Michael Vaughan criticizes 43% ticket price hike for Ashes at Edgbaston
Michael Vaughan has condemned a sharp rise in ticket prices for next summer’s men’s Ashes Test at Edgbaston, branding the increase “really poor” as fans brace for a far more expensive series.
The former England captain was reacting to news that seats in the famous Hollies Stand for the 2027 Ashes Test in Birmingham will cost £165 – up from £115 for the 2023 Ashes, a jump of around 43% for one of the most popular areas of the ground. The stand, known for its party atmosphere and fancy dress, holds almost 6,000 spectators and is usually among the first sections to sell out.
Across the rest of Edgbaston, members will be able to buy tickets for £92, but there is little respite for non-members. The cheapest adult seats for each of the first three days are priced at £115, and every ticket carries an additional £2.50 booking fee.
“This is really poor,” Vaughan posted on social media, cutting through the usual pre-Ashes noise with a blunt verdict that will echo with many regular match-goers already feeling squeezed.
His criticism lands in the wake of a hugely successful 2023 Ashes in England, when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that every day of the series sold out in advance and total attendance topped 545,000. Australia had surged into a 2-0 lead with wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s before England roared back to square the series 2-2, a contest that reignited the rivalry and filled grounds around the country.
That popularity has clearly emboldened organisers on price. Yet the picture is not entirely straightforward. Edgbaston is currently operating at reduced capacity because of an on-site hotel development, and tickets for next week’s third Test between England and Pakistan – priced between £57.50 and £87.50 for adults – have not sold out. Empty seats for an England Test at a traditionally vibrant venue offer a stark contrast to the premium now attached to Ashes cricket.
The ballot for 2027 Ashes tickets opened on Wednesday, and Birmingham is not alone in pushing prices upwards. London remains the most expensive stage. The best seats at Lord’s are set at £190, with top tickets at the Kia Oval at £185, underlining how the Ashes has become a premium product in the eyes of administrators.
On the field, the challenge is just as steep as the prices. England, beaten 4-1 in Australia last winter, will begin their bid to reclaim the urn at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 18 June. The second Test at Lord’s starts on 30 June, before the series moves to Edgbaston on 8 July for what is now one of the hottest – and priciest – tickets in English cricket.
The Utilita Bowl in Southampton will enter Ashes history on 21 July when it hosts a men’s Ashes Test for the first time, becoming the 10th UK ground to stage the contest. The series will then close at the Kia Oval from 29 July, a venue that has so often provided the final act in Ashes summers.
BBC Sport has contacted the ECB and all five host venues for comment. For now, the numbers speak loudly enough: record demand, rising prices, and a growing question for English cricket – how much can you charge before the Ashes slips out of reach for the very fans who made it special?
