For the first time in rugby league history, Parramatta will lock out the general public for two massive home games this season because of an expected overwhelming demand for tickets.
Tickets for the Eels’ Easter Monday match against Wests Tigers on April 18 and the club’s round 20 game against Penrith – both to be played at CommBank Stadium – will only be available to Eels members.
The general public will not be able to buy tickets to attend the match – a decision never before introduced in rugby league.
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The big-drawing Wests Tigers fixture will be available only to members. Picture: Getty
The big-drawing Wests Tigers fixture will be available only to members. Picture: Getty
Interest in Parramatta has risen to a pre-season high after a 36-0 trial match win over premiers Penrith on Saturday afternoon.
The club is ready to burst through the 30,000 member barrier, sitting at the top of the table for memberships across the NRL.
CommBank Stadium holds around 30,000 fans but there would be between 2000 to 3000 seats unavailable because of corporate hospitality.
Eels management is predicting intense demand for tickets to the Tigers and Panthers games and the club wants members to be placed first.
Mitchell Moses celebrates with fans after a Wests Tigers clash last year. Picture: Getty
Mitchell Moses celebrates with fans after a Wests Tigers clash last year. Picture: Getty
Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos said the 30,000 membership milestone was a big one for the club.
“This membership milestone is significant particularly given our change in approach,” Sarantinos said.
“We’ve provided our fans with the complete flexibility to build their own membership packages, placing a greater importance on membership to access our big games including our Easter Monday game against the Tigers and western Sydney blockbuster against the
Panthers.
“Of course, the inclusion of our inaugural women’s team has also contributed to our membership growth.”
Parramatta may open up to the public if ticket sales unexpectedly slow down leading into both matches, but the indications are Parramatta members will clamour for tickets to both games.
The Eels may offer Wests Tigers fans an away stadium bay – which seats between 400 to 500 people – but that also depends on whether Eels members continue pushing hard for tickets.
Parramatta will also celebrate its 75th anniversary in rugby league’s top flight when playing Wests Tigers.
Many country-based Eels members travel to Sydney for the Tigers game given it’s the holiday Easter long weekend.
Members-only games may become more common as memberships increase in rugby league.
According to TAB markets, Parramatta sits on the sixth line of betting paying $15 to claim this year’s grand final. The TAB took around $2000 worth of bets within hours of the Eels’ trial victory over Penrith.
“It looks like the fans were impressed with what they saw on Saturday,” said TAB’s Gerard Daffy.
Parramatta has been installed $1.50 favourites for the round one game against Gold Coast ($2.60) at CommBank Stadium on Sunday week.
Replies
Not a fan of this.
There are people out there who can't afford memberships but are just as hardcore in their support for the club that paying members are.
Some people can only afford to go to a couple of games a year and are being frozen out of two of the best games of the season.
This seems a bit elitist to me.
That is a capitalist society BEM, those who have money and pay money see the benefit. I see that as a positive at times and a negative too. Positive in the sense that i feel if i pay money for service and more than others i get the service i paid for where there have been times where i have paid extra for more of a service and those who paid less were getting the same as me. Sounds elitest i know, but they offer a service for more you expect that benefit. I went to Randwick once for Everest and bought tickets that were $150 more to be in a room with others who paid to avoid the crowds and the rain, but as the rain got heavier they let GA into our area and those who paid, including my brother, were not allowed back in after going downstairs for a bet due to overcrowding that is a situation i am referring to.
Though it is also negative to those who cannot afford it, but may be able to afford one game a year with family for easter, prioritising boxes over true fans.
It is a hit and miss depending on what side you are on of course, i have my season tickets so therefore this news does not effect me as it would others but i understand their frustration.
You can create your own memberships. Even for attending only 1 or 2 games at CommBank Stadium.
1 game for $48 General Admission
2 games for $51 for General Admission.
Join Up!!
I live in Qld Mutt's so it doesn't overly affect me.
Club does offer 1 and 2 game memberships
But BEM, you could have bought a membership package for just those two games if you'd thought ahead. As Jim Sarantinos pointed out, the club has pretty much made membership packages vitually bespoke now.
Cld see this coming years ago when they announced the 30k stadium. If this continues NRL will be moving Eels games to ANZ & ther goes the home ground advantage.
in saying tht it's better than going the other way & not being moved to Ringrose
It'll be some years off before that happens. We'd have to be selling out Commbank on a regular basis. As you say though, it's much better than the alternative problem.
I highly doubt they would move from CommBank, for the pure reason that it is quite possibly, well at the moment anyway, the best venue to watch football at, CommBank is a darling to the NRL and they will play as many games as possible before taking games off them. I understand 80,000 you earn more than 30,000 but CommBank is a one of a kind stadium.
The new SFS will be exciting to see though wonder how it will content with CommBank.
More likely tickets to CommBank just get more expensive.
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