The start of Public Ticketing for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 is now less than a month away.
As of midnight Eastern Caribbean time on May 1, 2006, cricket fans worldwide will be able to apply online (www.cricketworldcup.com) for tickets to attend the 51 tournament matches and 16 warm-up fixtures which will be played across nine Caribbean countries next March and April.
In what is the largest edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup to date, more than 800,000 tickets will be available for purchase with a large percentage of these expected to be sold via Public Ticketing which will cater to persons seeking “tickets only”.
Ticket applications can also be submitted at Official ICC CWC 2007 Ticket Centres in each Host Venue. However, while online applications commence on May 1, Ticket Centres will open for business on May 2 as seven Host Venues – excluding Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago – observe May 1 as a Public Holiday for Labour Day.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Managing Director & CEO Chris Dehring noted that, given the pricing structure, all fans have an opportunity to experience the ultimate in international cricket in the idyllic Caribbean.
“The application process will be fair and transparent and everyone will have equal chance to get a ticket, especially with prices ranging from US$10 for a Single Match ticket at warm-up games to US$300 for the best seats at the Final. There are exciting combination packages which will allow fans to follow their team’s progress through the tournament or to watch all the matches at a particular venue,” he said, reminding that the interest of several stakeholders had to be considered in determining the ticket prices.
“There is a huge demand for Cricket World Cup tickets. Remember we have 16 teams competing in this tournament – some of them with massive fan bases – and we also have to accommodate persons from other countries in the ICC (International Cricket Council) family. Added to those commitments, we want to ensure that the people of this region – who have long supported cricket – have ample opportunity to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience on their home soil.”
Public Ticketing takes place in three phases with the first stage, from Monday May 1, 2006, to Monday July 31, 2006, allowing fans to apply for Single Match tickets, Venue Combinations or Follow A Path Combinations, either online or at the Ticket Centres in Host Venues.
“Given the immense interest being shown in the Cricket World Cup we anticipate a flood of applications in the first phase of Public Ticketing and our Ticketing Unit is readying itself to handle those demands,” said Dehring.
“A lot of expertise and hard work has been invested in our Ticketing programme and we are confident that this meticulous preparation will redound to the ease and satisfaction with which fans can apply and acquire tickets.”
Applications and payments from Phase 1 of Public Ticketing will be processed in August 2006, ahead of Phase 2 which runs from Friday September 1, 2006, to Thursday November 30, 2006. This stage will be conducted on a “first come, first served” basis, with the remaining tickets again being available via the ICC CWC 2007 website and Ticket Centres.
The third and final phase of Ticketing runs from Monday January 9, 2007, up to the morning of the Final on Saturday April 28, 2007 – again on the “first come, first served” principle – with actual seats being sold from the website, Ticket Centres or from Venue Box Offices in the Host Venues.
Prior to this, between Friday December 1, 2006, and Monday January 9, 2007, ticket sales will be closed while seat locations are assigned to all ticket purchasers and tickets are printed and prepared for distribution.
