STAFF REPORTER
Ticket prices for Varsity Cup matches at Tuks Stadium have been lowered. Seated tickets for the main pavilion will cost R30 and for the athletics pavilion R20. Previously, tickets for the pavilion cost R50. Grass tickets remain R10, but will be free for the match against FNB Wits.
At the start of the Varsity Cup season many students were angry that they had to pay to attend Tuks home games when they never had to before.Neels Grobler, TuksRugby marketing manager, told Perdeby that money from ticket sales is used for marketing and stadium upkeep.
According to TuksRugby’s executive manager Gert van Coller, another reason TuksRugby is charging for tickets is to control crowd capacity. Last year there were multiple incidents of students fighting at the matches and tickets have been introduced as a preventative measure.
Varsity Cup managing director Duitser Bosman told Perdeby that he believes that TuksRugby has the right to sell tickets. “There is a substantial amount of expense in presenting a home game,” he said. Because UP-Tuks1 are the tournament’s defending champions, Bosman believes that they have “elevated” what they have to offer at home games and “can charge at least R10 a ticket”.
Bosman confirmed that six of the eight universities participating in the Varsity Cup charge entrance fees. Only students at the University of Potchefstroom and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University do not have to pay to attend home matches.
Charging entrance fees does not discourage students from attending games, Bosman said. “Maties [Stellenbosch University] have been charging a fee since the inception of this competition and they have had by far the most supporters per game over the last six years.”
Facebook comments: VC tickets Dean Alberts: “It’s fine with me, I just [want to] watch Tuks play!” Precious Shabangu: “I think that it is unfair and really not necessary and it will decrease the number of fans who go out to back our boytjies.” Rochelle van der Linde: “It’s silly. Students should be allowed to come and support Tuks without having to worry about budgeting for tickets.” Jacyn Wilmot: “The vibes at the first home game were so lame! There’s nothing better than joining everyone for a game on a Monday night! Now we can’t afford it.” Nicole Baron: “I never mind having to pay to watch our boys play, especially the days when we get some freebies handed out during the match.” Chris Bosman: “Now the only time the stadium is going to be full [is] for the semi-final and the final, now let’s hope they make it through to that again!”
