Early Bird or Last Minute: The Tottenham Fan's Guide to Securing the Best Football Ticket Deals

There sure is something exhilarating about watching a football match live and in-person. 

The screams of the crowd, the tension and excitement in the air, and the cheers of joy when victory comes. These are the things that true football fans live for and cherish.

For Spurs fans, getting tickets to watch these games live is a challenge that many of us approach with strategy, focus, and passion.

Naturally, one big question is when is even the best time to try and buy these tickets?

Should you try and be an early bird, scouting potential tickets at the earliest moment, or more of a risk-taker opting to try and buy your tickets at the very last moment? This article delves into the pros and cons of each strategy, with a focus on the most sought after games.

Understanding Ticket Sales Dynamics

Football ticket sales are influenced by many factors, especially for games between the most prestigious teams. Some of the factors are:

- The timing of your purchase

- The importance of the match (which determines how sought after the tickets will be)

- The size and stature of the opponents (naturally tickets for the most popular teams are the most in demand even at earlier stage of a league or tournament)

- If it is a home or an away game

The things listed above are just of the things that will impact the price and availability of tickets. 

Think about it, tickets for a North London Derby against Arsenal will differ in pricing and availability than tickets for a midweek cup tie against a lower league side.

The Early Bird Strategy

Buying your tickets early will often mean securing your seats without any last-minute stress and scramble.

The early purchasers will usually enjoy a wider selection of seats and can even benefit from early bird discounts!

Remember that Champions League run back in 2019?

Fans that planned ahead were the ones who got to witness history, without paying an extortionate price.

The early bird strategy means monitoring official club announcements and subscribing to team newsletters so you can look for available tickets at the very first moment that they go on sale.

If you can get an official club membership, you may get priority access too so definitely consider investing in one if you are pursuing the early bird strategy.

 

The Last-Minute Strategy

Counterintuitively, waiting until the eleventh hour before purchasing your tickets can yield surprising results.

Last minute tickets can be (but aren’t always) more affordable ones.

The last-minute approach is often a game of risk versus reward. You may end up with a great deal on some stellar tickets (should someone be unable to attend and needing to recoup some of the money they spent purchasing the tickets), or you could end up missing out on the game altogether.

This strategy is not recommended for marquee matches. 

Just imagine trying to purchase last-minute tickets to watch Arsenal play Tottenham.

It would be a gamble that is almost guaranteed to end in disappointment, or you having to pay an incredibly inflated price due to the high demand.



External Factors That Influence Ticket Availability & Prices

Remember, ticket prices and availability aren’t just influenced by the important of the game. They will also be influenced by how the team is performing that season, their position in the league, and even other external factors like the economic landscape or global events.

The fact remains that there is always a lot of demand for matches between the biggest teams.



Expert Tips & Tricks

I have learned a few tips and tricks in my time trying to secure tickets to some of the biggest and best games. I will share a couple with you below.

First, look at the trends of the tickets you’re trying to secure and learn when prices are most likely to drop.

Is there always a sudden burst of last minute tickets available for the team, or are they always fully sold out? This knowledge will help you determine the right strategy to follow.

Make sure you also check out fan forums and follow relevant social media pages. Other fans will share insights and even opportunities to buy tickets, although approach with caution when buying tickets from any secondary source and only go through trusted vendors.

Finally, always keep an eye on official club channels and websites. They will be the first to confirm match dates which will be useful if you’re using the early bird strategy.



In Conclusion

Both the early bird and the last-minute strategy have their pros and cons.

Generally speaking for high demand games you will be better off trying to get your tickets early. For less important matches though you may find some great deals by waiting to the last minute.

Have you had any experience snagging great deals on sought after tickets? Share your stories, tips and strategies with us! Let's help each other experience more live football magic.