sold in bulk and ran out within a short period of time.
This gradually fuelled disappointment in people waiting anxiously in line, and some took to the streets to actually create more chaos. The police had to intervene to disperse the crowd, and we almost received a beating for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The result of waiting in line for exactly three hours to get tickets and support our team was futile, and I was very frustrated with how everything turned out.
There are various solutions to the situation above. My suggestions can help improve the brand image of ANFA (All Nepal Football Association), which has suffered greatly from that Sunday morning experience. I hope that is never repeated. There were hundreds of people frustrated with what happened, and all they wanted was a ticket to go and support their team. First and foremost, there should be a system.
Simple as that. If there is no system, then problems are inevitable. To sell tickets efficiently and quickly, multiple ticket counters should be set up. One ticket counter that sells all the tickets to a game will result in long lines, disturbance of pedestrian traffic, and deployment of excessive and unnecessary security personnel among others. Setting up multiple ticket counters is one way to solve the above problem.
Second, the number of tickets an individual can buy should be limited. The numbers could be from 3 to 5 tickets per person, at least for a game that we all know will be in high demand (any game featuring the home team Nepal). If there are going to be empty seats that need to be filled, then the ticket counter can sell tickets in bulk or discount them as needed. We could all anticipate that games featuring Nepal will be sold out.
Thus, allocating a certain number of tickets per individual gives everyone a chance to purchase the ticket and enjoy the game. The morning of September 8, we heard and saw people purchasing 10-20 tickets, and us waiting in line almost served no purpose. What is the point of waiting in line then? Shouldn’t everyone have a fair chance of purchasing the ticket? Isn’t it ANFA’s responsibility to set a limit on how many tickets an individual can buy, especially when Nepal is playing?
Third, security personnel should be available early before ticket sale begins. For the security personnel to show up at the scene after people have already cut the line, moved around, and started chanting derogatory slogans is already too late.
If the situation on September 8 was properly managed, the security personnel could have definitely provided a calm and convenient way to get tickets for the game. When riot police have to intervene to control the anger of people not getting tickets, we have serious problems.
Fourth, the ticketing system should move online, which creates efficiency and accountability. Along with that, prices for all the matches (qualifying matches, semi final matches, and final match) should be set early, preferably before the tournament starts.
Currently, a person living outside Kathmandu Valley has almost no chance of watching the game because the tickets are sold in person the morning of the game. With online ticketing system, person(s) living outside of Kathmandu can buy tickets online a few days in advance, and can just show up on the day of the game. Besides, buying tickets online is much more convenient and easy for the spectators.
There are plenty of smart individuals here in Nepal who can build an online ticketing system in a matter of days. Lastly, having an online ticketing system just makes good business sense, and ANFA needs to take proactive and strategic decisions to improve their image and be seen as a fair body.
Important questions for ANFA and other relevant bodies: You have some of the most passionate football fans in the world; wouldn’t you want to provide good service so they can enjoy the game? How will you ensure the efficient allocation of tickets so everyone has a chance to enjoy the game? How will you guarantee or boost citizen confidence that a situation like that on September 8 is never repeated again?
Although I wrote this article, these experiences sincerely reflect the agony and frustration of many people who were standing in line that day. I just put everything in writing and shared my experience.
The author is a Visiting
Faculty of Sales Management at Apex College
nirmalthapa2@gmail.com
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