Melbourne councillors get free Grand Final tickets as Richmond fans locked out of final

LONG-SUFFERING Richmond fans face being locked out of the MCG this Saturday — but Melbourne councillors will enjoy some of the best seats in the house, regardless of who they barrack for.

Richmond fans have only been allocated 17,000 Grand Final tickets. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

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RICHMOND fans who’ve waited 35 years for their team to make a Grand Final face the prospect of being locked out of Saturday’s MCG blockbuster.

But City of Melbourne councillors will enjoy some of the best seats in the house as they lap up corporate hospitality — regardless of whether they barrack for the Tigers.

GIVE YOUR GRAND FINAL TICKET TO A FAN

LET THE GRAND FINAL TICKET RUSH BEGIN

Thousands of fans from both competing Grand Final clubs will miss out on tickets. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The councillors have been offered tickets to the premium September Club marquee for the match where they will be wined and dined free of charge, thanks to the AFL.

With tens of thousands of Richmond and Adelaide fans missing out on seats despite shelling out for club memberships, the councillors have been urged to hand their tickets to diehard supporters.

Kevin Passmore, a Richmond member since 1994, scored a standing ticket for $150 in the club’s Grand Final ballot, but is desperately trying to find another for his “long-suffering Richmond wife’’.

He said councillors and corporates taking seats off legitimate fans was “ridiculous’’.

Artist Jacqui McKinnon paints a mural at Richmond’s Burnt Butter Cakes bakery. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

“It’s shocking and there will be a lot of disappointed and upset people out there,’’ he said.

“If I was a Melbourne councillor, I would be looking for a Richmond or Adelaide fan to give my ticket to, someone who deserves to be there.’’

City of Melbourne spokesman Brodie Bott said the tickets were “not gifted to the councillors’’ or logged in the council’s gift register.

“City of Melbourne councillors are often invited to attend functions and events including those held by organisations with formal sponsorship agreements with the City of Melbourne,’’ he said.

“As part of a longstanding sponsorship agreement with the AFL, the City of Melbourne receives an allocation of tickets to the Grand Final.’’

Members of the Tiger army will be left with heartache before the first bounce. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Richmond fans have only been allocated 17,000 Grand Final tickets. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

With the AFL allocating just 17,000 seats to a Tiger army boasting more than 70,000 members, the vast ­majority of Richmond fans are being hit with heartache before the first bounce.

Fans have been warned against buying tickets from scalpers because they could be turned away from the ground despite paying hundreds of dollars above face value.

The Grand Final is the only AFL match deemed a “declared event’’, making it illegal for tickets to be sold above face value. But tickets for Saturday were yesterday advertised for up to $2000 each online.

Richmond will transform its Punt Rd Oval headquarters into a live site for the match from 11am-6pm. Fans have been urged to buy tickets — $20 for adults, $15 for concession and $10 for juniors — ­before it, too, sells out.

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