New Jersey Transit Reduces World Cup Ticket Price Hike
New Jersey Transit has decided to decrease the fare increase for the World Cup by 30%, and there’s a chance for more cuts thanks to funding from various sponsors, a recent report indicates.
Just last month, the transit system surprised everyone by announcing that round-trip fares from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford would jump from the usual $12.90 to an eye-popping $150. That’s an increase of over 1,000%. Now, the price has been adjusted to $105, which is still significantly more than 800% above the regular fare, as reported by The Athletic.
Chris Colluri, the CEO of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, mentioned that he directed the agency to seek alternate funding to relieve the financial burden on soccer fans who pay taxes. This comes after New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill assured taxpayers that they wouldn’t be footing the entirety of the bill.
“Governor Sherrill emphasized two main points. First, we aren’t aiming to create an economic strain on New Jersey taxpayers or commuters. The World Cup brings a chance for New Jersey to showcase itself, our economy, and our culture, and we’re thrilled to host,” he explained.
In keeping with the governor’s promise, Colluri confirmed that they can reduce ticket prices by at least 30%, or $45, which is quite a relief.
This cash influx, interestingly enough, doesn’t involve FIFA, and it might lead to even lower costs for the roughly 18-mile round trip for fans attending each of the six games in New Jersey scheduled for June and July.
Sherrill has publicly criticized FIFA for not offering to cover train ticket costs for the expected 40,000 fans traveling by train to the tournament, which is projected to bring in around $11 billion over 39 days.
“We’re not covering that cost for New Jersey commuters long-term; it just doesn’t seem fair,” she remarked. “FIFA should handle the expenses of transportation, but if they don’t, we won’t be asking New Jersey commuters to do so,” she asserted last month.
FIFA responded, expressing surprise at her comments, referencing an agreement made in 2018 to ensure free transportation to and from venues for international events.
Colluri also disclosed that New Jersey Transit received several grants, including $10.6 million from the federal government and $3.6 million from the New York-New Jersey Host Committee, to lessen the costs, ultimately bringing it down to $6 million per game, which he noted would have been considerably higher without these funds.
“We managed to reduce the expense to $48 million, or $6 million for each game. If we aim to transport 40,000 individuals at that cost, then charging $150 seems necessary,” he stated back then.
Even with the relatively lower ticket prices, the World Cup will still likely present some hefty challenges for commuters heading to New Jersey on match days, as matches are set for the evening rush hours.
On game nights, only fans with tournament tickets will be allowed access to New Jersey’s section of Penn Station for four hours prior to the matches.
Additionally, train tickets remain costly for anyone wanting to watch the games, with limited parking options ranging from $225 to $300. The pricing for finals has yet to be confirmed, according to a spokesperson for the American Dream Entertainment Complex, which is collaborating with FIFA to manage “limited” general parking options.
