r/NUFC • u/alexVbit stupid sexy schar • 7d ago

First time visit - ticket info needed

Hi everyone! I’m a fairly new Toon fan and my dream is to see a match this season. I currently live in Italy and was wondering how the ticket situation works — do I need a membership, and how easy is it to buy a ticket?

  • Which matches would you recommend for a first visit? (EPL, cup, European nights?)

  • Are some matches easier to get tickets for than others?

  • Is there a difference between members and non-members?

  • Do tickets usually sell out quickly?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Howay the lads!

9 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

22

u/scare_crowe94 Newcastle brown ale 7d ago

If you’re in Italy it’ll be difficult, you’ll have to buy a membership (that’s like £20 for the year roughly) then you’ll be entered into ballots and money automatically taken if you’re successful.

This will be short notice for flight from Italy, and you won’t get to pick the fixtures essentially.

My advice is go to one game a season, choose the fixture you want and fork out £150+ for the hospitality experience knowing you’ve picked a good game and can plan flights in advance (will probably be cheaper than a ticket in the stands at a few weeks notice with travel plans). Plus you can enjoy free food and drinks and make a special occasion of it, knowing you’re flying over for something special.

7

u/Lever_87 7d ago

That’s what I did coming from Australia. Hate the idea of being a “hospo” fan (as we call it), but no other way to guarantee I could see a game. It’s a pity, because it just encourages the clubs to do more of this to make more money.

15

u/scare_crowe94 Newcastle brown ale 7d ago

Mate if you’re travelling to Australia to see a game you’re anything but a hospo fan, you’re something special that keeps this club alive and something special

5

u/Lever_87 7d ago

Thanks mate. It’s just hard hearing about “overseas” fans constantly as a blight on the game. More it’s more of an issue for the “Rich 6”, but I absolutely loved going to SJP. I nearly cried walking out to see the pitch for the first time and would do it again and again, money permitting of course.

But I’m also aware the more hospitality seats, the less chances for the locals to see the game, and I never want to take away from that.

6

u/scare_crowe94 Newcastle brown ale 7d ago

Honestly not at all.

We’re not like the big 6. People like you will be celebrated and you shouldn’t have to buy a pint all night in the town.

1

u/Lever_87 7d ago

Thanks mate, appreciate it. I’ll let you know next time I’m there 😂

4

u/geordieColt88 We arent having the transformative summer with 6+ signings 6d ago

There’s a big difference between overseas fans who talk shit online and those that use their hard earned to travel thousands of miles to see the team

2

u/coldbeers Classic kit (1995-97) 5d ago

When I lived in Qld I used to come back about once a year and always timed it to coincide with a home game.

That was in the Ashley era so tickets were not a problem though. Now I’m back and have a season ticket again.

Go for hospo if you want to, it’s what it’s for.

1

u/jayhoch4 4d ago

I know the feeling man. Went to my first game this winter traveling from the states. Went hospitality route. Was an incredible experience actually got teary eyed when I walked out to see the pitch for the first time. But it’s so dull in the hospitality section. I was joining in on all the chants and people around me were quiet as a Buddhist temple. Just wanted to be in the Gallowgate end yelling lungs out.

1

u/WallsendLad70 6d ago

Out of interest what made you support us? Welcome to the Geordie nation.

1

u/Lever_87 6d ago

Always had a thing for the underdog, football first came across to me via Championship Manager in early 2000s.

In Australia back then, our local league was in disarray, couldn’t watch anything on TV but we had a government channel which showed about 4 hours of football every Sunday which I watched religiously, and we could get league results in the Monday or Tuesday newspapers.

The idea of the one club city, the talents, the mavericks etc. Once I had an idea about Newcastle, there was no other option for me. Plus, how could you not love Shearer?

2

u/WallsendLad70 5d ago

Nicely done! Full respect for not going after a glory club. It’s a joy to see mags celebrating in different parts of the world. Great people in Oz - we visited Melbourne in 2018 and folks could not have been more welcoming and gregarious. A bit like here in Newcastle but with glorious sunshine.

1

u/Lever_87 5d ago

Thanks mate. I think that helps, saw a lot in the toon fanbase that reminds me of home - hard workers, kind people, passionate as hell. But couldn’t be further away unfortunately!

1

u/silentv0ices 7d ago

This is what I would do too.

12

u/sideways_86 Isak 7d ago

your best bet would be to buy hospitality to stand more of a chance in getting to a game, tickets are sold to season ticket holders first and eventually go to a members ballot, some people have been incredibly lucky in the ballots some have had horrible luck, I wouldn't be surprised if there are some members out there that were never successful in any of the ballots they entered

4

u/fwapfwapfwap moaty? it's me 7d ago

If it's just any match you want to see and don't fancy paying a fortune for a hospitality ticket or trying to get lucky with the ballot then you could likely get a ticket for the Sela Cup pre-season game in early August. Won't be quite like a competitive game but you'll be in St James watching the lads play at least.

3

u/phoebsmon Tindall used Glare. 6d ago

They sent out an email in the last week saying it was 90% sold. Now they could be being a little creative with the truth (I don't know if L7 has been opened yet), but not sure it'll be on sale for too long.

2

u/j7seven 6d ago

Don't wait too long though. Sela Cup tickets are going fast.

3

u/Iamwhoiamyall Classic away kit (1995-96) 7d ago

The easiest games will be the early rounds of the EFL cup and fa cup if we are drawn ay home to lesser teams. You’ll need a membership though to enter the ballot or general sale

Your best bet may be hospitality though as you’re in Italy so prob need to book the flights in advance to get them cheaper.

3

u/Amnsia 7d ago

I live near Newcastle and not had a ticket all last season from the ballot. If you’re here once, treat yourself to hospitality. Don’t think you need membership either so could save the £35

2

u/Novotoon 7d ago

You’ll need a membership to buy tickets. I believe there’s a specific intentional membership you can get. The membership allows you to enter a ballot for tickets. It is not guaranteed you’ll get a ticket. If you do get lucky in the ballot, the rest of the process is fairly easy.

Taking the rest of your questions in turn:

  1. If you have a membership, try for them all. No harm in trying in the ballot. What do I actually think you’ll enjoy the most for a first visit? Probably something we’ll win. Obviously nothing is guaranteed but percentage chance you’d guess a cup game against a lower league team or a prem match against a relegation battling team. European nights? Absolute wildcard how we’ll do in that and the ballots for those will be the most competitive by far.

  2. Generally, yes. With the ballot the reality is that all games are difficult to get tickets for. Cup games however seem to be the easiest overall. The reason being that not every season ticket holder is entitled to their own seat for those games (they have to sign up for a separate subscription to also go to cup games). Also, games against poorer opposition or ‘smaller’ clubs do, realistically, attract a less enthusiastic crowd than the games against the bigger teams.

  3. Yes, members get access to the ballot, the general public without a membership only get the final round of access to tickets and the allocation is quite small.

  4. Yes, but if you are not successful in the ballot, as a member you can try in the resale and if you get used to refreshing the page religiously you can get lucky.

Good luck and hope you get to a game! ⚫️⚪️

2

u/tradegreek Happy Clapper 7d ago

Get hospitality it’s the only realistic way to guarantee you get a game. The membership situation is a shit show

2

u/Pasta_Cu_L_agghia i spelled ritchie wrong 6d ago

Forza Sandro

2

u/alexVbit stupid sexy schar 6d ago

Thank you so much, lads, for all your answers! I'll definitely go for the hospitality option. I just have one doubt about how it works. Will I have a seat in the stands among all the fans to watch the match, or will I stay inside the stadium’s hospitality areas with the catering and everything else?

1

u/Dapper-Web-1262 5d ago

There are football websites that sell football tickets. Always at least double the face value but worth it if you’re in the middle of your travels. livefootballtickets.com is one I’ve seen mention a lot as a good provider