THE SUN was out yesterday for the FAI’s launch of its 10-year premium-seat tickets at Lansdowne Road and we hope the weather remains fine for chief executive John Delaney as he bids to net €268 million from the sale.
Corporates wanting a halfway-line seat will have to cough up €32,000 for the privilege, with the cheapest seats costing €12,000.
It’s ambitious, given that the IRFU charged €15,000 a pop for the very same seats.
With corporate budgets being shredded as the recession bites, the FAI’s timing looks bad.
Delaney is unfazed, saying the association has had commitments of more than €15 million from prospective buyers in the past couple of weeks.
Global sports marketing agency ISG is the hired gun and will set up camp beside Lansdowne Road shortly with a sales team of 19 to shift the tickets.
ISG has decent form, having sold up to €700 million in premium seats at the new Wembley Stadium. The FAI is budgeting to sell 70-80 per cent of the premium seats before the big kick-off at Lansdowne in 2010.
Delaney is on a good run, having secured a new deal with Eircom for the national team worth €4.3 million over two years.
Selling out these premium seats would put the FAI in the premier league and leave the IRFU with egg on its face.
We wish them luck.
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