The IRFU have informed patrons of their 10-year ticket scheme that the final tranche of payments have been deferred until there is greater clarity as to when international rugby can return with spectators.
The cost of the scheme is €15,000 per ticket with fans having paid the deposit and the first scheduled payment.
Buyers had sought clarity as to what they should do as no rugby has taken place since March and none is currently scheduled to take place while the lockdown is in place.
The final date for completion of payment in option one of the three paying options was June 1st and patrons were asking if the final payment of €8,700 should be made or withheld with no international rugby available.
So far this year Ireland played at home in the 2020 Six Nations Championship against Scotland on February 1st and against Wales on February 8th before the third match against Italy was postponed on March 7th
As well as deferring the final payment, the IRFU have assured patrons that their seating request remains secure and that the ‘life’ of their tickets will only begin once international rugby recommences at the Aviva Stadium, with ticket holders able to take up their seats.
The lifespan of tickets, which people had begun paying for last year, will be for 10 years from the date of the first match back with spectators.
What it means for the IRFU is that a large chunk of their projected income for this year from the scheme has been halted. Some ticket holders have paid in full for their tickets while others had not depending on what option of payment they had chosen.
For option one of the scheme, the IRFU were asking for a deposit of €1,500 per ticket by October 9th, 2019. A second payment of €4,800 was required by March 31st, 2020, followed by a final payment of €8,700 by June 1st to complete the €15,000 cost.
Option two of the payment scheme required the final two payments of €5,044 to be paid by April 2022 and April 2024. The deposit of €1,500 as well as €4,800 had already been handed over.
For option three the €1,500 deposit as well as €4,800 had been paid with €200 per month per ticket to be paid over 48 months. The monthly payments began in April of this year.
In a letter sent to customers, chief executive Philip Browne explains that the IRFU do not know when resumption of international rugby with spectators can begin again.
“As of now we are not in a position to announce, with certainty, future dates for international fixtures at the Aviva Stadium involving spectators. Consequently, we have taken the decision to defer the payment of this tranche until such time as we have greater clarity,” he says.
“Once we have more clarity around the resumption of fixtures, we will be in contact with you directly via our ticketing department with further details and to reschedule the settlement of this payment in advance of resumption.”
This comes a week after Leinster Rugby cancelled their entire season tickets for the 2020-21 season.
For the last tranche of 10-year tickets, 21,700 of the stadium's 51,700 capacity was committed to IRFU programmes including advance 10-year premium ticket sales, visiting union allocations, sponsors, former internationals, press box, corporate hospitality programme, corporate boxes and committee box.
The remaining 30,000 seats (approximately), which include general admission seats and seats at premium level, were committed to the branches for distribution through clubs.
