SA Rugby president Mark Alexander, second left, defended resent ticket pricing for Springboks Tests on Tuesday, arguing that high operational costs are necessary to keep local rugby sustainable.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander has explained that the recent ticket pricing debacle surrounding the organisation is not a matter of greed but a necessity for the union as they seek to keep rugby sustainable in South Africa.
The recent furrow over the pricing of tickets during the Nations Championship matches against England, Scotland and Wales, has received a degree of backlash — especially on social media — with fans and pundits arguing that the majority of the nation have been priced out of watching the world champions live on their home grounds.
During the build-up to the England match at Ellis Park, SA Rugby had to readjust their pricing with a significant reduction for certain categories closer to matchday. Despite the backlash, both Ellis Park and Loftus Versfeld admitted over 98 000 fans for matches against the English and Scotland.
Cumulatively, the attendance was at 86% over the two matches — 85% in Johannesburg and 87% in Pretoria — slightly missing the 91% target set by SA Rugby. Nevertheless, on Monday, SA Rugby made a commitment to a “careful review and revision” of the process after the 2026 season, noting the recent concern from supporters.
