May 5, 2006
Successful First Week Of Public Ticketing
The first week of Public Ticketing for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 has been “a success and has boosted confidence in the Caribbean’s ability to deliver the tournament to the necessary world-class standards”.
Speaking earlier today as cricket fans worldwide continue to apply for tickets to next year’s Event being held across nine regional Host Venues, ICC CWC 2007 Commercial Manager Stephen Price said the strong response to the launch of Public Ticketing: Phase 1 – Application “has underlined the global interest in the first Cricket World Cup to be held in the Caribbean and the fact that this Event is truly upon us”.
“What has happened this week is a wake-up call for those who are still thinking and talking about the Cricket World Cup in futuristic terms. The matches may be next year but the Event has now begun.
“People are serious about coming to the Caribbean and we have to be ready – just as ready as we were to start the Ticketing process in the wee hours of Monday morning when online applications began. We are thrilled by the numbers of applications which are pouring in, both online and at Ticket Centres, but what we must all recognise is that each application – especially from outside the region – is an expression of confidence in us to deliver and to do so to world-class levels,” declared Price.
Traffic has been continuous on the tournament website www.cricketworldcup.com since it opened for applications shortly after midnight on May 1. Significant interest has also been shown by the public in the Host Venues where ICC CWC 2007 Official Ticket Centres commenced business last Tuesday (May 2).
Ticket applications have been received from 88 countries worldwide with the largest number of applications being registered by the UK, USA, Barbados, Australia, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Canada, India, South Africa and St. Kitts & Nevis respectively.
There is at least one application for each of the 51 tournament matches in ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and ticket applications have been received from a diversity of countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan and Kazakhstan.
“For obvious reasons, the Semi-Finals and Final are the matches in highest demand as well as matches involving the England and India cricket teams,” said Price.
While not disclosing the amount of revenue collected thus far, he acknowledged that the US$40 million target from ticket sales is “very much attainable if the trend continues”.
“We would love to be in a position where we have no or very few tickets to sell in Phases 2 and 3 of Public Ticketing. This certainly is a possibility given the numbers of early applications.”
More than 800 000 tickets are on sale for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and, outside of Public Ticketing, these can be secured in Tour & Travel packages being sold by ICC CWC 2007 Official Travels Agents (OTAs) or in Hospitality packages which can be bought from ICC CWC 2007 Official Hospitality Agents (OHAs).
“Anyone who wants to see next year’s Cricket World Cup needs to understand that Phase 1 is the best possible time to try and do so by applying for tickets. They will only have themselves to blame if they wait until too late and tickets are possibly sold out,” stressed Price.
