Collingwood members’ fury as Pies make changes to Legends members seating to ensure more full ‘sold out’ games

Some of Collingwood’s highest-paying members are up in arms over changes to reserved seats as the Pies try to ensure ‘sold out’ games get more fans through the gates at the MCG.

Collingwood has told its Legends members with reserved seats in level four of the MCG’s Ponsford Stand they will have to redeem tickets for all home games in a change designed to boost the attendance of “sold out” AFL games.

Some club members are dismayed by the changes, which will require them to redeem a seat in a level 4 members ‘bay’ rather than have the same guaranteed seat at each MCG home clash.

In the past those 2250 members with Legends memberships on level four could turn up at the same reserved seat without an additional booking and sit at the same seat for every game close by their family and friends.

Some Collingwood fans are up in arms over the changes. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

Now if they want seats to Collingwood games they will have to redeem a free ticket online in a move which will allow the Pies to get more members into formerly ‘sold out’ games.

Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly said the ‘show rate’ for those Legends members with specific reserved seats in the Ponsford stand was only 48 per cent.

In the past three years the Pies have sold out nine MCG games but the average crowd was only 83,697, more than 16,000 short of the 100,024 capacity.

The Pies sent communication to level four Legends members recently telling them as part of the change they would receive a price freeze on their 2026 membership.

There are still other Collingwood Legends categories with reserved seats memberships.

But the level 4 Ponsford version is the cheapest Legends category which guarantees Grand Final access, so fans often buy that membership type but don’t attend many games.

Many Pies members signed a petition at Sunday’s loss to Fremantle, worried they will no longer have their own guaranteed seat near friends locked in each home game.

Kelly said the Pies had given early notice so they could work through the concerns of those members.

“We have asked those members to redeem their seats next year and they can do it for blocks of games,” he told this masthead.

“What really annoys us is when games are sold out and plenty of members want to go but can’t get in. People aren’t attending so there has to be a better way to do it. As an industry we have to get better.

“Many are our 10-plus year members so we will be calling anyone who has a problem. If anyone is disgruntled or wants to chat we have plenty of time to work through it. There are options if people don’t want to sit up there, they can move down into level one for blocks of games.

The Magpies have had an average crowd of 84,000 to nine ‘sold out’ home MCG clashes over the past three years. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

“If (they want to sit together) we will listen to those people and work out how to make sure they are in a position where they are sitting with their mates. We don’t want to split people up but too many people are not turning up to games.”

There are varying tiers of Legends memberships for the 2025 season – some with reserved seats and some with reserved bay options.

Legends members not only get a guaranteed reserved seat – and pay up to $1140 for the privilege – but they also retain priority access if the Pies make the Grand Final.

They also have access to Marvel Stadium games, which will remain unchanged by the 2026 members seat initiative.

While Collingwood’s membership numbers and attendances are massive, they have drawn over 90,000 to the MCG only once this year.

They drew 82,058 to the Carlton home games, 92,044 to the Anzac Day clash and 83,706 to the home clash against Hawthorn.

Originally published as Collingwood members’ fury as Pies make changes to Legends members seating to ensure more full ‘sold out’ games