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A significant number of tickets remain unsold for Wales’ upcoming home matches in the Six Nations tournament this year, a situation that is unusual given the event’s traditional popularity in the country. Typically, fixtures held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, which seats 74,000 spectators, either sell out or come close to full capacity, reflecting the strong enthusiasm Welsh fans generally have for rugby. However, as of Thursday afternoon, there were still 15,700 tickets available for the game against France this Sunday, 6,700 for the Scotland match a week later, and 27,000 for the Italy fixture in March, information confirmed by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) ticketing platform.
The WRU has noted a shift in purchasing behavior, with tickets selling at a rate of approximately 1,000 per day over the past week. Despite this, multiple rugby clubs such as Swansea, Llandaff North, and Machen have been actively attempting to offload their ticket allocations through social media channels, suggesting that some seats may still go unfilled. The cost of tickets, ranging from £40 to £120, has also been cited as a factor deterring potential attendees. One club chairman remarked, “it’s not worth it,” pointing out that a family skiing trip could cost about the same as a day at a rugby match in Cardiff.
According to sports economist Professor Calvin Jones, the scale of unsold tickets is unprecedented in his three decades of following the sport. He emphasized that while a single year of low ticket sales might not spell disaster, the stadium’s financial health is crucial for Welsh rugby, especially as revenue from regional rugby has declined over recent decades. Jones highlighted the importance of the Principality Stadium as a revenue generator, and while the WRU has diversified by hosting concerts and other events, a sustained drop in match attendance could threaten the sport’s economic sustainability in Wales. Rebuilding trust between the different facets of Welsh rugby and its supporters is seen as an essential step forward.
Local voices echo concerns about ticket prices and the state of the national team’s performance. Sean O’Sullivan, chairman of Penarth RFC, described the rising costs as prohibitive, sharing that his family’s upcoming skiing trip to Poland is only marginally more expensive than attending a rugby match in Cardiff, including food and drinks. He observed that the excitement around Welsh rugby had diminished, with more interest now possibly generated by teams like Italy. O’Sullivan also noted a “steady demise” in ticket sales through his club, with some clubs even forced to sell tickets outside the stadium on match day. Fans express that the game experience today can feel like a costly outing more about atmosphere than on-field quality, especially considering alternative options that offer better value
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