'More than p***ed off': OG Warriors stalwart fumes as scalpers re-sell tickets

A diehard Warriors fan is one of many left frustrated and angry after missing out on tickets for Saturday’s blockbuster NRL qualifying final, with tickets already relisted for hundreds of dollars above face value on the resale market. 

Anne Stevens is one of the most passionate Warriors fans you could come across. The 82-year-old was there for the club’s first game in 1995 and has been a member since the early days, sitting through the good and the bad, rain, hail or shine. 

Stevens usually sits close to the halfway line in the East Stand, near where the Warriors run out, and like many members, she put off other engagements on Monday to give herself the best chance of securing tickets to watch her team play against the Dolphins at Go Media Mt Smart. 

Members were quick to snap up their allocations before the remaining tickets went on general sale on Tuesday and sold out almost immediately. 

When Stevens logged on to Ticketmaster, she was 1765th in the online queue. When her turn initially arrived, tickets in her usual area were available, but by the time she attempted to purchase them, they had been snapped up. 

The only tickets she could secure were at the top of the West Stand, on the goal line. 

It also means friends she usually attends games with will not be able to join her, as they are elderly and unable to walk up the stairs. 

Stevens was then mortified to see four tickets listed for sale on Trade Me near where she usually sits for $1200. 

The listing was among several which have appeared this week, including tickets behind the posts advertised from $100 – seats which can sell for as little as $10 during the regular season. 

“I’m more than p***ed off, I can tell you,” Stevens said. “You want to see the emojis I’ve been putting out on my messages to friends. 

“Everybody’s been very tolerant of my foul moods at the moment when they ask me whether I’m going to the Warriors game because I let them have it.” 

Anne Stevens pictured at a Warriors match in 2007 against the Sea Eagles. Photo / Kenny Rodger 

The Warriors’ remarkable popularity has made tickets increasingly difficult to secure. 

Over the past three years, the Warriors have sold out 36 of their 37 home games, becoming the first NRL club to sell out every home match during a season in 2024, which they again repeated this year. 

But the scramble for finals tickets has also raised concerns among supporters about tickets appearing on resale sites at prices well above their original value. 

Stevens believes rugby league is a working-class sport and fears genuine fans are being priced out by scalpers. 

She also believes allowing members to purchase up to eight tickets contributed to the problem. 

“Ticketmaster and the NRL know exactly who bought all those tickets, so they have got the ability, in my mind, to warn people and do something about it,” Stevens said. 

“Of course we should have the option to buy, not other seats, but at least have the option to buy our own seat.” 

Stevens labelled those selling tickets at inflated prices as “selfish”, saying it went against the culture she believes has made the Warriors so popular. 

She also fears the problem could become even worse should the Warriors beat the Dolphins and host a preliminary final at Eden Park, which has a capacity of 50,000, nearly double the amount of fans compared to Mt Smart. 

The Warriors management says it has no control over ticket prices or allocations for finals matches, with the process rolled out by the NRL. 

The NRL has warned that tickets resold without authorisation can be cancelled under its terms and conditions. 

On Thursday morning, there were 32 listings on Trade Me, with the cheapest ticket available with a $120 buy now price. 

Several Trade Me listings did not offer an explanation for why the sellers were offloading their tickets, while others claimed they could no longer attend the match or had secured better seats. 

Trade Me’s ticket-selling policy states sellers are required to provide “proof of goods” and are only allowed to list tickets if they are in their possession. 

The company says it cannot introduce a rule preventing sellers from charging more than face value because “we don’t know what each person paid for the ticket initially”. 

“It’d also be pretty hypocritical for us to step in to regulate the pricing around event tickets but not around everything else,” Trade Me says. 

Ticketmaster’s website states that tickets resold through its official resale platform are subject to a price cap of 120% of their original value. That cap does not apply to tickets sold through third-party websites such as Trade Me. 

New Zealand does not have a general law preventing event tickets from being resold above their original price, unless an event is covered by specific legislation. 

One Trade Me seller, who left comments in the listing’s question section visible, defended their decision to sell two South Stand tickets for $500. 

“I get you are p***ed off and I can understand why,” they wrote. “But honestly there’s people selling hundreds of tickets a game. Not worth stressing out over a couple of tickets – take on the real problem instead.” 

Another website, Ticket Merchant, has tickets ranging from $55 to $300, which states tickets are sold from verified sellers. 

Saturday’s match will be the third time in four seasons the Warriors have played finals football under coach Andrew Webster. 

Despite her frustration over the ticketing process, Stevens, with binoculars on hand for the match, remains excited about what could be another memorable chapter in the club’s history. 

“We’re so lucky to have Webby,” she said. “I think the boys are great and I think the Warriors, they just promote family and nice, kind living. 

“They do kind things in the community and I just think as a club we’re very lucky to have them and that’s why they’re so popular.” 

History suggests it will be a close match between the Warriors and Dolphins with their last six meetings all decided by four points or less. 

Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.