RUGBY NEWS: CROKE PARK stadium director Peter McKenna has confirmed a significant drop from 2009 Six Nations ticket prices for the potential Heineken European Cup semi-final should Munster beat the Welsh side Ospreys in Sunday's quarter-final.
Munster would face either Leinster or Harlequins at GAA headquarters.
Ticketmaster online sales are scheduled to become active on Sunday evening, when the results are known, with premium seats available for €70 (down from €120 in the Six Nations), stand €45 (€90) and Dineen/Hill 16 terrace tickets available for €25 (€38).
The GAA rental fee for international rugby and soccer matches is €1.35 million, but the deal with the ERC is to remain confidential.
“We have had a logistics team in place for a number of weeks now, working in conjunction with the ERC and IRFU in the event that Munster win,” said McKenna. “Like the three U2 concerts in July, which were only confirmed five weeks ago, this fixture is seen as bonus revenue for Croke Park.”
The same applies to a World Cup soccer play-off on November 14th or 18th, should the Republic of Ireland finish runner-up in Group Eight.
Ticket prices for the rugby provinces will be frozen for Heineken Cup and Magners League matches for the 2009-10 season. Although Leinster sold a healthy average of 16,500 tickets over the two competitions this season (two home matches remaining), up from 14,200 last year, prices will not go up, and various incentives are in place to encourage sales. For example, the age for junior ticket prices has increased from 16 years old to 18.
Leinster, who have nine categories of ticket – ranging from diamond, which is a reserved seat in the Anglesea Stand for €599 if bought early or €649 otherwise, down to junior silver (uncovered, unreserved) – give entry to all Magners League matches and the pool stages of the Heineken Cup. The province have received over 6,500 renewals so far for next season.
Ulster’s loyalty price freeze is available to current season ticket holders, who wish to guarantee their “usual” place at Ravenhill, but only until Friday, April 17th. The ticket guarantees entry to Ulster’s three Heineken Cup Pool matches, as well as the nine Magners League games. The saving is the equivalent of the cost on a match-by-match basis of at least three Magners League matches.
For this weekend’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals, more than 91,000 tickets have been sold. Thomond Park – where reigning champions Munster take on the Ospreys – is a 26,000 sell-out, while Cardiff Blues have sold over 29,000 for their clash with triple champions Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium and are on track to smash the Welsh record of 27,114 for a home Heineken Cup match.
Jonathan Sexton’s appeal against his two-week suspension for being found guilty of kicking Munster’s Lefeimi Mafi during Leinster’s defeat at Thomond Park last Saturday will take place this afternoon. The IRFU panel hearing the appeal will comprise Billy Glynn (chairman), Leo Galvin and Barry O’Brien.
