GAA reveal strategy to retain Croker’s premium supporters

The GAA have devised a new set of payment plans to accommodate Croke Park premium ticket holders in renewing their seats.

With 1,600 Davin Stand ‘Príomh’ member tickets up for renewal in June, the GAA have moved to reflect the financial constraints beingexperienced by customers.

In a customised brochure, circulated this week following extensive research, payments options have been provided for 10, five and three-year tickets in the Davin Stand, while a new one-year ticket has been made available costing €1,000.

Existing premium seat holders and interested patrons will be able to purchase a 10-year ticket for €9,000 — approximately €2,000 more than the cost in 2002.

However, more games are now being played in Croke Park on an annual basis.

The three-year ticket (€2,800) can be paid in two instalments before the end of next year with the five (€4,750) and 10-year covered in three tranches over the next two and five years respectively.

The GAA’s action comes as the IRFU told the Irish Examiner last month they are considering abandoning releasing their first tranche of 10-year ticket renewals at the Aviva Stadium next year.

“There was an economic challenge,” acknowledged GAA stadium and commercial director Peter McKenna. “People have said, ‘We previously would have committed for 10 years, that’s now problematic for us’.

“We needed something which was going to respond to short-term cash call, a yearly ticket. Something which allows people to put money aside for three years because it’s within their scope. Others say they had funds available and we structured prices to reflect the feedback from those four different types of customer.”

Croke Park premium ticket manager Niamh McCoy said: “People want to keep their tickets so the challenge for us was ‘how can we allow them to do that?”

The GAA first put together payment plans in 2010 when they released their Hogan Stand premium tickets (€12,000 for 10 years) but have extended the initiative as the economic crisis has worsened.

“The Davin customers are, in the main, individuals and we felt we needed to reflect that,” stated McKenna. “The prices are more keenly priced than Hogan Stand tickets, for instance, but we would see all the seats as good seats. The economic driver was our principal driver. The crisis has got more severe as people realise there is no short-term solution to this.”

Over 90% of Hogan Stand premium seats and boxes were sold in 2010 and McKenna is quietly confident about the vast majority of the Davin Stand seats being taken up once again.

“Our premium seat holder has always been our touchline customer, the heart and soul of what we’re about. The GAA is their leisure activity and we wanted to respond to it.

“I’d be confident they’ll be renewed in some parts because people want to renew them. Whether they have the financial capacity to do it is another question.

“No more than any company, it’s the real unknown in the marketplace. What we’ve tried to do here is identify what the problems are in the market and respond with something that reflects the reality that is there. There’s a lot of pain financially out there and it’s hitting middle-class people hard because they’re getting hit on every side, particularly people with a reasonable income on a PAYE structure. There’s no relief or escape.”

Even though disposable income is considerably less than it was two years ago, McKenna has been buoyed by the amount of people who have already been in touch with Croke Park about renewing their tickets.

“The feedback has been extremely positive.

“We hear back from people, saying: ‘I really want my ticket, I really want to stay with you, what can you do for me? I can pay it on the credit card if it’s a grand, I can pay it on the credit card if it’s less than three grand and give me the three years payment plan on it’.

“I think it’s a very positive story. It’s the way we would hope we’re in tune with our customers and by researching thoroughly we can come back to them with something that works.”

Three years ago, the Príomh ticket exchange facility for premium holders was set up, which allows premium seat holders to earn credits by making their tickets available to games they weren’t attending. The credits can be used in any of Croke Park’s facilities such as the bars, restaurants and the Elverys GAA merchandise store.

However, McCoy revealed they are looking to add further value still to the membership package, in conjunction with the premium club in Dublin’s O2 venue, Carton House club in Maynooth, Co Kildare and also at Leopardstown racecourse.