AFL issues warning to fans over black market grand final tickets

The AFL has warned fans to be vigilant around buying grand final tickets after advising that thousands of official barcodes were “illegally downloaded” in a digital security breach.

The League has been forced to cancel and reissue corporate tickets to Saturday’s match at the MCG after discovering the hack earlier this week, with Victoria Police now investigating the matter.

Advising that the League had been alerted some tickets may end up “in the wrong hands” and that the extent of the breach was “in the small four figures”, AFL Chief Executive, Andrew Dillon stated “the grand final is a sellout, and if any tickets will be getting sold, if you’re looking to purchase tickets now, be really careful about that, because there is a chance that they won’t be authorised tickets.”

Grand final hospitality experiences cost up to $5,995 per person, and patrons affected had bought access to premium offerings including the Crown grand final breakfast and an ‘intimate lunch’ at premium restaurant Nobu, which is described as “your ticket to the inner-sanctum”.

The AFL yesterday advised that a police investigation was under way over the “unauthorised access to the AFL Event Office tickets”, with Dillon noting that the matter has been dealt with swiftly.

Dillon added “we alerted Victoria Police as soon as we became aware of it.

“It was through a third party provider who looks after some of the corporate hospitality packages.”

Saturday’s game between Sydney and Brisbane is the first grand final featuring two interstate teams since 2006. Despite the absence of a Victorian side, the league is expecting the MCG to again reach capacity of 100,024. The ground has attracted six-figure crowds for its previous five grand finals.

Dillon has also advised that as the MCG considers its next phase of redevelopment around the Shane Warne Stand, “there would be potential for a slightly expanded capacity”, adding “we’ve got to work really closely with the MCC the Victorian Government about what the right look and feel for that Shane Warne Stand would be.”