IRFU okay unsold ticket default

RUGBY:THE IRFU will allow the clubs and provinces to default on payment for unsold tickets to the 2010 Guinness Series.

The union, who were €3.5 to €4 million short of their anticipated maximum take for the four international matches against South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina, said yesterday they made “an error” in their ticketing strategy and would not be seeking payment for the tickets that were not taken up by fans.

To safeguard against such a scenario arising again, tickets will only be distributed once payment has been received by the IRFU.

Many clubs around the country were left with more tickets than they could sell.

At this year’s Six Nations Championship a tiered pricing structure was introduced for the games against England and France following the fiasco of thousands of empty seats in the November matches, notably against the Springboks and All Blacks.

The price structure for the 2012 Six Nations matches against Scotland, Wales and Italy have not yet been decided.

“The pricing structure for next season’s Six Nations Championship will be reviewed,” said an IRFU official. That review will take place in the autumn.

“The ticket sales will now be automated. It is to minimise the problems we had in the autumn,” added the official.

“We don’t want clubs or the IRFU to be in that position again. It will be on-line and payment is received up front. That is the way most modern sports organisations do it.”

The IRFU engaged the international sports division of Deloitte to undertake an independent review, which led to the changes in the selling strategy. The new automated system will also provide the IRFU with better “intelligence” on their ticket sales.

“For the IRFU to fulfil its role and obligations to protect and develop Irish rugby in the long term, maximising attendances should be the first priority,” said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne yesterday evening.

“A new ticketing structure will also provide the union with clear, up-to-the-minute information about ticket sales within the clubs and enable it, if necessary, to pursue additional ticket sales distribution avenues.”