Calls for changes over AFL Grand Final ticket allocations as Collingwood and Brisbane Lions fans miss out

Craig Kelly, Chief Executive of Collingwood FC, has called on the AFL to provide clubs with more grand final tickets, after this week’s allocation process prompted anger and disappointment from members who missed out.

Kelly today criticised the AFL and ticketing partner Ticketek over seat allocation and payment processes ahead of this weekend’s grand final at the MCG, expressing his unhappiness that some of the Collingwood’s top-tier priority one (P1) members will miss out on being able to attend.

While the MCG seats more than 100,000 people, Collingwood and Brisbane have each been allocated 17,000 tickets each for their members.

That's despite Collingwood, which has the largest membership among AFL clubs, having more than 100,000 members and Brisbane having in excess of 50,000.

With Collingwood’s P1 members, who pay more than $1,000 per year, not being allocated tickets, Kelly has called for teams to receive at least 20,000 tickets, advising that he is actively engaging with the AFL, Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), Ticketek and other stakeholders to push for changes and improve the system.

Kelly explained that the club's allocation of 17,000 tickets was "far from enough for our most loyal members", noting “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.”

He went on to say that the club believed members who had contributed their "hard earned should be rewarded with a fair opportunity to witness Collingwood on the biggest stage".

Further fan concerns related to payments, with Collingwood claiming fans were charged by Ticketek before they knew which seats they had been allocated. However, Kelly said the club has been informed that 700 members whose credit cards either failed or had insufficient funds are not at risk of losing their allocation.

He added “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.”

More than 30 P1 Collingwood members also encountered an issue when they didn't select a standing room option and missed out on tickets in the automated ballot.

In a statement to media, a Ticketek spokesperson said the process ran in line with instruction from the AFL, Collingwood and MCG “without issue”.

The AFL allocates grand final tickets according to this formula:

Competing club members: 16,000 to 40,000 (16-40% of seats)
AFL clubs: (18) up to 7,000 (0-7% of seats)
Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Reserve: 16,000 to 26,000 (16-26% of seats)
AFL Members: 13,000 to 18,000 (13-18% of seats)
AFL/Medallion Club Members: 3,000 to 5,000 (3-5% of seats)
AFL Entitlements/Contractual Obligations: 5,000 to 30,000 (5-30% of seats)
Competing clubs: up to 5,000 (0-5% of seats)

Kelly went on to say that the club was working to ensure "every single" P1 member who had registered for the grand final would receive a ticket.

He also said P1 members who were given a standing room ticket would be allocated a seat.

The AFL Fans Association agreed more grand final tickets should have been allocated to Collingwood and Brisbane fans.

Advising that the current allocation formula is not fair on fans, AFL Fans Association President, Ron Issko stated "(fans) that go week in week out, every week, home away interstate, rain hail or shine, and then when it comes to the biggest game of the year, the grand final, some members just can't go.”

An AFL spokesperson said the League was not planning a response to calls for increased ticket allocations for competing clubs at this time.

Image: Grand final day at the MCG.