Family of Swans fans refused entry over ripped jeans in dress code debacle

A family of footy tragics have told of their child’s tears as they were turned away from the gate over one tiny detail.

Twitter user @brendenfingers and his family at thw Swans Round 2, 2023 clash against Hawthorn at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The dress code in members’ sections at grounds around the country has long been a point of contention, but the rules in the relatively conservative SCG Members’ have seemingly caught the ire of every Sydneysider at some point.

Swans member Brenden Fing was no exception, with his family refused entry at the gate for Sydney’s Round 2 fixture against Hawthorn on Sunday owing to a rip in his partner’s jeans.

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He took to social media to express his discontent, saying in a tweet: “whole family are paid (Sydney Swans) members. We got rejected from entry at the gate today because my wife’s jeans have a single rip in them.

“Hundreds of dollars annually, in memberships and merchandise, and we were made to feel like second class citizens being rejected at the door,” he wrote.

Fing posted a photo of family before and after the incident, with his six year old son in tears afterwards at the prospect of not getting the chance to see his first AFL game.

Have a look at how our day started, and has ended with my 6 year old in tears, who can’t watch his first afl game now. Understand the rules, but surely being polite about it and maybe giving a warning is better than rejecting a family with a 4 month old baby in the heat? pic.twitter.com/tKQ41UT2Zx

— Brenden (@brendenfingers) March 26, 2023

“Have a look at how our day started, and has ended with my six year old in tears, who can’t watch his first AFL game now,” Fing wrote.

“Understand the rules, but surely being polite about it and maybe giving a warning is better than rejecting a family with a 4 month old baby in the heat?”

While the Swans themselves, as SCG tenants, do not enforce the dress regulations themselves,

Fing told news.com.au that they called him within an hour of him posting on social media to apologise, and “ensured (him) that is not the experience they want their fans to have.”

Social media was ablaze at the experience of the family, with football writer Sean Lawson saying “the SCG is a publicly owned entity run by a government trust, it’s time to get rid of these rubbish dress code rules.”

The Age sports journalist Roy Ward said it was “totally unacceptable.

“What a horrific experience for Brenden and his family,” he said.

“If it was me, I would never return. It’s a footy match, not a black tie ball!”

AAP Sport journalist Scott Bailey asked: “Surely they can just offer you different seats for the day if they can’t have you in the members?”

Swans fans had plenty to celebrate against the Hawks, with revenge for the 2012 Grand Final always tasting sweet. Photo by Phil Hillyard

Fing explained that the Swans, getting in touch with him directly, could have offered him different seats, provided they had gone round to the membership support booth.

“If you heard how the steward spoke to us, you’d understand why my wife just wanted to leave, though,” he said.

Speaking to news.com.au, Fing added “we weren’t expecting rules to be bent for us, we just would have liked to have alternative options, and not be dealt with in a condescending manner.

“The stewards are aware that Red Zone members can be redirected, but this one didn’t inform us,” he said.

“Rather than be redirected to the membership support site, the steward told us to buy more tickets or leave.”

Welfare advocate Tom Studans noted the difference between football codes at the SCG, saying: “I’ve copped it for wearing jeans to the Members’ at Swans games before, NRL games always been completely fine though.

“Really makes you think!”

It would eventually work out for the Fing family, however, with the Swans reaching out and offering an experience that they certainly won’t forget.

“They have since followed up this morning with an offer to post our new membership packs, and invited my young son to training to meet the team,” Fing told news.com.au.

“Patrick, Michelle and Anita from the customer care team were really swift to make amends for us.

“We’re really thrilled.”

Fing, who has been a Swans fan “as long as (he) can remember”, told news.com.au he’s “excited for the kids to be able to share in that passion too.”

“They might not enjoy it, but the least I can do is try and convince them.”

The Swans’ first home game of the season also marked the start of a six-month trial by the SCG Trust of more relaxed dress regulations in the Members’ Reserves, which have traditionally been relatively strict.

Prior to the trial, the Members’ required a collared shirt for men, and forbid “revealing” tops for women, with shorts of any kind completely forbidden in the Members' Pavilion.

The new trial removed the requirement for collared shirts, and was broadened to allow a “minimum standard of dress (as) smart casual attire”, noting that “guest entry is at the discretion of (the) event day staff and security teams.

Euphoria actor Sydney Sweeney (centre, with Swans midfielders Chad Warner, left, and Errol Gulden, right, beside her) was among the traditional host of stars and socialites at the Swans’ first home game of the year. Photo by Phil Hillyard

The regulation banning ripped or torn clothing has remained.

The Members’ Reserve encompasses four grandstands at the SCG – the recently built Don Bradman Stand and MA Noble Stand, as well as the centuries-old Members’ Pavilion and Ladies Pavilion, with Swans members typically receiving access to the Ladies’, Noble and Bradman Stands as part of their membership, described by the club as the “Red Zone”.

Part of the requirements of the membership include the dress regulations of the SCG Members’ Reserves, and the Swans’ membership terms and conditions state “dress regulations apply for all members and guests accessing the Red Zone at SCG matches.

“Members with access to this area are reminded of their responsibility to ensure that their own dress and that of their guests conforms to the standards required.

“Should a Sydney Swans member or their guest seeking to access the Red Zone fail to comply (to the regulations), they will not be permitted access into the venue and will waive their entry entitlements for that match.

“Limited reserved seat upgrades into areas of the SCG without dress regulations may be available for purchase from the Sydney Swans Membership Support Office at the SCG.”

The Swans ended up running rampant over a listless Hawthorn side in their biggest ever win over the brown and gold, romping to an 81-point win to resign the Hawks to their worst start to a season since 1950.

Young forward Joel Amartey, slotting in for the suspended Lance Franklin, had a party in the first half with four goals to his name while Logan McDonald kicked a bagful to secure his position as Franklin’s key forward heir apparent.

The Sydney Swans and SCG Trust have been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Family of Swans fans refused entry over ripped jeans in dress code debacle