Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has criticized a 43% increase in ticket prices for next year's men's Ashes Test at Edgbaston, calling it "really poor." The Birmingham venue will host the third Test in the best-of-five Ashes series between England and Australia next summer. In the Hollies Stand, which can hold nearly 6,000 spectators, the cost for a ticket has risen from £115 in 2023 to £165. Members of the stadium can buy tickets for £92, while the cheapest adult tickets across the first three days of the match are £115, including a £2.50 booking fee. Vaughan expressed his concerns on social media, highlighting the growing issue of rising ticket prices in sports. The 2023 Ashes series ended in a 2-2 draw, with Australia winning the first two Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reported that all games sold out in advance, with total attendance reaching over 545,000. However, despite the reduced capacity at Edgbaston due to the construction of an on-site hotel, tickets for the upcoming Test against Pakistan have not sold out. Adult tickets for that match range from £57.50 to £87.50. The ticket ballot for the 2027 Ashes has already opened, with prices at London venues like Lord's and the Oval being higher, with the best tickets priced at £190 and £185 respectively. England, who lost the Ashes 4-1 in Australia last winter, will start their campaign to reclaim the trophy at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 18 June. The second Test will be at Lord's on 30 June, followed by the third at Edgbaston on 8 July. The Utilita Bowl in Southampton will host the fourth Test on 21 July, making it the 10th UK ground to host an Ashes Test. The series will conclude at the Kia Oval from 29 July. The ECB and the five Test venues have been contacted by BBC Sport for their comments. Ticket pricing has become a contentious issue in various sports. Recently, a crowd of 13,623 attended the European Athletics Championships at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, where 24-year-old sprinter Amy Hunt won the women's 100m. However, some fans attributed the attendance to the high ticket prices, with Category A tickets for the home straight costing £150. For the men's 100m final, those same seats were priced at £110, with no discounts for children. Similarly, organizers of the 2025 Ryder Cup defended higher ticket prices for the centenary event in Ireland, with general admission tickets for three days at Adare Manor set at 499 euros (£434), up from 260 euros in Italy in 2023.