The NRL face the embarrassment of Origin not being sold out with a massive price hike meaning many fans will be unable to attend this year's series.
JUST 10,000 general admission tickets have been sold for the NRL's showpiece event — State of Origin I in Sydney — as the fan backlash to hiked-up prices for the May 27 game deepens.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal a soccer friendly between Sydney FC and English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, also at ANZ Stadium, in the same week is comfortably outselling rugby league's showpiece event.
There are still eight weeks until Origin I on May 27 but exorbitant ticket prices are driving fans away from the fiercest war in Australian sport.
NSW celebrate winning the 2014 series. Picture Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia
With tickets set aside for corporates, club and junior allocations along with ANZ Stadium members, about 35,000 seats have already been filled for Origin I. That still leaves the NRL needing another 50,000 tickets to sell out the arena.
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Will you try to get State of Origin tickets this year?
With members and extra allocations, Sydney FC's game against Tottenham has currently sold 53,000 tickets with a crowd of more than 70,000 likely just three days after Origin.
Unlike State of Origin, tickets for the Spurs game start at just $15.
NRL fans expressed anger on Tuesday after The Daily Telegraph revealed a price hike has put Origin tickets out of range for average pay earners this year.
A whopping 86 per cent of respondents in an online Daily Telegraph poll claimed they were "no chance" of attending any of the three games this year.
NRL fan Scott Hart and his young footy family had a message for Paul Gallen and Laurie Daley on Tuesday: "We'd love to be there cheering you but, sorry, it's just too expensive."
Hart, wife Alison, son Liam and daughter Julia spoke of their disappointment at being unable financially to buy tickets.
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"We are a rugby league family but cannot afford those prices. We wanted to watch NSW defend the title," said Hart, who coaches Liam in the under 12s Harbord Devils side, which competes in the Manly-Warringah junior rugby league competition.
"It's a real shame. My family would love to go to Origin and cheers on Laurie and 'Gal'. I know a lot of parents in Liam's team can't afford to attend either.
"Years ago everyone could afford to go. Now it seems only corporates can afford tickets. The game isn't what it used to be.
"It is slowly but surely drifting away from its working class roots."
Family passes can cost as much as $555.63 at ANZ Stadium. A single adult entry ticket can cost up to $280.
Aware AFL-made fans won't outlay big bucks to watch rugby league, the NRL has kept prices for the MCG game at a reasonable rate.
Kids prices start from $20 in Melbourne with AFL members offered tickets at around $26. It means NSW and Queensland are being gouged to subsidise prices for Melbourne.
North Curl Curl family Scott & Alison Hart, with their children Liam 12, & Julia 9. The diehard Rugby League fans can't afford to buy State of Origin tickets this year due to the price rise. Picture: Troy Snook Source: News Limited
Social media went into meltdown on Tuesday.
Mick wrote: "Well done NRL. Completely out of touch with fans. Ruining the game for everyone. No way in hell our family will be able to go this year. Thanks for ruining a 10-year tradition."
Sandy-Lee posted: "So, our dream of one day taking our kids to a SOO game in Sydney has just been shattered."
Barry said though: "Still not bad value when you consider the cost of seeing Kylie or Pink in concert."
Johnny added: "No fans, no game."
And Dan wrote: "What do expect when you put a banker (NRL CEO Dave Smith) in charge. This guy has no idea what RL is all about. Time to go Smith & take your cronies with you."
An NRL spokesman said on Monday that most tickets for the Sydney match had risen by $5 to 10 on last year. He said family tickets would range from $200.
In Queensland, there are more than 20,000 tickets priced at less than $200, including 3000 at the lowest price category of $80, the spokesman said.