Ashes ticket price increase ‘really poor’ – Vaughan

Ninoda.com – Former England captain Michael Vaughan has labelled the latest Ashes ticket price increase really poor, reacting to a 43% jump in costs for next summer’s men’s Ashes Test at Edgbaston. The Birmingham ground, which holds 25,000 spectators, will stage the third Test of the best-of-five series between England and Australia in 2027. In the Hollies Stand — a section seating almost 6,000 fans — tickets now cost £165, up sharply from £115 in the 2023 series. Members elsewhere in the stadium can buy seats for £92, while the cheapest adult tickets across the first three days sit at £115, with every purchase carrying a £2.50 booking fee.

“This is really poor,” Vaughan wrote on social media after the new pricing was announced. The comment landed amid a backdrop of record demand: following the 2023 series, which finished in a 2-2 draw after Australia took the first two Tests at Edgbaston and Lord’s, the England and Wales Cricket Board reported that every day sold out in advance, with total attendance topping 545,000. Yet despite that appetite, tickets for next week’s third Test between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston — priced between £57.50 and £87.50 for adults — have not sold out, even with the stadium operating at reduced capacity due to on-site hotel construction.

What Changed in the 2027 Ashes Ticket Pricing

The ticket ballot for the 2027 Ashes opened on Wednesday, and the numbers show the Ashes ticket price increase really extends beyond Edgbaston. At Lord’s and the Oval in London, the best seats now carry price tags of £190 and £185 respectively. England, who lost the series 4-1 in Australia last winter, begin their attempt to reclaim the urn at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 18 June. The second Test at Lord’s follows on 30 June, and the third at Edgbaston on 8 July.

The Utilita Bowl in Southampton will become the tenth UK ground to host a men’s Ashes Test when the fourth match gets under way on 21 July, with the series concluding at the Kia Oval from 29 July. BBC Sport has contacted the ECB and all five Test venues for comment on the pricing decisions.

The broader context of rising sports ticket costs makes the Ashes ticket price increase really difficult to ignore. At last month’s European Athletics Championships, a crowd of 13,623 filled Birmingham’s 23,000-capacity Alexander Stadium to watch Britain’s 24-year-old sprinter Amy Hunt win the women’s 100m. Athletics supporters blamed ticket prices, with Category A home-straight seats costing £150 for the women’s final and £110 for the men’s 100m, again with no junior concessions.

In April, Ryder Cup organisers defended pricing for next year’s centenary golf event between Europe and the United States in Ireland. Daily general-admission tickets for the three tournament days on 17-19 September at Adare Manor in County Limerick will cost 499 euros (approximately £434), compared with up to 260 euros in Italy in 2023. Whether the Ashes ticket price increase really reflects genuine demand or simply mirrors the wider trend of escalating sports-event costs remains a question fans continue to ask.

FAQ: Ashes Ticket Price Increase

How much will Ashes tickets cost in 2027?

The most expensive seats at Lord’s are priced at £190 and at the Oval at £185. At Edgbaston, Hollies Stand tickets are £165, member seats are £92, and the cheapest adult tickets for the first three days are £115. A £2.50 booking fee applies to every purchase.

Why did Michael Vaughan criticise the pricing?

Vaughan called the 43% increase “really poor” on social media, arguing that the jump from £115 to £165 in the Hollies Stand is steep for fans who attended the 2023 series.

When does the 2027 Ashes series take place?

The five-Test series runs from 18 June to late July 2027, starting at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, followed by Lord’s (30 June), Edgbaston (8 July), the Utilita Bowl in Southampton (21 July), and the Kia Oval (29 July).