The Newport Gwent Dragons are advertising tickets for their match against the Scarlets for £198 as their takeover by the Welsh Rugby Union moves closer.
The hospitality tickets – sold by the WRU for the Judgement Day double-header at the Principality Stadium next month – are on sale on the Dragons’ website.
The offer, which does not appear on the sites of the other three Welsh regions, promotes the tickets for the April 15 event at £165 per person, plus VAT.
The package includes a match ticket to see the Dragons play the Scarlets, plus the earlier game between the Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys.
It also promises a buffet meal, free bar, match day programme and “commemorative match day accreditation”.
Standard match tickets for this year’s Judgement Day event are priced at £10.
The advert directs interested customers to the Union’s own website where there are further offers for other games at the stadium, including the Wales v Ireland match, priced at £425 plus VAT (£510 in total).
The advert reflects the growing links between the Dragons region and the WRU with both sides close to an agreement on a takeover by the governing body.
Talks have been progressing for a number of weeks and a deal is expected to be announced within a month which will see the Union – who are currently joint owners – take control of the whole show.
The intention is that the Union’s full ownership will tempt private investors to also get involved – something the Dragons have failed to deliver since launching a prospectus almost a year ago.
Initially, the Dragons had hoped to go it alone and that new backing would allow them to be independent of the governing body.
Under the current set-up, the Dragons have been the poorest performing of the Welsh regions since the game went regional in 2003.
If, as seems likely, the Dragons finish as the lowest-ranked Welsh side in the Pro 12 at the end of this season, it will be for the 10th time in 14 seasons.
