Melbourne VIC, Australia, 21 December 2013 | ausopen.com

Tennis Australia, in conjunction with Ticketek, today launched the Australian Open Fan Marketplace – a safe and secure platform for fans to re-sell tickets to the 2014 Australian Open.

In an Australian first the marketplace will provide fans with the ability to list tickets for sale as well as buy great seats that have been 100 per cent verified and guaranteed by Ticketek.

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said the new product has been designed to put fans first and continue to provide accessible ticketing through an official channel.

“We understand that there are times when fans can no longer use the tickets they purchase. In an event where ticket demand is growing every year, it is important to have a safe, secure and fair way for genuine fans to sell and buy tickets.

“We see first-hand the impact unauthorised ticket sellers have on fans so we are taking an industry lead to provide a seamless and risk-free experience,” Tiley said.

Australian Open Fan Marketplace is powered by Ticketek to ensure all tickets are verified before being listed. By linking to the original ticket transaction, Ticketek can facilitate a direct refund back to seller, as well as issue new tickets and barcodes to the buyer.

Ticketek Managing Director Cameron Hoy says the new platform is an important step forward in the fight against scalping.

“We are delighted to work with Tennis Australia to develop bespoke technology that will allow fair access to tickets for true fans.”

“Through our joint focus we have been able to extend our established and secure ticketing service to provide fans with peace of mind when buying and selling tickets,” Hoy said.

There is no cost to list tickets for sale on Fan Marketplace and ticket prices will be set at face value for this year’s Open  by Tennis Australia to ensure they are in reach of everyone who wants to see the tennis.

“Australian Open Fan Marketplace is a service for genuine fans. There are no inflated prices or fast profiteering,” Tiley said.

“We are excited to offer this service for the first time and provide an official and safe alternative to unauthorised ticket sellers.”

Australian Open Fan Marketplace is now available at www.ausopen.com and will operate until the end of Australian Open 2014. It is one of a number of innovations that have been developed locally by Ticketek and Tennis Australia to deliver world-class ticketing solutions to tennis fans.