SOCCER:IN THE wake of another disappointing attendance on Tuesday night, the FAI last night confirmed they had had decided to abandon their controversial ticket bundling scheme under which many supporters were obliged to buy seats for more than one match at a time, writes Emmet Malone.
The decision affects both the Scotland and Wales games in May as well as the European Championship qualifiers against Slovakia and Armenia in the autumn.
In its statement last night, the association pointed to their recent reduction in ticket prices as evidence they had already been addressing the issue of falling crowds – the official attendance for Tuesday’s defeat by Uruguay was just 20,200 – and even this figures has been queried.
The association also said last night they will make 5,000 seats for the Northern Ireland and Scotland games available to clubs in the form of packages which will comprise 40 tickets for children and 10 for adults at a total cost of €700, or averaging out at €14 per person.
The usual 1,350 schoolboy/girl tickets will also be available as well as well as 2,000 bundled in special offer packages costing €80 for four.
