AFL’s ‘dynamic pricing’ play leaves Showdown fans frustrated

AFL clubs are allowed to jack up prices for their most popular home games, but this Saturday’s “dynamic pricing” is not sitting well with supporters of both teams.

Showdown fans are unhappy about fluctuating Adelaide Oval costs this week as Port Adelaide manipulates prices to take advantage of high demand.

AFL clubs are allowed to vary ticket pricing for their most popular home games, which Port Adelaide says will only be this Saturday’s Showdown.

But fans are not happy, with the inflated high of $53 paid by some this week well above the normal general admission (GA) price of $35.

AFL Fans Association SA spokesman Justin Leckie said the issue had been raised with the AFL, despite the practice of dynamic ticket pricing being applied by clubs.

“It is frustrating and we have had complaints and it happens quite a lot,’’ he said.

“Some clubs will release a batch and then say “allocation exhausted”, which makes people think GA has all gone and they buy a higher price non-GA ticket for say $70. But for the next week they will release another batch and GA and the fan will be thinking; “why I just paid $70?”.

Adelaide Crows Captain Jordan Dawson and Port Adelaide Captain Tom Jonas with the Showdown Trophy at Adelaide Oval. NewsWire / David Mariuz

Port Adelaide Football Club spokesman Stephen Shirley said the pricing system was commonly used in business.

“Dynamic pricing is based on demand,’’ he said.

“The Showdown is the biggest game in the state, it’s big entertainment and in a prime timeslot.

“Variable pricing accounts for demand for blockbuster rounds.

“GA tickets for the Showdown started at $45 when they went on sale on February 13, and increased to just $53 last Monday based on high demand and limited tickets remaining.

“Port Adelaide membership is and always will be the best value – 11 game membership holders ($220), are essentially attending the Showdown for $20.

“We provide the best value to members who directly support the club.”

Mr Leckie also called on fans to carefully check their food and drinks prices at the Showdown.

The association had received a complaint that one customer had been charged $11.50 for a pint of beer instead of the advertised price of $9.40.

“We hope this is just an anomaly but have put the stadium on notice that we will be checking,’’ he said.

In response to the association the Stadium Management Authority blamed a one-off “human error” for the pricing mix up.

Showdown to sell out as Port Adelaide set to don prison-bar guernsey

A Showdown sellout is likely with fewer than 1000 tickets remaining for Saturday night’s big clash at Adelaide Oval, which will celebrate the return of Port Adelaide’s prison-bar guernsey.

Power fans will lead a march across the Riverbank Bridge prior to Port’s home game, as a celebration of the polarising guernsey’s return for the battle against the Crows.

Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson said the Showdown was “one of the great rivalries in Australian sport” and a crowd of 50,000 was expected.

“Wearing our iconic prison-bars guernsey in this Saturday’s Showdown LIII just adds another layer to the game and makes it even more special,” he said.

Port Adelaide fans Andrew Fuss and Ruby McHaffie on the Adelaide Oval footbridge, which will be awash with supporters before the Showdown on Saturday. Picture: Ben Clark

“The origins of this rivalry started long before 1997. Ultimately, it’s been Port Adelaide against the rest for over 100 years in SA football and this game continues to represent that.”

Mr Richardson said the return of the black-and-white prison bars had driven ticket sales for the highly-anticipated match-up.

The club hasn’t worn the strip – made famous in the SANFL – since the Round 2 Showdown in 2020 after a long-running stand-off with interstate rivals Collingwood over their rights to wear the colours.

But after productive talks with the Pies, a deal was struck last month, allowing the club to pull it on for their home game against their cross-town rivals.

Once ticket sales are exhausted, Mr Richardson said buying a Port Adelaide membership would be the only way for fans to watch the match live.

Port Adelaide fans Margie Gill and Luke May with Andrew Fuss and Ruby McHaffie on the Footbridge to the Adelaide Oval. Picture: Ben Clark

“We’re expecting a crowd of 50,000 on Saturday night, and we’re encouraging all members with access that can’t attend, to pass their ticket on to someone who can,” he said.

On the eve of Round 1, more than 500 diehard Port fans descended on Alberton Oval – some camping overnight – after the club revealed its historic prison-bar guernsey would be made available to the public.

The club has sold more than 1300 of the black-and-white guernseys over the past fortnight and the product has sold out online.

Connor Rozee wearing the traditional prison-bar guernsey. Picture; Simon Cross

But while Port Adelaide fans are struggling to contain their excitement, the Adelaide Crows – searching for their first win of the season – will be desperate to spoil the party of the Power faithful.

The Port Adelaide march will leave Festival Plaza at about 6pm on Saturday with the first bounce at 7pm.