2000/21 Membership

[D4surfer]

We have two adult and one student for the South Stand. So that's 360 for membership after donating the balance of the ST value.
I actually feel thats all a bit on the expensive side. Also like others I thought it was a survey not a decision.

If you contact the ticket office they'll deduct the balance of ST off your membership (according to the FAQs anyway)

My reading of the FAQs is that's correct if you didn't do the survey or you did and selected options A or B.

[mtleinster]

Have we any feedback on how terrace people sit beside other terrace people, assuming every terrace buys their own membership?

[ronk]

Have we any feedback on how terrace people sit beside other terrace people, assuming every terrace buys their own membership?

Same issue as the North and South stands.

[The Doc]

Have we any feedback on how terrace people sit beside other terrace people, assuming every terrace buys their own membership?

I'd assume terraces will be closed and people distributed through the stands in a reduced capacity situation

[t1961d]

Totally overpriced compared to munster or even Premier league round ball membership for most clubs is half what leinster are looking for poor show all round and survey was a joke too.

[munster#1]

Seeing the price of membership, which gives little in return, really highlights the trouble that rugby finds itself in.

Clubs really work on small margins. Leinster have had a strong percentage of their wage bill subsided through central contracts and have one of the best attendance figures in Europe, but unfortunately have nowhere near the reserves needed to see themselves through this crisis.

Leinster could have made the message clearer, as this seems to be a rally call for help.
Had it been worded clearer, then I suspect that there would be less unease over the proposed fee.

The IRFU and the provinces are going to be down 10s of millions by the time we see full stadia, the likely effect of this will be a reduction in player wages, meaning we may see more players move abroad than we have traditionally seen.
Having the knock on effect of lower quality teams.

IMO, if you are in a financial position to help your province, who I have no doubt have given you more joy than nearly every other aspect of your life, then you should feel compelled to assist.

[riocard911]

Seeing the price of membership, which gives little in return, really highlights the trouble that rugby finds itself in.

Clubs really work on small margins. Leinster have had a strong percentage of their wage bill subsided through central contracts and have one of the best attendance figures in Europe, but unfortunately have nowhere near the reserves needed to see themselves through this crisis.

Leinster could have made the message clearer, as this seems to be a rally call for help.
Had it been worded clearer, then I suspect that there would be less unease over the proposed fee.

The IRFU and the provinces are going to be down 10s of millions by the time we see full stadia, the likely effect of this will be a reduction in player wages, meaning we may see more players move abroad than we have traditionally seen.
Having the knock on effect of lower quality teams.

IMO, if you are in a financial position to help your province, who I have no doubt have given you more joy than nearly every other aspect of your life, then you should feel compelled to assist.

My thoughts entirely!!!

[Blue not red blood]

My only issue is tickets are on a first come first served basis.

Would have thought it would be much fairer to have a quota system, ie 9000 sign up and say we have 3000 seats per game. Then you get every 3rd game.

With what they currently propose then some people could get every game and others none.

[Blue not red blood]

In fact thinking about it there will be less when you take the alickadoos allocation

[t1961d]

IMO, if you are in a financial position to help your province, who I have no doubt have given you more joy than nearly every other aspect of your life, then you should feel compelled to assist.[/quote]

This is the main problem an awful lot of people are not in that position currently and asking for €120 per person is extremely hard on some families in particular where multiple memberships would be required, I firmly believe and offering at €50 or €60 would have been subscribed to in a multiple of more than 2 times, therefore generating more income than this current offering.

Another question should we feel compelled to assist if as now appears Leinster has been living beyond its means financially ?? Most rugby fans would balk at the soccer teams who constantly need bailouts and are financial basket cases yet its happening right in front of us ??

[Dave Cahill]

Another question should we feel compelled to assist if as now appears Leinster has been living beyond its means financially ??

Eh, what now?

[ronk]

Leinster weren't showing any signs of financial distress before COVID.

The impression I have is that Leinster have been relatively secure financially.

I think taking early action should be seen as a good sign rather than a sign of weakness.

[munster#1]

IMO, if you are in a financial position to help your province, who I have no doubt have given you more joy than nearly every other aspect of your life, then you should feel compelled to assist.

This is the main problem an awful lot of people are not in that position currently and asking for €120 per person is extremely hard on some families in particular where multiple memberships would be required, I firmly believe and offering at €50 or €60 would have been subscribed to in a multiple of more than 2 times, therefore generating more income than this current offering.

Another question should we feel compelled to assist if as now appears Leinster has been living beyond its means financially ?? Most rugby fans would balk at the soccer teams who constantly need bailouts and are financial basket cases yet its happening right in front of us ??[/quote]
I fully understand, like most, my household has gone from a 2 income family to one.
perhaps €120 is a bit of a stretch, possibly could have been priced at €95, making it feel more affordable, yet keeping close to the required amount.

It could be possible that this is aimed at businesses who will buy a number of memberships to ensure tickets for customers, investors etc.

[Ruckedtobits]

Leinster were NOT previously living beyond their income. They budgeted annually without any assumption of success i.e. a home q/f in Euro Cup would produce a net income of c. €1.2m, on an expenditure base of c. €14m. Of that expenditure a significant proportion - almost 20% - went towards personnel or direct support of Youths, Schools, Age-grade and Development rugby. They have the largest number of Community Development & Support Officers, almost equal to the total of the three other Provinces.

Having reviewed this info critically for a number of years, I strongly refute the idea that Leinster have been living beyond their means or neglecting the core grassroots.

[Blueberry]

Look on balance I think they got this wrong, it's overpriced especially for families who aren't too sure what the point of buying a single membership is if it only gives them possibly one ticket. Let's be honest I can't see many families, unless very wealthy digging out 480 for a family of four for 4 x memberships and many people are being very cautious with their finances right now for good reason.

It's also decidedly vague about what type of ticket access they can grant you but that isn't Leinster's fault. The reality is no one has any idea as to when large scale sporting events with crowds will recommence and when they do no one has any idea whether it will be back to normal, 1m or 2m distancing etc etc. If you had to stick to strict 2m distancing I am not sure how many would get into the RDS. A small number methinks. Also if numbers are very limited will junior tickets exists. I really don't think anyone knows.

Personally I'd be happy out for it to return to normal tomorrow and let people make their own risk assessments but we unfortunately don't live in that type of world any longer. I'd certainly feel totally happy out in the South Stand virus or not but that's just me perhaps.

I think a simpler and cheaper membership with two prices - one for a single membership and one for a family would have kept it running and made season ticket holders still feel a touch special.

And all they had to do is say on a first come first served basis members would get first dibs go at tickets when they become available but as no one can guarantee the number of tickets that will be possibly sold I don't see how they can guarantee anything so first come first served makes sense. In essence a 'Membership' Pre-Sale and then if anything left onto general sale.

Anyway if you can afford it & want to buy a membership, if not don't. I don't think it's going to make a massive difference either way. This year coming may well be quite badly disrupted and in reality it maybe the following season before things are truly back to normal with 20,000 fans in a packed RDS. Let's hope it comes as soon as possible as bloody hell I miss it...................................

[ronk]

The timing of COVID has been very hard for Leinster. There were only 3 home league games but one of them was the Munster game. If that games sells out it gets the same number of fans as 4 games as 12.5k and at a higher average gate. Home QF too. One big gate could be worth as much to Leinster as all the non-interpro gates put together if the ticket price is double. Well not as far off as you'd think.

We were feeling good about having 4 more knockout games. If the lockdown was starting now we'd barely feel it in comparison.

Munster picked the right year to miss the HC knockouts.

[PotHale]

I received the survey and figured that getting a membership was the same as donating the money - money still goes to Leinster Rugby.

I got the money back for the Munster game, and as a STH, I got a 2-game credit when I applied for the membership, so it cost me €20.

Can't argue with that.

[curates_egg]

One thing I don’t understand is why Leinster is not offering more widely a scaled back version of this membership that is not linked to attendance. I have even written to the marketing team and asked them to do so, and just take my money, as I’m aware it is essentially a charitable donation.
I don’t want any attendance rights, but would be happy to donate. I’d say there are others in my position.
I can’t even buy the proposed membership, as this is currently only available to season ticket holders.

The notion that Leinster is going to lose players to other clubs - being touted by that Munster wum - is hard to understand. What clubs will have a magic money tree next season? The Premiership is in meltdown with player salary cuts. Most clubs there were already operating with huge debts and no profit before Covid.

[munster#1]

One thing I don’t understand is why Leinster is not offering more widely a scaled back version of this membership that is not linked to attendance. I have even written to the marketing team and asked them to do so, and just take my money, as I’m aware it is essentially a charitable donation.
I don’t want any attendance rights, but would be happy to donate. I’d say there are others in my position.
I can’t even buy the proposed membership, as this is currently only available to season ticket holders.

The notion that Leinster is going to lose players to other clubs - being touted by that Munster wum - is hard to understand. What clubs will have a magic money tree next season? The Premiership is in meltdown with player salary cuts. Most clubs there were already operating with huge debts and no profit before Covid.

Your thinking too small, not all privately owned clubs are too concerned about the bottom line, and there is also the French clubs to consider.

I don’t for one second believe, nor have I stated that this is an issue that will only effect Leinster.
I would be surprised if the IRFU do not look to reduce salaries of all centrally contracted players, and advise each province to review their salary bills.

The current covid situation could lead to years of financial issue for rugby in Ireland.
This is where the lack of private investment will be a negative.

[curates_egg]

We do have private involvement in Irish rugby already, even though I am uncomfortable with some of those who have funded aspects of the IRFU and Munster’s budgets: I’d rather they paid tax or hadn’t benefited from questionable contracting terms.

The notion that “private investment“ will be a positive factor in a financial crisis for the sport appears to defy the logic in other sectors of the economy, where public intervention has been necessary to save ailing businesses.
We do not yet have a liquidity crisis, but once the economic impact of Covid really hits home, will British banks really be in a position to give English clubs even more debt to pay the salaries of rugby players? I struggle to see that happening.
These “private investors” are not selfless benefactors: the involvement of millionaires in these sporting entities is often a way of funnelling funds in a way that serves their financial self interest.