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Tickets to The International 2022 were released during the weekend, and minutes after the online queue opened up, they were sold out. Fans unable to get a ticket during the mad dash will have to find a way to salvage their travel and accommodation expenses.
Ticket sales for the Dota 2 tournament began on August 13, and while getting a ticket seemed achievable for fans at the time, it all came crashing down soon after. The tickets’ high price had already discouraged some fans from buying initially, but now, even those with the money might not be able to attend Valve’s prestigious event.
The price of tickets was announced by Valve on August 4. They were limited to five for each customer for the days of the event. Fans were expected to buy tickets for each day they planned to attend the playoffs. The International 2022 would run from October 20-23 and cost $88 SGD ($63 USD) per day. This price totals around $352 SGD ($254 USD) for all four days.
Besides that, people who planned to attend the finals were required to buy an extra ticket worth $498 SGD ($360 USD). The entire price of the tickets for the event is $850 SGD ($615 USD). This excludes flight and accommodation expenses for fans who plan to fly down.
Scalpers were another factor that ensured that fans had difficulty acquiring tickets. The presence of scalpers led to eager fans losing out on buying tickets for themselves. Due to their habit of enlisting the aid of bots, the scalpers bought most of the tickets and started reselling them at even higher prices shortly after.
While fans could buy the pricey tickets from the resellers, it is not advisable to do so. This is mostly because when buying the ticket, photo identification is needed, which links the original buyer to the pass.
To be admitted into the prestigious event, the buyer must produce a mode of identification to get in. Besides this, buying from scalpers would only encourage similar acts in the future.
For fans that have no means of getting tickets, they might have to undo their plans to stay in Singapore for the experience. This is especially disappointing for people who have already committed to booking flights to Singapore and paying deposits for accommodation.
Cancelling plans could lead to asking for flight and accommodation refunds and possibly losing the already paid deposit. The loss could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. People who do not want to cancel their plans could always fly down without the intention of attending the tournament and join watch parties to glean some second-hand experience from people who attended.
For Dota 2 fans who are yet to get a ticket, the entire situation is dreary and may have taken some fun out of the whole activity. In less bleak news, the upcoming event is progressing well and will certainly be one for the books.
Besides being the biggest and most prestigious Dota 2 event this year, The International 2022 is the most large-scale esports event considering factors like prize pool, stakes, and viewership. The popular event will be held at Suntec Singapore and the finals at the country’s indoor stadium.
The best squads from the six regions will be expected to fight for the Aegis of Champions. Twenty teams will feature in the competition, with 12 directly qualified from the Dota Pro Circuit points.
Odds for The International 2022 are not yet available. The defending champions, Team Spirit, will be coming into the tournament with momentum after defeating PSG.LGD to claim the 2022 PGL Arlington Major title.
