29 Jun 2015

Hurricanes CEO: Ticket scalping a worry

8:59 pm on 29 June 2015

The Hurricanes will try to cancel tickets to this weekend's Super 15 rugby final if they are found to have been scalped, the team's chief executive says.

Hurricanes number eight Victor Vito on the charge against the Highlanders.

Hurricanes number eight Victor Vito on the charge against the Highlanders during an earlier match. Photo: Photosport

The first allotment of tickets to the Hurricanes versus Highlanders match sold out in less than a minute this afternoon.

Ticketek's website, which was selling the tickets, appeared to experience technical problems due to high demand after they went on sale at 4pm.

The company's Facebook page has comments on it from people frustrated at not being able to purchase the tickets.

Tickets were also put up on the auction website Trade Me, including one listing offering two tickets for $399. The listing has since been withdrawn.

James Te Puni told Checkpoint the Hurricanes deliberately avoided overpricing the tickets, and he said scalping was a worry.

"We are not interested in people pumping up the prices and, frankly, if we become aware of someone who's hocking these things off at crazy rates, where we can, we will nullify those tickets and they won't be valid - where we have that ability," he said.

"I've also been in contact with Trade Me and advised them that we'd like them to consider what their position is on this."

Mr Te Puni said he expected between 3000 and 5000 additional tickets would be made available on Wednesday.

Fans queue at Ticketek at the Wellington Railway Station.

Fans queue at Ticketek at the Wellington Railway Station. Photo: RNZ / Liz Gibson

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