Melbourne Cricket Club ticketing review may result in vacant seats being sold to non-members
THE Melbourne Cricket Club will carry out a historic review of its ticketing arrangements, which could result in it selling vacant seats in the MCC reserve to non-members. Here’s how it would work.
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THE Melbourne Cricket Club will carry out a historic review of its ticketing arrangements, which could result in it selling vacant seats in the MCC reserve to non-members.
The Herald Sun can reveal new MCC chief executive Stuart Fox will consider altering the mix of booked and walk-up seats reserved for members at major games next season.
Fox instigated the review after thousands of seats in the reserve remained empty at Friday’s sold-out preliminary final.
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In extreme situations the MCC could even sell seats to the general public if, minutes before a game, it believes its reserve will not sell out.
The MCC had hoped for as many as 98,000 at Friday’s final, but only 94,595 attended the sold-out game. About 2500 seats at the top of the members’ reserve were left empty.
It is understood the changes would apply only to finals and major home-and-away clashes such as on Anzac Day and the Dreamtime at the ’G game between Richmond and Essendon.
Fox believes there is an obligation to fill the MCC reserve at sold-out games, to ensure as many Victorians get to big clashes as possible.
At Friday’s Tigers-Pies preliminary final, 9000 reserved seats were sold and 13,000 walk-up seats were available. The review will likely recommend the MCC sells more booked tickets to its biggest games.
Fox told the Herald Sun: “We accept that having a section of unused seats in our reserve is not a good look, when the rest of the stadium is sold out for one of the biggest games in the season.
“We are committed to a review of our current model. I believe that some changes and modernisation of ticketing practices for the blockbuster games will reduce the likelihood of large areas of unused seats in the Members’ Reserve in future seasons.”
Reserved seats for MCC members cost as little as $10. The holders do not have to queue up hours before games, and they give the MCC a better indication of demand.
The MCC will ensure a full reserve at Saturday’s Grand Final by offering tickets to “restricted” members if “full” members do not seem likely to take up all available seats.
The MCC is more likely to allow “provisional” members to get tickets, but Fox said: “Whilst our members will always be our priority, in the unlikely event we cannot fill our reserve through offering access to all of our membership categories — and public demand is extreme — there may be games where some seats are released to the public on the day.”
“We have a duty to the game, and our members, to ensure the stadium and the MCC Reserve is at maximum capacity for the blockbuster events, and particularly finals.”
Fox will table the review findings in coming months so any changes are ready for next season.
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