The mad Monday morning scramble for AFL finals tickets has left several fans fuming after Ticketek’s website crashed multiple times.
The AFL on Monday morning confirmed the ticketing release information for the two preliminary finals, which will see Geelong host Brisbane at the MCG on Friday September 16 followed by the Sydney Swans and Collingwood clash at the SCG on Saturday September 17.
Tickets for club members of all four clubs went on sale at 10am (AEST) on Monday, with general public seating then up for grabs from 3pm. AFL members for the Cats-Lions MCG prelim will be able to purchase tickets from midday.
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But the high demand for tickets across multiple events caused the Ticketek website meltdown, with fans subsequently left frustrated.
As well as the two AFL finals, tickets to NRL finals and country singer Luke Combs’ concert also went on sale at a similar time.
Tickets to Saturday night’s preliminary final at the SCG, as well as flights to Sydney, have been the hottest — and most expensive — items in town, especially for Melbourne-based Collingwood fans.
Airlines over the weekend jacked up airfares for flights between Melbourne and Sydney around Saturday’s Swans-Magpies clash.
Fans on social media vented about price gouging from both Qantas and Virgin. Return flights with Qantas cost $1000 minimum.
A Qantas group spokesperson told the Herald Sun on Sunday night the airline would review its schedule in the coming days then assess whether more flights could be added later in the week.
The SCG holds 48,000 fans, so only 28,0000 tickets are available for club members. The 50-50 split means Collingwood members have been allocated 14,000 tickets, but that could increase should Swans members not take up their entire portion.
Collingwood president Jeff Browne urged as many Magpies supporters as possible to flock to the SCG.
“Inside and outside the ground. Even if they have to stand outside the ground and listen to the roar,” he told the Herald Sun.
“I will put buses on, I will put planes on, I will drive them up myself if I have to.”
