High ticket prices keep World Cup fans in Jamaican Diaspora at bay

When the FIFA World Cup kicks off later today in Mexico, many Jamaicans in the Diaspora will be seated in front of their television sets watching the games rather than attending matches.

The main reason, they say, is the high price of tickets.

Allan Cunningham told The Gleaner that he would love to attend some of the matches being played in South Florida, where he lives, but the price of tickets makes that an impossibility.

“The cheapest ticket is US$550 and that is for nosebleed seats. I don’t have that kind of money to pay for such seats. I am comfortable watching the games on television with friends and knocking back a few beers,” he said.

According to Cunningham, the planners of the tournament did not seem to take ordinary fans into consideration when they set the ticket prices.

“I will root for my team, Brazil, to win but I will do so from the comfort of my home instead of paying ridiculous prices for tickets,” he said.

Michael Williams, on the other hand, said he would like to attend matches but is looking for deals that will give him better ticket prices.

“I am planning to attend some matches but only if I can get good deals on tickets,” he said.

Williams told The Gleaner that he was actively seeking out deals that would allow him to attend games.

He too is rooting for Brazil to win the World Cup.

Carl Maxwell said he would not be attending any of the games because the ticket prices are prohibitive.

“I will kick back with friends and watch the matches on television rather than pay such high prices for tickets,” said Maxwell.

A diehard Liverpool fan, Maxwell is rooting for England to win it all.

“Watching it on TV gives me a better view than the seats that are cheaper,” he told The Gleaner.

Anthony Turner also told The Gleaner that he plans to watch the games on television because of the high cost of tickets.

A supporter of Brazil to win it all, Turner said he cannot understand why ticket prices are as high as they are.

“Did they forget to take the ordinary fans into consideration when they set the prices,” he questioned.

Turner said he would have loved to attend games but had been priced out.

Sunil Mitchell said he was not planning to attend any of the games. He too cited the high ticket prices for his decision.

Another reason for his not attending is that he believes the excitement of the World Cup has been lost because of political influence.

“I will watch the games on television,” he told The Gleaner.

The Liverpool fan is rooting for England to win it all.

Michael Morgan said he is not planning to attend any of the matches and cited the high price of tickets as the main reason for his decision.

Morgan said he will watch the games on television with friends and drink a few beers.

“In 1994 I went to the World Cup finals and I was hoping that I would attend this time around also but the prices that they are asking for the tickets are ridiculous,” he said.

Describing ticket prices as “crazy”, Morgan said the organisers did not take ordinary football fans into consideration when they set them.

He also cited what he called “all the nonsense” going on around the games as another reason for his non-attendance.

“This is not the spirit of the World Cup,” said Morgan, who played Premier League football in Jamaica.

He is rooting for Brazil to win it all but believes that Spain has a very good chance of winning the tournament.

Blaine Stoddart also cited the high price of tickets as a deterrent to attending any of the games.

“The prices are too high and I will not waste my money like that. I will use my money to support my community and assist with the upgrading of Hope Gardens,” he said.

Stoddart is backing Argentina to repeat as champions.

“I am a Messi fan,” he said.

Ron Ingleton is another football fan who will not be attending any of the games because of the high price of tickets.

“The tickets are priced out of reach so I will watch on television,” he said.

Ingleton, who is rooting for Brazil to win it all, said the organisers did not take ordinary fans into consideration when they set the ticket prices.

“It is crazy what they have done with the ticket prices,” he told The Gleaner.

When Jamaica looked like it had a chance to qualify for this year’s World Cup, there were discussions about having a Jamaica Day to coincide with the finals.

The Jamaica Day event would have been held at the American Dream Mall, which is near MetLife Stadium, where the final will be played.

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