Crusaders fans snap up final tickets by the score

Tickets sold out quickly after their release at 9am yesterday. Picture / Simon Baker

The Crusaders rugby franchise has defended its policy of selling up to 20 tickets per person for this weekend's Super 14 final after many fans were left disappointed.

About 23,000 tickets for the Crusaders-Hurricanes match in Christchurch went on sale at 9am yesterday and were snapped up, many by people buying the maximum of 20.

Some queued overnight in Christchurch to get their tickets, but about 65 per cent bought over the internet, and up to 15 per cent made their purchase over the phone.

A few hundred tickets will go on the market today after season ticket holders and preferential seating is sorted out. A capacity crowd of 35,700 at Jade Stadium is guaranteed on Saturday night.

Canterbury Rugby Supporters Club president Dick Tayler said he had been contacted by many people "gutted" about missing out on tickets for the final. Some of these had been to every Crusaders home game this season.

Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach said the maximum ticket allocation of 20 was to enable people to have a "fair crack", balanced with those buying tickets for workmates, sports teams or extended families.

"The lower the limit the more inconvenient and problematic it becomes in selling tickets," Mr Riach said.

"Twenty is a nice number."

Mr Riach acknowledged there was a risk of people buying tickets to make a profit.

"You could buy two tickets and do that or buy 100 tickets and do that. No one has yet found a way of stopping it. It only exists because disappointed people are willing to buy on the black market."

Auction websites would be kept under "some sort of review" for scalpers.

"But at the end of the day, we don't regard ourselves as policemen. We are busy enough this week without that."

Trade Me yesterday had four tickets for the finals in the Tui stand and a poster at $225.