Put fans before profit
14 Aug 2008
Saru should slash the price of Test tickets if they’re serious about growing the game.
The governing body recently sent the Boks to Soweto for a coaching clinic, but how many of those township kids will ever get to see a Tri-Nations match live? Peter de Villiers talks about “taking the game to the people” but how many of “the people” will be at Newlands on Saturday, or Kings Park and Ellis Park over the next few weeks?
A ticket for the Tri-Nations match between the Boks and Wallabies in Durban costs R425 (almost the same as a month’s subscription to DStv). Sure, there are a few scholar tickets available for behind the posts, at R120 each, but that constitutes just 1% of the stadium capacity. If you are a family of four, you will have to pay around R1,000 (if you can get scholar tickets) or R1,700 (if you can’t).
Throw in the petrol you need to get to the game (R50), parking (R30), a programme (R20) and food and drink (R200), and you’re looking at around R2,000 for an afternoon’s entertainment.
Surely only the tickets right on the halfway line (prime position) should be allowed to be sold for R425? Those in poorer viewing positions should go for R200 or less, with standing/bench positions behind the posts sold for R20 (the price of a ticket to a Bafana Bafana game). Or why not reserve a few dozen seats for township kids – and bus them to the game for free (as they did for the Argentina game last week). You’d get them hooked on rugby for life.
By alienating the lower and middle class, Saru and the host unions are making a mockery of attempts to get more black South Africans involved in the game. At the moment, there are more black ice-cream sellers at Bok matches than fans (especially at a stadium like Loftus).
Yes, unions need to make a profit from the game, but they also have a social responsibility.
By Simon Borchardt
66 Comments
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14 Aug 2008, 16:30 pm
#44 WP Till I Die:
You should try to keep up. I’ve just been promoted. This slams is going places and it aint just mosque
14 Aug 2008, 16:32 pm
#51 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
Djy nogal ‘n kwaai skelm my broe. Raak wys!
14 Aug 2008, 16:35 pm
#48 Dawn:
Listen girlfriend, don’t get offended cause you like tekkies. Promise to bring you a killer pair of Topshop’s, Bangledeshi Sweat-shop made heels on me next visit. n Lekka goud paar met groen hakke om met jou Bokke jersey te metch.
14 Aug 2008, 16:36 pm
I’m off to Fourie thread – Ig is there.
Better company than someone who still says “slams”
14 Aug 2008, 16:36 pm
#53 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
Thanks, but no thanks.
14 Aug 2008, 16:39 pm
#52 Sheriff:
As i said to WPTID. I’ve moved up. Enuff of the street lingo. Its flet accent queens english from now on. I now own a BMW and plush middle class home in Rondebosch East – with all me fellow new money Slamse brethren.
14 Aug 2008, 16:40 pm
#54 Dawn:
Ooooh sorry, South African Spanish Malay ………..
14 Aug 2008, 16:41 pm
tickets are expensive everywhere….
in the uk it costs you £70 upwards for a test match, when I went to see the boks at Twickers my day cost me well over £100
in Australia for the Bledisloe game tickets started at $84
at Lords it is £70 plus for a ticket for 1 day out of 5 plus the ridiculously expensive price
14 Aug 2008, 16:42 pm
#54 Dawn:
Must say I only figured the last word out later on!
14 Aug 2008, 16:43 pm
#56 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
You’ve got a good sense of humour mate!
14 Aug 2008, 16:45 pm
#60 Sheriff:
Cheers
14 Aug 2008, 18:05 pm
Just like the poloticians should slash the price of inflation if they want to grow the economy and foreign investment.
Sadly, individual greed will beat public empowerment anyday!
14 Aug 2008, 18:35 pm
Does anyone have the official attendance figures for the SA – Puma’s game? Tickets were too expensive for me, and the stadium looked empty. I’m not an accountant, but surely if you drop the prices slightly, you could get more people in and make more, if not the same, profit.
15 Aug 2008, 09:11 am
I know everyone has moved off this one already but….
I completely agree, someone said a while back on this site that SARU should host a test in Soweto, that would be an awesome idea, give locals a discount, and allow free entrance to the local schools! Now that would be a great marketing session for Rugby in SA.
The sad thing is that money is primary objective for these guys, so doubt it will ever happen.
I recently did some investigating about the Lions Test for next year, and I was told that you are looking at R750 to R1000 a ticket!!!!! I am afraid most normal Saffas are going to be priced out!!
15 Aug 2008, 10:16 am
***** Simon! Mallett got fired for making similar utterances a few years back. Rest assured if you were to die or simply disappear mysteriously after publishing this I will not rest until we bring the “mystery third force” to book.
15 Aug 2008, 12:22 pm
I saw the 1970 ABs play Dawie de Villiers and the Boks at Newlands and my ticket in the scholar’s enclosure — right next to the tunnel — cost R2.
The ABs won by 9-8, in case you’re wondering. Egged on by the entire super-noisy South Stand.
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