Why the resale of tickets for PSG matches at the Parc des Princes is more complicated

Supporters have for some time become accustomed to receiving messages from PSG announcing that tickets are available for sale at the club’s ticket office for their favorite team’s matches. “It surprised meconfides Didier, long-time subscriber. This was not the case, or exceptionally, in previous seasons. » Tuesday evening at 8 p.m., there were tickets left in category 5, at €225, and in category 7, at €180 each, for the Atlético de Madrid reception this Wednesday evening (9 p.m.). On Monday, during the day, there was even one for €89 in category 15.

This phenomenon seems new and raises questions, especially for a European poster. Is it a sign of the beginnings of disinterest in the French champion’s matches, now that he no longer has any stars in his squad? One thing is certain: there are fewer tourists than in the past in the aisles of the Porte de Saint-Cloud stadium, with the exception of the South Koreans who come for Lee Kang-in. At PSG, we respond that there is no “differences with past seasons, that the club’s strategy, in force for several years, consists of putting quotas of places on sale little by little until the last moment”.

Proof of this is that for the Atlético reception this Wednesday evening, the Parc des Princes will be sold out. As always, one would be tempted to add, for several years and more than a hundred matches. Although this season, the visual impression from the stadium sometimes suggests that this is not the case, with empty seats. A few seasons ago, the club was the victim of no-shows, that is to say the absence of people who had paid but did not come for x or y reasons.

Combined offers to increase attractiveness

With around 36,000 subscribers out of a total capacity of just over 47,000 seats, PSG only has around 10,000 tickets to sell at each meeting. To also ensure that you are stocked up for each match, even against modest L1 opponents, it offers coupled offers. For example, a fan who would like to be sure of getting a ticket for the clash against Manchester City on January 22 will also have to buy a ticket for Reims, Angers and Le Havre, starting at €200 for these four appointment. An attractive price since it brings the match down to €50.

If the Park continues to be full, other signals raise questions and echo the absence of star players in the squad (Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, all left in two summers) likely, by their name alone , to attract people to the stadium and generate a lot of coverage on social networks. The resale of tickets on the Ticketplace platform – already paid tickets that their holders seek to resell and on which PSG takes a commission from the seller and the buyer -, controlled by the club, is experiencing a sharp slowdown, and the prices fall.

“In the era of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé, you put a place up for sale and in two hours it was sold, no matter the price”

Tuesday evening, depending on the category, there were up to dozens of lots of places looking for takers. “It’s day and nightsay Jérôme and Sébastien, two long-time subscribers in turns and quarter turns. In the era of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé, you put a place up for sale and in two hours it was sold, no matter the price. Some spectators just came to take a photo of Messi and left after a few minutes. »

Pierre installed in the Borelli stand, encountered the same difficulties in reselling his place. He was unable to give it away against Lens (1-0) on Saturday in L1, or Atlético, at the price of €384 excluding costs. “Already last year, I noticed a slowdown but in the Champions League, I managed to sell. This is no longer the case. »