Ashes ticket warning

James Sutherland is keen to prevent people selling tickets on at a profit © Getty Images

Fans have been warned of the risks involved in buying tickets for this winter’s Ashes series through internet auction sites.

A percentage of priority tickets for the highly anticipated series went on sale to members of the Australia Cricket Family on June 1, and they sold at a rate of 10 per second for the first six hours.

But James Sutherland, chief executive of Cricket Australia, warned that they will be keeping close tabs on websites and newspaper classifieds for Ashes tickets up for re-sale and may exercise the right to cancel any tickets which have been re-sold at a premium.

“It is a real ‘buyer beware’ situation,” he said Sutherland.

“Under our terms and conditions it is not permissible to re-sell tickets and we will be exercising all the possible avenues to clamp down on that.

“People need to understand that if they buy tickets from one of these means (internet, classifieds) then they will be at risk of having their tickets cancelled and losing their money.”

Sutherland added that consideration had been given to English supporters and they will still have access to tickets for the Ashes series
when tickets go on sale to the general public on June 19.

“The realities are that there we have plenty of tickets that will be available to the general public and there are still plenty of tickets available at most venues,” said Sutherland.

“Supporters in England can also source tickets through organised tour group operators.”

Australia Cricket Family members, who have been offered about 40% of tickets on sale, have three weeks to purchase the priority tickets.

Any unsold seats, after that period, will be pooled with the tickets which have been allocated for general release and put on sale to the general public.