The organizers of the 2015 Rugby World Cup have confirmed that the most expensive tickets for the final are likely to cost more than £700 ($1,080), but insisted that the "top-heavy" prices will help subsidize lower price points, according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. The Rugby Football Union Council "was updated earlier this week on plans for the tournament," and was told the top-priced ticket for the final would cost around £715 ($1,105), which compares with £640 for the top-priced seat for the '11 World Cup in New Zealand. England Rugby 2015 "has had to guarantee" the Int'l Rugby Board a return of £80M ($123M) from the tournament and its only source of revenue "is the income" from around 2.3 million tickets, with the IRB "keeping broadcasting, licensing, sponsorship and hospitality income." Therefore, CEO Debbie Jevans said that it "had no choice but to charge premium prices at the top end to subsidise tickets at the bottom of the range." Jevans said, "We have always said is that there is a guarantee that we have to hit and to do that there are going to have to be some high prices." Jevans "refused to commit to tickets at less than" £100 ($154) for the final, saying that the pricing "would be unveiled next year when the ticketing strategy was fully developed" (GUARDIAN, 6/20).
DEADLINE DAY: The BELFAST TELEGRAPH reported "Friday is the deadline for applications for the 50 training bases for the 20 participating teams to use -- teams may need several bases if they are in different parts of the country." Jevans said that there "had been considerable interest despite the daunting criteria -- a team hotel, outdoor training venues, indoor venue, gym and swimming pool -- and the fact they have to be provided for free." Jevans said, "Fifty training bases is a lot to have but we will absolutely make our 50, we have had a lot of interest" (BELFAST TELEGRAPH, 6/20).
