Australia bid to limit England fans at Ashes

 

Priority will be given to home ticket applications

 

Andrew Culf

Tuesday January 10, 2006

The Guardian

 

Australia's cricket authorities will today announce ticketing plans for next winter's keenly awaited Ashes rematch that are designed to prevent Test grounds from being swamped by English supporters. Cricket Australia will reveal when tickets are to go on sale - and the five Test venues are stressing that priority will be given to home fans and a limit placed on the number of tickets available to the English.

Australian supporters are being advised to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale to prevent it becoming a virtual home series for England. Administrators are anxious to avoid a repeat of the 2001 tour by the Lions, when visiting rugby supporters made up more than half the crowd at the Gabba in Brisbane.

 

Up to 40,000 English fans are expected to travel to Australia for the six-week series, but last night Paul Burnham, chief organiser of the Barmy Army, forecast that the ticketing arrangements could cause "disappointment and worry" for English fans and create a unhealthy black market.

 

Burnham said he could not criticise Australia for favouring their own, but expressed the hope that local fans did not buy tickets and then sell them at a profit to England fans, as happened at the Barbados Test in 2004 and with the Lions in Christchurch last year.

 

"English supporters are the best in the world - it is a shame they are sometimes treated as a cash cow. It is a shame people are pushed to their financial limits."

 

The Barmy Army has had 12,000 ticket inquiries on its website and Burnham still expected fans to travel in their thousands. But he added: "I think they have been looking for some time for an excuse not to have the Barmy Army in the grounds. It will be a real shame if those who have spent ??5,000 travelling on previous Ashes tours cannot get in this time."

 

In terms of interest the series has already eclipsed the Commonwealth Games, which start in Melbourne in March. James Sutherland, chief executive of Cricket Australia, said: "The Ashes Test series is shaping as the biggest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Olympics - that's the scale we're working on."

 

It is expected that Australia's "cricket community" - club players, administrators, umpires and those who have previously bought tickets for internationals - will be able to apply for tickets from June 1, before they go on general sale a month later. A limit of 10 tickets is likely to be put on the number that can be bought on the internet. This is designed to frustrate ticket touts and prevent large groups getting seats together. Cricket Australia hopes around 80% of tickets will be available to home supporters.

 

The final Test in Sydney, starting on January 2, is likely to be the most popular for touring fans. The SCG holds 42,000 and about 5,500 tickets will go to organised English tour groups out of a total of 28,000 public seats. David Gilbert, chief executive of Cricket New South Wales, said he expected many more English fans to try buying tickets that were on general sale. "We can sell 28,000 tickets and once they go on sale anyone can try to buy them on the internet, although we've told Ticketek [the ticket agency] to refer any requests for more than 10 to us."

 

The first Test starts at the Gabba on November 23, where capacity has been increased to 40,000. Queensland's acting premier Anna Bligh has written to Cricket Australia expressing concern that English fans could snap up too many tickets.

 

For the second Test at Adelaide capacity will be increased from 29,000 to 31,500, with 8,000 tickets on general sale. Only 2,000 will be made available to tour operators. The third Test in Perth will see tour companies get 3,000 seats, with 11,000 on public sale. The Melbourne Test, from Boxing Day, should be less of a problem with more than 100,000 seats at the MCG.

was talking to my mate who lives in sydney, tickets are already on sale over there.

 

smiley are you going?

Would love to do the Boxing Day at Melbourne.

 

Over 70,000 on against South Africa recently.

 

Reckon that will be a sell-out against England especially so if the series is still alive. Not bad when that's 100,000.

I'm supposed to be heading out for the Brisbane test but this has got me a bit worried, was going to book the flights this week.

Can forget it now for Melbourne and Sydney. Adelaide and Brisbane you'll have more of a chance and Perth a very good chance I'd say.

Can forget it now for Melbourne and Sydney. Adelaide and Brisbane you'll have more of a chance and Perth a very good chance I'd say.

 

The attendances tail off at Melbourne for days 2-5. Boxing Day will be the only sell-out.

 

There will be a cracking black market for the rest of the series.

Well it depends on how the series goes, if Oz are 3-0 by Melbourne the series is won so it won't sell out on any day. If it's close though I'd say there'll be 100,000 on for each of the first 3 days. If it all depends on the Sydney test last up with it's 50,000 capacity there'll be a biblical scramble for tickets.

Last Ashes series when The KKS travelled, Boxing day was mad, sell out.

 

Next 4 days you could turn up at 1 and still get in.

 

1st day of the Sydney test is Always a problem, but again days 2-5 piece of piss.

 

Always have mates ITK who can get you tickets :-$

 

ST

See you there!

Last Ashes series when The KKS travelled, Boxing day was mad, sell out.

 

Next 4 days you could turn up at 1 and still get in.

 

1st day of the Sydney test is Always a problem, but again days 2-5 piece of piss.

 

Always have mates ITK who can get you tickets  :-$  

 

ST

See you there!

 

England were shit then. They have significantly improved. The interest will be higher on both sides. The Aussies will want revenge.

I'd love to go, but you've got to look at the cost and time away from home. Not sure if a family holiday in Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne would be that welcome. Brisbane on the other hand would be appealing - you could pack everyone off to the beach.

Not sure if a family holiday in Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne would be that welcome. Brisbane on the other hand would be appealing - you could pack everyone off to the beach.

 

Pretty sure Brisbane is the only one of those 4 cities without a beach.

Not sure if a family holiday in Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne would be that welcome. Brisbane on the other hand would be appealing - you could pack everyone off to the beach.

 

Pretty sure Brisbane is the only one of those 4 cities without a beach.

 

Brisbane has Sandgate Beach and Nudgee Beach and handily placed for both the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

sorted my tickets, my mate plays for lancashire and played a 1dayer for england. played with him for 10 years. called saj mahmood. pb prob knows him through watkey. gets me tickets for lancs all the time. shame he carried on getting better and i got binned from lans under 17's

sorted my tickets, my mate plays for lancashire and played a 1dayer for england. played with him for 10 years. called saj mahmood. pb prob knows him through watkey. gets me tickets for lancs all the time. shame he carried on getting better and i got binned from lans under 17's

 

 

can you get me tickets mate?

wish i could get more, even if i take um over just gettin face value would be a profit. wouldnt do that though. they only get 4 tickets per player. as all his family are asian i got a stroke of luck. wont believe it till they are in my hands though. never look on the bright side.

Last Ashes series when The KKS travelled, Boxing day was mad, sell out.

 

Next 4 days you could turn up at 1 and still get in.

 

1st day of the Sydney test is Always a problem, but again days 2-5 piece of piss.

 

Always have mates ITK who can get you tickets  :-$  

 

ST

See you there!

 

 

That was when the beach boys took liberties all day. :-$

 

Boxing day is a complete sell out but tickets were available for the rest of the test.

 

If i my memory serves me well i bought my tickets through Australian ticketmaster about 4 months before i flew out.

sorted my tickets, my mate plays for lancashire and played a 1dayer for england. played with him for 10 years. called saj mahmood. pb prob knows him through watkey. gets me tickets for lancs all the time. shame he carried on getting better and i got binned from lans under 17's

 

Sajid Mahmood is Amir Khan's cousin, is he not?

Beach Boys took liberties

 

Talk us then through your knockout on the steps of the MCG :-$

Visited the MCG in 1997. It was pretty impressive then.

 

They've since rebuilt half of it.... This photo taken on the last AFL Grand Final Day.

 

sorted my tickets, my mate plays for lancashire and played a 1dayer for england. played with him for 10 years. called saj mahmood. pb prob knows him through watkey. gets me tickets for lancs all the time. shame he carried on getting better and i got binned from lans under 17's

 

did you play for astley bridge ?

 

 

my brother in law still plays there.

 

 

i retired after one glorious season aged 16 to concentrate on binge drinking and wanking.

f.a.o traf. amir khan is saj's cousin, also saj has opened a kebeb house in town, so not only have i got tickets free donners on sat after blackburn away. what more could a guy want.

 

yes ani played there for 12 years, back out of retirement for the coming season though, going to dust off the bit of willow and see if i can hold it without dropping it.