The countdown to the 2013 Lions tour reached a critical stage in Sydney today with the announcement of ticket prices.
The Australian Rugby Union today unveiled the official logo for the tour, as well as ticket prices for all nine matches, as they put rugby fans around the world on red alert that tickets will go on public sale at 9:00am on Monday, 18 February, 2013.
It will be the first time the Lions have visited Australia since 2001, when the Wallabies took the series 2-1 with victory in the decisive third Test. After warming-up with a game against the Barbarians in Hong Kong the 2013 Lions will play a three-Test series and also play all five Super Rugby franchises, as well as a combined NSW-Queensland Country, team during their visit next June-July.
Members of Australia’s Super Rugby clubs will have pre-purchase opportunities to matches against their team from next month. Test tickets will be priced from A$95 (£63) for adults while the remaining six tour matches will have adult entry prices positioned from A$15 (£10) to A$30 (£20).
As ARU unveiled the Tour logo – a stylised head of a Lion in the shape of Australia – the ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill, said the tour would be a massive occasion for Australian Rugby and provide a significant economic impact to the national economy due to the influx of international supporters.
“The British & Irish Lions are steeped in history and when they come to Australia next year they will do so keen to reverse the result of their last outing in 2001. Lions Tours are synonymous for creating history and the 2001 series was certainly filled with ‘where were you when it happened’ moments,” said O’Neill.
“The Lions have had 12-years to ponder ‘what if’ and next year they will come to these shores ready to make amends. The stage is certainly set for the biggest sporting contests to be played out in Australia next year.”
Test ticket prices have been set at the same levels for all three showdowns between the Qantas Wallabies and the Lions in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Adults’ prices start at A$95 (£63) for a Bronze category ticket, moving to A$175 for Silver, A$235 (£116) for Gold and A$295 (£196) for Platinum.
O’Neill said Test ticket prices reflected the magnitude of the once in 12 years series, while the other tour matches carried price options consistent with what fans were used to paying to see their favourite Super Rugby teams in action.
“The Test ticket prices we are announcing reflect not just the scarcity of the tour but also its magnitude. They are comparable to the prices we set 10 years ago for the 2003 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in Australia,” said O’Neill.
“We believe these Tests are certainly deserving of equal status. This will be the biggest Rugby event on Australian soil since that Rugby World Cup. At the same time there is some wonderful value around the prices for the non-Test tour matches.”
The British & Irish Lions will play their first match in Australia against the Western Force at Patersons Stadium in Perth on Wednesday, 5 June. The second stop for the Lions will be Brisbane, where they’ll take on the Reds on Saturday, 8 June in the first of two matches in Queensland. They will return for the first Test series match on Saturday, 22 June.
From Queensland the Lions will head to Newcastle for the first of three games in NSW. On Wednesday, 12 June, they will take on a combined NSW-QLD Country side at Hunter Stadium. Three days later they meet the NSW Waratahs at Allianz Stadium and they will return to Sydney on Saturday, 6 July, at ANZ Stadium for the third and final Test of their 2013 Tour of Australia.
The Lions will mark the half-way point of their 2013 tour in the Nation’s capital with a match against the Brumbies in Canberra on Tuesday, 18 June. That game will be the last outing ahead of the opening Test in Brisbane.
On Tuesday, 25 June, Melbourne will host the first of two games in Victoria when the Rebels take on the Lions at AAMI Park. Four days later the Qantas Wallabies will meet the Lions at Etihad Stadium in the second Test.
A full breakdown of ticket prices and where they can be purchased for each of the six tour matches and three Test matches in Australia is below.
WESTERN FORCE v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Patersons Stadium, Perth
Wednesday, 5 June, 2013
Platinum
$70.00
Gold
$60.00
Silver – Adult
$50.00
Silver – Concession
$33.00
Silver – Child
$25.00
Silver – Family*
$100.00
Bronze – Adult
$30.00
Bronze – Concession
$20.00
Bronze – Child
$15.00
Bronze – Family*
$60.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
QUEENSLAND REDS v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, 8 June, 2013
Platinum
$65.00
Gold
$45.00
Silver – Adult
$29.00
Silver – Concession
$24.00
Silver – Child
$24.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
COMBINED NSW/QLD COUNTRY v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Wednesday, 12 June, 2013
Gold
$40.00
Silver – Adult
$30.00
Silver – Concession
$20.00
Silver – Child
$15.00
Silver – Family*
$60.00
Bronze – Adult
$15.00
Bronze – Concession
$10.00
Bronze – Child
$8.00
Bronze – Family*
$30.00
Tickets from http://www.proticket.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
NSW WARATAHS v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Saturday, 15 June, 2013
Platinum
$58.00
Gold
$44.00
Silver – Adult
$30.00
Silver – Concession
$20.00
Silver – Child
$15.00
Silver – Family*
$75.00
Bronze – Adult
$20.00
Bronze – Concession
$15.00
Bronze – Child
$10.00
Bronze – Family*
$50.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
ACT BRUMBIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Tuesday, 18 June, 2013
Gold
$58.00
Silver – Adult
$45.00
Silver – Concession
$38.00
Silver – Child
$23.00
Silver – Family*
$128.00
Bronze – Adult
$24.00
Bronze – Concession
$19.00
Bronze – Child
$11.00
Bronze – Family*
$59.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
QANTAS WALLABIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, 22 June, 2013
Platinum
$295.00
Gold
$235.00
Silver – Adult
$175.00
Silver – Concession
$114.00
Silver – Child
$88.00
Silver – Family*
$395.00
Bronze – Adult
$95.00
Bronze – Concession
$62.00
Bronze – Child
$48.00
Bronze – Family*
$215.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
MELBOURNE REBELS v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Tuesday, 25 June, 2013
Platinum
$68.00
Gold
$53.00
Silver – Adult
$40.00
Silver – Concession
$35.00
Silver – Child
$15.00
Silver – Family*
$95.00
Bronze – Adult
$25.00
Bronze – Concession
$20.00
Bronze – Child
$10.00
Bronze – Family*
$60.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
QANTAS WALLABIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday, 29 June, 2013
Platinum
$295.00
Gold
$235.00
Silver – Adult
$175.00
Silver – Concession
$114.00
Silver – Child
$88.00
Silver – Family*
$395.00
Bronze – Adult
$95.00
Bronze – Concession
$62.00
Bronze – Child
$48.00
Bronze – Family*
$215.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketmaster.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
QANTAS WALLABIES v BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Saturday, 6 July, 2013
Platinum
$295.00
Gold
$235.00
Silver – Adult
$175.00
Silver – Concession
$114.00
Silver – Child
$88.00
Silver – Family*
$395.00
Bronze – Adult
$95.00
Bronze – Concession
$62.00
Bronze – Child
$48.00
Bronze – Family*
$215.00
Tickets from http://www.ticketek.com.au from 9:00am (local time) Monday 18 February 2013.
*Family ticket is 2 adults & 2 children OR 1 adult, 3 children (total of 4 people)
Child must be 4 – 16 yrs inclusive. 3 years and under are free if they sit on your knee.
