Leinster cancel 2020/21 season tickets and launch new membership scheme
Province forced into emergency plan as they cannot get their 12,800 season ticket holders into the RDS under social distancing guidelines.
by The42 Team![https://c3.thejournal.ie/media/2020/05/a-view-of-the-rds-as-the-coronavirus-brings-a-stop-to-all-irish-sport-until-at-least-march-29th-752x501.jpg https://c3.thejournal.ie/media/2020/05/a-view-of-the-rds-as-the-coronavirus-brings-a-stop-to-all-irish-sport-until-at-least-march-29th-752x501.jpg](https://c3.thejournal.ie/media/2020/05/a-view-of-the-rds-as-the-coronavirus-brings-a-stop-to-all-irish-sport-until-at-least-march-29th-752x501.jpg)
LEINSTER RUGBY HAS confirmed that season tickets for next season will not now go on sale. Instead, supporters will have the opportunity to avail of any match tickets that do become available for next season through a new Official Membership scheme. Priority will be given to current season ticket holders.
Season tickets for 2020/21 were due to go on sale to current season ticket holders in late March but given the sporting and financial uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 crisis, the renewal window was postponed.
With social distancing now likely to remain a part of sporting and other spectator events for some time to come, that renewal has now been formally cancelled by Leinster Rugby as it was not feasible to accommodate over 12,800 season ticket holders for next season in the RDS Arena.
“Cancelling our season ticket offering is an unprecedented step,” explained Mick Dawson, Leinster’s chief executive, “and one that will have a significant financial impact on our organisation but we feel it is the right decision to make.
“It has been a very difficult time for everyone and nobody knows what the future will look like but as a business, we have to make decisions now based on the best information available to us.
“The priority now is to finish the 2019/20 season, look after those that have tickets outstanding and then hopefully start the 2020/21 season.
“Our supporters have been a crucial part of our success over the years and it is also vital that when we all come back from this, and we will come back, that we have a vibrant supporter base to welcome to the RDS Arena. We feel that by securing their right to purchase their seat for 2021/22, that our supporters will take some comfort from the steps we have taken.”
Leinster Rugby confirmed that the new Official Membership will launch on Monday 8 June with the initial offer open exclusively to current season ticket holders only.
The Official Membership will provide priority access to any matchday tickets that become available during the 2020/21 season as well as other exclusive benefits. Leinster Rugby season ticket holders will be contacted by email in the coming days with full details on the Official Membership.
Credit for the remaining three games of the 2019/20 season will be applied to season ticket accounts in the coming weeks, while refunds for match day tickets for the Saracens, Munster Rugby, Zebre or Cardiff Blues games will be processed automatically through Ticketmaster or at the point of purchase.