A Brisbane mother has been told she'll need a ticket to breastfeed her four-month-old son in order to attend one of Ed Sheeran's sold-out concerts next week.

Kirsty McDonald's son Leni is breastfeeding, and refuses to take a bottle due to a lip tie, so she wants to bring him along to Wednesday's concert in a baby carrier, with earmuffs for protection.

Mrs McDonald has standing tickets for herself, her mother, and her sister-in-law, but did not think she would need one for her infant son, who hadn't been born when tickets went on sale last year.

The Gap resident emailed Ticketek, who are handling ticket sales for Sheeran's two Brisbane shows at Lang Park next week, to check that it would be OK to bring her son.

She received a response days later, telling her it was not allowed:

"There is no free on the knee for this event — all patrons must have a ticket," Ticketek said in an email sighted by the ABC.



Mrs McDonald said it was unfair.

"I just thought it was absolutely ridiculous. I'm quite angry," she said.

"They might have their reasons, but they didn't give me any reasons. It was short and sharp."

Mrs McDonald said she'd had no troubles in the past taking Leni, or her other son, now aged two, to sporting events.

Ed Sheeran began his record-breaking tour of Australia and New Zealand earlier this month. ( Instagram: Ed Sheeran )

"We've been to see the Brisbane Broncos and Roar play," she said.

"We're going to the Commonwealth Games next month and I can take both of them [without a ticket].

"I understand not many people would take a four-month-old to a concert, but just the fact I can take him to so many events without a ticket … I just really assumed it'd be fine. He's not taking up much room."

Touring company defends ticket policy

A spokesman for Lang Park said the event promoter, in this case Frontier Touring, set the conditions for entry.

Frontier Touring defended its policy and said it was standard practice for all patrons to hold a ticket regardless of age.

"Part of the reason that we require people to have a ticket is knowing exactly how many people are in the venue, which is primarily for a safety reason," a spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman said the company "would always discourage bringing a child of such a young age to a concert".

"Even with earmuffs it's still obviously an incredibly loud environment to bring in a child with such sensitive ears," she said.

"A concert environment includes extreme loud noises, often [pyrotechnics] which are incredibly loud as well, and often lighting effects which may distress people."

The spokeswoman said given the circumstances, the company would be happy to refund the ticket so Ms McDonald could stay at home with her child.

She was also recommended against purchasing tickets from anywhere other than the authorised outlet.

'I can't get a ticket unless I buy one at an exorbitant price'

Mrs McDonald said she still wanted to see the concert, and her only option now was to buy an extra ticket.

However, tickets to both of Sheeran's shows at Lang Park are sold out, according to the Ticketek website.

She's already turned to those looking to resell their tickets on social media.

Mrs McDonald's tickets were purchased for just over $100 each.

A search on Gumtree on Friday found tickets for the same section at twice the cost.

"I can't get a ticket now unless I buy one at an exorbitant price," Mrs McDonald said.

"I want to see Ed Sheeran, I don't want to miss it.

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"I'm willing to pay more, I really want to go. I just think the whole concept is odd."

According to Stadiums Queensland, ticketholders for events at Lang Park can resell their tickets, provided the cost is no more than 10 per cent above the original ticket price.

"However, the act does not authorise resale of a ticket if the original conditions of sale by the event promoter prohibit resale," it said.

According to terms and conditions of Sheeran's concerts listed on Ticketek, "selling any ticket to a Frontier event for an amount greater than Frontier's advertised retail price is strictly prohibited without Frontier's prior written permission".

"Frontier reserves the right to cancel any tickets it detects as being promoted, advertised, offered or sold in breach of this condition," it said.

Yesterday, a Brisbane man was charged with fraud for selling non-existent tickets to Sheeran's Sydney and Brisbane shows.