So it’s going to be Sweden first in Paris on June 13th, followed five days later by Belgium in Bordeaux then back up north on June 22nd for the showdown with Italy.
Ticket registration opens up at 11am today with a variety of single match and package options open to fans in what will be a lottery with registration open to January 18th and people knowing their fate in the spring.
There is talk of a certain number being set aside either for clubs or potentially season ticket holders within Ireland’s category but no details have yet to be confirmed about that.
Ticket prices are reasonably fair with prices for the group stage varying between €25 and €110, and with multiple options for travelling by boat, plane and even train through the UK, it is expected that as many as 50,000 fans will make the journey.
We’re looking forward to seeing how many special offers will be coming out around flat screen TV’s and stands to hold them on through furniture giant and very obvious Swedish company IKEA.
The fact that the group games are on a Monday evening, Saturday and Wednesday evening mean that there will be less loss of productivity in workplaces than has been the case in previous tournaments and the rise in morale and buzz means that the tournament will be a big winner for Ireland off as well as hopefully on the pitch.
The stings on TV coverage of the draw on Saturday were sponsored by Coca Cola, one of the nine premium sponsors currently signed up to the tournament. RTE’s broadcast coverage will likely be sponsored in full by one of those brands with Hyundai having taken the last World Cup, Coca Cola and Continental Tyres also in contention. Any potential sponsorship by Carlsberg may yet fall foul of time restrictions imposed by the new legislation which will be in place by June if the current Government is reelected in the Spring.
