I've been a Donegal Season Ticket holder since the system was introduced. I was always delighted with the system. I go to all the matches anyway, so buying the season ticket provided good value for money. Your 7 or 8 league games, and your first championship match used to work out at €9 or €10 per match. You were also rewarded for your loyalty by getting a €5 discount on your championship matches. On top of that, as I no longer live in Donegal it removed the messing around and bit of worry whether I would get a ticket or not.

Another advantage was that you could set up a Seating Group, so that you could sit alongside family members or friends who were also Season Ticket Holders. Amongst the other advantages were that for the latter matches, whether it be in Clones or Croke Park, that you were guaranteed a good seat, the middle of the uncovered Pat McGrane Stand in the case of Clones, or in the Lower Cusack in the case of Croke Park.

The Present.

I now feel that the whole system has fallen down, and as a Season Ticket holder, I no longer feel appreciated, and that I am being milked for every penny. This years fee has raised to €150. So that's
7 League Games (7 x €20) and first Championship match (€25), an average of €18 per game, or a discount of €2 per game.

I was further amazed this week when I looked to download my tickets for the Donegal V Cavan Semi Final in Clones next Sunday. As a loyal customer, you are now rewarded by only being allowed purchase the dearest tickets on sale; €25 for the Gerry Arthur Stand. Many of you will know that the Gerry Arthur Stand is no more than a cattle shed. There are absolutely no facilities, and the seating is just a bench. More than half the Stand is uncovered, and you would be far better in the Pat McGrane Stand. No, you are not allowed buy them, because they are only €20. So now, instead of your €5 discount, they now want to be able to take the full €25 off you, with no discounts, no reward for your loyalty.

Also, tickets are no longer allocated, so when you log in to buy your tickets, you have to ring the people that you normally sat beside all year to tell them where your ticket is for, and hope that they can log on quickly enough to be able to buy a ticket near you.

I also have family members who bring kids to the matches. And although they wouldn't go to all games, they paid €30 for Juvenile Season Tickets. When you consider that 6 of the 7 league games were free admission, and the remaining league game costing €5, is it any wonder that people feel that they are now being ripped off.

I feel that by usual standards, in Donegal anyway, that attendances this year are well down. Is this due to the expense? Do any other Season Ticket Holders feel that they too are being exploited for their loyalty?

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 584 - 30/04/2022 20:26:50    2414255

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 01/05/2022 10:31:04    2414309

Well said SouthoftheGap, there's no incentive whatsoever to have the season ticket now and especially for those with families. It was a great system previously that had some flaws that needed ironed out but now it's a joke and taking people for granted.

I know of quite a few in my circle that gave up the season tickets this year and with the cost of everything rising it's getting harder to justify the day out, Clones on Sunday will not have as big a Donegal crowd as in years gone by I don't think, even if we make it to the final I would say we will be outnumbered. Every county is in the same boat in terms of the costs and especially those with families, you would have thought the GAA would do more to accommodate them.

I think in general people have a great appetite for live sport this year after we've been starved for so long but the costs are very restrictive unfortunately.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 01/05/2022 10:50:11    2414317

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 584 - 01/05/2022 18:36:43    2414441