Student Prices at Croke Park

bullock

Whats the story with them. They seem to be really overpricing student tickets this year. Why?? Croke park isn't even full half the time.

They cost 5Euro 2 years ago. Now they cost 15E but you have to pay 35E and make you way to one gate in Croke Park and get a refund. Its a pile of ****. Fair enough if Croker was full demand would be high. But 99% of the time its empty!!!

Culchie

Yeh, I think we should set up a boards petition to the GAA.

No-one else is doing anything about these prices (not just student prices) going up and up.

It's €25 a game now, even for the qualifiers. The punters are voting with their feet now anyway, no-one is showing up at qualifiers.

Another thing, you used to be able to get tickets from GAA.ie and pay a nominal charge of €2 per order to cover thir admin and postage which was fair enough.
Now GAA.ie directs you to ticketbastard instead, so 6*25 tickets = €168 now, an €18 surcharge !!

The quarter finals are being priced at €35 ... it's no longer becoming value for money.

The Rooster

€35 for stand tickets is still cheaper than soccer and rugby international - even most friendlies.

I can't say I feel all that sorry for the poor oul student who's forced to queue for a few minutes in order to get his €20 discount.

Kevin_rc_ie

You buy a ticket as normal.

You go the stadium, you go through a special turnstile and they refund you 10/15 euro.

I did this for Cusack stand tickets for the last 2 dublin football matches.

Culchie

The Rooster wrote:

€35 for stand tickets is still cheaper than soccer and rugby international - even most friendlies.

I can't say I feel all that sorry for the poor oul student who's forced to queue for a few minutes in order to get his €20 discount.

I can't disagree with either point really, except that the reality is that now the grounds are not being filled. (Dublin playing being the exception).

So whilst the whole of Ireland has an interest in watching the soccer team, and hence demand is normally high and is sold out, (if decent opposition), with counties it is reliant upon their own support from within the county only.


As I say, people are voting with their feet, watch the TV at the weekend for the qualifiers.

Supply and Demand


P.S No sympathy for students either, they'd wait 20 minutes for a beer voucher from the students Union office.

Waylander

The qualifiers never really filled Croke park did they?

Culchie

Nope, don't know why they persist in having them their either, I'd say this will be the last year of the double header qualifiers in Croke Park.

But they did fill Dr Hyde, Clones, Portlaoise and all the other provincial grounds before.

There has been a huge increase in ticket prices in last 3 years, from €12/15 up to €25/30.

Crowds are down big time in Hurling and Football this year.

cruiserweight

Crowds are down in Munster and Connaught for football, but up in the other provinces and in hurling in Munster!

http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stories.php3?ca=13&si=1439278

FOOTBALL

20052004Difference

Connacht70,000136,000-49%

Munster61,000103,000-41%

Ulster277,000235,000+18%

Leinster311,000272,000+14%

Overall719,000746,000-4%

Note: Connacht had two replays in 2004 but none this year. Leinster had one replay (the final) in 2004 but none this year. Ulster had four replays this year, compared to one in 2004. Munster had one replay (the final) in 2004 but none this year.

HURLING

20052004Difference

Munster158,000147,000+7%

Leinster60,356**

Note: Munster had one draw this year; none in 2004.

* It's not possible to compare Leinster's figures as one of last year's games (Offaly v Dublin) was played with the Laois-Meath football semi-final.

Culchie

cruiserweight wrote:

Crowds are down in Munster and Connaught for football, but up in the other provinces and in hurling in Munster!

http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/stories.php3?ca=13&si=1439278

Thanks for going to the trouble for that, fair play to you.

Stats although on the face of it seem to nutralise my argument, I think if you look at them a little closer, actually back up what I am saying.

Connaught down 66000, would two replays bring in 66000 in Connaught ... No, maybe 40,000 so I'd say down about 26000 if apples with apples

Munster down 42000, would one replay bring in 42000 ... I think 30,000 is normal (open to correction) so 12000 down there


Ulster up 42000 ...with 3 extra replays ! (including best supported teams Armagh & Tyrone)


Leinster up 39000 .... Dublin ...say no more.


Hurling ... too difficult to measure, but in fairness the top games have sold out.


It will be interesting to see the pictures from the TV at the weekend.

Jester

Wise up man will you, im a student and i spend most of my money on stupid stuff that is a waste of time such as drink, gambling etc but one thing i never begrudge is giving money to the gaa. How many students wuda went to oxygen to be ripped off every turn around and dont complain? Its your national games youre payin in to see, stop whinging about a few euro.

Culchie

Jester wrote:

Wise up man will you, im a student and i spend most of my money on stupid stuff that is a waste of time such as drink, gambling etc but one thing i never begrudge is giving money to the gaa. How many students wuda went to oxygen to be ripped off every turn around and dont complain? Its your national games youre payin in to see, stop whinging about a few euro.

I don't know if your comment was for me, or original poster, but I haven't missed a championship match involving my county for 18 years, nor a league game for the last 12 .... so my concern is not just about my pocket, but for what I can see is starting to happen to attendances, and how the people attending the matches are viewing the GAA (qualifiers especially).

Better in the long run for the GAA to have sell out matches at €15, than half filled stadiums at €30.

Waylander

Culchie I really do not think the average match attendance is down on last year for the qualifiers. I do not really have a problem with what I am charged into a match. I would be more p'd off about the price I have to pay for a pint before and after a match.

Lemlin

In Clones, if you're a student they stick you in piss poor seats behind the goals... what a joke.

Dr Hyde at the weekend was the first pitch, along with Breffni, where I haven't seen students being treated like crap.

Happens in other sports too though. Down at the races last week, there were 7 or 8 turnstiles for ordinary people paying the €25 entry and just 1 (yes 1!) for all the students.

Culchie

Waylander wrote:

Culchie I really do not think the average match attendance is down on last year for the qualifiers. I do not really have a problem with what I am charged into a match. I would be more p'd off about the price I have to pay for a pint before and after a match.

13200 for Cavan/Mayo, 8000 Cork V Sligo.


I'll let the figures speak for themselves.

Eugene McGee also wrote about half a page on this The Indo yesterday.

Lemlin

The Cavan-Mayo match was let down by Mayo supporters, not Cavan's. Of the 13,000, I'd say 10,000 were Cavan, no messing. I heard even Colm O'Rourke commented that "the whole of Cavan must be at this match".

We did have a lack of support at some of the other games this year though, especially against Donegal and Antrim in the replay.

But this was mainly because people were pissed off at the performances in the matches directly before those.

Culchie

and the Cork/Sligo game? .... and we'll see next weekend.

and the hurling qualifiers ..... the evidence is staring at you on your TV screens ....half empty terraces.


It is different for a 'new team on a run' like Cavan, or Fermanagh last year..... where there is a fervour in the county (10,000 is still not a massive crowd) and naturally will follow their new found heroes.


The GAA can ignore if they want to, but if you can't see that the qualifiers are being poorly attended, due mainly to their ticket prices, then we must be watching two different sports.

As I said previously, far better in the long term for the GAA to have full grounds at €10-15 per head, than half empty ones at €25 for the qualifiers.

Lemlin

Well I don't think €15 for Dr Hyde at the weekend (a tenner for students and free for U16s and OAPS) is alot to ask, and that's coming from a Cavan man!

I think alot of fans were put off by the travelling rather than the prices.

Kingp35

Lemlin wrote:

In Clones, if you're a student they stick you in piss poor seats behind the goals... what a joke.

Dr Hyde at the weekend was the first pitch, along with Breffni, where I haven't seen students being treated like crap.

Happens in other sports too though. Down at the races last week, there were 7 or 8 turnstiles for ordinary people paying the €25 entry and just 1 (yes 1!) for all the students.

Lemlin im a student as well and in all fairness if your paying half of what other people are paying you should expect to be put into the worst seats available. They are dead right to put us free loaders into the crappy parts. I wouldnt expect anything else or the organisers are just being stupid by treating the high paying people worse.

Culchie it has alot more to do with travelling than it does with ticket prices. Many people just dont want to travel when they can sit in the comfort of their homes and watch teh game. The ticket prices are by no means too high. Sure its €20 to stand up in the north terrace in Landssowne to watch an Irish soccer friendly!! And your giving out about paying €25 to go see a top GAA clash!. Wise up man. Also alot of the time you pay your €30 to go to croker, in fact nearly all the time if you include minor games, you are going to see TWO games. So that is €15 a game. Your telling me €15 a game is too expensive? Yeah right. Ticket prices go up as costs go up. The GAA have every right to charge these prices and infact they are charging alot lower than most other sports to go and see a game.

IMO you have no reason at all to be complaining about ticket prices.

Culchie

OK, you are right.

It has nothing to do with ticket prices for qualifiers that attendances are so poor.

Kingp35

Culchie wrote:

OK, you are right.

It has nothing to do with ticket prices for qualifiers that attendances are so poor.

I didnt say it had nothing to do with ticket prices. It will contribute towards low attendances(which by the way havent been that bad) but it shouldnt.

I mean seriously how cheap do you guys want the tickets?

Culchie I would be interested to hear what you think should be done and how much would be the right price for tickets? Bear in mind alot of these are double headers and if they arent they usually inslude a minor game.

Culchie

I haven't seen a minor game on yet before a qualifier.

And, correct me if i am wrong, but I would consider 21000 for the 2 qualifiers last weekend to be a poor attendance, I don't know about you.
I am going to these games, I know that €25 is too much for a qualifier.

As I've stated, better to have full grounds at €10/€15 a head than half empty grounds at €25 a go.

The qualifiers are great for a new team on the up, the county is in hysteria like Sligo were, like Westmeath were, like Fermanagh were ...those games will be full, you could charge €50 for those games, and the fans will flock to them.
It's the other matches where the problems are.

It's not comparing apples with apples when the Landsowne Rd soccer comparison gets rolled out, that is a national team, with it's home ground in Dublin city centre.

Waylander

It is a national team that does not play the prettiest brand of football, and charges these pricesfor uncompetitive matches, but I do take your point culchie. However, I do not think that those grounds would have been sold out for those matches at the same stage last year. I don't think that that stage of the qualifiers ever really sold out grounds unless they were double headers. I am speaking form memory and not statistical fact. I think when we get to the All Ireland quarters attendances will be more in line with what you are expecting, although with the exception of the Dublin match, unless they do double headers, these may not sell out either. Wasn't it last year Derry played Limerick in Parnell Park at the quarter final stage and they did not sell that out?

Lemlin

Nope, Derry and Limerick played in the fourth round qualifiers. Derry played Westmeath in the quarters in a double header with Tyrone and Mayo I think.

I don't see why students should be treated like second class citizens when the ground isn't full. Just because I'm paying €5 less I don't see why I should be shunned to behind the goals. After all, alot of students play in competitions like the Sigerson and Trench cups.

Btw, Culchie there was a Mayo-Armagh minor game on before the Cavan Mayo qualifier and it wasn't €25 into it, it was €15.

I think €25 for a double header like Derry-Laois and Monaghan-Tyrone in Croke Park is great value.

Culchie

Lemlin wrote:

I think €25 for a double header like Derry-Laois and Monaghan-Tyrone in Croke Park is great value.

But my point is only 21000 agree with you (for 2 matches), and have you not seen the terraces? We are going around in circles now to be honest.

The punters are voting with their feet, regardless of your personal opinion, and regardless of mine.

Supply and Demand will always find a level.

Lemlin

Eh, those matches haven't been played yet so we don't know if its 21,000 or otherwise?

The 21,000 for last weekend's matches was probably due to travelling more than anything else like I said above.

Also, ask anyone from Mayo or Cork. Both expected to win their matches easily so little supporters bothered travelling. It had absolutely nothing to do with prices.

*marie*

Lemlin wrote:

Well I don't think €15 for Dr Hyde at the weekend (a tenner for students and free for U16s and OAPS) is alot to ask, and that's coming from a Cavan man!

I think alot of fans were put off by the travelling rather than the prices.

I was at a minor match in Dr Cullen park, and I had to pay full price in. I'm 17, waiting to start college in September, and the stupid prick at the gate made me pay full price. If U16s are free, and clearly don't look old enough to be finished college, I think it's stupid that I had to pay full price. He didn't even ask for Student ID, and if he had I'd have nothing to show him, as I'm knid of in between scholls atm!
It was only about a tenner difference, but it's the priciple, I'm sick of having to pay full price just because I'm "in between" a child and a student!

Flukey

When considering last weekend's attendances you have to remember that it was a bank holiday weekend so a lot of people were away, moreso than most weekends during the summer. Tickets are expensive, but there is nothing like being there. You can watch it live on TV and maybe again on the Sunday Game and maybe parts of it in years to come, but you can only ever be there once.

Then you have these people who buy tickets but don't come in until late, missing the first match, and then leave before the last game is over. The curtain raiser is often better than the main event, as we all know. If I am going, I am there before the first match starts and I don't leave until the last game is over, no matter what the scoreline. Even if the result is beyond doubt, you may still miss some important piece or action, a fabulous score or a controversial incident.

People have left matches when the result was beyond doubt only to find when they got to their car or the pub or home, that the result was not as they expected. In 1994, with Limerick 5 points up with 5 minutes to go, many Limerick fans had left to start to celebrate Limerick's first All-Ireland Senior Hurling title for 21 years. Of course what they then missed was the most dramatic finish to a final ever, with Offaly coming out winners by 6 points, by scoring 2 - 5 in the last five minutes. Many people missed it. At the recent drawn Ulster Final in Croke Park, many Armagh fans had left before Armagh made their dramatic comeback. There are many other similar examples.

You have people clammering to get tickets for some matches and moaning and whining about how hard they are to get, and how much they want one and then when they get them they come in late and leave early. If you are not going to come for the whole show, why come at all? Leave the ticket to a genuine fan who will.

People leave early to avoid the traffic or to get into the pub before the crowd. They may have arrived late because of delays in traffic etc, but for many it is that they were having that last pint before the game. If they were real fans, they'd be there for everything. There is loads of time for everything else, but from the first whistle of the day to the last one, if they are real fans, they should be there.
We are also lucky in that we get to see at least two matches and occasionally 3, for the price of one ticket. You wouldn't get that going to a soccer or rugby match, although you'd pay about the same price. There is the joke about the GAA fan who was going to Lansdowne Road for the first time. He gets in just in time to see the game start and turns to the man beside him and asks "Who won the minor match?"

Kingp35

Lemlin wrote:

Btw, Culchie there was a Mayo-Armagh minor game on before the Cavan Mayo qualifier and it wasn't €25 into it, it was €15.

I think €25 for a double header like Derry-Laois and Monaghan-Tyrone in Croke Park is great value.

Both of these games are fantastic value of you are not willing to pay this to go and see your team play live and get to see a second match as well then you are not a true fan of your team. I would pay any amount to see Dublin play and I have paid €100 for a ticket on the black market before when I was away on my hols and was too late to get one through my club. I was quite happy to pay it too because I wouldnt miss it for the world.

You are one cheap person if your not willing to pay the very reasonable prices the GAA charge

Culchie

Kingp35 wrote:

Both of these games are fantastic value of you are not willing to pay this to go and see your team play live and get to see a second match as well then you are not a true fan of your team. I would pay any amount to see Dublin play and I have paid €100 for a ticket on the black market before when I was away on my hols and was too late to get one through my club. I was quite happy to pay it too because I wouldnt miss it for the world.

You are one cheap person if your not willing to pay the very reasonable prices the GAA charge

So is the point of this to start a personal argument, or are you just being accidentally insulting?

You are the rocket scientist, give me your explanation for 21000 turning up at the 2 qualifiers last weekend.
Give me your explanation why Eugene McGee wrote half a page in the Indo on the very same point last Monday.
What about Tyrone and Armagh replay in half empty stadium, what about the Hurling quarter finals.

Maybe, if you can look at the bigger picture, you are not winning any argument by insulting me .... look at the half empty terraces and stands.

Face it, there is only so much money in people pockets, and they are not willing to shell out the bigger bucks for qualifiers.

And as I've consistently stated, far better for the grounds to be full at reduced costs, than half empty at full cost ..... it makes commercial sense, it makes strategic sense...... if you can't see the logic in that, then I'm glad you are not in charge of my business.

Waylander

Culchie I agree with alot of what you are saying, but I disagree with alot of it too. For starters I do not think the qualifiers ever regularly sold out grounds, so it cannot be that surprising that they still are not. As regards the Ulster final, I think holding the replay in Dublin was a bad idea. People would be more inclined to make the trip once and watch the replay on the television. Especially when both teams fully expect to play in Croke Park again in this season championship, regardless of the result. Also Hyde Park in Roscommon is pretty remote, and can be difficult to access for both Mayo and Cavan fans so a low attendance at this should not be hugely surprising.

I do not think attendances are down as dramatically as you are making them out to be, but I accept they are down slightly on last year. I personally do not have a problem with what I pay for the match tickets, and usually feel I get good value for my money, even as a Dublin fan .

The Rooster

We also have to remember that we are a small country and to expect sell out crowds every week is a nonsense.

21,000 is considered very low attendance for 2 games in the GAA calendar, however the two highest attended games of the season in the Eircom league would barely get that. People rave about the crowds Munster rugby get, yet its only in the region of 12,000 per game. When Leinster play in Lansdowne its only a rare occasion they get more than 20,000. Yet 32,000 turn up in Dublin for a game between two Ulster sides (just 6 days after the same teams drew a 70,000 crowd in Dublin), and its a disappoinment?

Flukey

A relatively large crowd can look very small in a stadium that takes 83,500 people. There were over 44,000 people in Croke Park las Sunday, which is a very good crowd, compared to what you would have got for similar games going back 10 or 20 years ago. It just looked small in a stadium of the size of Croke Park. If the exact same crowd were in Thurles, people would have been raving about the large attendance.

You also have to remember for those games that there are no people in the Upper decks, it's because there were not tickets being sold for them in the first place. It is not as if they put 83,500 tickets for sale for every match day in Croke Park. So when you take that into consideration there were in fact very few empty seats out of the tickets that were put up for sale.

FockRoysh

I hate to dig up old threads.... but when I was going to croke park pretty much every weekend in summer 2008, there was a thing on in cusack stand where if u had bought the full price ticket and showed a student card on the way in, you got a refund of X amount... does anyone know if this, or some equivalent deal is still in place?

An Citeog

FockRoysh wrote: »

I hate to dig up old threads.... but when I was going to croke park pretty much every weekend in summer 2008, there was a thing on in cusack stand where if u had bought the full price ticket and showed a student card on the way in, you got a refund of X amount... does anyone know if this, or some equivalent deal is still in place?

Yeah, it's still the same. If you've a ticket for the Cusack or Davin Stands, go to the turnstiles at Block D at the Cusack Stand, show your student ID and you'll get a €15 refund.

entropi

An Citeog wrote: »

Yeah, it's still the same. If you've a ticket for the Cusack or Davin Stands, go to the turnstiles at Block D at the Cusack Stand, show your student ID and you'll get a €15 refund.

They only gave me a tenner back 2 weeks ago same with my mate...and so begins the summertime fleecing once again:p

FockRoysh

Excellent, thanks a mil...

An Citeog

Master of Nothing wrote: »

They only gave me a tenner back 2 weeks ago same with my mate...and so begins the summertime fleecing once again:p

I'm nearly sure it was €15 last year but maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time!:pac: Prices gone up again this year it seems.:rolleyes:

jamesie_boy

An Citeog wrote: »

Yeah, it's still the same. If you've a ticket for the Cusack or Davin Stands, go to the turnstiles at Block D at the Cusack Stand, show your student ID and you'll get a €15 refund.

I don't get it. I have two full price tickets for the Hogan....so if me and my mate show our student cards does that mean we will get the same priced refund as the Cusack and Davin stands?

An Citeog

jamesie_boy wrote: »

I don't get it. I have two full price tickets for the Hogan....so if me and my mate show our student cards does that mean we will get the same priced refund as the Cusack and Davin stands?

No, there's no refunds for the Hogan (or for the Hill/Nally). I learned that the hard way unfortunately!:(

jamesie_boy

An Citeog wrote: »

No, there's no refunds for the Hogan (or for the Hill/Nally). I learned that the hard way unfortunately!:(

That's idiotic imo. What is wrong with the GAA that they can't apply the same sort of refund to all the stands? It's not like they are seriously lacking the funds to do so.:mad:

An Citeog

jamesie_boy wrote: »

That's idiotic imo. What is wrong with the GAA that they can't apply the same sort of refund to all the stands? It's not like they are seriously lacking the funds to do so.:mad:

Yeah, it's a pain in the hole alright. The sun is in your eyes in the Cusack and the Davin is behind the goal which is probably why they decided on it that way, however stupid it may seem.

jamesie_boy

This may seem like a long shot...but what if you were to enter through the Davin stand turnstiles and make your way over to your seat on the Hogan, thus being able to get a student refund. Do they actually check the tickets? when I was in Croker last year they hardly even looked at the tickets they just scanned them in a flash.

An Citeog

jamesie_boy wrote: »

This may seem like a long shot...but what if you were to enter through the Davin stand turnstiles and make your way over to your seat on the Hogan, thus being able to get a student refund. Do they actually check the tickets? when I was in Croker last year they hardly even looked at the tickets they just scanned them in a flash.

For all student refunds, you have to go through the Block D turnstiles at the Cusack Stand. You show your ID, they scan your ticket and you get your refund. Even if the stewards who check tickets and student ids miss it, the scanner wont recognise the Hogan Stand ticket and not only will you not get your refund, you'll have to walk back out onto Clonliffe Road and all the way around to Hogan Stand entrance.

jamesie_boy

An Citeog wrote: »

For all student refunds, you have to go through the Block D turnstiles at the Cusack Stand. You show your ID, they scan your ticket and you get your refund. Even if the stewards who check tickets and student ids miss it, the scanner wont recognise the Hogan Stand ticket and not only will you not get your refund, you'll have to walk back out onto Clonliffe Road and all the way around to Hogan Stand entrance.

Yeah I thought that might be the case. Ah well I'll just have to live without the refund:/ Last thing I'd want to happen would be for us to have to walk the whole way around. Although having said that I would arrive in plenty of time so I'd be able to deal with any unforseen circumstances like that, unlike some sets of supporters:rolleyes:

overmantle

its obviously as awkward as possible so you won't bother going for the refund. Can't help thinking that anyway.

I chanced my arm buying a junior ticket for 5euro last weekend at the hurling semi's. Got in no bother and i'm 25

jamesie_boy

Will there be student refunds for tickets to the football quarter finals?

HHH

I was at the hurling quarter finals yesterday and got a tenner back from a 35 euro cusack ticket.

Dionysus

bullock wrote: »

Whats the story with them. They seem to be really overpricing student tickets this year. Why?? Croke park isn't even full half the time.

They cost 5Euro 2 years ago. Now they cost 15E but you have to pay 35E and make you way to one gate in Croke Park and get a refund. Its a pile of ****. Fair enough if Croker was full demand would be high. But 99% of the time its empty!!!

I too would love to know the story here. As I wrote in this thread yesterday, student ticket prices for Croke Park (and the rest of the country?) have increased by a massive 66% since last summer. If Tom Humphries, Seán Moran, Keith Duggan, Gavin Cummiskey or the like read this, please let us know how the GAA is justifying such a price rise for students and OAPs.

Dionysus

HHH wrote: »

I was at the hurling quarter finals yesterday and got a tenner back from a 35 euro cusack ticket.

The same ticket would have cost you €15, rather than €25, this time last year. Maybe the GAA is keeping in line with education tuition fees, which is one of the few areas of the Irish economy which has witnessed price inflation rather than deflation in the past year? :mad:

rambo87

I work for the GAA and Croke park in tickets. Obviously im a fan aswell. I have to disagree with the cash handback for students; it borders on false advertising as you have to pay full price and get cash on the way in to an expensive stadium with no exit/re-entry. Most students need that money for food/ drink on the outside! everyone knows that this is just a racket by Croke Park. The remainder of this cashflow is used to pay voluntary paid staff.
Officially you are suppoesed to use the "Student travel Card" ONLY. But i have never been refused in Croker, Portlaoise, Navan, Tullamore or Dungarvan (Im a meath fan). NO refunds on Hogan tickets EVER or usually at least 1 stand in other provincial grounds; so if the ticket sales are too high or you are sold the wrong tickets (it happens often) Tough. No student refund. If you go through the wrong style (unless you are lucky or get a VERY nice person working there) you get NO refund. Only a few styles in ANY stadium give refunds. This is confusing for staff let alone fans, its a way to get more students paying full price and not to bother collecting refunds. MAKE SURE you ASK ticket sellers for student tickets. DONT buy Hogan Stand Tickets. MAKE SURE you go through SECTION D styles in the Cusack stand.