AFL Grand Final AFL Grand Final Hacked - Hackers issue tickets to themselves to on-sell privately.

[Chief]

The AFL Event Office has cancelled the barcodes of a range of corporate hospitality tickets just days out from the grand final after its portal was hacked.

[NOTE - it is barcodes that have been cancelled, not tickets. Affected ticket holders have been emailed tonight. Barcodes will be reissued.]

The event office handles corporate tickets – the smallest allocation for the grand final at the MCG on Saturday. Those involving Before the Bounce, Crown Grand Final Breakfast, Grand Final Plus Pass, Hassett Room, Ultimate Nobu, and Ultimate Suite packages have been impacted.

...
It is unclear how many of the tickets were accessed legitimately, with all cancelled barcodes to be re-issued later in the week.
...

The AFL said the relevant ticket holders have been told to delete their tickets as their barcodes would no longer work for Saturday’s sold-out grand final.

Club members, AFL members, MCC members, Medallion Club members, corporate suite holders, September Club members, and club and AFL stakeholders were not affected.

...

Fans are always strongly advised to not purchase tickets from anyone but Ticketek, the AFL Event Office or an authorised hospitality agent,” the AFL said.

 

[Eshay187]

A bunch of them could already have been on sold.

There are a heap of corporate packages out there from Carlton and Essendon folk who went early.

I’m looking for a standing room ticket help plz don’t delete me

 

[Shane Heard]

Probably Russians.

Sneaky sons of beaches..

 

[Chief]

AFL Press Release

AFL GRAND FINAL TICKETING INFORMATION

The AFL is pleased to advise the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final has completely sold out.

Both AFL and competing club member allocations have been exhausted. There are no further tickets available.

Tickets for successful Club and AFL members will become live in members’ Ticketek wallets on Thursday morning 10am AEST.

WARNING ON BUYING GRAND FINAL TICKETS FROM UNAUTHORISED SELLERS.

The AFL is delaying today’s planned delivery of corporate hospitality experience tickets purchased via the AFL Event Office, after it was advised this morning of unauthorised access to a number of batches of these tickets via the AFL Event Office platform.

AFL Event Office has identified that some corporate ticketing across a number of experiences was illegally downloaded and the AFL Integrity Unit is now in contact with Victoria Police regarding the matter. Victoria Police is investigating the unauthorised access to the AFL Event Office tickets.

Those customers holding tickets for the following corporate hospitality experiences purchased from AFL Event Office are impacted:

• Before the Bounce
• Crown Grand Final Breakfast
• Grand Final Plus Pass
• The Hassett Room
• Ultimate Nobu
• Ultimate Suite

Out of an abundance of caution the AFL has cancelled all barcodes for these corporate hospitality experience tickets purchased via the AFL Event Office and will re-issue the tickets later this week.

As will be advised directly to the relevant ticketholders who purchased a ticket for an AFL Event Office experience and have received a ticket today, they should delete those tickets as the barcode/s will not work on Saturday at the MCG. As noted above, new tickets will be re-issued later this week.

The AFL Event Office is contacting all affected purchasers to advise of next steps and will be in contact by COB Wednesday 25 September.

Please note that Club members, AFL members, MCC members, Medallion Club, Corporate suites holders, September Club, as well as Club and AFL Stakeholders are NOT affected by this development affecting AFL Event Office customers only.

Fans are always strongly advised to not purchase tickets from anyone but Ticketek, the AFL Event office or an authorised hospitality agent. Any ticket purchased in any other way does not guarantee entry to the AFL Grand Final, to avoid extreme disappointment, please ensure tickets from an unauthorised seller.

The AFL Grand Final is an event subject to a sports ticketing event declaration under the Major Events Act (Vic) 2009.

The 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final will be held at the MCG on Saturday, September 28 at 2:30pm AEST.

 

[HairyO]

A bunch of them could already have been on sold.

There are a heap of corporate packages out there from Carlton and Essendon folk who went early.

I’m looking for a standing room ticket help plz don’t delete me

Anyone buying from 3rd party sources has themself to blame if it turns out to be fake.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Shattered for the corporates

 

[Cyclops]

I know some Swannies looking to go, have not been able to help. Scalpers asking tens of thousands now for a single seat.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

I know some Swannies looking to go, have not been able to help. Scalpers asking tens of thousands now for a single seat.

Tens of thousands? Surely not.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Tens of thousands? Surely not.

Yes my sources say it's about $2k
Will probably drop also as game gets nearer

 

[Cyclops]

Tens of thousands? Surely not.

Told last night. I don't shop scalper so I haven't heard it first hand.

Anyone who on sells for a profit is a dog in my view. I'd rather give away a ticket to a mate than let them pay anything.

Corporate thinking is not much different to junkie thief thinking.

 

[josewales]

There is a major problem with the whole system . Corporate tickets go on sale from July through the AFL and authorised on sellers. These tickets are priced at $2500 - $6000 PP . If people have bought these packages and for some reason can't attend what do they expect is going to happen? It's not like they are going to burn their $, of course they are going to try to recoup their money by on selling the tickets.

Now the Government has categorised the Grand Final as a "declared event". This means that on selling of tickets on sites like Ebay is prohibited. Yet the Government also says you can on sell your ticket as long as you do not charge more than 10% over cost

Once the GF teams are decided demand always outstrips supply, and a lot of those supporters who want to attend can't access tickets. They will look around at sites like ebay, facebook ,gumtree etc and see tickets advertised at these corporate prices , freak out and get the impression that "Scalpers" are profiteering.
I've been watching the secondary market and this is not the case - most tickets are being sold at cost or below and most on sellers are taking a hit on the price they paid.

If the AFL is serious about "Scalpers" then why do they not set up a portal where those who have pre-purchased corporate packages or members who are fortunate enough to have tickets, can advertise them for resale , monitoring the prices asked and providing those who want to purchase a SAFE way to do it? Similar to Tickatek marketplace .

On a side note, the government make a song and dance about people profiteering on tickets yet say nothing about the real scalpers - the airlines.

 

[josewales]

Tens of thousands? Surely not.

I know some Swannies looking to go, have not been able to help. Scalpers asking tens of thousands now for a single seat.

2024 The Ultimate - Miller Room

• Pre-match dining experience in the Miller Room at the MCG (on-site)
• The Ultimate pre-game inner-sanctum experience at the MCG
• Level 2 MCG Reserved seats outside the Dining Room
• Access to exclusive post-match hospitality at The Grand Final Village

Level 2 - MCG Reserved seating - $6,995pp - SOLD OUT

2024 The Ultimate - Nobu

• Pre-match dining experience at Nobu Restaurant (off-site)
• The Ultimate pre-game inner-sanctum experience at the MCG
• Level 2 MCG Reserved seats
• Access to exclusive post-match hospitality at The Grand Final Village

Level 2 - MCG Reserved seating - $5,995pp - SOLD OUT

Blame the "Scalpers" - it's a smoke screen for AFL - this is what they charge for a decent ticket

 

[dean33]

There is a major problem with the whole system . Corporate tickets go on sale from July through the AFL and authorised on sellers. These tickets are priced at $2500 - $6000 PP . If people have bought these packages and for some reason can't attend what do they expect is going to happen? It's not like they are going to burn their $, of course they are going to try to recoup their money by on selling the tickets.

Now the Government has categorised the Grand Final as a "declared event". This means that on selling of tickets on sites like Ebay is prohibited. Yet the Government also says you can on sell your ticket as long as you do not charge more than 10% over cost

Once the GF teams are decided demand always outstrips supply, and a lot of those supporters who want to attend can't access tickets. They will look around at sites like ebay, facebook ,gumtree etc and see tickets advertised at these corporate prices , freak out and get the impression that "Scalpers" are profiteering.
I've been watching the secondary market and this is not the case - most tickets are being sold at cost or below and most on sellers are taking a hit on the price they paid.

If the AFL is serious about "Scalpers" then why do they not set up a portal where those who have pre-purchased corporate packages or members who are fortunate enough to have tickets, can advertise them for resale , monitoring the prices asked and providing those who want to purchase a SAFE way to do it? Similar to Tickatek marketplace .

On a side note, the government make a song and dance about people profiteering on tickets yet say nothing about the real scalpers - the airlines.

A scalper might put on a few hundred $ and people lose their minds, the afl whack on a $120 a head breakfast and sell the ticket for $5,000 and it’s all good.

 

[josewales]

A scalper might put on a few hundred $ and people lose their minds, the afl whack on a $120 a head breakfast and sell the ticket for $5,000 and it’s all good.

2024 Grand Final Village - Post Match packages
- Post match Hospitality included

• Premium MCG Reserved seat for the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final
• Post-Game access to the Grand Final Village within the Yarra Park Precinct

Level 4 Back - MCG Reserved seating - $2,295pp - SOLD OUT
Level 4 Middle - MCG Reserved seating - $2,405pp - SOLD OUT
Level 4 Front - MCG Reserved seating - $2,495pp - SOLD OUT
Level 1 Goal - MCG Reserved seating - $2,595pp - SOLD OUT
Level 1 - MCG Reserved seating - $2,715pp - SOLD OUT

2024 Before the Bounce - Grand Final Day

• Sit-down pre-game Lunch at Centrepiece - Melbourne Park on Grand Final Day
• MCG Reserved seats

Level 1 - MCG Reserved seating - $2,915pp - SOLD OUT
Level 2a - MCG Reserved seating - $2,995pp - SOLD OUT
Level 2 - MCG Reserved seating - $3,195pp - SOLD OUT

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Shattered for the corporates

Yep agreed.
Thoughts and prayers.

 

[Cyclops]

A scalper might put on a few hundred $ and people lose their minds, the afl whack on a $120 a head breakfast and sell the ticket for $5,000 and it’s all good.

Not losing my mind. I like watching footy. Scalpers inflate the price, they are literal parasites. Ditto hackers.

This doesn't get the AFL and corporates off the hook for their sins, but scalpers are dogs.

 

[Callipygian]

Anyone buying from 3rd party sources has themself to blame if it turns out to be fake.

Easy for you to say. I'm a club member who missed out in the ballot. There are many of us. There is no easy path to a ticket. Not all of us can afford the really expensive corporate packages or even to buy a 'premiership club' membership that guarantees access to the GF (and I think those sold out for us months ago anyway).

I'm coming to Melbourne anyway and hoping to find a ticket but, if I don't, I hope I'll just be able to go to the parade and soak up the atmosphere, visit the Rising Sun and other haunts in South Melbourne etc.

 

[HairyO]

Easy for you to say. I'm a club member who missed out in the ballot. There are many of us. There is no easy path to a ticket. Not all of us can afford the really expensive corporate packages or even to buy a 'premiership club' membership that guarantees access to the GF (and I think those sold out for us months ago anyway).

I'm coming to Melbourne anyway and hoping to find a ticket but, if I don't, I hope I'll just be able to go to the parade and soak up the atmosphere, visit the Rising Sun and other haunts in South Melbourne etc.

I assume Fed Square will have a big screen.

 

[Slax]

AFL event office system hacked, yet then say to trust AFL event office

Simple fact is the AFL ticketing system failing in finals is a greater certainty than TAB breaking down on Melbourne Cup day before everything went online.