Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

Scalpers fleece Adelaide footy fans

Scalpers fleece Adelaide footy fans
March 28, 2014

Tickets for the first AFL showdown at the new Adelaide Oval are reportedly being sold for grossly inflated prices on the secondary ticket market, just a day after a Senate committee reported finding minimal evidence of ticket scalping in Australian entertainment and sport.

With demand for tickets for tomorrow's clash between the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide exceeding availability at the redeveloped 53,500 capacity venue, tickets for the game are being offered on Gumtree at prices above their face value: $25 General Admission tickets were being offered for $100, and others asking as much as $350.

The South Australian Government is apparently powerless to stop scalpers from taking advantage of fan interest in the game, despite having enacted a new law to prevent profiteering.

In introducing its anti-ticket scalping legislation last year, the South Australian Government failed to add the Crows v Power game to a list of ‘designated major events’, defining the game as a ‘regular fixture’.

The new law, bans the onselling of tickets to these designated major events for more than 110% of the original sale price.

Bizarrely, a Federal Senate inquiry into ticket scalping, released on Wednesday, found minimal evidence of ticket scalping in Australian sport.

However, Federal independent Senator Nick Xenophon, a member of the Senate inquiry committee has called for a nationally coordinated crackdown on scalpers, including a ban on software ‘bots’ which snap up tickets.

Senator Xenophon said price caps on the resale of tickets could help deter scalpers, telling the Adelaide Advertiser “these people are vultures. They deprive genuine fans of getting to a game

“We cannot ignore this anymore. It needs to be done at a national level. Having a state-by-state, piecemeal approach doesn't work.”

Senator Xenophon suggested that concerts and major sporting events in Adelaide may be more vulnerable to scalpers than events in larger capital cities, adding “because we have a relatively small number of events compared to other states, we are vulnerable to that exploitation.”

The South Australian legislation punishes scalping at designated major events by fines of up to $1,500 for individuals or $25,000 for corporates.

The Rolling Stones concert, Tour Down Under and ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 are the only events that have so far been included on the list.

Commenting on the scalping, AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said ticket scalping predominantly occurred at grand final time when it was tackled using Victorian laws.

Keane added that preventing scalping of tickets to other events was the responsibility of state authorities and he urged fans against purchasing tickets through non-official channels.

Keane stated “we constantly get the message to supporters that if you buy a ticket anywhere other than from a registered outlet, you very much run the risk that your ticket isn't legitimate and won't give you admission.”

Ticketing agencies support the establishment of official marketplaces for fans to onsell tickets if they are unable to attend an event.

Tennis Australia has already helped establish a website which enables fans to resell tickets to the 2014 Australian Open.

27th March 2014 - FEDERAL SENATE REPORT SUGGESTS TICKET SCALPING NOT A BIG PROBLEM

21st February 2014 - CALLS FOR NATIONAL CRACKDOWN ON SCALPING AT FEDERAL SENATE TICKETING INQUIRY 

25th September 2013 - 500,000 AUSTRALIANS A YEAR CAUGHT OUT BY ONLINE TICKET SCAMS

2nd July 2010 - MOSHTIX LAUNCHES TICKET SCALPING SURVEY


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

Elite Pool Covers

Since 1989 Elite Pool Covers have designed and manufactured an extensive range of high quality affordable manual,semi-automatic and fully-automatic pool cover systems for the harsh Australian…

read more

Aquatics / Environment / Technology / Venues

 
 

iDwala Pty Ltd

iDwala is the Community Sports Facility Specialist offering the highest quality designs and technical expertise to Councils, Schools and Sporting Clubs looking to create sporting…

read more

Consultants / Design / Recreation / Sport / Surfaces

 
 

ProSlide Technology

ProSlide is the global leader in water ride design and manufacturing, supplying high-performance water attractions to new and expanding water parks around the world. For over three decades, ProSlide…

read more

Aquatics / Play / Waterparks

 
 

BioLab Australia Pty Ltd

BioGuard is Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted supplier of premium, innovative and affordable commercial water treatment systems and chemicals. BioGuard offers a comprehensive range of…

read more

Aquatics / Technology / Waterparks

 
 

Mattioli

Gianni Mattoli Director 0412 360 378 E: gianni@mattoli.com.au E: marketing@mattioli.com.au Tony Aloi National Operations Manager 0425 762 864 E: tony@mattoli.com.au MEL · SYD · ADE…

read more

Aquatics / Recreation / Safety / Technology

 
 

Augmented Creative

Augmented Creative is an open organization of like-minded and highly dedicated, creative people who conceive, plan and execute visual solutions. We pursue new and innovative visual ideas to help…

read more

Arts / Attractions / Consultants / Design / Tourism

 
 

Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976, and has since grown into a leading company in the waterparks industry. Today Polin is one of the world leaders in the design, production, and installation of…

read more

Aquatics / Attractions / Play / Waterparks

 
 

HRMWEB

At easyemployer we've come up with a software solution that manages one of your most important, and often most costly, business resources - your staff. We are helping 100s of clients to…

read more

Finance / Fitness / Technology

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business