Ticketing on Saturday - What was going on?

GoWoodsmen · Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Location: Australia

So on Saturday I arrived at Gate 1 about 5 minutes before the start of the game. I had my 4yo and 6yo kids with me. As we're walking up to the ticket window I'm hearing over the PA "if you have just purchased a general admission ticket you will need to go around to Gate 3, 4 or 5. The general admission area is now FULL".

So at this point I'm thinking "wow, I've underestimated this crowd by 30,000". Then we take up our place in the very back row of the Southern Stand.... and my brother-in-law points at the Ponsford. I'm not kidding, the top deck was barely 1/3 full.

Does anyone know, do our reserved seat ticket holders now extend to level 4 of the Ponsford? It was ridiculous. And the same could be said of level 1 in the Southern. There were massive holes in the crowd everywhere.

57,000 at Easter is not a bad crowd but I just don't get it. There is something seriously wrong with the ticketing algorithms or strategies at the MCG.

Can anyone offer any insight into wtf was/is going on?

mattys123 · Joined: 06 Jul 2009 Location: Narre Warren, VIC

For Pies home games all but about the back 10 rows of the Ponsford are set aside as a reserved area, so that's why you were turned away from gate 1, because the GA area in the Ponsford actually was full.

It's the same in many of our other home reserved seat areas around the ground, they are not fully taken up for most games, it's a strange system but it's the system that has existed for a while now.

melliot · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Location: Bendigo

I was in Q24 AFL members. I noticed for the people who actually rocked up, they had the privilege of sitting in the last 10 rows of the Ponny while the best/better seats are vacant.

It's a bad look. And doesn't encourage people to "just rock up on the day". I'd nearly prefer to watch on telly than sit way up there. They need a better system to allow unused booked seats to be utilized on the day.

GoWoodsmen · Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Location: Australia

Thanks MattyD, at least I know now. That's a big shift from last year.
Guess I'll kiss goodbye to "our" stand unless I win Tatts!

Melliot.... you're spot on.... it's a shocking look. I really think they need this "sell back" or "buy back" ... basically the ability to re-sell your seat if you can't make a game - urgently.

The atmosphere was pretty good to be honest but surely it would be better seeing the last 10 rows empty and the front section chockers??

MattyD · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Location: Kew

joffa corfe · PREMIERS 2010 Joined: 13 Nov 2003

With all respect to the creator of this wonderful topic and those who have responded why has it not been moved ???