Why No Autumn International tickets thread

Sandwlch

Whats wrong? Why is there no thread of alternating panicy and delighted posts by people who have or have not bought tickets throught the IRFU or provinces supporters clubs? And the favourite annual tradition; people exploding with frustration at online ticket site crashes?

Is there a boycott due to ticket prices, the attempt to give a new name to Lansdowne Road, the Golden Era is over and no one wants to go, or what?

First time in a few years I didnt buy them. Just too much money for me (and I let my membership lapse)

Trotter

I let my membership lapse. I was paying money for the opportunity to buy tickets. When I did, they were expensive and most times I went they were in a bad spot in the stadium.

Add all that to the price of them this year, and I just cant do it. I get the sense the IRFU are trying to attract a wealthier brand of fella than me. Leave them off.. I'll watch it with the lads in the pub or at home.

Random

looking at all the ticket options. they're too expensive. this is what you're missing out on if you're not a member by the way ...

lologram

Let it lapse too. Too much money.

gally74

Let mine lapse too, pity I really enjoyed match day etc, it's just a bit too much

Random

nice box of miller from the tesco off license and a telly at home and you're set.

ch2008

Let mine lapse too. My house has nice beer and lacks stadium announcers.

Crash

Interestingly enough, the Leinster branch packages were the reverse of the above - NZ/Samoa SA/Argentina - in a moment of weakness I bought NZ/Samoa tickets.

backrow67n8

I'm mad to see the mighty All Blacks but couldn't justify paying the kinda money the IRFU are demanding. Read somewhere that its cheaper/same price to fly to Scotland to see them play in Murrayfield, would I be right??

Podge_irl

Good Christ, they're ridiculously expensive. A game of rugby simply isn't worth that much.

Mr.Applepie

ch2008 wrote: »

Let mine lapse too. My house has nice beer and lacks stadium announcers.

Don't forget the atomospheric music to get people going that is played way to loud.

I always enjoy it when there is a nice atmosphere building, people chatting away, the noise building as more and more people arrive. Then BAM! The announcer and music come on. By the time the match starts the stadium is deathly silent due the fact you couldn't hear the person beside you for the past 30mins.

Tim Robbins

Podge_irl wrote: »

Good Christ, they're ridiculously expensive. A game of rugby simply isn't worth that much.

The last time the all blacks were here, I was on the hill in croker. I think it 30 - 40 quid and it wasn't worth it. There's no way I am paying 150 for it this time.

Mr.Applepie

Mr.Applepie wrote: »

Don't forget the atomospheric music to get people going that is played way to loud.

I always enjoy it when there is a nice atmosphere building, people chatting away, the noise building as more and more people arrive. Then BAM! The announcer and music come on. By the time the match starts the stadium is deathly silent due the fact you couldn't hear the person beside you for the past 30mins.

The music and the announcer really irritate me, although it is accutely worse in the RDS due to the lousy speakers. Those things gave me tinnitus.

bonnieprince

let mine lapse too, much too expensive for any joe soap. :mad:

tHE vAGGABOND

first time in many years Im not going to any of them, plain too expensive [indeed, most previous years going back many years, I went to all games]

Digifriendly

After the Brian Lenihan announcement on Thursday and predictions that even the next generation would be paying to get rid of the national debt it's no wonder the hesitation in forking out a lot of money for these games. Guess a lot of Leinster/Munster fans who will pack into the new stadium tonight will let that visit do them until 2011 or even further in to the future.

danthefan

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

first time in many years Im not going to any of them, plain too expensive [indeed, most previous years going back many years, I went to all games]

Same here, won't be attending any of the AIs. €100 is far too much.

Shelflife

Travel costs and the fact that the tickets are bundled will mean that alot of people will not be able to afford it, €380 for tickets to ABs and Arg plus travel(diesel and tolls) €60 thats €440 just to go up and down to two matchs for my son and I, thats without a drink and bringing a packed lunch.

You'd buy alot of beer and pizza for that money.

danthefan

Shelflife wrote: »

Travel costs and the fact that the tickets are bundled will mean that alot of people will not be able to afford it, €380 for tickets to ABs and Arg plus travel(diesel and tolls) €60 thats €440 just to go up and down to two matchs for my son and I, thats without a drink and bringing a packed lunch.

Youd but alot of beer and pizza for that money.

It is a hell of a lot of money alright, not something I would be paying over €400 on at the moment when I can watch on TV.

And fair play for not completely overblowing the costs like that Indo article which claimed it could cost €900 or something ridiculous.

Noffles

I'll not be attending any this year either, rip off, will be going to the millenium to watch Wales v AB's though, that was 140 for 2 good seats... still expensive but not as bad.

duckysauce

Noffles wrote: »

I'll not be attending any this year either, rip off, will be going to the millenium to watch Wales v AB's though, that was 140 for 2 good seats... still expensive but not as bad.

140 sterling ?

chupacabra

This is the first year in quite awhile that i wont be going to at least one of the AI's. The IRFU are doing a damn fine job at alienating the majority of their supporters from attending internationals. Its pure cheek and utter short sightedness to set the prices that high considering the economic state the country is in.

I'm just glad i got to see my two countries battle it out in croker last year, for i fear its not something i will be seeing again for quite awhile. Thanks a lot IRFU.

CompFix

Also let my membership lapse. FAI & IRFU need to review their prices and fast.

LFC5Times

I was and am against the Government making the rugby matches FTA, however the IRFU have really shot themselves in the foot here with the prices of their tickets for the upcoming internationals.

They have made the prices so high that more and more people will be unable to afford go to the match, or will refuse to pay the price they are charging.

This if anything is going to give more of a reason for the Government to make rugby matches FTA.

vkid

Loads of us went to all games last year. None of us going this year.
Its just too expensive and to be honest i didnt really enjoy my visit to the whole aviva experience last Saturday (result aside) so after that definitely giving it a miss.

Let my IRFU supporters membership lapse as well. Was only any good for tickets.
I'll survive without another IRFU fridge magnet

handsomecake

the worst thing about this is though,that it will still be full despite everybodies disgust at the prices.there are enough "rich" people left willing to fill it.

handsomecake

handsomecake wrote: »

the worst thing about this is though,that it will still be full despite everybodies disgust at the prices.there are enough "rich" people left willing to fill it.

Are the tickets sold out?

djk1000

Are we at the point now where the IRFU will struggle to fill the stadium? I hope so, because that's the only thing that will bring down prices.

Shelflife

I think the AB will def sell out, by default and only by default the ARG will technically be a sell out but id say that tickets will be freely available outside the ground and there will be a lot of empty seats.

SA will be close to a sell out but i feel that they will be available on the day.

Samoa tickets will be freely available. thats my view anyway.

asked some friends of mine if they were interested in going (they were roaring for tickets last autumn) when they heard the prices they all baulked.

Its not so much that they are so much dearer then croke park, its just they dont have that type of money to flash about anymore.

The pricing structure is such that you are left with the die hards and the well off. Joe soap --occasional fan is priced out of it and as for families??
€400 to bring the wife and two kids to see a game???

Noffles

duckysauce wrote: »

140 sterling ?

Yep, think they were about 70 quid each or something.

Sandwlch

Shelflife wrote: »

The pricing structure is such that you are left with the die hards and the well off. Joe soap --occasional fan is priced out of it and as for families??
€400 to bring the wife and two kids to see a game???

So there is good and bad in it. I have a lot of sympathy for families for whom the price becomes very steep. But good that the occasional fan, or bandwagon merchant from the last 5 years, is now deterred, and there are more tickets for the true fans.

Luckycharm

Unless I get a free ticket or something this will be the first time in over 25 years I will not be at one of the home internationals
Long gone when it used to be £1.50 for a school boy ticket!!

johnnysexsmith

Maybe it will dawn on the IRFU that they're way off the mark on pricing for the AIs. Tickets have now been released to subscribers of the Leinster eZine.

JustinDee

johnnysexsmith wrote: »

Maybe it will dawn on the IRFU that they're way off the mark on pricing for the AIs. Tickets have now been released to subscribers of the Leinster eZine.

The remaining tickets are on sale to the general public.

thomond2006

You still won't sell out Argentina or Samoa as single tickets IMO.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/21_12789.php

Can't believe you don't have tiered pricing either. Surely a south/north position is inferior to east/west?

Hippo

It's just too expensive. Breaks my heart cos I'd love to see NZ and SA, and I live very near the stadium, but I can't justify the cost.

Shelflife

JustinDee wrote: »

The remaining tickets are on sale to the general public.

QED That the tickets were too dear.

JustinDee

Shelflife wrote: »

QED That the tickets were too dear.

If the games are full (and nobody can predict the outcome until the day itself) then this will not be the case in the eyes of those who set those prices.

Shelflife

The fact that the tickets are now on sale to the general public is in itself an indication from the root and branch of rugby clubs that they cannot afford the tickets.

from memory , while tickets were readily available for the SA and Aus games from the clubs they didnt go on sale to the general public (open to correction) even if they did the fact that with 30000 less of a capacity and the top teams in the world coming that they still havent sold out is an indication that the prices are too high.

justin if you cant accept that the prices are expensive then you must have a hell of a job.

thomond2006

Shelflife wrote: »

justin if you cant accept that the prices are expensive then you must have a hell of a job.

I don't think that's what he meant.

In reality if the games sell out then the prices are fine because they did sell out.

IMO they won't sell out but we'll wait and see.

Sandwlch

Shelflife wrote: »

QED That the tickets were too dear.

Disagre with your conclusion. The problem was that in the past tickets were too cheap and aquired a status symbol for those who could get their hands on them. The low price didnt do enough to deter the occasional follower, or even the person who harldy knows what rugby is, but went along for the experience and social day out. Now that the price is high, people with tickets will be those who are really willing to shell out to go to a game. And it is good that they now have the opportunity to buy one. I think I said it somewhere earlier in this thread, but I would much prefer to go to only one or two expensive games a year than go to no cheap ones because I cant get a ticket.

wixfjord

Sandwlch wrote: »

Disagre with your conclusion. The problem was that in the past tickets were too cheap and aquired a status symbol for those who could get their hands on them. The low price didnt do enough to deter the occasional follower, or even the person who harldy knows what rugby is, but went along for the experience and social day out. Now that the price is high, people with tickets will be those who are really willing to shell out to go to a game. And it is good that they now have the opportunity to buy one. I think I said it somewhere earlier in this thread, but I would much prefer to go to only one or two expensive games a year than go to no cheap ones because I cant get a ticket.

That is a ridiculous post. Tickets were not expensive enough to deter people who occasionally follow rugby?! What bollocks. The IRFU should be, and are, attempting to entice the occasional punter.

People with tickets will be those who are really willing to shell out to go to a game

No your confusing "those who are really willing to shell out" with those who luckily can still afford to shell out, which is a big minority at these prices.

You sound as if it's a good thing to be alienating thousands of people who cant afford to get to a game in Dublin. I thought rugby had moved on from this type of snobbery.

Shelflife

thomond2006 wrote: »

I don't think that's what he meant.

Ya on a reread i think he was speaking from an IRFU pov as opposed to a personal pov.

apologies justin.

OldRio

Well Sandwich I`ve read it all now. So you don`t like the plebs attending ?
Spoils the atmos having to mix with the likes of us.
Well don`t worry your head, if the IRFU keep the prices this high myself and family will not be able/afford to attend. A few less plebs for you to moan about.

Heh, just heard the tickets advertised on the radio this morning in the car. Thats a first.

JustinDee

Deleted User wrote: »

Heh, just heard the tickets advertised on the radio this morning in the car. Thats a first.

No, it isn't.

little173

Sandwlch wrote: »

Disagre with your conclusion. The problem was that in the past tickets were too cheap and aquired a status symbol for those who could get their hands on them. The low price didnt do enough to deter the occasional follower, or even the person who harldy knows what rugby is, but went along for the experience and social day out. Now that the price is high, people with tickets will be those who are really willing to shell out to go to a game. And it is good that they now have the opportunity to buy one. I think I said it somewhere earlier in this thread, but I would much prefer to go to only one or two expensive games a year than go to no cheap ones because I cant get a ticket.

The problem is Sandwich, market forces will probably dictate that it goes the other way. Rather than exclude the occasional " status symbol" follower, which I also intensely dislike, the high prices and economic conditions will mean more of a premium on tickets due to their real and perceived value and therefore more "glory followers".

The tickets are over priced, the market is telling us that, I for one hope they dont sell out but if they do - consider dicounts, marketing costs etc. etc. Hope the IRFU will learn the lessons!

connundrum

I thought about it for ages, and decided that going to the 'Supporters Event' at the Samoa game might be a bit of an experience:

Ireland v Samoa Supporters Club Matchday €60.00 - this is one ticket for the match against Samoa and includes VIP entry to the Supporters Club Matchday Event, complimentary drink on arrival, access to the Havelock Suite with match ticket for Level 4 and a post match appearance by members of the Ireland Team.

So myself and 3 mates are going to this.

I used to be hounded for tickets by everyone who knew I'd supporters club membership, not one enquirey this Autumn.

I nearly bought NZ/ARG tickets.. but couldn't justify it. Rupert Murdoch offered me a Sports/Movies package which I thought was much better value.

I'll be letting my membership lapse too.

JustinDee

connundrum wrote: »

So myself and 3 mates are going to this

You'll meet me so. I'll be working at that as well as my normal match day role.
Enjoy.

seeing_ie

JustinDee wrote: »

If the games are full (and nobody can predict the outcome until the day itself) then this will not be the case in the eyes of those who set those prices.

Surely if they're not selling well those who set the prices will take measures to ensure the games are full, or appear full.