Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Newlands New Year’s Test Sells Out Before Public Sale, Draws Backlash

The episode intensifies scrutiny of CSA’s opaque ticket allocations.

Overview

  • Fans found days one to four unavailable seconds after Monday's 9:30 a.m. public sale was due to open.
  • CSA later confirmed a sell-out and pointed supporters to other venues, then deleted the post without giving an allocation breakdown.
  • Resale platforms such as Viagogo listed tickets within minutes at steep markups, with single seats advertised above R4,000.
  • Reports cite large pre-allocations to English tour groups before public sales, while the Barmy Army says it received a small, separate allotment agreed months in advance.
  • CSA launched SA Cricket Travel with Tourvest in December 2025 to sell travel packages, creating a parallel sales channel for tour operators and overseas fans.