News

SA Rugby announce Lions ticket details

Wednesday 19th November 2008

Two of the tourists on show next year

SA Rugby has announced details of ticket sale to the general public for next year's British and Irish Lions tour in South Africa.

Season ticket and suite holders at five of the venues the Lions visit next year will be given priority access to claim a ringside seat in the first phase of sales for what is world rugby's most eagerly anticipated event outside of a Rugby World Cup.

Season-ticket purchasers at Coca-Cola Park (formerly Ellis Park), Loftus Versfeld, Vodacom Park and Newlands will guarantee themselves a ticket to see the Lions in action when they purchase or renew their season ticket at those venues.

British & Irish Lions tickets are not included in packages at the Absa Stadium, Durban, but season and suite ticket holders can buy Lions tickets when they renew, in advance of general ticket sales.

Non-season ticket holders who would like to see the Lions on their 12-yearly safari to Africa also have the opportunity to claim a ticket when the second phase of sales opens early in 2009, with precise dates and details still to be announced.

"The provinces have entered into a unique joint venture agreement for the Lions tour and we collectively decided that we should give preference to our most loyal fan base - the season ticket and suite holders," said Andy Marinos, the acting managing director of SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd.

"Season ticket and suite holders are the lifeblood of our provinces and our most valued supporters and this is one way to repay them for their commitment - by giving them priority in what is likely to be a frantic race to get hold of Lions tickets next year.

"We're also mindful that many of our supporters are not able to afford the outlay for a season ticket and they will get their chance when the second phase of sales opens in the New Year."

Approximately 180,000 tickets will go on sale to the general public next year, at prices which will give locals a fright. A Test ticket will go for ZAR 1,140 - �72.85 at current exchange rates, while non-Test tickets are selling at between ZAR 170 and ZAR 285.

Almost 100,000 tickets will be available for matches at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg and for the Port Elizabeth match against a Coastal XV for ZAR 170. Approximately another 80,000 will be available in the second phase for the provincial matches at the Test venues from ZAR 230.

"Tickets will be in high demand with as many as 50,000 British and Irish visitors heading to South Africa," said Andr� Homan, SA Rugby's project manager of the Lions tour.

"The fact that approximately 22 per cent of Test tickets are contractually earmarked to Lions supporters impacts on supply and demand and means that ticket prices are inevitably outside of the normal SA Test range - but they do fall within international pricing standards.

"English and South African fans were paying more than ZAR 5,000 for World Cup final tickets in October 2007 and the European market is used to paying in excess of ZAR 1,300 for a Test match seat. We had to find a creative way to make British & Irish Lions Test tickets available and affordable to our most valued fan base and this was the solution we came up with.

"Unfortunately it means there will be an extremely small number of tickets going on general sale for the three Test matches. We expect them to be snapped up in the second phase of sales in no time even though they'll cost ZAR 1,140.

"But with that in mind and in order to make the Lions available to just about every pocket the tickets that will go on sale in the second phase for the non-Test matches at the metropolitan venues are very affordably priced from ZAR 230."

Tickets in the second phase sales from early next year will be available at South African Computicket outlets and at their Shoprite and Checkers units early in 2009.

Stadia for which a season ticket purchase will get you a Lions ticket:

Coca-Cola Park: www.lionsrugby.co.za or call +27 11 402 8644 ext. 131/139
Vodacom Park: www.cheetahs.co.za or call +27 51 407 1701/25
Absa Stadium: www.sharksrugby.co.za or call +27 31 308 8400
Newlands: www.wprugby.com or call +27 21 659 4600
Loftus Versfeld: www.bluebull.co.za or cal +27 12 420 0700

Second-phase sales to the general public (from early 2009):

May 30 v Highveld XV (Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Rustenburg) - R170
June 3 v Golden Lions (Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg) - R230
June 6 v Cheetahs (Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein) - R285
June 10 v Sharks (Absa Stadium, Durban) - R230
June 13 v Western Province (Newlands, Cape Town) - R60 (scholars) R130 (standing) R285 (seated)
June 16 v Coastal XV (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth) - R170
June 20 v South Africa (1st Test, Absa Stadium, Durban) - R145 (scholars) R1 140
June 23 v Emerging Springboks (Newlands, Cape Town) - R60 (scholars); R115 (standing) R230 (seated)
June 27 v South Africa (2nd test, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria) - R1 140
July 4 v South Africa (3rd test, Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg) - R1 140