Matchday ticket purchase charges

Diom wrote: Hi All,

So we talked to Eoin from Connacht Rugby last night as part of our meeting and this a paraphrased version of what he was saying.

<li>The charge was outlined in the original ticket pricing press release for the year. This is true ( www.connachtrugby.ie/ticket-prices-for-201314 ) but it was done using the ** method. In other words it was in the small print.</li>

There are costs associated with not being able to predict sales before matches. By having the cost of going to the gate higher than other options (albeit by 1-3 euro), they are hoping that more people will start to use the alternative pre-purchase facilities. This would lower costs for Connacht Rugby.

Bullshit! connacht rugby could take a very good guess how many people will come to games, last 2 season, its nearly the same. what cost them money not knowing? nothing!

There apparently were not many complaints by people at the gate, and no ticket seller remembers seeing a walk-away.

if you make the effort of getting ready, walk/travel to the ground, most people will bite there tongue this time but wont be back!
<li>They will monitor this carefully to see if there are a reduction in the total number of sales by the end of the year.</li>
[/ol]

Eoin also drew attention to the fact that 66% of their sales were online last year.

The price of online tickets has decreased. Also the availability of "online" tickets has expanded throughout the province via Centra and Spar.
66% of tickets, only way ill believe that is if there counting people who renewed there season tickets and X 14
last year 78,210 people attended our home games, 66% of that is 52,140
we had 3300 season tickets (or so) guess 3000 were renewed onlne, (3000X14=42,000)
that leaves 10,140 tickets sold online, for game by game or excluding ST

it just shows how easy it is for connacht rugby to put a spin on things

Diom wrote: Just in case it wasn't clear, I am just passing along the message as we heard it at the meeting yesterday. Regarding the lower costs, we were told it was so that they could reduce the number of stewards, and other staff around the grounds, if necessary. But to be honest I thought that all of the stewards were volunteers?

I've put the info up on the FB page and it seems that there are quite a few people there who are similarly unimpressed.

oh sorry wasnt having a go at you, i knew it came from the branch.

ya i also believed the stewards were volunteers too!?
clan bar- if there is spare kegs, keep them till next game, no problem there. bar staff, easily 5 would of taken care of the zebre game, apart from a few you stayed after full time, place was dead. 5pm kickoffs are killing the clan bar as a business. for most its to early to drink so they go home, spend few hours and head out at 9ish.
if game kicked of at 7pm, it would be over at 9 and people would hang around for a pint of two and then go into town and not bother detourng home!

what else could come to a cost to them? they must know how many buy the match programme week n week out.
bigger games, HCUP and INTER-PROS 6000-8000,these games are usually pre bought tickets as people want to be either in the clan or main terrace!
Italian, welsh and scotish teams pull around 4000-5000!

pinky wrote: Matchday prices for the coming season were listed in the notice about the Pro12 fixtures:
www.connachtrugby.ie/connachts-pro12-fix...firmed/#ConnachtNews
Looks like the Challenge Cup games are priced at the interpro level (Cat 1). I think the enclosed stand is the same price as it was for H Cup last season so that means a fiver increase for that for interpros (correct me if I'm wrong). It mentions a 10% surcharge for buying online but no mention of a matchday surcharge even in the small print, so I assume that is gone.

<strong>SECTION CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2</strong>
ENCLOSED STAND €40 €30
ADULT TERRACE €25 €20
CONCESSION TERRACE €20 €15
17 and under €10 €5

€40 is some amount to pay to watch a Connacht match against say La Rochelle even with the extra little bit of comfort, if we are out of the Challenge Cup heading into the final home game you'll only see season ticket holders up there at that price. Think they may be slightly out of kilter on that one but generally they fill the spots up there so maybe not.

Hopefully they have got rid of the surcharge, it doesn't help sell Connacht. However, I think it'll be the same as last season only its lost in the finer detail here so €20 book in advance €22 get tickets at the gate?

It was 22 euro to book online and 23 euro at gate. Only 20 if u were in position to buy at office.

Proper order.

I'm not sure what the problem is. It should be cheaper to buy online - or buy in advance, or in person or on the phone, than rocking up at the gate with cash.

OK, I know it unfair to people who don't have a computer, or if they do have one they can't get online, or they don't have a printer to print the ticket, or they don't live in Galway, or if they do they can't get get to the Sportsground during office hours, or if they can then they can't get in to the car park without having to pay, or they don't have a phone, or if they do they can't get a signal, or they don't have a laser card and they don't want to be charged 2% for using a credit card etc. etc. Life ain't fair!

You cant buy over the phone unless you call to the office monday to friday 9-5 to collect them. They will not provide a collection point on matchday. Of course this isnt entirely correct as anyone who has purchased a ticket at the gate will tell you. There are plenty of envelopes for collection there for those who have contacts within branch or sportsground.

I would have no problem with surcharge if there was a collection point. There is one at every other ground ive been to and theres one at sportsground too but only for certain people.