Latest news with #Lions-Wallabies
Sydney Morning Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
For $379, this seat is still available as Wallabies-Lions creeps towards sell-out
Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh has defended the ticket pricing and accessibility for the Lions-Wallabies Test series, after none of the Lions' five tour fixtures sold out and with the 'full house' shingle yet to be hung on Suncorp Stadium for the first Test. After years of anticipation, the countdown is on for the opening game of the three-Test series between the Wallabies and Lions in Brisbane on Saturday, but seats were still available for the game on Wednesday, and for the second Test in Melbourne and the third in Sydney as well. The Lions' five fixtures played in the first 15 days of their tour saw strong crowds, many of which were venue records for rugby, but all venues contained sections of empty seats. Rugby Australia, who set the ticket pricing in a joint venture with the Lions, has drawn criticism for setting prices too high and making the games inaccessible for some fans. Ticket prices for the first Test in Brisbane range from $149 to $649 per seat, with the MCG ($99 to $649) and Accor Stadium ($149-$649) Tests having similar pricing structures. Tour game prices were lower. For context, single tickets for the annual State of Origin series this year cost between $49 and $399, and to get a ticket for the Sydney show of Oasis' reunion tour will set you back between $129 and $849. Given that it is a once-in-12-years event, the demand for Lions tickets has still been strong, and all corporate packages were swiftly sold out, suggesting the market mostly accepted the prices. But fans have also expressed frustration on social media platforms, and late ticket returns from UK tour operators have proven hard to shift. There were less than 1000 tickets left for the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday. Waugh is confident the ground will end up full.
The Age
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
For $379, this seat is still available as Wallabies-Lions creeps towards sell-out
Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh has defended the ticket pricing and accessibility for the Lions-Wallabies Test series, after none of the Lions' five tour fixtures sold out and with the 'full house' shingle yet to be hung on Suncorp Stadium for the first Test. After years of anticipation, the countdown is on for the opening game of the three-Test series between the Wallabies and Lions in Brisbane on Saturday, but seats were still available for the game on Wednesday, and for the second Test in Melbourne and the third in Sydney as well. The Lions' five fixtures played in the first 15 days of their tour saw strong crowds, many of which were venue records for rugby, but all venues contained sections of empty seats. Rugby Australia, who set the ticket pricing in a joint venture with the Lions, has drawn criticism for setting prices too high and making the games inaccessible for some fans. Ticket prices for the first Test in Brisbane range from $149 to $649 per seat, with the MCG ($99 to $649) and Accor Stadium ($149-$649) Tests having similar pricing structures. Tour game prices were lower. For context, single tickets for the annual State of Origin series this year cost between $49 and $399, and to get a ticket for the Sydney show of Oasis' reunion tour will set you back between $129 and $849. Given that it is a once-in-12-years event, the demand for Lions tickets has still been strong, and all corporate packages were swiftly sold out, suggesting the market mostly accepted the prices. But fans have also expressed frustration on social media platforms, and late ticket returns from UK tour operators have proven hard to shift. There were less than 1000 tickets left for the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday. Waugh is confident the ground will end up full.
