Controversy online and on social networks over the high price of tickets for the 2025 Ryder Cup. From 26 to 28 September, the Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale (New York) will host the 45th edition of the challenge between the USA team and the Europe team.
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The price list has just appeared on the event's official website, with ticket prices ranging from $255 for the so-called "practice days" on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 September, up to $423 on Thursday 25, when the "celebrity match", the opening ceremony and the final round of the Junior Ryder Cup are scheduled.
The cost of attending the competition is even higher, with prices reaching $749.51 (with lunch and non-alcoholic drinks). "These are crazy prices and the fans are all furious," writes a user on X. "The players aren't even paid, they only participate for the glory and honor of victory.
Where does all the proceeds from the event go," many are wondering. "Going to watch the Masters costs 140 dollars, for The Open, the US Open and the PGA Championship you need about 200, how is it possible to get to such figures?", is the protest that is mounting on the network.
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Ryder Cup, tickets
The formula for buying a ticket is the now consolidated one: express your interest in acquiring it and hope to be able to have the opportunity to buy one (or more) after a "ballot", a random draw. The costs for attending the event are decidedly higher than those for the Italian Ryder Cup 2023, where weekly subscriptions (costing less than 1,000 euros) sold out in 48 hours.
With a record-breaking additional economic impact, equal to 262 million euros (+11% compared to the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris), and a total of 271,191 spectators (for an average of 45,198 per day in the six days that characterized the event, of which only three were competition).
The competition, which takes its name from the trophy donated by the Englishman Samuel Ryder (18581936) to the American federation in 1924, is co-managed by the European Tour and the PGA of America. From 1927 to 1971 the tournament was played between the United States and Great Britain, with a clear American predominance (15-3) and only one draw.
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In 1973 Ireland was incorporated into Great Britain and in 1979 the rest of continental Europe. Following the acceptance of the European team as an opponent of the United States, the tournament was much more balanced: from 1979 to 2018, in fact, there were eleven successes for Europe, eight for the United States and only one draw.
The Ryder Cup is hosted alternately on the two continents in odd-numbered years. For Europe, British golf courses have historically always been chosen, with the exception of the editions of: 1997, played at Valderrama Golf Club (Spain) in honor of the former Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros, 2018 played at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France) and, lastly, in 2023, which was held at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Italy).
Due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the planned edition of the Ryder Cup was played the following year, consequently moving the competition to even years, until the 2018 edition. The next tournament, scheduled for 2020, was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thus bringing the Ryder Cup back to odd years.
