I suppose we were warned.
Andy Martin’s comments that failure to qualify would require New Zealand Football to reduce its spending on international friendlies in future did have the faint clang of doom about it. So too did Billy Harris’ column advocating $100 tickets for the New Zealand v Peru Intercontinental Playoff because it’d bring money into New Zealand Football as a softener if we failed to get past Peru.
Over the weekend I’ve been messaging back and forth with ITBOTN bossman Enzo Giordani about driving down to Wellington, what with flights rocketing up to $250 each way for the dates surrounding the qualifier on the 11th. At the same time, elsewhere, organising buying a few tickets together so some fellow Aucklanders with a keen interest in the beautiful game can all sit together. In 2013 tickets were $60 a head. Anything around that would do.
TL;DR version
Charging THREE TIMES what Australia charges for their active support is crazy.
New Zealand Football is trying to make bank because they don't reckon we're going to do it.
Given the fiasco over people in the White Noise section with $20 tickets in Auckland, imagine how hufty folk will get if they've splashed $100 on their tickets.