‘A mess’: AFL fans angry over Optus Stadium ticket issue
By Tegwen Bescoby
Hundreds of footy fans were forced to watch the first moments of the AFL Origin blockbuster outside of Optus Stadium after a ticketing issue caused delays at gate entrances on Saturday afternoon.
More than 58,000 people descended on the stadium, ready to cheer on their home state as WA battled Victoria in the first State of Origin game in 27 years.
However, a recent change to ticketing meant the usually smooth process to enter Optus Stadium was anything but easy.
In January, Optus Stadium announced it would be rolling out a new digital ticketing system that involves near-field communication technology and barcodes refreshing every 15 seconds. But attendees were left stuck outside the venue when their tickets would not scan.
The issue resulted in staff opening turnstiles at the gates 20 minutes after the game commenced, allowing patrons to pile inside the venue without scanning tickets.