Stiff price for watching Azkals ‘live’

MANILA—Watching the Azkals in action—in prime seats at the Rizal Memorial Stadium—won’t come cheap.

The Philippine Football Federation yesterday released the ticket prices for the Azkals home game against Sri Lanka on July 3 with the most expensive seats costing P3,000 and the most affordable at P200.

Bonnie Ladrido, chair of the tie’s organizing committee, said they needed to price the 5,000 seats at the main grandstand at P3,000 and P2,000 to help cover the expenses incurred for renovating the Rizal stadium.

The tickets will go on sale starting June 3 through Ticketworld.

Ladrido, who is also PFF treasurer, said the federation will need to spend at least P6 million for the installation of the seats at the grandstand and the construction of the stadium’s dressing and media rooms.

Ladrido said the PFF would spend for the refurbishing of the grandstand after talks with San Miguel Corp. fell through.

“The prices reflect the fact that the PFF will be footing the bill for refurbishing the stadium,” Ladrido said.

Ladrido said 8,000 tickets will be sold at P200 each, while 4,950 tickets will be sold at P300. The P200 ticket holders will be seated at the bleachers area behind the two goals, while the P300 rated tickets will offer seats near the middle of the non-covered bleachers area.

The P3,000 tickets will be for the lower level of the main grandstand, while the P2,000 tickets is for the upper level.

Unlike in the Azkals’ home match against Mongolia last Feb. 9 at the Panaad Stadium, Ladrido said there will be no more open seating policy for the bleachers section.

“There is no need to line up too early to be guaranteed a seat,” Ladrido said.