Paying The Price?

Over the course of the past few days, companies which have expressed an interest in the taking boxes at the new Swans home – White Rock Stadium – have been taken on tours of the stadium and given the prices of the boxes and premium seats in advance of next August when the stadium officially opens.

Taking into account a guaranteed 23 football matches and 13 rugby matches (there is no package available for anyone wanting just football or rugby) the price of a box starts at £17,000 for the season, rising to, we are told a maximum of £24,000.

JackArmy.net was contacted this afternoon by one of the companies who had been taken on the tour who advised us that they would not be taking a box due to this cost and also because they only have the interest in football and did not want to pay the extra for the rugby cost.

The selling of boxes has been passed to an outside company and they have contacted the companies and businesses who expressed an interest for the tour of the ground. Our source revealed that they got the impression that the company concerned is only interested in selling the boxes to the bigger corporates whilst the Premium seats inside the stadium are the ones that they try and sell to the local businesses – many of whom I guess have supported the Swans financially for many a year.

The cost of a 7 seater box is £17,000 per annum whilst the 20 seater box seems more attractive at £24,000 although as our source said “it’s harder to fill that week in week out”

Premium seats inside the stadium cost an initial down payment of £500 (joining fee) with payments then due at £79 per month for a minimum term of five years. Taking into account the 36 matches a season, this costs out at £29 per match assuming you see each game. For football enthusiasts only £38 per match.

The comment we received back on this was although this was the option that was being pushed on them the offer would not be taken up on the basis that they did not feel they could do business without a box.

It does seem somewhat illogical that separate packages are not available for football and rugby. I would imagine that a 7 seater box for football could fetch £12,000 (or £75 per head for every game) whilst the same box for rugby could fetch £7,000 (roughly the same cost per head) meaning an extra £2,000 for every box sold on that basis?

The premium seats for a period of five years seems a little excessive to me, why not keep the cost but a guaranteed option to renew each year providing people are happy. It is understood that there are upwards of 1000 places being sold in advance at the stadium

The company concerned are anticipating enough demand to sell the boxes but it is a shame that some will go to the prawn sandwich brigade who really have no interest whilst some genuine local companies have been priced out of the market because of no separate pricing between football and rugby. The demand though I would imagine will be there generating much needed income for both football and rugby clubs.

I attended the first division play off final in 2003 on corporate hospitality. Many of the boxes that day were left closed and I asked our host why. “It’s the rugby lot mate they hate football being played here, they only want their boxes for the rugby” which to me seemed a great waste – lets hope we don’t see that at White Rock. Sadly, I think we will.