AFL 2021: Footy ticket frenzy as fans report website issues

The prized tickets to round 1 AFL games are going fast and it’s sparked a surge in complaints about ticketing websites.

Tigers fans will be eager to see Jack Riewoldt in action. Picture: Michael Dodge.

Club members have raced to snap up seats to AFL round 1 matches, with the logjam sparking a surge of complaints about ticketing websites.

Prized tickets to the five games in Melbourne went on sale at 1pm Tuesday for members of home teams – Richmond, Collingwood, Melbourne, Essendon and North Melbourne.

Fans quickly flocked to social media pages of Ticketek and Ticketmaster reporting technical issues and long wait times.

Members of away clubs – Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide – will be able to buy allocated tickets on Wednesday.

Matches at the MCG were being sold through the Ticketek website, while the two games at Marvel Stadium were available via Ticketmaster.

When Richmond and Carlton last met at the MCG the stands were empty.

Dedicated supporters rushed to log on and secure a seat to the games, with coronavirus restrictions limiting crowd sizes to half the normal capacity.

AFL members were granted priority access to buy tickets on Tuesday morning.

TICKETING UPDATE | AFL Reserve tickets for @CollingwoodFC v @westernbulldogs on Friday, March 19 at the @MCG are sold out.

No further tickets will be released for sale.

No membership scans or tickets will be available on match day.

— AFL (@AFL) March 16, 2021

It followed the sale of 25,000 tickets to Melbourne Cricket Club members on Monday.

Remaining tickets that are not sold to MCC, AFL or competing club members will be available to the general public from 1pm on Wednesday.

Thursday night’s season opener between Richmond and Carlton will mark 17 months and 18 days since the 2019 AFL Grand Final – the last time fans in Victoria were able to attend a game.

Fans enjoying the 2019 AFL Grand Final would not have known how long they would have to wait to get back to the footy. Picture: David Caird

The highly-anticipated return of live AFL action has sparked calls for the state government to allow more than 50 per cent capacity in the stands.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp, business groups and fans have pushed for a last minute decision to let 75,000 people watch the blockbuster season opening match on Thursday night between Richmond and Carlton.

The final decision on increasing capacity from 50 per cent to 75 per cent will rest with chief health officer Brett Sutton.

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