FAI Reduce Match Ticket Prices

The Football Association of Ireland today announced that it will cut the price of Vantage and General Admission seats in Aviva Stadium after a consultation process with affiliated leagues and clubs. The ticket price reductions to be introduced through the 2001/12 season ticket (August to August) were made possible by the confirmation of UEFA’s centralised television rights agreement that will benefit European associations from 2014. 

The announcement was made at a reception in the offices of Clare County Council in Ennis where the Association’s AGM will take place in July. FAI CEO John Delaney announced plans to cut the price of Vantage seats for existing holders as a reward scheme for their support as well as details of the Association’s new Season Ticket scheme that will include a children’s ticket for the first time, guaranteeing seven matches for under16s for just €55. 

Adult Season tickets will provide seven matches for €189 in Category B and €270 in Category A, a further 13% discount on single match ticket prices announced earlier this year and up to 30% compared to 2010 general admission ticket prices. 

Commenting today, Mr Delaney said: 

“The UEFA agreement to centralise television rights from 2014 has given us the ability to reduce ticket prices in the general admission and Vantage areas while remaining on target to repay our commitments to Aviva Stadium in full by 2020. The offer for Vantage seats will be open to existing holders to reward them for their support of Irish football and will enable the purchase additional seats on an annual basis from €300 per annum in Vantage 4. This offer will include access to all home international games, the FAI Cup final and first option on tickets for concerts taking place in the stadium.” 

The Vantage reward scheme will also apply to V3, €400, V2, €500 and V1, €600 per annum. 

The Association also announced that it will make up to €100,000 available to clubs in Clare to mark the county’s hosting of the 2011 FAI Annual General Meeting when it is held for the first time in the West County Hotel, Ennis, on July 16. 

The Club Support Scheme will be open to all clubs and football organisations based in the county and must be submitted to the FAI by June 17. Mr Delaney said the grants would be a welcome boost to clubs: 

“The Club Support Scheme gives clubs in Clare a unique opportunity to source funding for infrastructure projects or the purchase of equipment and we will announce the grants during the week leading up to the AGM.” 

“Over the past year we have introduced several opportunities for clubs to raise funds such as the ‘Three’ Affinity Scheme which makes €10m available to clubs and leagues as well as the Shared Access Scheme which makes €30m available to clubs and leagues for floodlight and facility development. 

Mr Delaney added that he was delighted the AGM and Festival of Football were being held in Clare for the first time and he believes it will be a week to remember. 

“Since 2007 we have used the FAI AGM as an opportunity to showcase football in the host county through the addition of a week-long Festival of Football. So far we have had Festivals of Football in Kerry, Mayo, Monaghan and Wexford. All four proved to be very successful and raised the profile of the game within those counties as well as strengthening the link between the Association and our grassroots. 

“In 2011, the FAI Festival of Football will run from Monday, July 11, throughout Co Clare in association with Clare Co Council and the other local authorities in the county as well as the Clare Sports Partnership, the Clare & District Football League and the Clare Schoolboys & Schoolgirls League. 

We will be going to every corner of the county, visiting big clubs and small clubs and seeing at first hand the tremendous work that is being done on the ground to develop our game.” 

As well as the club visits by FAI officials, development officers, coaching staff and football personalities there will be An Post Summer Soccer Schools in Moneypoint, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Kilrush, Shannon and Ennis during the week and Football Fun Days in Lahinch, Shannon, Kilrush and Scarrif. 

Around 250 delegates representing every FAI league, divisional association and affiliate are expected to attend the AGM and will arrive in Clare on July 15 ahead of the Delegates Dinner in the West County Hotel at which the FAI will announce the Aviva Club of the Year and the Noel O’Reilly Coach of the Year and present the Service to Football Awards.