Supporters are being slugged more for reserved seats in the opening round of the AFL under the dynamic pricing system, the official fans association says.
Reserved seat prices have risen for six of the nine round one games under the system, which allows home teams to set those prices and raise or lower them up until game day. Some clubs had increased the cost of a seat for the opening round by as much as $12.
All reserved seat tickets for Saturday's St Kilda-Melbourne game at Etihad Stadium have increased by $12. The cheapest on level three have risen from $45 to $57, and the most expensive from $66 to $78.
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Essendon, who take on Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night, have lifted all reserved seat prices for their blockbuster by $6. And Carlton, who open the season against Richmond tonight at the MCG, have already lifted reserved seat prices twice.
"St Kilda is trying to cash in on the Saints' and Demons' promising pre-season form," said AFL Fans Association president Gerry Eeman. "Essendon is rewarding fans who can't wait to see its suspended players return by increasing prices at the last minute. It's disappointing.
"The only unaffected fans are those who booked really early, members with reserved seats, or those who chance it with general admission."
Eeman said that as well as allowing home clubs to force some fans to pay more for big games, the ticket system was overly complicated. "Many people don't understand how it works," he said.
The AFL introduced variable pricing in 2014. It categorised games as A-Reserved, A, B and C based on demand. A-Reserved games had no general admission, later changed. In 2015, home clubs took control of reserved seat pricing, allowing them to vary prices for the same seats at different games.
Last year, the AFL introduced dynamic pricing, which allowed home clubs to increase or decrease reserved seat prices by a limited amount until game day.
"Dynamic pricing was initially sold by the AFL as a win for fans, as it would allow clubs to reduce reserved seat prices," Eeman said. "But this week at least, some clubs have used it to increase prices."
General admission prices are the exception and cannot rise.
But Eeman claims a general admission ticket has become far more restrictive over the past 15 years. For the 2017 season, general admission at the MCG and Etihad has been frozen at $25 for adults, $17 concession and $5 for kids under 15.