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FAN FURY: SOCCER ENTHUSIASTS PROTEST 'HIGH' TICKET PRICES FOR ARMENIA V ITALY GAME
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow
Soccer | 27.09.12 | 13:10
A group of Armenian soccer fans believes high prices set for the
upcoming World Cup qualifier in Yerevan between the national teams
of Armenia and Italy may leave the Reds without a considerable share
of crowd support.
The cost of tickets has been raised by 2,000 drams (about $5). Now to
watch Armenia play against the Azzuri, one of the best sides in the
world, at the Hrazdan Stadium on October 12 fans have to pay between
3,000 and 10,000 drams (about $7-$24) - for the tier and the Western
stand, respectively. Tickets to the northern and eastern stands are
sold at a price of 5,000 and 7,000 drams (about $12-$17), accordingly.
About 500 soccer fans on Facebook are demanding a revision of the
ticket prices set by the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA). They
have also addressed an open letter to the president of Armenia,
expressing their concern that an important match like the one
against the Italian national team Armenia may play in conditions of a
half-empty arena as was the case during a politically charged Armenia
v Turkey game in 2008.
Twenty-four-year-old soccer fan Sargis Sargsyan told ArmeniaNow that
while even at the Republican Stadium with its seating capacity of
14,500 the stands hardly ever get filled during national team matches,
it is not serious to expect the 54,000-seat Hrazdan arena to be filled
in conditions of higher ticket prices even if it is an Italy match.
"In 2008 during the historic Armenia v Turkey match when Turkish
President Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia [to become the first
Turkish leader to set foot on Armenian soil], the Hrazdan Stadium sold
only 30,000 tickets even in conditions when thousands of fans from
the Diaspora and staffs from various companies had come to support
Armenia in the stadium in the game that went beyond soccer as it was
'us' playing against 'them'," says Sargsyan.
"It seems that 3,000 drams is not an awful lot of money, but most
people buy more than one ticket, add to this the transportation
and food costs... For example, how can an elderly man who lives off
a pension of some 25,000 drams (about $60) afford to take his two
grandkids to the soccer match and then come back on a taxi at around
midnight? This will add up to at least 15,000 drams, an expense that
most ordinary people in Armenia consider too much to afford."
Armenian soccer's governing body, FFA, has already responded to the
complaints from some of the fans, saying that ticket prices will not
be revised.
"The prices will not be changed because, first of all, they are
several times lower than normal international prices for matches of
that range and secondly, by making available tickets of four price
ranges, the Federation is enabling everyone to make a choice. By the
way, the tickets to the main stands that are traditionally considered
to be the stands of dedicated soccer fans are priced 3000 to 7000
drams. There aren't significant changes in the prices of tickets as
compared to what they were before and fans are familiar with these
prices," the FFA said.
FFA press secretary Tigran Israyelyan told ArmeniaNow that a majority
of soccer fans will buy tickets that cost $7-17.
"We don't think that true fans of Armenian soccer and the national
team who are really concerned with the future of Armenian soccer and
are ready to root for the favorite team in any weather conditions will
find a $7-ticket expensive. The match will also be broadcast live on
Armenia TV," Israyelyan said adding that can't tell how many tickets
have been sold so far.
Soccer fan Sargsyan, meanwhile, says they would feel satisfied if at
least thousands of kids and teenagers going in for this sport could
be allowed to the stadium free of charge (to fill empty seats) to
support the national team. (But international soccer functionaries
believe entry to stadiums must be allowed only to ticket-holders,
which reduces security risks during and after the games).
And Haykakan Zhamanak daily sport commentator Armen Nikoghosyan
thinks it would only be fair if prices for some of the sections at
the stadium were made significantly higher to allow dedicated fans
to have cheaper options.
"During all previous games of our national team the most expensive
tickets have been for the grandstand regardless of whether the matches
were played at Hrazdan or at the Republican Stadium. This has a simple
explanation. This is the stand that seats people who often aren't
much into soccer, but who simply must attend all major events. This
is something practiced elsewhere in the world too, and the price of
tickets little matters to such people. While true soccer fans usually
sit behind the goals or in the tier," said Nikoghosyan. "I think that
considering this circumstance it is possible to set much higher prices
for the western stand, especially in its middle section, and instead
lower to even 1,000 drams the prices for remote sections in the tier.
Tickets priced 1,000-2,000 drams are much better options for fans
and there will be no complaints."
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow
Soccer | 27.09.12 | 13:10
A group of Armenian soccer fans believes high prices set for the
upcoming World Cup qualifier in Yerevan between the national teams
of Armenia and Italy may leave the Reds without a considerable share
of crowd support.
The cost of tickets has been raised by 2,000 drams (about $5). Now to
watch Armenia play against the Azzuri, one of the best sides in the
world, at the Hrazdan Stadium on October 12 fans have to pay between
3,000 and 10,000 drams (about $7-$24) - for the tier and the Western
stand, respectively. Tickets to the northern and eastern stands are
sold at a price of 5,000 and 7,000 drams (about $12-$17), accordingly.
About 500 soccer fans on Facebook are demanding a revision of the
ticket prices set by the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA). They
have also addressed an open letter to the president of Armenia,
expressing their concern that an important match like the one
against the Italian national team Armenia may play in conditions of a
half-empty arena as was the case during a politically charged Armenia
v Turkey game in 2008.
Twenty-four-year-old soccer fan Sargis Sargsyan told ArmeniaNow that
while even at the Republican Stadium with its seating capacity of
14,500 the stands hardly ever get filled during national team matches,
it is not serious to expect the 54,000-seat Hrazdan arena to be filled
in conditions of higher ticket prices even if it is an Italy match.
"In 2008 during the historic Armenia v Turkey match when Turkish
President Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia [to become the first
Turkish leader to set foot on Armenian soil], the Hrazdan Stadium sold
only 30,000 tickets even in conditions when thousands of fans from
the Diaspora and staffs from various companies had come to support
Armenia in the stadium in the game that went beyond soccer as it was
'us' playing against 'them'," says Sargsyan.
"It seems that 3,000 drams is not an awful lot of money, but most
people buy more than one ticket, add to this the transportation
and food costs... For example, how can an elderly man who lives off
a pension of some 25,000 drams (about $60) afford to take his two
grandkids to the soccer match and then come back on a taxi at around
midnight? This will add up to at least 15,000 drams, an expense that
most ordinary people in Armenia consider too much to afford."
Armenian soccer's governing body, FFA, has already responded to the
complaints from some of the fans, saying that ticket prices will not
be revised.
"The prices will not be changed because, first of all, they are
several times lower than normal international prices for matches of
that range and secondly, by making available tickets of four price
ranges, the Federation is enabling everyone to make a choice. By the
way, the tickets to the main stands that are traditionally considered
to be the stands of dedicated soccer fans are priced 3000 to 7000
drams. There aren't significant changes in the prices of tickets as
compared to what they were before and fans are familiar with these
prices," the FFA said.
FFA press secretary Tigran Israyelyan told ArmeniaNow that a majority
of soccer fans will buy tickets that cost $7-17.
"We don't think that true fans of Armenian soccer and the national
team who are really concerned with the future of Armenian soccer and
are ready to root for the favorite team in any weather conditions will
find a $7-ticket expensive. The match will also be broadcast live on
Armenia TV," Israyelyan said adding that can't tell how many tickets
have been sold so far.
Soccer fan Sargsyan, meanwhile, says they would feel satisfied if at
least thousands of kids and teenagers going in for this sport could
be allowed to the stadium free of charge (to fill empty seats) to
support the national team. (But international soccer functionaries
believe entry to stadiums must be allowed only to ticket-holders,
which reduces security risks during and after the games).
And Haykakan Zhamanak daily sport commentator Armen Nikoghosyan
thinks it would only be fair if prices for some of the sections at
the stadium were made significantly higher to allow dedicated fans
to have cheaper options.
"During all previous games of our national team the most expensive
tickets have been for the grandstand regardless of whether the matches
were played at Hrazdan or at the Republican Stadium. This has a simple
explanation. This is the stand that seats people who often aren't
much into soccer, but who simply must attend all major events. This
is something practiced elsewhere in the world too, and the price of
tickets little matters to such people. While true soccer fans usually
sit behind the goals or in the tier," said Nikoghosyan. "I think that
considering this circumstance it is possible to set much higher prices
for the western stand, especially in its middle section, and instead
lower to even 1,000 drams the prices for remote sections in the tier.
Tickets priced 1,000-2,000 drams are much better options for fans
and there will be no complaints."