Lions tickets flying out the door, prompting warnings against buying off resellers

Herald on Sunday

1 Apr, 2017 05:00 PM3 mins to read

British and Irish Lions fans better get in quick as tickets for the 10 matches sell out. Photo/Wanganui Chronicle

Tickets for the British and Irish Lions' tour are in hot demand with grandstand tickets for all three test matches sold out and limited numbers available for the regional games.

Around 20,000 fans are expected to travel to New Zealand to watch the Lions play 10 games, including three test matches against the All Blacks at Eden Park, Auckland on June 24 and July 8 and Westpac Stadium, Wellington on July 1.

Tickets for the Crusaders and Lions match at AMI Stadium in Christchurch have also sold out, while tickets for matches featuring the tourists against the Maori All Blacks, Chiefs and Hurricanes are limited and cost up to $129 a pop.

However punters are being warned against buying test match tickets off prominent resale website Viagogo, after a number of people were scammed when purchasing Adele tickets from the site.

"Be wary," said Consumer New Zealand chief executive Sue Chetwin.

"You are taking a risk when you are buying on the secondary market."

It's not just grandstand seats which have been in hot demand, with a range of corporate packages also close to being officially sold out.

Among those gone are top-dollar private suites at Westpac Stadium for the sole Wellington test, with boxes being purchased for $31,984.

Boot Partys - which offers you and 14 mates chilled beer in a car boot, to be enjoyed within a private, picket-fenced area at Eden Park - have also sold out at a price of $16,429.

Packages still on offer include a deal for fans willing to pay $1600 to enjoy the hospitality of The Platinum Club described on the All Blacks Hospitality website as a "magnificently themed, dedicated hospitality facility, uniquely and exclusively developed" for the Lions series.

The package consists of a four-course meal, drinks, entertainment, a souvenir gift and Category A match tickets.

A Club Lounge package is also available at each of the non-test clashes on tour, from $499.

That includes a buffet meal, drinks and entertainment, as well as the best available match seating.

The Lions last toured New Zealand in 2005, when they were outplayed by their hosts who went on to win the series 3-0.

Fans eagerly chasing tickets should keep an eye out on nzlionsseries17.com, where a small number of tickets for the sold-out matches may become available at a later date.