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The 42FM
The Explainer
28 Apr 2026
Why sports tickets have become a rip-off
00:00

Gavin and Sinéad discuss the inflation-busting prices of attending matches and other big sports events.


Ryder Cup ticket prices for Adare Manor raised eyebrows, but are such levels now becoming the norm, especially for high-profile events which attract interest from the corporate and influencer world.


If so, what does that do to the atmosphere at big occasions, when the committed supporters who have given sports their flavour and colour are excluded? Where will the next generation of fans come from if the price of entry is so high?


And in the GAA, does removing cheaper prices for children for stand tickets put unnecessary pressure on parents, or even discourage them from attending games as a family?


How has the World Cup become such a price-gouging exercise? What will the competition look and sound like as a result?


Also in the pod, Gav tells us he has become a Hurling Man now, and explains why Tipp are Tipp, Cork are Cork, Kilkenny are Kilkenny, but Limerick are not Limerick.