The 11 questions we asked the FAI
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THE Irish Independent sent a list of questions to the FAI yesterday with respect to the sale of Vantage Club seats. The questions, and the responses from the FAI, are printed below.
1. Can the FAI provide an updated figure of sales of Vantage Club tickets for the new Aviva Stadium?
2. Last month (at the FAI AGM in Wexford) John Delaney said that 6,300 tickets had been sold/allocated 'including sponsorship commitments'. Can the FAI give the breakdown between sales and sponsorship commitments?
3. How many tickets have been sold at full price?
4. Can the FAI detail how much money, to date, they have accrued from the Vantage Club project from up-front payments, annual payments or direct debit payments?
5. Why did the FAI turn down an offer at the beginning of the project from ISG for all of the premium-level seats? Then FAI president David Blood said in May 2010: "At the time we made these decisions, we thought about them. It was well thought out, we feel."
6. Are the FAI confident that the existing 10-year ticket holders, who do not have to renew their seats until 2014 or 2016, will do so, given the current economic climate?
7. How many premium-level seats have been allocated to '3' mobile as part of their new sponsorship arrangement with the FAI?
8. Can the FAI confirm when the decision was made to start offering 10-year tickets at a discounted price and was this communicated to customers who originally bought tickets at full price?
9. Do the FAI believe they got the pricing of 10-year tickets wrong, compared to their counterparts in the IRFU?
10. Are the FAI covered if individuals who have signed up for Vantage Club seats cancel their tickets and refuse to make any further payments?
11. The FAI had a net bank debt of €38m at the end of 2009, and have subsequently paid a further €21.9m towards the completion of the Aviva Stadium. Have the FAI borrowed further in 2010?
In response to our queries, FAI communications director Peter Sherrard replied:
"All of these questions were asked at the AGM and were answered by John Delaney in your presence.
"We do not have anything to add to the replies which were given and reported other than to clarify, in response to question 5, that no offer was ever made to the FAI by ISG or any other party for premium seats."
Irish Independent
