The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final is the culmination of the annual Gaelic football competition in Ireland. It is one of the most prestigious and eagerly anticipated events in the Irish sporting calendar, with thousands of fans travelling to Croke Park stadium in Dublin to watch the final each year. While the atmosphere and excitement of the day are free, getting a ticket to actually attend the match comes at a price. This article will examine the costs associated with purchasing tickets to the All-Ireland football final, including ticket prices, availability, and factors that influence the market.
Ticket Prices
The official ticket prices for the All-Ireland final are set by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) each year. Prices are typically differentiated based on the stand or terrace area of the stadium.
For the 2022 All-Ireland football final between Kerry and Galway, these were the basic ticket prices:
| Area | Price |
|---|---|
| Hogan Stand (Premium Level) | €90 |
| Cusack Stand (Lower) | €80 |
| Cusack Stand (Upper) | €50 |
| Davin Stand (Juvenile) | €20 |
| Hill 16 | €40 |
These represent the face values of the tickets. However, the actual amount paid by fans often ends up being much higher, due to huge demand and a limited capacity of around 82,000 in Croke Park.
Availability and Demand
The massive interest in the All-Ireland finals, especially in football, means tickets sell out rapidly when they go on general sale. Usually only season ticket holders and the competing county’s allocation get access during the initial sales windows. This leaves many fans scouring secondary ticket sites to try and secure their place at the match.
Demand far exceeds supply, enabling touting and driving prices upward. Tickets with a face value of €90 can end up reselling for €400-€500 based on scarcity and people’s willingness to pay exorbitant rates.
Other factors impacting availability and demand:
– The two counties playing – if it’s a clash of traditional heavyweights like Dublin vs Kerry, demand skyrockets.
– Whether a county is on a multi-year winning streak or famine – Donegal fans were desperate to end their 25 year wait in 2012 for example.
– Population and diaspora of the counties – bigger counties have larger fanbases chasing tickets.
– Prestige of the occasion – big anniversaries and deciders stir up added interest.
So in summary, while the GAA’s official ticket prices for the All-Ireland football final may seem reasonable, the genuine supply and demand situation driven by rabid fans means far higher prices are paid in reality.
Purchasing Process
There are a few main options for getting your hands on the coveted match tickets:
GAA Clubs
Tickets are allocated to each participating county’s GAA clubs. Season ticket holders and club members typically get priority access through their local club’s allocation. This is the most common way for fans to get tickets at face value.
County Boards
Each county’s GAA board also receives an allocation of tickets that are distributed however they choose – usually through clubs, sponsors, competitions etc.
GAA Congress Members
Members of the GAA Congress can request All-Ireland final tickets in advance via an application process. How many tickets they receive depends on their membership status.
General Sale
A limited number of tickets are held back for a general sale through Ticketmaster, usually 6-8 weeks before the game. These are snapped up instantly due to massive online demand.
Secondary Ticket Websites
Fans who missed out on tickets can turn to resellers on sites like Stubhub, Seatwave, Touts.ie and others. But prices are often vastly inflated compared to face value. Buyer beware of potential scams too.
Match Day Queues
Some extra tickets are sometimes released on the day of the game itself. die-hard fans queue up at ticket booths around Croke Park in the hope of bagging any returns. A risky strategy with no guarantee!
Factors Influencing Prices
Several factors account for the surge in ticket prices on the secondary market compared to the initial face values:
Demand Outstrips Supply
With only around 80,000 capacity available at Croke Park and several hundred thousand interested buyers, demand massively exceeds supply. Basic economics kicks in with touts exploiting the shortfall.
Buyer Desperation
Huge personal importance placed on attending the All-Ireland final makes buyers willing to pay irrational prices for tickets they must have. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) intensifies this.
County Following
Matches between counties with massive followings like Kerry or Mayo see greater demand and pricing power relative to smaller counties.
Occasion & Hype
Major milestones, special anniversaries and matches billed as deciding ‘legacies’ ramp up the unique prestige of the day and demand.
Opponents & Rivalry
Certain county rivalries like Dublin vs Meath always draw huge interest and bidding wars for the limited tickets.
Black Market Touting
With such guaranteed demand and scarce supply, illegal ticket touting is rife. This distorts the secondary market even further beyond regular fans’ reach.
Tourists & Jumper On’s
Big finals attract overseas visitors and casual fans adding to demand. Locals sometimes exploit them with hugely inflated tourist prices.
Cost Comparison
To illustrate how much the effective price of All-Ireland final tickets rises on the secondary market versus the starting face value price, here is a comparison table for a sample of finals over the past 10 years:
| Year | Matchup | Face Value Price Range | Secondary Market Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Kerry v Galway | €20 – €90 | €150 – €600 |
| 2021 | Tyrone v Mayo | €20 – €90 | €100 – €700 |
| 2019 | Dublin v Kerry | €20 – €80 | €150 – €800 |
| 2018 | Dublin v Tyrone | €30 – €80 | €120 – €600 |
| 2017 | Dublin v Mayo | €30 – €80 | €250 – €900 |
| 2016 | Dublin v Mayo | €30 – €80 | €150 – €600 |
| 2015 | Kerry v Dublin | €30 – €80 | €100 – €500 |
| 2013 | Dublin v Mayo | €30 – €80 | €100 – €400 |
| 2012 | Donegal v Mayo | €30 – €80 | €70 – €300 |
| 2011 | Dublin v Kerry | €30 – €80 | €100 – €500 |
This shows how the most in-demand tickets can end up being resold for 10 times their original value or more. The unique nature of the All-Ireland final combines with insatiable demand to drive crazy prices on finale day.
Tips for Getting Face Value Tickets
For fans hoping to secure tickets without breaking the bank, here are some handy tips:
– Join your county’s GAA club and get on the season ticket waiting list immediately – this is the best way to access tickets directly in future years at face value.
– If your county makes the final, contact your GAA club and county board straight away – take advantage of any priority schemes or competitions they run.
– Sign up for the GAA Congress membership that allows you to request final tickets via the annual ballot.
– Team up with friends/family/workmates from the relevant counties to maximize your chances in any group applications.
– Follow the GAA accounts and your county’s social media closely for any ticket announcements and quick alerts on opportunities.
– Be ready to logon and buy the minute general tickets are released – have all the details pre-saved so you can checkout fast.
– For secondary market tickets, bide your time and wait for inevitable price drops in the final 1-2 weeks if you can.
– Consider traveling to a live screening event in the counties instead – tickets are often cheaper and the atmosphere is still electric.
Conclusion
Getting your hands on those golden tickets to the All-Ireland football final each September is no easy or cheap endeavor. Through a combination of incredible demand, severely limited supply, a vibrant secondary ticket market and sheer mania, prices are driven up from their official face values to premium rates.
While some fans willingly pay the inflated costs, others have to get creative by utilizing loyalty schemes, bulk buying, ticket trades and gambles on late drops. No matter what it takes, the lure of being there on the day to witness Gaelic football’s greatest spectacle keeps us all dreaming of finally hearing: “Ticket, please!”