It's Called Football - Guest: Paul Beirne

[It's Called Football]

Paul Beirne, Toronto FC director of business operations, joins us to talk about their MLS Cup bid, plans for allocating the new stadium seating, beer prices at BMO and the new paperless entry system that they will have available for this season.

And we're also joined by Sam Pierron - a Kansas City Wizards writer who is attending every away game this year and writing about it on Big Soccer - who shares his insights on KC and observations on MLS today as someone who was a Day 1 fan of the league.

We also get into Carl Robinson's departure from TFC, Kevin Hartman's signing with FC Dallas and Vancouver's emerging supporter's culture.

Full show:
http://tiny.cc/kECiF

Download the Interview Only with Paul on iTunes:
http://tiny.cc/PaulBeirne

[Super]

Great show!

[Brooker]

great timing for a show, thanks!

and Ben Knight, too!

[JDG]

Using a Credit Card to enter the stadium instead of a printout is going to be problematic. I'd really like to hear more about how that's going to play out.
I don't carry a Credit Card. Will a family of 4 be required to enter the stadium together?

[s2cazz]

Good show guys. Paul is going to up beer prices now tho thanks to you!

[Auzzy]

Using a Credit Card to enter the stadium instead of a printout is going to be problematic. I'd really like to hear more about how that's going to play out.
I don't carry a Credit Card. Will a family of 4 be required to enter the stadium together?

I think the credit card system would mostly be for single-game sales from the Ticketma$ter website. Obviously most of those sales are by credit card anyway. Maybe they can even use a debit card for this -- I know that is possible for similar transactions.

Just a guess, maybe they can offer an alternate system if someone doesn't have a credit card (i.e., parents purchasing tickets for them etc), or if a small group won't all be entering the stadium at the same time. For example, during the sale, enter the names of the people who will be using the tickets, and they have to show photo ID & ticket printouts at the gate instead. (Some events, like FIFA U20, already require photo ID for ticket pickup.)

The AWESOME thing about these systems: a great way to make life difficult for scalpers! I know that many scalpers get season's tickets that they sell off, and you wouldn't stop them with this system. However, many scalpers also buy single-game tickets, and swamp the system with bots or minions to buy up as many of those single tickets as possible. That would really be hindered by this.

There's definitely some details to be worked out as JDG mentioned, but I for one would be HAPPY if they do SOMETHING to at least slow the scapers down!!!

[Keystone FC]

However, many scalpers also buy single-game tickets, and swamp the system with bots or minions to buy up as many of those single tickets as possible. That would really be hindered by this.

There's definitely some details to be worked out as JDG mentioned, but I for one would be HAPPY if they do SOMETHING to at least slow the scapers down!!!

I think the first few games will have some disasterous results for those who buy single game tickeets from scalpers as they would asked to show some proof of purchase. But this needs to happen in order for scalpers to be...well...scalped.
I can eventually see MLSE going to what RB Arena has and have people purchase ticket cards or something along those lines.

[It's Called Football]

Looks like there is a lot of discussion around the paperless ticketing and what you can and can't do. Here is Paul's actual quote - hopefully that clears up any confusion. Cheers

“Another thing we’re going to be doing at BMO field this year is paperless ticketing. Which means if you go on Ticketmaster and you order your ticket you don’t actually need to print it off at home and you don’t need to wait for it to come in the mail you can just take that credit card right down to the gate and swipe that credit card to get in. And that’s a mechanism by which we can hopefully manage who is coming to the game and keep the tickets in the hands of the right people.”

[Phil]

That beer discussion was cleared up by a quick call to the stadium operations people.

The new north patio may not need a special licence for a couple of games because the full licence may not be granted until a review of the new area is complete. That may mean that beer bought in the north patio has to stay in the north patio.

Beer will be available at all the regular places and be allowed to be brought back to your seats.

[ManUtd4ever]

That beer discussion was cleared up by a quick call to the stadium operations people.

The new north patio may not need a special licence for a couple of games because the full licence may not be granted until a review of the new area is complete. That may mean that beer bought in the north patio has to stay in the north patio.

Beer will be available at all the regular places and be allowed to be brought back to your seats.

That's a relief. The gameday experience just wouldn't be the same if I couldn't watch from the stands with a beer in hand...

[jabbronies]

the credit card thing still doesn't deter scalpers.
It sounds like it's just another option on top of printing off your tickets.

[James17930]

the credit card thing still doesn't deter scalpers.
It sounds like it's just another option on top of printing off your tickets.

Yeah -- it'll depend on if it's one way or the only way.

[SweetOwnGoal]

Using a Credit Card to enter the stadium instead of a printout is going to be problematic. I'd really like to hear more about how that's going to play out.
I don't carry a Credit Card. Will a family of 4 be required to enter the stadium together?


I heard it as an option, not a requirement.

[JDG]

I heard it as an option, not a requirement.

That's a relief.
If it's an option it's not going to have any effect on scalping though is it?

[Super]

That's a relief.
If it's an option it's not going to have any effect on scalping though is it?

Nope - none. And this was not put into effect to prevent scalping. I think we all know TFC's policy on scalping: it's a good thing! They certainly haven't done ANY of the obvious things within their power to stop it.

[Red Rat]

I am curious to see how this unfolds.

rr

[Globetrotter]

How would those 15 year old girls that check you ticket as you go to your "proper" seat know if people are in the right seat without the actual ticket? Are people really going to want to swipe there CC 3-5 times per game?

[Suds]

How would those 15 year old girls that check you ticket as you go to your "proper" seat know if people are in the right seat without the actual ticket? Are people really going to want to swipe there CC 3-5 times per game?

I'm not sure how this idea would work at BMO, but all of you personal information is captured when you purchase the ticket. It's not hard to ask for ID and run that against the database to see if you are the purchaser and what you purchased.

I wish they would move to electronic bar codes. Just send it to your smartphone and have it scanned when you get to the game.

[Oldtimer]

Nope - none. And this was not put into effect to prevent scalping. I think we all know TFC's policy on scalping: it's a good thing! They certainly haven't done ANY of the obvious things within their power to stop it.

Actually, that's not quite true.

[Super]

Actually, that's not quite true.

Okay, forgive my ignorance on the issue. What exactly have they done?

I'm in 112 and would love to see the rows and rows of scalper seats around me go to proper supporters. Every game there's someone new, someone who wants to check out the atmosphere, drink a lot of beer and laugh at the wierd guys who do the wierd chants.

Every game I see scalpers openly selling their tickets, with stacks of them in hand, to people as they approach BMO. What is TFC doing to prevent this illegal activity from happening right in front of the stadium - out in the open? Personally, I fail to see what they've done. The credit card solution is certainly not a fix on any level since it's only optional.

[AL-MO]

Okay, forgive my ignorance on the issue. What exactly have they done?

I'm in 112 and would love to see the rows and rows of scalper seats around me go to proper supporters. Every game there's someone new, someone who wants to check out the atmosphere, drink a lot of beer and laugh at the wierd guys who do the wierd chants.

Every game I see scalpers openly selling their tickets, with stacks of them in hand, to people as they approach BMO. What is TFC doing to prevent this illegal activity from happening right in front of the stadium - out in the open? Personally, I fail to see what they've done. The credit card solution is certainly not a fix on any level since it's only optional.

I think you answered your own question...they aren't doing anything.

[dupont]

I just wanted to say this was one of my favorite podcasts yet. Great job, guys.

[Enterprise Captain]

What is TFC doing to prevent this illegal activity from happening right in front of the stadium - out in the open? Personally, I fail to see what they've done. The credit card solution is certainly not a fix on any level since it's only optional.First, it's not TFC's responsibility to enforce the law. Second, all a police officer can do if they catch someone scalping tickets is issue them a ticket because the Ticket Speculation Act (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90t07_e.htm) is an Ontario Statute not a Criminal Code Offence. The scalper can then go to court and challenge the ticket and police officers have more important things to do then waste their time testifying against these guys in court. Plus how much tax payer's money would be wasted paying that officer to be in court and the cost of the courts time. It's not worth issuing the ticket in the first place. The only way to stop scalpers is to get everyone to stop buying tickets from them. Third, TFC could do things that would help cut down on scalping but they can't stop it and it would interfere with convinces we currently enjoy. What TFC could do is make it mandatory for you to put the name of the person on a .pdf ticket you are transferring to them (which is optional right now with the current system) and then the person receiving the ticket would have to show photo ID along with the ticket in their name to gain entry to BMO Field. If that were the case though you wouldn't be able to print out a ticket, take it with you to the bar and sell it at cost to a fellow supporter. You would have to have a computer and printer with you so you could transfer the .pdf ticket in that persons name. The paperless ticketing system is a new option available to people that purchase individual game tickets on Ticketmaster. Instead of downloading a .pdf file and printing it out or having a ticket mailed to their home the person can just take the credit card they used to purchase the ticket(s) with them and swipe that card at the gate. It's been confirmed that when you swipe your credit card at the gate you get a receipt with your section/seat number on it. I'm pretty sure that means if you buy 4 tickets on one credit card for a single game that all 4 people have to enter at the same time but that's not confirmed. I don't know though if you get 4 separate receipts but if so each receipt could have a barcode on it for exit and re-entry purposes but again no confirmation on that.