The Ryder Cup’s upcoming event next year may be out of reach for average golf enthusiasts, given the steep $750 (approximately €690) ticket price for a day’s viewing of the competition set to take place at Bethpage Black in New York. The rising costs are fostering a perception that the Ryder Cup is increasingly catering to corporates, rather than traditional fans. This has sparked considerable controversy online.
Those who haven’t managed to secure Bethpage tickets as yet can still apply for the event’s random allocation via the Ryder Cup’s official website, at no cost. Successful applicants will receive notifications by the beginning of next month. Current available tickets are limited, with only individual slots for each day available. Selected applicants, however, may have the option to purchase up to four if they can afford it.
The ticket price significantly escalates from $255.27 (about €234) for Tuesday and Wednesday practice days to $423.64 (roughly €389) for Thursday. This high cost is justified as the day includes the Junior Ryder Cup, celebrity matches, and the opening ceremony. The cost for each day from Friday to Sunday is pinned at $749.51. In comparison, standard competition day tickets in Rome last year were about €240.
The event now offers the Ryder Cup+ package that covers food and non-alcoholic beverages. One meal, a snack, and a non-alcoholic beverage can be redeemed per visit to the market concessions. Attendees also have the option to purchase alcoholic beverages separately.
The Ryder Cup typically serves as a significant revenue source for either the PGA of America or the European Tour Group, with the benefactor largely dependent on the venue. Despite these continuing financial successes and over 270,000 attendees in Rome, the European Tour Group’s chairman, Eric Nicoli, conceded in a recent strategic report accompanying the published accounts that the Ryder Cup still faces challenges.
Nicoli noted that the Ryder Cup’s staging budget was considerably strained due to substantial macroeconomic pressures. Such pressures were principally caused by supply chain issues in the aftermath of Covid and the conflict in Ukraine. The inflation rate stood 22% higher than that of Paris 2018 due to these factors. He further stated, there was operational complexity due to the hosting country’s lack of experience in managing substantial green field events, resulting in a 35% surge in operational costs relative to Paris 2018.
However, Nicoli maintained a positive outlook as robust revenues from various primary Ryder Cup streams like tickets, sponsorships, merchandise, digital, and media rights served to balance these rising cost burdens. – Guardian.