Club Arnage

When I tried to order my tickets for next year's 24 hour race in the normal way at the ACO this year I was told to wait until 1st September when the tickets would be available fo sale online.

Well, I gave it a go at 00:01 today but I am not surprised to report that I cannot find anywhere on the ACO's website that will allow me to order tickets. It has not changed during the day either.

I have e-mailed the tieket office asking for clarification and will let you know in due course, if I get a reply.

Send them a fax, and ask for confirmation of receival via email!

I understand the race is cancelled and instead they are organising a drinks party in the factory where the beer is made...

I have just heard from the ticket office.  They are closed until 1st October because of a reorganisation and won't be answering any queries or taking bookings until then.  So if I were you I'd get you faxes and e-mails prepared for then.  I'll try to phone them that morning to find out what's what.

Hhhmmmm, why do brewerys and piss ups spring to mind?

Just had a letter from the ACO about my fax that I sent them on the 1st September. It is just as Termietermite says.

ACO says they won't take any bookings for next years race until the 1st October. Any booking sent before this date will have to be re-sent.

They say please regularly visit their website www.lemans.org for more information from mid September 2009.

In the event that there's no on-line ticket office before the 1st October, my plan is to be at the ticket office when it opens on that day.  I'll be interested to find out once and for all if there are going to be proper sales from that date, and not just vague promises that we might have a chance at tickets.  AFAIAC that would be a huge step forward on the present system.  

Termie, would there be a chance you could bring our MB order too, if that would be the case?

Naturally, as in the past, I'd be glad to submit other orders, assuming that no on-line ticket office opens before ::).  But of course, what I don't know is how this will work now.  I kind of hope I'll be able to just pay and take away the tickets.  I know that's pie in the sky but in the best possible world this is how the new system will operate.  Thus I don't know how paper bookings will get dealt with.  But of course I'll try for anybody who wants to send me a form (although I will limit this to people I know as I dont' want to give my postal address to strangers, as I'm sure everybody understands.)

Are you thinking of going back to MB Paddy? Were you not happy with BN? I walked through MB a couple of times this year and there was no atmosphere, it all seemed a bit souless after what it used to be.

The majority of the Dutch were missing to be at track side this year :-\

Me too, Paddy.  BN was fine but nothing beats being trackside, imo.  If ever I get the chance to go back to MB, I will.  We make the atmosphere, not the campsite.

My apologies for completely reading over this reply earlier today! Thank you so much for offering!! If what you say would be the case, I would gladly pass you my cc details so you could pay for us. We'll keep in touch via other means of communication over this - is your email address still the same?

We felt the same moving to HA - nothing wrong with it at all but just takes too long to get to the track ....  :(

To whom it may concern, you know what to do with it ;)

http://www.drinkingforholland.com/Paddy/LeMansBookingForm.pdf

Nice one Paddy !!

Just hit ticket.lemans.org - doesn't work, not really a surprise - but it does show 12th - 13th June as the 2010 race date.

Well, big thanks to Mr Termite who will be dropping our requirements into the ACO when the doors open this morning, fingers crossed they will actually deem to offer us some tickets somewhere we'd actually like unlike the last 3 years ....

Now the site seems to work - but you can only book GA and parking, no tribunes, no campsites - what a joke

At least the prices haven't gone up. 62 Euros for General Admission is the same as '09.

This is what mr. Termite told me this morning...

 :-\

Dream on

To use the online ordering you need to be registered, so I've done that in the hope that there might be an email sent when the campsite booking is functional. 

so as my dads there at the moment he can go and order tickets can he?

No reason why not Kev, that's exactly what Ian has done for us.

So they can sell entrance tickets and parking tickets for that weekend, but not camping tickets.

Lack of joined up thinking/BS there I think.

ill be on the phone in the morning then :)

The official 'artwork' seems to have appeared on the ticket site overnight, so I'd guess that it's def the 12/13th now - still no sign of any camping or tribs though  ::)

Here we go again, with the ACO, treating its customers like sh*t on their shoe,they must get some sort of sadistic pleasure from this each year. If you were treated like this as a customer in any other outlet you would be up in arms and take your custom else were, get your act together ACO, and respect the people who make the event what it is and keep you all in a job >:(

Anyone been in touch with the ACO and know whether this system will be used of whether it will go live with feck all tickets left for camping.

The online system has worked in the past so it should work this year  ::)

The only time I used it though was to get a BSJ ticket 5 years ago.

Incase it doesnt work though I faxed an order and backed it up with an email!

Registered! registered! dont talk to me about registered - ok, I will.

Been a member since May 2009, cant get logged in - several e-mails later, not even an acknowlegdement!

Got a nice mail in the weeks following 2009 race, asking if it was ok. expressed issues on members areas having no bogs and no A/C in a hot tent, and advance ticket collection non avail from tram stop - no recognition and lots of alternate method bla bla bla.

True about the stuff on your shoe - its a good job they need us, or is it we need them?

Always wondered what the use was of being a member. Yes, a large amount of tickets gets you money off - and you get some weird box by the end of the year filled up with stuff that was left behind in the pitlane after the race (or so it seems). Been an ACO member myself a few years in a row, and it never got me anything positive. As I got my request off last week, I still got some old paperwork gathered here from 2008. Back then, Termietermite was so kind to gather all the forms from CA-ers up ahead and go to the ACO personally on the day the bookings for the next year were officially accepted. Back in 2008 we (DfH) only asked for 10 MB tickets, and were still in 32nd position on the waiting list. Let's see what they come up with this year. We can only try again, and again, and again.... :-\

I suspect most of you have already ordered tickets through your various preferred route, but attached is the ticket booking form that I have been sent from the ACO ticket office.

So they havent gone fully online then..... I'll no doubt be receiving my allocation of 6 BSJ sometime early next year then.

On-line so far is just the general entrance tickets and car parks.

Grandstsands and camping still not operating, and prices still not confirmed (that is what i have been told by the ACO).

As I said to Barry last night, my bet is that the ACO are "doing deals" with the agencies.

Sell loads of tickets to the agencies, then the ACO don't have to deal with the public, keeps their admin numbers down & consequently the costs.

We'll see...

I agree,  which would you rather do, deal with 20 or so ticket agencies or 20,000+ brit "happy" campers!  ;D

I've always been worried about this.  I think they sell to the agencies (and French shops) at a slight (not enough) discount, and without the hassle and complaints from the punters that don't get the tickets they've asked for, as the agencies must get some priority.

Yeah - so what's new!! 


Dear Sir,

We acknowledge receipt of your booking but we can’t confirm it.

You will receive your allocation letter at the end of the year.

Best regards,


 Service Billetterie  

Strange!

I had that one as well this morning.

Paul.

Found out yesterday that the tickets are not printed..... probably December.
That came from someone who works for the ACO.
Am going up to Le Mans tomorrow I will try to call in and see what they say.

My Dad went to the ACO today. They haven't any camping tickets as yet, just took his details & campsite preference. He will be informed in January of his allocation.

Ade

That's cool, I didn't think that you had posted your request yet.
ACO = psychic. :o

Did it the morning after we spoke.

Scanned the form and emailed it, hence reply.

Also posted it for good measure.

The fax would not accept calls.

Fingers crossed!

P.