Victor Matfield Slams SA Rugby Over R50,000 Cost for Loftus Suite Holders During All Blacks Tour
- Victor Matfield has highlighted a R50,000 bill facing some Loftus suite holders during the All Blacks tour
- Existing suite holders already pay annual fees for access to private hospitality spaces at the Pretoria stadium
- Matfield has questioned why they must pay again when international matches are staged at Loftus
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Springbok legend Victor Matfield has slammed SA Rugby over a system that can leave Loftus Versfeld suite holders paying another R50,000 to use their private boxes during international matches. The former Springbok lock said existing holders were being asked to pay again despite already paying for their suites.
Matfield takes aim at SA Rugby system
Speaking on the Rugby Rivals podcast, Matfield said the arrangement had frustrated people with long-term access to Loftus suites.
“The other thing that’s a problem – and that’s the new system where SA Rugby takes over the stadium – is everyone who has season tickets at Loftus or has a box at Loftus wasn’t allowed to use it,” he said according to SA Rugby Magazine.
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“They had to pay again for their tickets. They had to pay again for their boxes.”
Matfield said the additional cost was proving difficult for suite holders to accept.
“People just feel, ‘Well, I’ve paid for my box, now I have to pay another R50,000 to get my box back,’ and they don’t want to do it,” he said.
Why Loftus suite holders are paying again
A stadium suite is a private hospitality space leased by businesses, organisations or individuals. It allows holders to host guests, clients, friends or family during matches.
The dispute centres on international fixtures, where SA Rugby's “clean stadium” arrangement means existing suite holders do not automatically retain access to their boxes.
Matfield said the system needed to be reconsidered.
“So I think we need to look at that system,” he said.
The issue had already reached SA Rugby's legal department before Matfield's latest comments.
Loftus suite dispute puts SA Rugby under fresh pressure
Briefly News previously reported that Loftus Versfeld suite holders were involved in a dispute with SA Rugby ahead of the Springboks' Scotland Test.
The row centred on annual suite holders being asked to pay additional charges to use their private boxes for international matches. Reports suggested that only 100 of the stadium's 400 suites were expected to be occupied for the 11 July Test.
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Source: Briefly News
