Collingwood has capped ticket prices for the Anzac Day clash at $75, but resellers are still trying to cash in
Collingwood has capped its Anzac Day ticket prices at $75. But secondary resellers continue to offer massively inflated prices. Jon Ralph looks at how they’re skirting around the Victorian Government’s scalping legislation.
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Collingwood has frozen its reserved ticket prices for Anzac Day with the highest price $75 for a premium seat on level two of the MCG wing.
But secondary ticket websites continue to flout scalping legislations by offering Anzac Day tickets for as much as $595.
Collingwood’s home game in Round 6 against Essendon will retain last year’s ticket prices of $27 for general admission, $60 for level four tickets and $75 for level two goal and wing tickets.
AFL home-and-away tickets went on sale to members on Monday. Home-and-away tickets for the general public go on sale Wednesday.
But while it is now illegal for fans to on-sell tickets at more than 10 per cent above their face value – with fines of nearly $500,000 – the rule only applies to tickets, not packages.
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On websites including The Ticket Merchant, those $75 tickets were on Monday being advertised for $595 with a two-hour food and beverage package at a nearby Richmond bar.
A government spokesman on Monday night urged fans to only buy from authorised sellers given the risk of having tickets for Anzac Day cancelled.
The government will work with the league and Consumer Affairs Victoria to assess unauthorised packages, which occur when companies not authorised to sell packages purchase tickets then bundle them into expansive packages.
“We expect people to do the right thing regarding tickets to the Anzac Day football and other major events,” the spokesman said.
“The best advice for fans is to buy tickets from authorised sellers, otherwise people run the risk of having tickets cancelled.”
During last year’s finals 470 tickets were removed from sale after intervention by government officers and 23 fines issues.
The AFL said on Monday it urged fans to buy tickets through authorised ticket agencies, with the league’s agencies Ticketmaster and Ticketek.
The league has retained its dynamic ticketing model from 2019, which allows clubs to put up ticket prices for high demand games four times by $5 each – for a total of $20.
Anzac Day tickets are not affected because the game will sell out within an hour of all tickets becoming available.
The Herald Sun can reveal three games went up by the maximum last year, with Richmond increasing tickets by $20 on its Round 22 clash against West Coast and Round 23 game against Brisbane.
Collingwood also increased the price of its Round 23 clash with Essendon by the maximum $20 when the game was flexed into a Friday night blockbuster encounter.
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Carlton dropped some ticket category prices by up to $10 in six of its 11 home games and was rewarded by excellent crowds across the season.
GWS dropped ticket prices for premium categories in six of its 11 home games but also increased prices for several of its high-drawing contests.
The league has frozen general admission ticket prices for three more years at 2019’s price of $27.
But for high demand games, clubs can dictate how many general admission and premium tickets are available.
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Originally published as Collingwood has capped ticket prices for the Anzac Day clash at $75, but resellers are still trying to cash in