Hospitality at Football - What have been your experiences?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Only ever done a couple, both with NSC, both at Withdean. Memories are seriously dim for obvious reasons, but was privileged to see the dodgy genius that was @Canarian Seagull (RIP Lance) working the room. Still got a seriously deep gouge in me front door from trying to fit the key in the lock when I eventually crawled home on me hands and knees. Seem to recall Martin Perry frantically waving his hands at us and exhorting us to get behind the team less loudly.

 

[Badger]

Only a few...

Palace for the play-off game. Box behind the goal above Palace fans. Nothing special, really. Tensions got quite high on a couple of occasions and [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] luzzed an inflatable seagull down onto the Palace fans below.

Villa a couple of weeks ago. In their version of 1901, I guess. Nice lounge area for pre-, mid- and post-game, with our seats just behind Messrs Bloom, Perry, Barber et al. Quite an atypical experience, I suspect, due to the number of Albion fans, often united in full voice, in there on that day.

Barnsley a few seasons ago on a lads' BDO, including many chaps from NSC. Good fun, particularly when one of our lot dry humped their mascot, Toby Tyke, who reciprocated. We had to make our excuses and leave when a Yorkshire lad got a bit upset at how friendly one of our group were getting with his lass.
[MENTION=159]Stumpy Tim[/MENTION] will have more tales from similar BDOs to Barnsley above.

That was possibly the funniest thing I've seen at a football match. He didn't just dry hump Toby Tyke, he wrestled him to the ground.

Also did the Blackburn one [MENTION=159]Stumpy Tim[/MENTION] mentioned for the annual "Grim Northern Town" hospitality trip.

My first experience of football hospitality was at Withdean. I think it was an NSC sponsored match. A 3 course lunch in a Portakabin, followed by watching the match in front of the director's seats. It was a good laugh and we got to award the MotM award to Paul Brooker* after the match. Not exactly glamorous though!


* We were all hammered and just picked a player we wanted to meet.

 

[whitelion]

My sister handed me a pair of complimentary tickets in the West Stand in the Goldstone days - the only time I ever sat in the stand.

A mate of mine and myself partook of the complimentary booze and managed to drink the stock of bottled beer.

 

[Worthingite]

Manage to snaggle a couple of 1901 tickets a few years back.

Got really drunk.
Offended a bunch of people.
Fell asleep at the table.
Don't remember the game.

Would not recommend.

Are you Hove Born and Bred in disguise?!?!

 

[bhanutz]

Must have died many, many years ago then.

In my eyes it did.... Too many plastic tourists around now... Shame

 

[Hiney]

Twickenham - excellent
Madjeski - Not Bad
St Marys - Good
Withdean - Interesting!
Amex - Superb. Full-on 5-course meal & seats just off centre. QPR game last season, so in the perfect position to witness Skalak's Thunder*******

 

[desprateseagull]

blagged a corporate box seat at the Old Wembley, when officeboss couldn't go- guest of an airline we did a lot of business with..

I got to see England v Nigeria friendly, from the Olympic(?) gallery- effectively a row or portacabins suspended from the roof.

amazing view, but felt rather detached from the atmosphere, as sound was piped in.. a so so chicken and rice meal, plenty free booze though, also won first scorer sweepstake which covered the train fare.

 

[aftershavedave]

Only a few...

Palace for the play-off game. Box behind the goal above Palace fans. Nothing special, really. Tensions got quite high on a couple of occasions and [MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] luzzed an inflatable seagull down onto the Palace fans below.

i remember it well (well actually it's all rather vague!)

 

[Superphil]

In my eyes it did.... Too many plastic tourists around now... Shame

You must be very old, it's been going on for decades, it's been a source of revenue for sports teams from before the introduction of sponsors on shirts, used as reward for amongst other things paying for advertising hordings around the pitch, it's hardly a new thing.

 

[A mex eyecan]

In my eyes it did.... Too many plastic tourists around now... Shame

think that's harsh, anyone doing corporate a plastic?
There's five of us from work all who have been season tickets since Goldstone days in some cases. Recently had a huge work project on so Company decided to reward all 20 of its employees with a HB corporate day. The other 15 were a mix of occasional Albion fans, non football goers, those who could not normally afford football right now owing to personal financial circumstances etc. So the day was a treat for all.

I suppose in your thinking none of them should have been allowed to come in? as there would be zero chance of getting 20 seats all together, so corporate was the only way, and something a bit special.

Oh and by the way, everything about the package was absolutely first class and we as a club should be immensely proud of it. As for view and atmosphere then I'd take my normal seat over that.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I have been in 1901 with [MENTION=5001]The Merry Prankster[/MENTION] . It was good company, the food was adequate, great seats.

My wife's ex is quite senior at Old Trafford, and she used to be a Red (thankfully meeting Inigo Calderon cured her of that). He's arranged hospitality for us a few times. The food is pretty decent there, and a chance to have a chat with players such as ex Albion Andy Ritchie and Mickey Thomas, as well as Dennis Irwin and Andy Cole.

Was invited into the director's box at Brentford this season after giving someone there a helping hand. It was more of a shed than a box, food was rudimentary but pleasant enough. The view was restricted, but I managed to behave myself and not too much noise until Tomer equalised in the 97th minute and I went postal. Had an altercation with one of their training staff and my wife disowned me and refused to talk to me all the way home to Manchester, which is a long time to be in the **** book.

Braver man than me for celebrating, for when TH scored, my wife and myselfs elbows collided in a silent nudging motion.
We were standing in the enemy Ealing Rd end

 

[bhanutz]

think that's harsh, anyone doing corporate a plastic?
There's five of us from work all who have been season tickets since Goldstone days in some cases. Recently had a huge work project on so Company decided to reward all 20 of its employees with a HB corporate day. The other 15 were a mix of occasional Albion fans, non football goers, those who could not normally afford football right now owing to personal financial circumstances etc. So the day was a treat for all.

I suppose in your thinking none of them should have been allowed to come in? as there would be zero chance of getting 20 seats all together, so corporate was the only way, and something a bit special.

Oh and by the way, everything about the package was absolutely first class and we as a club should be immensely proud of it. As for view and atmosphere then I'd take my normal seat over that.

I didn't say all...but a lot come along for the ride...It is my opinion..Didn't meant to cause offence..

 

[bhanutz]

You must be very old, it's been going on for decades, it's been a source of revenue for sports teams from before the introduction of sponsors on shirts, used as reward for amongst other things paying for advertising hordings around the pitch, it's hardly a new thing.

Mid 40's and it has got a LOT worse... come on..everyone knows it!

 

[A mex eyecan]

I didn't say all...but a lot come along for the ride...It is my opinion..Didn't meant to cause offence..

no offence taken.
But if the corporate is there, raising cash for the club what's so wrong?
There must be 1000's who wouldn't want to go to footie week in week out and hence don't have season tickets. As long as hospitality is not block purchased by same company every week then i think it gives a great way for occasional watchers to get to a game. You never know they may love it and choose to become a regular

 

[Tooting Gull]

A couple of times over the years - but never watching the Albion. I don't think ideally I'd want to be in that environment for matches that actually mattered unless it was the only way to get a ticket. I don't mind the experience but it isn't what I regard as watching football properly but it is just something a bit different.

Have to admit I have been a guest at Wembley for England a couple of times, and for friendlies twice stayed inside the whole of the second half leaving one of those red seats behind the dugouts unused. Very bad fan clearly, but the half-time meat pies and the red wine got hit pretty hard, and they were superb evenings.

 

[Gwylan]

Friend of mine is moaning because he has to go into a hospitality box at Wembley for the Cup Final - he hates football.
He's a big Formula One fan though and he didn't understand why I turned down hospitality at the finishing line for the Monaco GP a few years back.

Hospitality is one thing: hospitality when you have no interest in the event, is another.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Friend of mine is moaning because he has to go into a hospitality box at Wembley for the Cup Final - he hates football.
He's a big Formula One fan though and he didn't understand why I turned down hospitality at the finishing line for the Monaco GP a few years back.

Hospitality is one thing: hospitality when you have no interest in the event, is another.

Now, I know exactly the differentiation you're making there - but I'd probably rather try the hospitality at an event I didn't care about. Then you can just enjoy the hospitality as being entertained and decent food and drink, without it spoiling your enjoyment of the sport.

 

[Gwylan]

Now, I know exactly the differentiation you're making there - but I'd probably rather try the hospitality at an event I didn't care about. Then you can just enjoy the hospitality as being entertained and decent food and drink, without it spoiling your enjoyment of the sport.

But what about the people who do enjoy the event and can't get tickets? I remember a friend of mine telling me about the time he bought eight tickets for Covent Garden (stalls seats at £200 a pop) to entertain clients and half of them not turning up. There are thousands of opera fans who'd have loved those tickets, it seems a criminal waste not to use them.

That's why I've turned down hospitality for things I have no interest in (motor racing, golf etc): I don't want to take someone else's place

 

[Knocky's Nose]

I've done OT hospitality, courtesy of a good friend who is the brother of Michael Carrick's PA !! Immense seats - the burgundy padded ones on the half way line, first tier - reserved for Nike, Betfred and other big-wigs. Meal was good, my boy got to see Ronaldo, and it was a decent game. A world away from 'hoof & run' Albion were playing back then (sorry).

My first experience at the Amex was a corporate a few years ago. Very well run, good food, good beer - and I wasn't far away from the noisy buggers in the North Stand, which made the match so much more enjoyable!

Was treated to the full works hospitality last season by Chandlers BMW. Cracking meal, decent seats, but I missed my ST seats like crazy! I'm East Lower, on the halfway line, four rows from the front - and, frankly, I wouldn't swap my 2 seats for ANY of the hospitality ones I've been in.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I've done a few. My favourite was a box at Arsenal right above the join with the away fans and this game happened to be against Tottenham. The game was pretty good from what I can remember (Berbatov was playing and his first touch was something else) but the real fun was watching the 'bantz' between the fans like something out of a comedy show.

The other great thing was you could smuggle booze out into your seat and get smashed. I remember getting a cab back to Euston as I gave up trying to find the tube stop in my drunken mess.