The Australian Open Has a Surprise for Walk-Up Ticket Buyers

Written by: on 11th January 2012
Tennis Australian Open 2012 - Federer practice
The Australian Open Has a Surprise for Walk-Up Ticket Buyers

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer practices practices at the Rod Laver Arena ahead of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 10 January 2011. The tournament runs from January 16 until 29. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT  |

©”DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”

There will be an unhappy surprise for tennis fans who walk up to Melbourne Park when the first major of the season begins – sales at the gate will merit a $5 surcharge, courtesy of “planning” from tournament officials.

The added cost applies to same-day in-person sales. Casual fans may well be put off by this strange regulation at the tournament which is acquiring a reputation as the sport with unusual regulations which include forbidding media to watch a player train for more than 10 minutes before being sent off by security.

The ticket surprise means that a $29 ticket will actually cost $34, not exactly a prime selling point for an event which promotes itself as fan-friendly and fairly priced. One potential reason for the rise: a new record prize money payout of $2.3 million to men’s and women’s singles winner, the top pay packet in the game.

Just to make sure no dollar is overlooked, other ticket prices will rise as well.

And the event has come up with a strange explanation for the money increase: “Anybody who buys a ticket at the gate will be charged an additional $5, but it’s not a fee,” said a spokeswoman. “This is a system needed to help us plan ahead.”

©”DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.