A-League 2017: Finals tickets among the most expensive of Australian football codes

 

• Dominic Bossi

   
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Football might not be close to the dominant sport in Australia but ticket prices are among the most expensive, with admissions for this season's finals series looming as the least affordable of any of the four major football codes. Families and adults attending Saturday night's preliminary final between Sydney FC and Perth Glory at Allianz Stadium will have to pay more than twice the minimum cost of last year's NRL preliminary final, played at the same venue. 

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The cheapest family pass for two adults and two children for Saturday's game – expected to attract 20,000 spectators – costs $98, compared with $45 for a category C pass for the Sharks v Cowboys preliminary final, which attracted 37,000 fans through the gates.
The lowest-priced adult tickets cost $49 for Saturday's game, compared with $20 offered throughout the NRL finals series last year. It follows a trend of high pricing for the A-League finals series with tickets for last week's games in Brisbane and Melbourne significantly higher than equivalent NRL and Super Rugby finals – in some cases double.Adult tickets were comparable to AFL ticket prices for the first two weeks of their finals in 2016 while some A-League family tickets were more expensive.
Last year's AFL preliminary finals tickets were considerably more expensive than that of A-League preliminary finals. 
The prices coincide with disappointing crowd figures for the finals as the A-League is yet to attract a bumper attendance during this finals series. Brisbane Roar's match against Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday attracted 17,500 while fewer than 10,000 attended Melbourne City's home loss to Perth Glory.Advertisement


The latter was a significant concern given Melbourne City boast marquee Tim Cahill among their ranks, have more than 13,000 members and finished with an average attendance of approximately 10,300 during the regular season. Football Federation Australia controls the ticket pricing for the A-League finals series and receives the gate revenue. 
"Ticketing structures for semi-finals matches are designed to strike a balance between the affordability for families and the premium nature of finals matches," head of the A-League, Greg O'Rourke said. 
"Ticket prices for the 2016-17 finals series were structured with families in mind with all family tickets lower or the same as last year when coincidently the two matches in week one of the finals were played in the same stadiums on the same night."
The ticket pricing for this finals series have been poorly received by some supporters. Brisbane Roar fans had to pay between $45 and $65 for adult tickets to last week's game against the Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium while Sydney FC supporters voiced their frustration at prices doubling regular season seats. 
"There's a significant jump in prices from regular season games and the re-designation of seats. In some cases having people pay more than double than a regular season ticket because their bays have now been designated as platinum," Sydney FC supporter group spokesman, Grant Muir, said.Prices aren't much cheaper in Melbourne for Victory's home preliminary final against Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Sunday. Adult tickets range between $45 and $69 while families passes cost between $90 and $138.
The highest-priced seat at AAMI Park for Melbourne City's game against Perth cost $110, more than the most expensive adult ticket at the MCG for the first two weeks of AFL finals. 
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/aleague-2017-finals-tickets-among-the-most-expensive-of-australian-football-codes-20170426-gvt3kt.html

FFA only care about the cash, fuck the fans. 

So out of touch its unreal

They have been living in their own fairy tale land for too long, just not in touch with reality. 

Probably trying to deter people from attending matches so they will watch at home and provide a boost to the TV ratings.

Beyond a joke. 

Premium pricing works for premium events.

People paid $500 - $1000 for Adele tickets.  They probably will only ever have the chance to attend that concert once in a lifetime.

This is the 4th time Victory and Roar will play this year.  It's a very interesting match.  It's not all that premium though. 
The pricing has been like this for years.  It's nothing new.  The willingness of people to spend their money elsewhere this year should be a huge warning.
That this story exists should be another.  People are choosing to stay away and are talking about it.

The GF will still sell out.  Always does.  Right?

If its at Suncorp it totally will.

Grand Final is the show piece it will always sell out, nothing wrong with raising the prices a little for that but for the semis and quarter finals it is beyond a joke. You want to get as many as you can through the gates but the FFA don't care.

The Grand Final will sell out but the crowds for the semi-finals will be underwhelming. It is the case every year.

I know a few people who really want to go to these games but quite simply can't afford it.

Not to mention the fact that people and families will be expected to stump up even more for the even more premium final next week, should their team win this week.

Gotta raise the funds for exorbitant consultancy fees from your mates somehow! 

Dats a bingo

-PB

Is there a reason why a game more likely to sell out in Melbourne has tickets $4 cheaper than Sydney before Ticketek's handling fee? Or why you have to pay $6.60 handling fee to Ticketek for the Sydney game compared to a $4.65 handling fee for the game in Melbourne?

Are they seriously only expecting 20k? The team wins the premiership, loses one fucking game in the league, is scoring goals for fun and strong all round the park, and they can't even come close to filling a stadium against a quality opponent in a knockout finals game? 

Yes I know the prices are fucked but if Newy had anywhere near a successful season they would have filled Marathon at least half a dozen times, and would have definitely done it in the finals despite being 10 times smaller than Sydney (Inb4 that'll never happen bucko)

I think we'll get more than 20k. They've already sold 20k tickets by the looks of things and the game is still more than 48 hours away. 

So Pignata is going to try and lay the blame for the pathetic crowds that Sydney FC get at the ticket prices this week - what was it in the last round, the potential for bad weather that kept the fans away from the trophy presentation?

Pignata should be charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his consistent mismanagement of the franchise in Australia's largest city - pathetic.

Where in the article does it say anything about Pignata? From what I've read he's spent a lot of time this week trying sort out Ticketek's fuck ups, so I'd say he'd probably blame them before the ticket prices.

Where does this come from and WTF are you talking about??
??

I'm not sure how accurate the article is. the last time i went to an AFL final was Richmond v North Melbourne 2 years ago and I'm pretty sure I paid about $65 for a middle category ticket. I think $45 for category C on Sunday is a little high, but the game is still tracking towards a low-mid 20,000 crowd. If the prices were 25% cheaper it would probably sell out.  

Not sure what the ticket prices are for Saturday, but Sydney have proved this year that they can't pull a crowd away from derbies. 

Our last home semi pulled 27k. 

This is riddicolous
The hell do ffa think they are? What you thnk football is the most popular sport in this nation?
Because tis the A-league adult tickets general admission should be $15-20 just saying... its the A-league ffs
I say 50/50 of crowd revenue goes to the ffa and the home clubs or home dlubs and away clubs? Away clubs should get less since they bring less crowds generally since they are playing away

In etihad general admission for adults is $25 for the western bulldogs game vs richmond
6-14yo pay $5
$2 for under 6 yo
$17 for concessions
$52 for a family of four
This is great value for your money, the atmosphere is lowd, passionate and energetic. And the stadium is so gooood. And the attendence is two times the number compared to the A-league

Yep it's a disgrace but ticket pricing in general is pretty bad value when you consider the standard the league produces.
It's putting off casual fans getting into the game...

I tried to post a complaint about prices on the Hyundai Aleague FB page but could not find a comments section.
Can anyone point me in the right direction??

Maybe write your complaint on the event that the Hyundai ALeague FB page made for each final.

the melbourne city tickets werent that much more expensive. $10.

but through the season they are the most expensive in the league.  

I do believe that A-league final tickets should be more expensive than the regular season, but not double the amount ffs. Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face. How is it possible that a domestic league like the Bundesliga has tickets which are priced anywhere between 10-15 eurs in some sections (albeit their worst seats). The A-league has expensive, more expensive and stupid expensive (finals). The thing is that most of our revenue is actually generated from the TV deal. So we should be looking to make our game attractive as possible so that we pack out our stadiums. That alone would generate more interest where we most of our revenue ie tv money. 

At the same  time I am not proposing just giving tickets away either. Its important that we pay the right amount for tickets. Too cheap and you don't value your own product and it actually devalues what you are trying to achieve, too expensive and you drive away fans, families and new supporters to the game. 

exactly. regular season games should start at $20 at the absolute maximum. finals week 1 and 2 should start at $30 maximum. I'm sure most people will think its reasonable if GF prices started at $50 or $60, but this would depend on the size of the stadium. If it was at ANZ you'd sell it for far cheaper ($35-$40) in an attempt to fill it. 

Pax is already past 20k. But let's just run with 20k. More than double the price and getting more than half the attendance of the NRL game equals more revenue. Shrewd business.

almost always the same finals match ups, sure it might manufacture some form of a rivalry but i'm sure some fans are sick of seeing the same match ups whenever there side makes the finals. 

Melbourne City vs Perth Glory 2017,2016, 2013(or 12 can't remember). 
Melbourne Victory vs Brisbane Roar 2017,2016,2014
Brisbane Roar vs Western Sydney 2017,2016,2014,2013

On the bright side

You save more money by not going to a HAL final.



but not as much as not going to Adele