This summer’s men’s Ashes series is already shaping up to be one of the most eagerly anticipated in recent memory, as record-breaking ticket sales point to unprecedented demand from cricket fans both at home and abroad.
Cricket Australia (CA) revealed that a staggering 311,611 tickets were snapped up on the first day of pre-sales for the upcoming international summer — a figure that obliterates the previous single-day sales record of 111,741. Most notably, the pre-sale allocation for the iconic Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) sold out in record time, with public tickets for Day One gone by early June for the first time in history.
“We have never seen anything like this in Australian cricket history,” said Joel Morrison, CA’s General Manager of Events and Operations. “The demand has been simply extraordinary.”
Fans who missed the initial rush will have another chance to secure tickets. A limited number of additional seats will be released on 6 June to those who registered for the pre-sale. Any remaining public tickets will go on general sale from 13 June.
The Boxing Day Test has always been a highlight of the Australian summer, but the level of interest this year has reached new heights. On Tuesday alone, an estimated 200,000 people were in virtual queues attempting to book seats for the MCG clash.
It wasn’t just Melbourne experiencing ticketing frenzies. The first three days of both the traditional Pink Test in Sydney and the day-night Test in Brisbane sold out during the pre-sale. Meanwhile, Day One tickets for the Adelaide Test were gone by Wednesday morning.
Even Perth saw a remarkable surge in demand. More tickets were sold for the first day of the West Test on Tuesday than were purchased across the entire lead-up to last year’s match against India — despite technical issues which temporarily locked some fans out of the system.
Ticketek, which handles sales for all major Australian venues except Perth Stadium and the WACA, described Tuesday as its busiest day in 45 years of operations.
The surge in enthusiasm is hardly surprising. Last year’s Ashes series in England was hailed as one of the most enthralling in modern cricket history, with England’s bold “Bazball” approach captivating audiences around the world. Now, as the rivalry returns to Australian soil, fans are clamouring for a front-row seat to what promises to be another unforgettable chapter.
This summer will also see a resurgence in travelling supporters, as England fans return in force following pandemic restrictions that limited overseas travel during the 2021–22 series. Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold to UK residents during the pre-sale, with British fans making up the bulk of CA Travel Office package buyers.
For instance, around 25% of Pink Test tickets were sold to UK fans, with similar trends evident in Adelaide and Melbourne. Strong sales from UK residents are also expected for the Brisbane and Perth fixtures.
The frenzied demand for Boxing Day tickets suggests the MCG Test could rival the mammoth attendance figures from last year’s clash against India, which drew 373,691 spectators over five days. England’s last outing at the MCG in 2021 was a rather more forgettable affair, as Australia stormed to victory inside three days, thanks in part to a devastating spell from Scott Boland.
More seats at the MCG may become available closer to the event, once camera positions and sightscreen placements are finalised.
It’s not just the Ashes that’s proving popular. Ticket sales for Australia’s limited-overs fixtures against India have also exceeded expectations. The third ODI at the SCG and a T20I at the MCG are already attracting huge numbers, while more than half the tickets for the series opener in Canberra have been sold.
With sell-out crowds, record-breaking demand, and the return of travelling fans, this summer could well go down as one of the most exciting and memorable in the history of Australian cricket. For those still hoping to attend, swift action will be essential.