Yahoo Lifestyle 'Calamity': AFL fans fume over 'farcical' ticketing gaffe
A handful of AFL clubs have apologised to fans after members were left seething due to a online Ticketmaster issue on Monday.
Fans looking to buy tickets to the AAMI Community Series for the coming weekend were left frustrated after being left with delays when logging on to Ticketmaster.
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Members were expected to get an email for a barcode to access their tickets ahead of general admission.
But clubs were forced to email or call their members to give them the barcode after a Ticketmaster error delayed purchase.
"Due to a Ticketmaster issue, our scheduled Member email for this morning’s AAMI on sale was delayed," the Western Bulldogs wrote on Twitter.
"We will be emailing all members their barcodes as soon as the issue is resolved.
Due to a Tickemaster issue, our scheduled Member email for this morning’s AAMI on sale was delayed. We will be emailing all members their barcodes as soon as the issue is resolved.
We’re as frustrated by this as you are and apologise for any inconvenience caused.— Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) March 1, 2021
"We’re as frustrated by this as you are and apologise for any inconvenience caused."
St Kilda also addressed the issue.
Apologies to members who are having trouble booking tickets, it appears the influx of people on Ticketmaster's site is causing issues.
Members have a priority window until 3pm, so please keep trying while we look into this further. https://t.co/vlriaZZqjg— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) March 1, 2021
Fans were still left fuming after the debacle with some claiming they missed out on tickets.
What a farcical calamity by @Ticketmaster_AU
When is @marvelstadiumau & @AFL going to sort this annual ticket debacle out.
Disappointed Legends @CollingwoodFC Member @PiesMembership
Better not occur during the season proper or expect a legal class action for rorting members. pic.twitter.com/HFbTil98LG— ⚫⚪DAVID⚪⚫ (@turtlemagpies) March 1, 2021
45 minutes later
Mother got her three tickets & parking both booked for Friday night !!!
Ticketmaster is still an utter pain for the afl regardless.— theresa (@_theresaa___) March 1, 2021
@PiesMembership @AFL email with barcode received 46 minutes after tickets went on sale.
How do members who do not have an email address receive their barcode? - via Australia Post two weeks after the match has been played?— John Jackson (@jj_dock) March 1, 2021
Is the game sold out? Try to get a ticket but says nothing available. I'm AFL Gold Member with club support.
— Tano (@BalladOfGaetano) March 1, 2021
Good work sending out the email for ticketing for Friday night at 12:47 when tickets were on sale at 12. @CollingwoodFC membership department continues to deliver the goods... #NOT #AFL #collingwoodfc
— Karl Young (@KarlYoung84) March 1, 2021
If I'm reading this right (because I can't seem to get tickets), that's almost 30,000 seats gone within 15 minutes for a pre-season game.
That surely has to be some sort of record @AFL.#AFL #AFLPiesTigers https://t.co/II7MHBN8bb— 𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙘𝙠 (@damopeck) March 1, 2021
Well that went well @Richmond_FC @AFL @Ticketmaster_AU .. 4 attempts, 15 minutes and can't get a ticket. It just keeps spinning and then says can't find the tickets you are looking for. So much for member priorityaccess. 😡😡😡😡😡
— WP Raskell (@WPRaskell) March 1, 2021
Cheers @Ticketmaster_AU sat on the website from 12:01 getting tickets for @AFL Aami Series with AFL Membership and waited 10 minutes to be told they’re all sold out 🤝 nice
— . (@flynno_22) March 1, 2021
The original problem was your company sent out member codes 47 minutes AFTER tickets went on sale.
Pathetic @AFL— ⚫⚪DAVID⚪⚫ (@turtlemagpies) March 1, 2021
AFL stadiums to open up for Round 1
The Victorian state government has cleared the AFL to host up to 50,000 fans at the MCG in round one of the 2021 AFL season, the largest sporting crowd seen in Australia since March last year.
With the state now on top of the recent coronavirus outbreak which sparked a five-day lockdown earlier in February, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan thanked state premier Daniel Andrews for allowing fans to come back in such large numbers.
The round one match between Richmond and Carlton on March 18 will boast the largest sporting crowd seen in Victoria since before Australia was initially sent into lockdown in March last year.
The 50,000 strong gathering will be the biggest since women's Twenty20 World Cup final which took place days before the worsening pandemic forced most of Australia into their homes for months.
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