Crowd prediction - preliminary - swans v north.

[Danzar]

Hmm yes the ticketing system most definitely needs an overhaul, it's not just an ANZ issue but the AFL needs to seriously look at not just pricing, but how tickets are allocated. I don't think people would object to paying Category 1 for the premium seats, but it defeats the purpose if those premium seats aren't available for selection!!

+1.
What if the pre-sale happened one day before (like it used to) and was simply a pre-allocation based on selected preference, which was locked in (guaranteed at that category) for the 24 hours while they registered AFL and stadium members, then issued the seats to all member types in their chosen category on a best available basis. Once closed, the rest would then go on sale as general public no matter what your membership status.

It's the issuer of the contract that's responsible for putting the pressure on Ticketek to upgrade their system to make this happen. That means the AFL when it comes to finals and the stadiums when it comes to home and away.

[annew]

I'm in the same boat as you and not happy at all. What a rort.

It does make you wonder if it is actually legal to do this as it is false advertising.

[DamY]

I get that it's frustrating, but you can't fault the AFL for trying to improve attendance by dropping prices mid-release. Maybe better forecasting on their end would have avoided this. But I have to admit, ticket prices had me thinking twice about attending with a Grand Final potentially the week after. I love my swans but dropping $600 + airfares and accommodation if required is a hefty sum.

[Cardinal]

No you can blame the AFL for the ongoing mess surrounding finals tickets at ANZ. It would not take a genius to pitch prices and seating categories at the levels required to maximise attendence in the Sydney market. But evey year profit is the priority. That's fine, but fans have a right to be irritated.

Personally I will be watching on tv.

[Ampersand]

I managed to get $45 CAT 5 ticket in Bay 318 which according to the map was/is CAT 1. Not complaining but I've definitely found that I always get better tickets online even if I have to go through the ticket selection process a few times until something decent pops up. Not that 318 is great but at least I might be undercover.

[giant]

Utilised the Telstra deal right on 2pm today. Very happy to get Category 2 tickets for $67!

Arrrrggghhh. I forgot about this until too late. Arrrggghhhh.

[DamY]

Arrrrggghhh. I forgot about this until too late. Arrrggghhhh.

Pretty sure it's still on

[mcs]

I get that it's frustrating, but you can't fault the AFL for trying to improve attendance by dropping prices mid-release. Maybe better forecasting on their end would have avoided this. But I have to admit, ticket prices had me thinking twice about attending with a Grand Final potentially the week after. I love my swans but dropping $600 + airfares and accommodation if required is a hefty sum.

I can see what they are trying to do - but surely it would be farbetter achieved by setting prices significantly lower in the first place.

[DamY]

I agree, but it'd give those that feel Sydney gets preferential treatment even more ammo

[Jewels]

We'll I think it is disgusting that you get there at 9.10am, membership in hand and get shafted because there are no $45 seats, no $72 seats and have to buy $102 seats and then cheap seats are available later in the day. it is absolute daylight robbery and I will never buy a ticket on day 1 for a game at ANZ stadium again. it disgusts me and I couldn't afford to really pay that price but desperately wanted to go.

I copped exactly the same thing. Got there at 8.55, served at 9.40 to be told the same as you. Checked out the website a couple of hrs later and seats i originally wanted ( and was told had sold out) not only available, but cheaper. Its criminal! I felt like the AFL/Ticketec were taking advantage of members.

There's no one to direct our complaints to, this system has been in place for over a decade now and due to the oligopolistic nature of the ticket industry in Australia there is very little incentive for Ticketek to change.

I think I'll send an email of complaint to Swans membership with the intention of them passing it on to whoever was responsible for the debacle.

I get that it's frustrating, but you can't fault the AFL for trying to improve attendance by dropping prices mid-release. Maybe better forecasting on their end would have avoided this.

Sorry no, maybe by wednesday if sales were still down, drop the prices and promote it hard but after a few hours? No, whoever was responsible was taking advantage of members who they think/know will pay whatever it costs to see their team in a prelim.

[floppinab]

I copped exactly the same thing. Got there at 8.55, served at 9.40 to be told the same as you. Checked out the website a couple of hrs later and seats i originally wanted ( and was told had sold out) not only available, but cheaper. Its criminal! I felt like the AFL/Ticketec were taking advantage of members.

Sorry no, maybe by wednesday if sales were still down, drop the prices and promote it hard but after a few hours? No, whoever was responsible was taking advantage of members who they think/know will pay whatever it costs to see their team in a prelim.

Agreed. I bought very early as well, got a pretty poor seat in my chosen category only to log on as a matter of interest in the afternoon to find heaps better seats available to the general public. I'm hearing today they are throwing a number of offers around (half price Cat2 seats for Red Rookie's). I'm feeling royally ripped off. Might send something in to the Swans as well. I know they are not the ultimate arbiter of how Finals seats are getting sold but I'm sure they have some input.

[Mel_C]

Interesting that the AFL slogan for this week is "They can't hear you at home".

Shame that the marketing department didn't communicate with the ticketing department.

[Melbournehammer]

Everything about the marketing of this game stinks. The pricing categories, the cheap seats, their availability and non availability, the telstra bonuses which appeared in my twitter feed today but not yesterday and so on.

My family and i are flying up which is costing us a little over $1000, plus tickets which are stuck in a pocket because having dropped the kids off at school i got to the ticket window at ticketek at 9.30 after i'd sat looking at the ipad refreshing itself every 25 seconds forever....Had i been informed about the telstra deal it would have led to vastly better seats at a cheaper price. Bizarre outcome.

I'm happy enough to cop the ludicrous gf arrangements because it needs the "theatre goers" in attendance but the whole point of prelims is to get the fans on board. The series of inconsistencies and rewards for those in the know associated with dual pricing rules I find very frustrating.

[ugg]

Telstra deal has been an ongoing thing throughout the regular season. Assuming you're a Telstra customer, I'd be surprised if this wasn't advertised to you regularly along with their $11 movie ticket offer. Technically it's an offer that's meant to be available to Telstra customers only but the way it's implemented anyone can have access to it so long as they get the right link and password.

It was also posted on RWO the night before.

[Melbournehammer]

Telstra deal has been an ongoing thing throughout the regular season. Assuming you're a Telstra customer, I'd be surprised if this wasn't advertised to you regularly along with their $11 movie ticket offer. Technically it's an offer that's meant to be available to Telstra customers only but the way it's implemented anyone can have access to it so long as they get the right link and password.

It was also posted on RWO the night before.

Actually been a customer of telstra since forever and never heard of the deal.

I'd like to think that I have better things to do the night before school and work than to read rwo. Normally its things like dinner, getting kids clothes organised, doing the weeks shopping, reading to the kids and so on.

I'd like to think that. Its not always true tbh.