Commonwealth Games ticket sales to restart next week after fans hit by fiasco

TICKETS for this summer’s Commonwealth Games will go back on sale on Wednesday after a series of problems beset the initial launch.

They will be sold over three days as part of a “phased approach” to manage demand on the website.

Glasgow 2014 said the breakdown of which sports’ tickets will be on sale for each day will be announced early next week.

An extra 100,000 tickets for the Games went on sale on Monday but problems started almost immediately, with numerous complaints about long delays and issues with finalising transactions. Sales were temporarily suspended in the early hours of Tuesday morning but after a second day of problems, Glasgow 2014 suspended all sales until the issues could be fully resolved.

It also emerged that some sports fans who called the dedi- cated phone line were charged while listening to an engaged tone, with some customers running up bills of more than £100.

Games organisers have been working with Ticketmaster, the site operator, to resolve the problems and Sports Minister Shona Robison met both parties yes- terday to check on progress. The phone line that will be used from 10am on Wednesday will be a free number and all purchases will be posted free of charge, removing a previous £4.50 fee.

Around 50,000 tickets will be available next week, organisers said.

Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg said: “While we sold more than 60,000 tickets last week and saw the most incredible support and enthusiasm from the public, the experience of purchasing tickets was frustrating and unacceptable for some people.

“With additional measures in place and the addition of free postage on all orders and a freephone ticketing hotline, we aim to get back to the business of ensuring remaining tickets are sold and that thousands more people can begin to look forward to experiencing the excitement of the Games.”