Jamie Spence has informed the Sky Sports activities Golf Podcast that the costs for tickets to the 2025 Ryder Cup are “ridiculous”, whereas fellow pundit Rob Lee has warned the excessive charges might give “ammunition” to raucous followers.
The PGA of America, who organise the biennial occasion when the US host it, earlier in October confirmed costs of just about $750 for day tickets to New York’s Bethpage Black course.
The price of the identical customary sort tickets was simply over £200 when Europe hosted the occasion in Rome final yr.
There was on-line backlash over the pricing, which features a price of greater than $250 for tickets to observe days on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I just think that’s ridiculous money,” Spence mentioned on the most recent episode of the Sky Sports activities Golf Podcast.
“What you are seeing on observe days, guys simply chipping round and having amusing and a joke actually. And so they’re charging $255 – I feel it was round £60 at Marco Simone. That is about proper – something underneath 100 quid – individuals are going to go alongside to see everyone and get the flavour of the occasion.
“However then to go to $755, I do know you get a hen burger and as many cokes as you need, however crikey, what number of can you’ve got? It feels like lots.
“I know they’re probably trying price it alongside other big events like the Super Bowl, but a lot more people watch the Super Bowl in the world than the Ryder Cup.”
Lee steered the pricing scheme has been designed to keep away from permitting resellers to revenue, however warned the excessive prices might result in unruly followers being emboldened.
“Honestly, it’s a lot of money,” Lee mentioned. “I think some of the rationale that I’ve read about is that a lot of people will buy resale tickets, so a lot of people will be paying way over the gate price on the ticket.
“So, what the PGA of America is saying is, ‘Why do not we get a few of that cash? We’re internet hosting the factor and getting minimize out of that loop fully.’
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Rory McIlroy was noticed by a handful of US followers throughout a spherical at St Andrews, with consideration shortly turning to subsequent yr’s Ryder Cup! Credit score: TheSecretOfStAndrews.com
“But it does to me sound like an awful lot of money. It doesn’t matter how many chicken burgers you have, it will still feel like a big hole in your pocket.
“We will be in New York, and it will be raucous, to say the least, and possibly we have given these followers which can be inclined to barely stand out from everyone else, they should shout one thing, possibly they assume, ‘nicely, I’ve paid my cash, I’ll shout as a lot as I would like.’ Perhaps we have given them a little bit of ammunition.”
Sky Sports will continue to be the home of the Ryder Cup, with all three days of the 2025 contest from Bethpage Black, New York exclusively live. Stream golf and extra with NOW.
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