AFL orders Craig Hutchison’s company to withdraw sale of finals tickets
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has rebuked football powerbroker Craig Hutchison’s company over the footy finals tickets gouging probe.
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AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has taken a swipe at football powerbroker Craig Hutchison’s company BallPark Entertainment over the footy finals tickets gouging probe.
A sports ticketing business run by Hutchison is being investigated over the sale of overpriced tickets to finals matches this September.
Speaking to 3AW’s Neil Mitchell this morning, McLachlan expressed disappointment at the allegations.
“I think there’s acknowledgement that they made a mistake and what happens is up to the government,” McLachlan said.
When put to McLachlan by Mitchell that BallPark Entertainment - chaired by Hutchison and owned by his company CrocMedia - had “ripped people off with finals tickets”, the AFL boss said: “Yeah, no clearly. It’s poor practice. They made a mistake.”
But McLachlan said the AFL would be not be taking punitive action against Hutchison or the company.
“I don’t know the scale of it … I’m sure people will look at that,” he said.
“The tickets have been retired and in terms of actually under the (anti-scalping) act it’s a decision for the government.”
A government spokesman said: “The investigation by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions is continuing”.
Premier Daniel Andrews earlier this week weighed in on the probe.
“We want a situation where not only the letter of the law is honoured, but we want the spirit of the law honoured also,” Mr Andrews said.
The Premier said the government had made changes to ticketing laws for major events because “pricing integrity, ticketing integrity is really very, very important”.
“We don’t want fans to be priced out of being part of a wonderful sporting experience,” Mr Andrews said.
The State Government on Wednesday night revealed the league had ordered ticket packages being sold by BallPark Entertainment be withdrawn from sale.
“While the company in question is an authorised AFL on-seller, one of the packages advertised has been directed to be removed by th e AFL while the league and the department make inquiries to ensure all legal requirements have been met,” a government spokesman said.
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“We expect all parties to respect the spirit as well as the letter of the anti-scalping legislation.”
BallPark was selling Level 2 seats to tonight’s Geelong-West Coast semi-final at the MCG for $170.
The top-priced public ticket on Level 2 is $93.
The $170 tickets offered by BallPark promised fans “access to premium beverage and food outlets”.
Tickets to next week’s preliminary finals were also withdrawn from sale by BallPark on Wednesday night, as were tickets to Saturday night’s Brisbane-Giants clash at the Gabba.
Under Victoria’s scalping laws it is illegal to sell tickets to any footy finals match at more than 10 per cent above face value.
In a statement, Hutchison said: “Upon investigation, a third party has mistakenly listed BallPark Entertainment’s Medallion Club ticket inventory as ticket only with access to premium bar facilities.
“Once alerted we immediately asked the third party to remove from its website.
“BallPark Entertainment is one of many approved Medallion Club ticket agents, but the third party isn’t.
“We take responsibility regardless for how this has occurred.”
But sources said the advertisement in question “was listed exactly as instructed by BallPark Entertainment”.
Penalties range from $826 to $495,660 depending on the nature of offences.
A BallPark sales representative contacted about the $170 Cats-Eagles tickets, said the seats would be on the “centre-wing on Level 2 or 2A”, but he was not sure exactly where, saying they were “collecting them this afternoon”.
BallPark’s advertisement for the tickets, posted on the Tixstar website, stated: “Enjoy the game from one of the best seats in the ground with premium Category One reserved seating giving you access to premium beverage and food outlets.”
The BallPark sales representative clarified on the phone that no free food or drink was included in the package, but that it provided access to the Medallion Club bar.
His pitch included that it was “not a normal cash bar” and people were able to take their bought drinks back to their seats “in a plastic cup”.
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However, this is allowed across the stadium.
The Victorian Government is currently advertising with Crocmedia’s radio station SEN, warning listeners about the anti-scalping legislation and urging them to report concerns.
The AFL confirmed the tickets in question had been removed from sale.
BallPark is also offering Medallion Club corporate suite packages to the Tigers and Magpies preliminary finals at up to $795 a person.
Originally published as AFL orders Craig Hutchison’s company to withdraw sale of finals tickets
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