AS Roma's much-anticipated Europa League clash against Athletic Bilbao has turned chaotic, as ticket sales for the match were marred by significant technical failures. Following their playoff victory over FC Porto, Roma is set to face Athletic Club on March 6, 2024, at the Stadio Olimpico, with the return leg scheduled for March 13 at San Mames.
Following the initial sales phase reserved for Serie A subscribers, which saw 27,000 tickets sold on Monday, the club opened the second phase for Coppe 24/25 subscribers starting at 4 PM on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the excitement quickly turned to frustration as the club’s official ticketing website crashed, leaving many fans locked out.
"The website went down due to overwhelming demand for tickets,” reported multiple sources as fans were met with error messages like "503 service temporarily unavailable" or "502 bad gateway". This digital onslaught left countless supporters waiting eagerly at their screens, only to be greeted by disappointment.
The problems began as soon as ticket sales opened for Coppe subscribers, resulting in widespread criticism across social media. Fans expressed their anger and concern over the inadequate infrastructure to handle what was anticipated to be enormous interest, with many calling for improvements to be made for future sales.
By the time the sales attempt for this second phase began, it became evident how ill-prepared the ticketing platform was to handle the surge of users trying to access it simultaneously. The total crash occurred right at the official start of the sale, prompting immediate backlash from fans who had anticipated the opportunity to purchase tickets.
AS Roma has been proactive, organizing additional charter flights to accommodate fans traveling to Bilbao for the return leg of their match, which is to take place at 6:45 PM. Still, the ticket sales debacle raises questions about future events and the capabilities of online sales.
Looking back, the sheer enthusiasm surrounding AS Roma’s progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League reflects the passion of their fanbase. Yet, this unfortunate situation highlights the need for clubs to fortify their ticketing platforms to support overwhelming demand. It’s not just about selling tickets; it’s about ensuring every loyal supporter has the chance to witness their team live.
Though efforts are underway to resolve the website issues, fans are left contemplating their experience and voicing concerns for upcoming matches where demand is expected to be just as high, if not higher. What will Roma do next? They're facing not just the competition from Athletic Bilbao but also the challenge of how to manage their devoted fans who deserve seamless access to tickets.