Ticket prices in South Africa to watch the world champion Springboks are a bargain when compared with watching the world’s No 1 team when they play away from South Africa.
The Springboks, since winning the World Cup in 2019, have been the most sought after live attraction in world rugby, bigger than the globally revered All Blacks in this period.
To expect to watch them for the equivalent of a freebie is absurd. It costs to watch the world’s best and there is never media outrage, in the name of the supposed poor music lover, if ticket prices in South Africa are consistent with what is being charged internationally.
The Boks this season play the Barbarians (in Cape Town), two Tests against Italy and one against Georgia before two home Tests against Australia and one against Argentina in the Castle Rugby Championship.
All their other Test matches are outside South Africa, and the cost to watch them live in other countries will cost a lot more than the R800 to R3,000 ticket price that is the norm for Bok Tests in South Africa.
South Africans surely can understand that it can’t be an open-door policy on Springbok Test tickets because only a select grouping (and I am not talking race but financial standing) could afford these tickets.
Corporate South Africa and the government, as much as the SA Rugby Union, have the responsibility to ensure that the viewing of Springbok Test matches are an option for everyone.
It is a reality of the country we live in and as much a reality of what it costs to watch the best rugby team in the world play.
Commercially, these six Test matches are the only ground entrance source of revenue for the South African Rugby Union, in relation to their national teams. Their income is derived from sponsorships and broadcasting rights, and all international rugby federations, en-masse, are suffering to break even.
The South African Rugby Union, despite the weakness of the rand, somehow is among the best performing out of all the Test nations.
I can’t believe the ticket prices aren’t bigger in cost. There is a South African corporate and big enough financially-enabled spender in South Africa capable of paying, irrespective of the cost.
When I talk about the mass market who don’t have money to indulge on Test match tickets, I am not talking about race. I want to be clear about this. I could not afford or justify buying a family of tickets to go watch the Springboks play. Most I know are in the same position, but there will never be a shortage of who can afford it.
Corporate South Africa and the government, as much as the SA Rugby Union, have the responsibility to ensure that the viewing of Springbok Test matches are an option for everyone. The viewing I reference is not about a live stadium experience but watching through fan parks, and through broadcasting concessions from those who have exclusive rights to the Springboks’ home matches.
The Springboks are a big global sporting brand, but the sport of rugby is not in the league of the American sporting codes or soccer.
SA Rugby has to maximise live stadium attendance ticket revenue and hope they find familiarity, presence and an extended association with locals through fan parks, pubs, bars, shebeens and specially arranged viewing portals, like club rugby grounds.
You wouldn’t be able to get a ticket for R800 to watch the Springboks live overseas. Why the indignity at R800 for a home Bok Test in South Africa?
When England hosted Australia at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium in November , the Category 1 ticket costs R3,300, Category 2 costs R2,800, Category 3 costs R2,325 and the cheapest ticket (Category 4), costs R1,800.
The stadium is a sell-out, despite three other soccer stadiums being sold out in London for Premiership matches.
The Springboks, in 2024, sold out every one of their six home Test matches.
The demand is there to see the world’s number one rugby team play and if SA Rugby had started their tickets at R1,000 each and increased the Premier Ticket to R5,000, every one of the six Test matches would be sold out.
Where there is contrived anger and outrage at ticket prices, at least according to certain media voices, there should be understanding of the landscape and a thank you to SA Rugby that tickets are still available at R800, and that the majority of the tickets aren’t R3,000-plus.
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