Ticketing Fiasco Leaves Rugby Fans and Agencies in the Lurch

In an unfolding saga that has left travel agencies and rugby fans reeling, hundreds of tickets for the eagerly awaited Springboks versus All Blacks Test match in Cape Town vanished without a trace. The match, scheduled for August 29, had drawn international attention, with supporters arriving from as far away as New Zealand and London.

Agencies such as SportPro, Steadfast Africa, and C Sports International had pre-purchased tickets from external suppliers. However, when the time came, these tickets never materialized, leaving clients who had booked flights and accommodations in a lurch. The fallout has been swift, with companies now seeking refunds and contemplating legal action against those involved in the ticket supply chain.

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has found itself at the center of the storm, facing accusations of double-selling tickets and mismanagement of its ticketing system. In response to these allegations, Saru has emphatically denied any wrongdoing and has reported four companies to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for potential breaches of consumer protection laws.

According to a statement from SportPro, a specialized auction platform, their supplier indicated that Saru's recent transition to a new ticketing app had caused significant issues, including double sales. Saru has dismissed these claims as “completely untrue,” clarifying that any discrepancies would have only been evident at the stadium turnstiles.

Saru’s spokesperson stated that the affected individuals were not legitimate ticket holders but rather victims of sellers who lacked the legal authority to sell the tickets. The organization firmly stated that the agencies breached terms of sale by reselling tickets and packaging them with other offerings.

One of the implicated agencies, Leisure Connexion, attributed the failure to deliver tickets to a third-party supplier. Managing Director Adelbert Retief stated that they had used this supplier reliably in the past, but were left empty-handed this time. In a later statement, Leisure Connexion announced that it was investigating the situation with its legal team, promising to keep involved parties updated.

Steadfast Africa's owner, Nick Sadleir, expressed disappointment, noting that his supplier had been dependable for over seven years. Similarly, a representative from C Sports International, who had relied on Retief since 2019, found the ticket situation baffling after previously successful transactions. They echoed a sentiment of uncertainty regarding whether the issue stemmed from the ticketing organizers or potential fraud.

As agencies scramble for answers, some have already secured alternative tickets through Saru to fulfill client expectations. C Sports International, which had ordered around 200 Category A tickets, managed to get replacements, albeit of a lesser category. Despite these efforts, the company is still exploring legal options to determine what went wrong in the ticket delivery process.

With reputations on the line, agencies have expressed concern over the impact this debacle will have on their businesses. Steadfast Africa described the situation as “embarrassing” and confirmed that they had engaged with various government officials in their quest for resolution. As this ticketing nightmare continues to unfold, many affected clients are left hoping for answers and refunds, while agencies brace for the potential fallout.

Source: www.dailymaverick.co.za