Michael Vaughan Critiques 43% Ticket Price Hike for 2025 Ashes
Michael Vaughan has condemned a steep rise in ticket prices for next summer’s Ashes Test at Edgbaston, branding the increase “really poor” as fans brace for one of the most expensive series ever staged in England.
The former England captain spoke out after it emerged that seats in the famous Hollies Stand for the 2025 men’s Ashes clash in Birmingham will cost £165 – up from £115 for the 2023 Ashes, a jump of around 43% for one of the most in-demand areas of the ground.
The Hollies, with space for almost 6,000 spectators and a reputation for its raucous, carnival atmosphere, has long been a magnet for supporters who want to turn an Ashes day into an event. Next year, it will come with a premium price tag to match.
Across the rest of Edgbaston, members will be able to buy tickets at £92, but the cheapest adult seats for the first three days of the Test are set at £115, before a £2.50 booking fee is added to every ticket. For many regulars, that pushes a single day’s cricket into a serious financial decision.
Vaughan, who led England to their iconic 2005 Ashes triumph, reacted bluntly on social media, replying to news of the pricing with four words that cut through the noise: “This is really poor.”
His frustration taps into a wider unease. The last Ashes series in England, in 2023, ended 2-2 after Australia surged into a 2-0 lead with victories at Edgbaston and Lord’s, only for England to roar back under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The England and Wales Cricket Board later hailed the series as a commercial and crowd success, reporting that every day sold out in advance and total attendance topped 545,000.
That level of demand has clearly emboldened organisers. Yet the picture at Edgbaston this summer offers a warning. Despite the ground operating at a reduced capacity because of an on-site hotel development, next week’s third Test between England and Pakistan has not sold out. Adult tickets for that match range from £57.50 to £87.50 – significantly lower than the Ashes prices now on the table.
If Birmingham feels expensive, London goes a step further. The ballot for the 2027 Ashes opened on Wednesday, with headline prices at Lord’s and the Oval already eclipsing Edgbaston’s. The most coveted seats there are listed at £190 at Lord’s and £185 at the Oval, figures that will test even the most loyal of supporters.
On the field, England’s task is clear. Beaten 4-1 in Australia last winter, they will attempt to wrench the urn back on home soil next summer. The series opens at Trent Bridge on 18 June, a ground that has staged some of the most breathless Ashes cricket of the modern era.
Upcoming Matches
- Trent Bridge - 18 June
- Lord’s - 30 June
- Edgbaston - 8 July
- Utilita Bowl, Southampton - 21 July
- Kia Oval - 29 July
With dates locked in and ballots open, the contest for seats has already begun – but this time, the fiercest battle may not be between bat and ball. It may be between the sport’s need for revenue and the supporters asked to pay record prices to be part of it.
