UPDATE: Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly has assured priority-one Magpies members who registered for the AFL grand final ballot that they will receive a seat for the decider, amid a feud that’s erupted between the club and Ticketek.
Until Collingwood released a statement on the ticket controversy on Monday, Magpies members were confused, devastated and calling for action ahead of the grand final against Brisbane, taking place at the MCG on Saturday.
Priority-one Magpies members paid almost $1000 for a membership that guaranteed them a grand final ticket, but some were left with “standing room” tickets, some were allocated areas with obstructed views and others missed out altogether.
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There were even instances of priority-two and priority-three members ending up better off than priority-one members.
But the Collingwood boss moved to allay fears.
“As a competing club, we receive 17,000 tickets which is far from enough for our most loyal members. We believe members who contribute their hard earned should be rewarded with a fair opportunity to witness our team on the biggest stage,” Kelly said.
“We have been working through the situation overnight and have some updates for you.
“Every single priority-one [P1] member who registered for the grand final ballot will receive a ticket to the 2023 AFL grand final.
“There were 37 P1 members who did not select the standing room option and, as such, missed out on tickets through the automated ballot. We will sort each of those 37 members directly to ensure they have a seat.
“Anyone who is a P1 member and were given a standing room ticket — that will be changed from standing room to an allocated seat.”
Kelly also said tickets had not become available to priority-two and priority-three members before priority-one members.
“However, accessible requirement members were fulfilled yesterday [on Sunday],” Kelly said.
Ticketek hit out via a statement on Monday, brushing off all blame being directed its way and saying the responsibility of allocated tickets lay with Collingwood and the AFL.
Collingwood fired back.
“We call on Ticketek to improve their system so that the moment funds are taken out of bank accounts, tickets are released to members immediately,” Kelly said.
“We have been informed that 700 members whose credit cards either failed or had insufficient funds are not at risk of losing their allocation. They will be contacted by Ticketek and the club this morning.
“We know grand finals are a case of high demand and limited availability which is why we call on the AFL to increase competing club allocations from 17,000 to at least 20,000 tickets.”
Collingwood member Kerryn Sharpe was among those who had unloaded over the ticket fiasco.
“This is something that is so big in our lives,” Sharpe told 9News Melbourne.
“I have been a single parent and struggled and worked 60-70-hour weeks and the one thing I’ve always kept going is my membership.”
Collingwood member Christine Gallace said she was “really, really cross”.
“Standing all day for me is not acceptable. I’m 68,” she told 9News Melbourne.
The fact that some priority-two and priority-three members are set for a better grand final experience than priority-one members has crushed Sharpe.
“That’s like a stab in the heart for you,” Sharpe said.
“I’m asking the AFL to recall all those tickets and re-ticket everything. They have time to do it,” Gallace added.
“Not just for me and my friends; for all the members out there who have been by this club’s side for the last 20 years,” Sharpe said.
Ticketek defended itself in a statement ahead of Collingwood’s clash with Brisbane at the MCG.
“We’re aware of some members contacting the Collingwood Football Club and the AFL in regards to the grand final ballot,” the statement said.
“The ballot process ran as per the instruction from the AFL, Collingwood Football Club and the MCG without issue.”
Collingwood has 106,470 members and Brisbane has 54,676.
The Magpies qualified for the decider by beating Greater Western Sydney by one point, while the Lions advanced in a 16-point victory over Carlton.
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