Latest news with #OpenTickets
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Ticketing meltdown: Over 50,000 tickets sold for Nedbank Cup Final despite 49,000-seat limit
Moses Mabhida Stadium Image: Supplied Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ During the briefing, it was revealed that Moses Mabhida's capacity for the Nedbank Cup final will be 49,000. However, after hospitality and complimentary tickets were given out to the clubs and other stakeholders, 41,000 were available for general sale to the public. Stadium Management SA's Grobbelaar said Shoprite and Checkers retail outlets sold 4,956 tickets, Open Tickets sold 2,435, while 44,121 tickets were sold by Computicket, bringing the number of tickets sold to 51,512. As a result of tickets being oversold, all platforms ceased sales, and according to Grobbelaar, they then had to issue refunds. '10,510 tickets were paid for, but were over capacity, and those people had to be refunded.' He went on to add: 'There were no tickets issued than the capacity allows for.' PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala said they were immediately aware when the Open Tickets platform crashed, and immediately started looking for solutions. 'We then spoke to Computicket, and asked them to use their server so that people can purchase tickets,' said Madlala. However, due to Computicket and Open Tickets not communicating, they could not update the number of tickets sold, which led to more tickets than seats available being sold. Madlala concluded by saying she was happy that the ticketing issues had since been brought under control. IOL Sport
The Citizen
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
PSL insist no extra tickets have been sold for Nedbank final
'No more tickets were issued than the capacity allows for,' said Bertie Grobbelaar. Bertie Grobbelaar says only the allocated amount of tickets have been issued for the Nedbank Cup final. Picture: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix The Premier Soccer League said on Wednesday that only the correct amount of tickets have been issued for Saturday's Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. ALSO READ: Pirates' Riveiro – the club knows what they are doing The PSL statement comes after the company responsible for ticketing, Open Tickets, had acknowledged there had been issues with their ticketing system when sales opened on Monday. PSL – No extra tickets Speaking on behalf of the PSL, Stadium Management SA managing director Bertie Grobbelaar said that while a crash in the ticketing system meant fans without tickets had also been charged, no extra tickets had been issued. He added that all fans who paid for tickets but did not receive them would be refunded. 'The capacity of the stadium is 49 307 seats. This is a reduced capacity, in terms of a proper grading certificate and compliance with the SASRIA Act,' said Grobbelaar. 'There were 5307 hospitality tickets and 3000 complimentary tickets. 41 000 general access tickets went on sale. The minute ticket sales opened they sold out in 90 minutes. 'This caused a delay, or crash, call it what you want. The fact is tickets went on sale and the system allowed more people to pay for tickets than there was capacity for. 'This immediately raises concerns and a lot of false information went out that too many people had been issued tickets. This was not the case. 'No more tickets were issued than the capacity allows for.' Open Tickets had already issued an apology this week for the problems with their system. 'An unprecedented surge in demand caused system delays shortly after sales opened on Monday, 5 May 2025,' read a statement. 'We understand the frustration this has caused, and we are urgently working to resolve the matter. A full report will be submitted to the PSL. 'Affected customers will receive direct communication regarding ticket status, digital reissues, or refunds where applicable.' 'We remain committed to resolving the issue and restoring full service as quickly as possible. Further updates will be shared via our official platforms.' No chance of final moving Grobbelaar also pointed out that Open Tickets were also used for last weekend's Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium, without these issues. ALSO READ: OPINION – Moses Mabhida deserves the Soweto derby PSL CEO Mato Madlala, meanwhile, said there was no way the game will be moved to FNB Stadium, which usually hosts the derby and has a far larger capacity. 'It doesn't matter where we take it (the derby). Demand always outlasts supply,' said Madlala. Fans without tickets are also asked to stay away from the venue on Saturday.
TimesLIVE
06-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
No guns allowed in Moses Mabhida Stadium, not even for VIP bodyguards
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has fired off a warning shot to football spectators, including VIPs, that carrying weapons will not be tolerated at the stadium during this weekend's highly anticipated Soweto derby. 'Regardless of status, no-one is permitted to bring firearms and other dangerous weapons into the stadium. A caution is given to those who call themselves VIPs and drive around with security guards: in KwaZulu-Natal they must obey the law because they might hear about the results of the match from behind bars,' he said during a press briefing on Tuesday. Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will host the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday between arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, two of the country's most popular teams. With the event expected to attract many travellers to the province, Mkhwanazi asked that they abide by the law, including the rules of the road. He said drunken driving and driving without number plates will not be tolerated. 'We have a planning team to safeguard spectators, players and officials. We are urging them to be on their best behaviour when they enter this province, especially eThekwini. We have a duty to deliver a safe and secure major event, as prescribed by the law.' The build-up to the final got off to a chaotic start when Open Tickets, the ticketing service provider on behalf of Computicket, battled with demand, causing its system to break down several times on Monday. This left thousands of fans furious, including many who queued for hours to buy tickets at Checkers/Shoprite without success.
IOL News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Ellis Park lessons forgotten: PSL's ticketing blunder for Nedbank Cup final risks repeating history
Dark day for South African football 43 football fans lost their lives during the Soweto derby clash between Kaizer Chiefa and Orlando Pirates at Ellis Park in 2001. Photo: Alexander Joe/AFP Image: Alexander Joe/AFP Back in 2001, South Africans watched in horror as 43 football fans lost their lives during the Soweto derby clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Back then, South Africa's two biggest clubs were good and were involved in a titanic tussle for the league title. So, when they met on April 11, a Wednesday night, fans were eager to be at the famous stadium to cheer them on. But, with the league in its infancy, the ticketing situation was a problem. Those were the days when fans could simply rock up ahead of a match and purchase tickets at a booth ahead of the game. As a result, 120,000 fans were admitted into the 60,000-seater Ellis Park, leading to one of the darkest days in the history of South African football. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Lessons were learned that day. Since that day, the Soweto derby has never been played in mid-week. And, it's never been played at night. More importantly, no tickets are available outside of the stadium on match day. In recent years, fans have been able to purchase tickets online or at various ticketing outlets well ahead of the derby, which has worked well. Now, the PSL seems to have forgotten the lessons from the Ellis Park disaster of 24 years ago. Just what were they thinking when they decided tickets for this weekend's Nedbank Cup final between the Soweto giants would only go on sale on the Monday before the game? This weekend's encounter is not just any game. Pirates will be looking to finish Jose Riveiro's last season on a high, while Chiefs will be hoping to add some light in what has been a dismal campaign for Nasreddine Nabi. As expected, the Open Tickets platform crashed on Monday as fans scrambled for tickets to watch their teams. With such a monumental stuff up, it will not be difficult to keep a head count for Saturday's game after the ticketing blunder. Open Tickets and the PSL now have four days to rectify the situation, or they could end up with egg on their faces. The painful memories of Ellis Park should never fade into irrelevance, especially not in boardrooms where decisions carry the weight of life and death. South African football cannot afford the luxury of institutional amnesia. The Soweto derby is more than a match — it's a symbol of pride, passion, and community. To mishandle its logistics is not only careless but disrespectful to those who paid the ultimate price in 2001. The PSL and its partners must act swiftly, transparently, and responsibly, not just for this weekend, but for the long-term integrity and safety of the sport. The legacy of Ellis Park demands no less. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to [email protected]. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).
IOL News
06-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Nedbank Cup Final: Open Tickets cites high demand for system crash, vows refunds and fan updates
People lined up outside Musgrave Checkers for hours, hoping to grab a set of tickets to this weekend's Nedbank Cup final Image: Se-Anne Rall/IOL Open Tickets has confirmed a system failure during Monday's launch of ticket sales for the 2025 Nedbank Cup final, leaving thousands of fans frustrated by delays and failed transactions. IOL had previously reported that chaos erupted on Monday after the platform crashed, as desperate football fans scrambled for tickets to this weekend's Nedbank Cup final, featuring Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Some fans also turned to Computicket in hopes of purchasing tickets, only to later claim they were scammed, having paid for tickets but not received them. The company attributed the delays to an "overwhelming volume of traffic" but stated that all issues have since been resolved. However, some fans claim they still have not received their tickets. Many other fans also headed to Checkers and Shoprite stores, only to face long queues and further delays as they tried to secure tickets. In a statement issued on Monday, Open Tickets expressed regret for the disruption caused during the high-demand ticket launch for the much-anticipated final. "An unprecedented surge in demand caused system delays shortly after sales opened on Monday, 5 May 2025," the company said. The statement further explained that the issue is being addressed, and a full report will be submitted to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) adding that affected customers will also receive direct communication regarding the status of their tickets.
