IRFU to seek ‘fair and equitable’ solution to Aviva ticket crux

THE IRFU is to set up a second special committee to agree a “fair and equitable” solution to the controversy over unsold tickets for the autumn internationals.

Chief executive Philip Browne has told the country’s clubs the committee will begin its work as soon as details of the unsold tickets are collated at the end of this month. “We are also seeking some independent persons from outside the IRFU to sit on the committee,” Mr Browne revealed yesterday.

The Union is bracing itself for a substantial financial hit in the wake of ill-advised coupling of tickets for the two pairs of autumn internationals. There is still considerable confusion at grassroots level whether unsold tickets for the last of the games, against Argentina on Nov 28, can be returned to Lansdowne Road without penalty. There may be as little as 15,000 at that game. Anxiety at club level increased yesterday after a senior IRFU figure said tickets sold to the club as packages must be accounted for as packages.

The IRFU has already set up a small working committee under the chairmanship of Pat Fitzgerald, a member of the IRFU committee, to “urgently look” at pricing strategy for the 2011 Six Nations. It has been tasked with coming up with a tiered pricing strategy for the home games against France and England that will ensure a sell out for both games. That pricing structure must also take cognisance of some restrictive viewing in the Aviva Stadium. At present, all 51,000 seats are priced at the same level. Tickets will not be coupled for the Six Nations games. The committee may even draft in outside expertise to help formulate its strategy.

The second committee will also be tasked with reviewing the IRFU’s whole ticket allocation and distribution system.