Ashes 2017: Tickets on sale Monday

It is 207 days until the Ashes series begins, but the race to secure the hottest ticket of the summer gets underway on Monday morning (AEST).

The last Ashes series in Australia saw Test match days sell out within minutes on going on public sale and tickets are certain to be popular again this time around, especially with the prospect of Australia unleashing a fearsome four-pronged pace attack in their quest to regain the urn.

But there are ways to avoid the crush and secure a seat early. Here's how.

Cricket Australia's priority access period for tickets opens this Monday from 9am AEST. It is for Gold Members of the Australian Cricket Family (ACF) only. Gold membership is earned if you used your ACF details to purchase international tickets in at least two of the past three seasons. The reward for meeting that criteria is access to tickets two days before anyone else.

If you haven't got Gold status, fear not, because come Wednesday, all ACF members who signed up before April 23 will be able to buy tickets.

Click here to join the Australian Cricket Family. FAQs about the ACF can be found here

And for those not a member of the Australian Cricket Family, the remaining tickets will go on general sale on Monday, May 8 from 9am (on-sale times vary by state). For matches in Victoria, NSW, South Australia, the ACT and Tasmania, Ticketek is the ticket agency. In Queensland, it is Ticketmaster.

Tickets for internationals in Perth will not be on sale this week; with the Burswood Stadium still under construction, the venue for matches played in Western Australia is not yet confirmed and tickets will only go on sale for those games when the venue is locked in. 

The priority access period is restricted to ACF members who reside permanently in Australia, but international supporters will be able to buy tickets once on general sale on May 8.

The five-Test series will pit rival skippers Joe Root and Steve Smith head-to-head in their first Ashes campaigns as captains, with the Aussies looking to gain revenge for England's triumph in 2015.

The international season will feature the first men's day-night Ashes Test, plus five one-day internationals between the two nations, before a T20 trans-Tasman tri-series with England and New Zealand.

All one-day and T20 international matches will go on sale at the same time as the Test matches.

The entry-level price is the same as the 2016-17 season, with adult tickets starting at $30, children's tickets at $10 and family tickets at $65.

The most expensive seats are for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, where a platinum band adult ticket costs $189.

There are again 'Twilight' tickets for the day-night Test in Adelaide, from $20 for adults and $10 for kids, which give access to the final two sessions of play.

There are ticket agency service and delivery fees on top of that. Full price details can be found at cricket.com.au/tickets.

"An Ashes series is always highly anticipated by our fans and the 2017-18 season is set to be the biggest yet – you could call it the decider, because after 69 series over 135 years, it is 32 series wins each. It means we are very happy to be placing tickets to this event on sale so early," said Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland.

"There will be high demand for these tickets, and we are very aware of those who try to take advantage of the system and scalp tickets at inflated prices. Our message to fans is to sign up to the ACF, get in early, and only purchase from official ticket agencies to ensure you only pay the official prices.

"We are sure that people around the country will make the most of this opportunity to come and witness our proudest sporting contest when it returns to Australia this summer."

The Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes Series will be held between October 22 and November 21. Ticketing and broadcast details for this series will be announced soon.

Ashes ticket sales key dates

May 1: Tickets on sale to ACF Gold members

May 3: Tickets on sale to all ACF members

May 8: Tickets on sale to the general public

Click here to join the Australian Cricket Family. FAQs about the ACF can be found here

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Men's Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test Perth TBC, December 14-18

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21