Saru warns fans over fake Springbok Test ticket sales

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has warned rugby supporters not to fall prey to agencies selling match tickets that they don’t have, to avoid problems when arriving at stadiums.

Saru was responding to allegation in which some tourism orientated businesses have accused it of commercial greed and making hospitality suite packages available only to Saru’s appointed commercial rights agencies, such as Sail and Megapro Hospitality.

Saru blames unofficial agencies for ticket promises

Packages range between R7 995 and R9 995 per person, excluding VAT, for both last weekend’s Cape Town Test and Saturday’s third Test at FNB Stadium in Soweto.

“The mess was caused by agencies selling the promise of tickets they did not have – and could not secure – for the Test, in breach of the event’s terms and conditions of sale,” Saru said.

“These companies acted illegally and recklessly in pursuit of their own commercial gain at the expense of their clients.”

The body said it did not receive complaints before the event, and it said the allegations are “clearly designed to deflect attention from the illegal and unscrupulous activities of individuals anonymously disguising themselves as the sports tourism sector”.

Fans urged to buy only through official channels

Fans had access to hospitality suites through four appointed agencies and to tickets through one official ticketing portal, it added.

“Fraudsters inserted themselves into the process by covertly claiming to have tickets and packages available, which was never the case.

“SA Rugby repeats its warning to supporters – as it does before every event: only buy from the official agencies to avoid losing money and failing to receive tickets.”

Hospitality operators claim ticket allocation was unfair

A source from one of the complaining companies, who asked not to be named fearing reprisal, said local and international tour operators, corporate clients and visitors from around the world are demanding answers over what they described as rampant commercial greed and unfair market monopolisation by Saru.

The operators claimed the allocation framework for last weekend’s Test severely squeezed the open market.

“Independent operators and smaller sports travel companies were completely locked out of inventory. Rumours circulated widely in the hospitality network that single, preferred premium operators were handed massive blocks of over 250 premium packages.

“Furthermore, it is reported that select big corporate entities were permitted to buy up to 10 entire viewing suites in a single transaction. This extreme concentration of premium tickets left smaller, traditional travel and tour businesses with nothing to offer their long-standing clients.

“Traditionally, these smaller hospitality and travel agents have consistently supported the Springbok brand and backed Saru through thick and thin, yet for this flagship event, they were completely cast aside.

“International visitors and global rugby fans arranged long-haul flights and expensive accommodation to Cape Town under the assumption that inventory would be distributed fairly, only to discover that tickets had been cornered by a select few corporate entities,” the statement read.

“There are growing calls for the Competition Commission to step in and investigate these restrictive commercial practices to ensure the South African sporting marketplace remains fair, accessible and transparent for both local businesses and international guests in future fixtures.”

‘Staggering’ prices

One hospitality package seller said: “For locals the markup was probably around R2 000 per package. In the international market, one guy told me he was offered around R20 000, excluding VAT, for a private suite ticket from a local agent.”

“Another international client says he managed to purchase grandstand tickets valued at R4 000 each for a staggering R14 900 through UK-based Tour Hub.”

“How did these tickets end up with Tour Hub? Someone from Saru or its agents sold them and deprived the South African local market. You must ask Saru where the 6 000 tickets went,” said one concerned business owner.