The AFL Grand Final is just around the corner, but instead of enjoying the moment some fans are losing their minds.
Not because the game is so close, it’s due to the fact that despite being high-paying members, they’ve missed out on a ticket to the big game.
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Social media was abuzz on Sunday morning with Ticketek sitting high on the trending list for all the wrong reasons.
Collingwood fans were venting their frustrations having missed out on securing a seat despite forking over hundreds of dollars for a membership with a guaranteed Grand Final seat.
3AW journalist Jacqui Felgate shared a message from one Pies member who voiced their displeasure at the Grand Final situation.
“There are major issues with Ticketek and the ballot system for GF seats,” the message read.
“I am a Priority 1 Collingwood Member with a guaranteed seat at the GF (just not guaranteed where the seats are).
“The ballot was yesterday. I don’t have a seat, even after registering for the ballot and receiving both sms notification and Ticketek account notification that my registration was successful.
“My brother is a priority 1 Collingwood member, also guaranteed a seat but is on level 4 at the very back. A friend is a Priority 3 member and has a seat on level 2.
“I but a membership in good faith that I will be guaranteed a seat at the GF if Collingwood makes it, and now they have, a ticketing error on Ticketeks side has seen many P1 members without a ticket they were guaranteed to receive.”
Felgate shared multiple messages to her Instagram stories that she had received from disgruntled members who had missed out on securing a ticket.
“This is so not fair and the system of Ticketek always seems to fail. As a 19 year club member, it’s really making me consider the loyalty of the club to there members,” one message read.
Fans on social media were livid and demanding answers from the ticketing service along with their own football club.
In a statement to news.com.au Ticketek stated the system was being closely monitoried and everything had run without issue on their end.
“We’re aware of some members contacting the Collingwood Football Club and the AFL in regards to the Grand Final Ballot,” the statement read.
“The Ballot process ran as per the instruction from the AFL, Collingwood Football Club and the MCG without issue.
“The Ballot results will be published at 9am (AEST) Monday 25 September.”
A statement from the MCG is set to be released this afternoon.
Ticketek were embroiled in controversy in June when chaos erupted during the pre-sale event for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Insiders at the company lifted the lid and revealed there’s actually no queue and the selection of fans to purchase tickets is totally random to ensure the process is “fair”.
As millions of frustrated Australian fans waited for hours to access the pre-sale on Wednesday, they were repeatedly urged to not refresh their browser to effectively hold their place in the queue.
But Ticketek has revealed that’s not how its system actually works.
News.com.au has confirmed that anyone in the ticket lounge at the same time has the same chance of being selected to purchase tickets.
“Everyone in the Ticketek lounge has an equal opportunity to get into the site regardless of when they have arrived,’’ a spokesman said.
In other words, it doesn’t matter if you arrived at 9.30am or 12pm. If you’re still in “the queue” at 12.30pm, you have an equal chance of being randomly selected to purchase a ticket.