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On 40 caps and just ticked the upgrade box advise

I put my application in for all the lower category games including fans 1st for semi and final,

I have just had last minute nerves and logged back in and ticked the upgrade box.

2 questions please.

1) with 40 caps do I really need to worry about upgrading?

2)any idea if you will only be upgraded if you caps are too low for that category?

Only asking this as when applying for World Cup tickets a friend ticked he was happy to upgrade and I didn’t, we had the same amount of caps , I got the cheaper ticket he got upgraded.

Thanks All

25 Replies

  • Neal Granger
    I'm bout the same as you
    Gone Cat 3 for group games, cat 2 for 16 and QF, Fans 1st for Semi and final.
    Reckon, ill be ok as I have ticked to upgrade.
    I think I will get what I requested, but a possibility of an upgrade on last 16 and/or QF

    My boy is on 24 he has done the same as me for all games except semi and final where he has done cat 3. He may just sneak in to what he wants, but will likely be upgraded for last 16 and q/final to cat 1.
  • Richard Green

    In reply to Neal Granger:

    Thanks for the reply.
    I just don’t want to end up with all tickets upgraded just because I ticked the box.
  • Ian Costain
    Spookily, Richard, I am incredibly similar to you. On 40 caps. And gone for all the lower Category games including Fans First for the semi and final.

    And, like you, I've gone and ticked the upgrade box just to be absolutely sure.

    Without the upgrade box the only very slight risk would be the 2009 Category 3 tickets for the R16 game. Were they to apply the 70% to the 2009 then it would need virtually everyone on more caps than us to apply (and for Category 3 tickets).

    But I went the upgrade route to be absolutely sure.

    I believe that the upgrade only happens if your caps aren't enough for the chosen Category.

    Good luck!
  • Neal Granger

    In reply to Ian Costain:

    Ian / Richard, we are all the same caps and all done the same application.
    We are either all right or wrong!!
  • Chris Marsh

    In reply to Neal Granger:

    Anyone know how it works if you are in a group with different caps levels. So if a top capper applies for CAT 3 but someone in the group is only on 30 caps and doesn't have enough for a CAT 3 ticket. Do we all get bumped to CAT 2?
  • Ian Costain

    In reply to Chris Marsh:

    It's supposition but reckon you all get Category 2. Don't think they'd allocate you different Categories. And it doesn't seem right to allocate a Category 3 ticket to someone who wouldn't have got one had they applied on their own.
  • Matthew Isle

    In reply to Chris Marsh:

    Chris Marsh
    Anyone know how it works if you are in a group with different caps levels. So if a top capper applies for CAT 3 but someone in the group is only on 30 caps and doesn't have enough for a CAT 3 ticket. Do we all get bumped to CAT 2?

    My understanding is that assuming the member with 30 caps has enough for cat 2s you'll both get cat 2s (i.e. the group remains a group).

  • Tim Powell

    In reply to Matthew Isle:

    Has this been confirmed anywhere because I tried to persuade a mate who is only on 8 caps to apply separately from our group that contains 40+ cappers fearing he might not get anything but he said he'd take his chance as I'd requested Cat 3/Fan First prepared to go up one Cat.

    However, given my mate on 42 caps and myself on 44 should, for example, be guaranteed a 95 Euro Fans First Final ticket, are you saying that if the low capper was lucky and could secure a Cat 3, because I said we'd be prepared to take one, we'd all be bumped up from our guaranteed 95 Euro tickets to a 295 Euro ticket?
  • Carl Padley

    In reply to Tim Powell:

    Yes i think you would all be moved to the 295 ticket could be wrong but the ESTC team said for groups to apply with similiar caps
  • Tim Powell

    In reply to Carl Padley:

    But I thought that was to give the low capper a better chance of securing tickets - not to jeopardise the higher cappers' chance of securing the lowest Category tickets. My 8 capper mate has asked for all 7 games that England might play so based on your theory, there's a good chance we could all be bumped up to Cat 2s for every game (Cat 3 for the SF and F) even though my 42 capper mate and I would have been guaranteed of the Cat 3s/Fans First tickets. That could cost an additional 680 Euros each which surely doesn't seem right.

    I assumed if we secured the lowest Category tickets, the low capper in the group would simply miss out even though he might have been able to secure a Cat 2 if he'd applied on his own.
  • Matthew Isle

    In reply to Tim Powell:

    Tim Powell
    Has this been confirmed anywhere because I tried to persuade a mate who is only on 8 caps to apply separately from our group that contains 40+ cappers fearing he might not get anything but he said he'd take his chance as I'd requested Cat 3/Fan First prepared to go up one Cat.

    However, given my mate on 42 caps and myself on 44 should, for example, be guaranteed a 95 Euro Fans First Final ticket, are you saying that if the low capper was lucky and could secure a Cat 3, because I said we'd be prepared to take one, we'd all be bumped up from our guaranteed 95 Euro tickets to a 295 Euro ticket?

    Hi Tim

    Am afraid the ESTC were pretty clear in the FAQ that similar capped grouped members should apply together and those that weren't should apply in separate groups. Then there could be the chance of linking groups by group id if they were successful on similar cats.

    It's been covered quite a bit on here that the feeling was that successful group members would be kept in the same cat - otherwise being in a group is pointless (for successful applicants).

    Brace yourself (or whoever is the lead applicant) for January - but in meantime forget it - there's nothing to be done.

    Depending on the game(s) your 8 capper mate may not be successful anyway so you'll possibly stay in the cheaper cat for those game(s) anyway.

    Sounds as if the 8 capper will be buying the other group members a beer or two in the summer (when payment will be less of a memory!).

    Good luck anyway Tim

  • Tim Powell

    In reply to Matthew Isle:

    Thanks Matthew - although not exactly good news! I'm sure others will have done this too assuming it wouldn't jeopardise the top cappers chances of securing the cheapest tickets but simply reduce the chances of the low cappers getting anything which is all that has ever been referred to in ESTC's 'Tom, Dick & Harry' scenario.

    The irony will be that possibly dozens of higher cappers that should be guaranteed the lowest priced tickets will all be pushed up a band releasing the cheapest tickets to some lower cappers who will then leapfrog the higher cappers thus securing the Cat 3 tickets they should have received.

    I think there has been far too much ambiguity around all of this including the 70/20/10 split which people were still confused about today. There should have been far more definitive advice from ESTC but my suspicion is that they haven't been too sure themselves for much of the time.
  • Ian Costain

    In reply to Tim Powell:

    The ESTC have I think done some great work. But like you, Tim, I rather suspect that they haven't been too sure themselves on two fundamental points: (1) whether the 70/20/10 is a single exercise or is done category-by-category; (2) the category of ticket allocated when both applicants are successful but for differing categories. And, if the ESTC are sure on these two points, then I don't think it's been communicated particularly clearly.
  • Thomas Austin

    In reply to Tim Powell:

    The FA haven't been clear on how the 70/20/10 split will be done but everything else they've been very good on and provided more than enough useful updates that i guess most other Fa's haven't done.

    It was quite clear from them about applying with people on similar caps or you run this risk so if you all get bumped up you can only blame yourself.
  • Tim Powell

    In reply to Thomas Austin:

    Hi - I don't dispute that the ESTC has provided some really good comms overall but all the correspondence I've read regarding applying with similar level cappers has referred to the risk of lower level cappers missing out completely rather than higher level cappers being bumped up from what they could have been guaranteed to get otherwise.

    As Ian says, there's a lack of clarity over ''the category of ticket allocated when both applicants are successful but for differing categories. And, if the ESTC are sure on these two points, then I don't think it's been communicated particularly clearly''.

    They've been very clear on the risk for low cappers not securing anything (their Tom, Dick and Harry scenario for example) but I haven't read anywhere, unless people can show me otherwise, where they've specifically said that higher cappers guaranteed of securing the cheapest tickets may have to pay more if they have a low capper in their group.

    If it is what it is, then so be it but we suggested our low capped mate come in with us in the hope he might be lucky in some of the ballots for the lowest category tickets whereas it looks like we'll be penalised financially for doing that.

    I guess it just proves that old adage that no good deed goes unpunished!
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