New ticketing policy a winner for IRFU

The IRFU has declared its new ticketing policy a success as Ireland prepare to launch their 2012 RBS 6 Nations campaign against Wales tomorrow in front of a full house at the Aviva Stadium.

Irish rugby’s governing body rolled out the new system in the wake of a disastrous Autumn international series in November 2010, when Ireland played their first Test matches at the redeveloped Lansdowne Road stadium in front of swathes of empty seats.

The IRFU admitted it had got their policy wrong in only selling tickets in two-match bundles and that they had over-priced them, while the way in which clubs sold their allocations was also poorly operated.

That was then and IRFU commercial and marketing manager Padraig Power said the new system was working well and the other home games this season, against Italy and Scotland, were heading for sell-outs.

“Clubs have up to a three-week window before kick-off to either take their allocation or send it back to us, which allows us then to sell to our supporters club in the first instance and the general public thereafter if any remain,” Power said.

“That’s great, because following November 2010 when we had those issues, we brought in Deloitte Sport to advise us on pricing and distribution and payment. So this is the first Six Nations Championship we’ve faced under those new guidelines. So far it’s working extremely well and we think the feedback from clubs has been great in terms of ticket pricing. We’re not immune to the economic realities but we’ve sold out the Wales game in a couple of weeks and we’re looking forward to getting off to a great start.”

A brief snapshot of feeling within the clubs brought a mixed response to the new system.

Buccaneers president Ted Carty endorsed both it and the reasons for making the change.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the IRFU to ask the clubs to pay for tickets in advance and I think they’ve reduced it now to three weeks in advance and I think it’s a good thing and we’d have no problems with it,” Carty said.

“We’ve managed our allocation as a club. We probably, to some degree, might have to subsidise the Italian game but so what? We’ll get the youngsters to go to that game. We certainly won’t be left with any tickets.”

Ray O’Meara, press officer for Nenagh Ormond, was less welcoming. “It’s been a bit of a culture shock,” he said. “We’ve gone from being a 150-ticket club to probably 30 or 40, the scene has changed.

“If they beat Wales on Sunday, that will be grand, it will snowball for the whole lot and there’ll be huge demand. If they get beaten by Wales, you could end up with 40 or 45 tickets for the Scottish game and that’s just too much money to be carrying.”