03-05-2025
Leinster ticket backlash as EPCR slammed by RTE Sport panel for pricing call ahead of Aviva semi-final
ON Saturday evening Leinster once again faced Northampton Saints in a Champions Cup semi-final but this time at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.
Unlike the previous year's clash at Croke Park, which attracted a sell-out crowd of 82,000, this year's fixture did not reach full capacity.
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RTE pundits criticised the ticketing prices for today's semi-final in Dublin
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Northampton Saints players celebrate the full time whistle in the Investec Champions Cup semi final match at the Aviva Stadium
Last year's semi-final saw discounted tickets to encourage attendance.
But this year's pricing approach was met with criticism as tickets were priced at €70, which led to slow sales.
In response, EPCR introduced lower-priced tickets at €45 and even €33.75 for upper-tier seats shortly before the match.
The RTÉ panel ahead of Saturday's semi-final including expressed their disappointment with the promotion and pricing of the game.
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Fiona Coghlan, Jamie Heaslip, and Donal Lenihan joined Jaqui Hurley on the panel at the Dublin 4 venue.
Coghlan described the ticket pricing as "hugely disappointing," while Heaslip emphasised the importance of playing in front of a full crowd.
The ex-Leinster star said: "Players want to play in front of a full crowd, particularly at this stage of the season."
Former Munster and Ireland star Lenihan added that EPCR had a lot to "answer" for.
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Leinster head coach Leo Cullen had previously urged EPCR to set fair ticket prices.
The Dubliner urged the European body that they needed to avoid overcharging fans.
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He stated, "Hopefully EPCR price the tickets appropriately for an 82,000 venue because you want a big crowd, don't you?
"Obviously, it's an EPCR event, it's not a Leinster event. That's the big thing you'd ask because you want a proper crowd there.
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"You want to entice people to be there, to make it a special occasion rather than rip people off."
SunSport reached out for comment to the EPCR but have not heard back at time of publish.
In the game itself, the Irish side suffered more European heartache after a devastating
Their bid to reach a fourth consecutive Champions Cup final fell short as Northampton gained revenge for their three-point defeat at Croke Park last year by winning by the same margin.
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