Ryder Cup organisers believe their ticket prices are fair despite almost doubling from four years ago. The iconic competition returns to Ireland in 2027, two years after Europe retained their title at Bethpage Black.
Daily general admission tickets at Adare Manor in County Limerick for the three tournament days are over £200 more than in 2023, rising to £434 (€499) from €260 four years ago at Marco Simone in Italy, which now converts to £225. It is the record high for an edition of the event held in Europe, but it is still below the £555 ($750) admission price Stateside last year.
The European Tour Group’s chief Ryder Cup officer Richard Atkinson, however, has defended the decision. He told the BBC: “We acknowledge it’s an increase from Rome, that was four years ago, and a lot has happened in the world since then. We are lower than Bethpage.
“We’ve tried to make this as accessible as possible to a wide demographic of people. Our practice day tickets will be from 89 euros and juniors from 20 euros.
“Our prices are proportionate to a global sporting event. This event has grown in stature and profile; it’s one of the biggest sporting events in the world. We’re confident in our pricing, but we’ve made it accessible to everyone.”
Atkinson “absolutely” believes they are fair and that fans will get their money’s worth. He added: “We have significant focus on the fan experience on site and from the moment the people arrive at 6.30 in the morning.
“They’ll be entertained not only by 24 of the best golfers in the world, but also outside of the ropes, we’ll have an extensive entertainment programme to keep the fans engaged. We’ll have over 20,000 grandstand seats at Adare, that’s a record for any European Ryder Cup; we’ll have big screens on every hole.”
He also spoke about the early demand from Irish residents, adding: “We’ve already had over half a million people register their interest for tickets, so that tells you how significant the demand is. This is likely to be one of the largest we’ve ever delivered and one of the largest events to come to the island of Ireland, so we couldn’t be more excited.”