Copyright brisbanetimes
Football Australia has been accused of treating fans as “cash cows” after introducing a $99 annual subscription which offers access to the federation’s World Cup ticket ballot but no guarantee of actually getting a seat. Entry into the draw for the limited number of tickets assigned to Australia by FIFA was previously free – but under the scheme, fans must now pay for the privilege through Football Account+, a new tier of FA’s existing fan database that also promises a suite of other benefits, dovetailing with its marketing tagline, “more than a ballot”. Those benefits include a $20 merchandise voucher, discounted tickets for home Socceroos and Matildas matches, invitation to FA events, special access at open training sessions and other “insider content” which the federation says is still being developed. According to an FAQ document on FA’s website, the creation of “additional tiers” is being explored, and is seemingly likely beyond an initial 12-month period. But membership only provides access to up to two tickets per match, which is troublesome for groups of people or families who want to sit together. And if there are more FA+ members than tickets available, those who have paid the $99 could still miss out on seeing the Socceroos at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
