AFL players ‘selling Grand Final tickets for thousands’ as Crows fans willing to spend big

DESPERATE Crows fans who failed to secure a balloted Grand Final ticket are willing to part with thousands to watch them live — as allegations emerge AFL players are selling their tickets for up to $2500.

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DESPERATE Crows fans who failed to secure a balloted Grand Final ticket are willing to part with thousands to watch them live as the AFL is engulfed in a ticketing allocation row.

Some Adelaide Football Club supporters have said they are willing to pay more than 10 times the face value for MCG tickets, which balloted prices varied between $150 to $410.

As Crows fans learnt on Monday whether they would travel interstate to watch their team tackle Richmond on Saturday, The Advertiser was told of a ticket black market involving AFL players, who were selling their seat allocations for up to $2500 each. Scalpers are also exploiting fans’ desperation.

Amid calls for a AFL ticketing system review, league officials on Monday insisted it was a fair way of rewarding all sides including club fans, Melbourne Cricket Club members, “outstanding” players and sponsors.

Up to 25,000 Crows fans registered in last week’s ballot out of almost 73,000 members.

Loyal Crows fans who missed out on tickets can watch live TV coverage of the game at the Adelaide Oval while a post-match family ground event is on Sunday.

Rory Sloane and Charlie Cameron celebrate another Crows goal against Geelong at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty

As 10 supporter buses were filled, the State Government, and Crows star Sam Jacobs, urged thousands of fans driving interstate to exercise caution.

“I’ve got lots of family driving over myself, so I know they’re going to be well prepared,” Jacobs said. “We’ve got full confidence (in) the ‘19th man’.”

Disappointed supporters are hunting for other ways to witness the club’s first premiership tilt since 1998. Some sought tickets online for at least $2500.

Authorities warn against buying scalped tickets. The Grand Final is the only AFL game deemed a “declared event’’, making it illegal to sell tickets above face value.

Landscaper Paul, 30, of Belair, was offering more than $5200 on four tickets: “It is just mayhem, just ridiculous”.

The AFL said 34,000 tickets are given to competing clubs.

Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins after the Crows score another goal against the Cats. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty

A further 23,000 are distributed through an AFL reserve system that nominates “a club of support”. There are 25,000 MCC members while AFL life memberships and hall of fame players are given two tickets.

Non competing clubs, corporates and packaged deals share 16,000 seats. The MCG capacity is 100,024.

AFL Fans Association president Gerry Eeman urged a “better system”. “What needs to occur is a substantial increase in the competing club ticket allocation — fans are their lifeblood and have to be rewarded,” he said.

Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan said the club “try our absolute best to include people in a range of activities”. “It would great to have (all fans) there at the MCG ... but obviously that’s not possible,” he said.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane defended the system.

“(It) is designed to recognise as best possible the contribution that all groups make to the overall success and strength of the game, knowing ... we are not capable of meeting the demand for entry for the showpiece match,” he said.

“(We) increased the number of club allocation tickets this year,” Mr Keane told The Advertiser.

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