With 472 days to go before the opening ceremony for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, the much-anticipated ticketing program was unveiled yesterday with news that tickets for the general public will go on sale on May 1, 2006 on a phased basis, while special combinations, tour and travel packages will go on sale as of January.
In addition, Corporate Hospitality packages, which are match tickets sold in conjunction with hospitality services, inclusive of the provision of food and beverage provided in a corporate hospitality environment of a world class standard, will be made available through Cricket Hospitality 2007, the authorized cricket hospitality provider, from February 1, 2006.
More than 800,000 tickets will be made available ranging from US$10 for a single match ticket to US$300 for the best seats at the Final in Barbados.
Making the announcement at a press conference held at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Commercial Manager, Stephen Price, said the development of the ticketing strategy and policy has been an 11-month odyssey.
“The ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inc. canvassed the opinions of all events stakeholders from the local organizing committees to the WICB on whose behalf we are managing this event, as well as the ICC,” he said.
In meeting the needs of stakeholders, Mr. Price noted that specific objectives were set, which guided the development and all elements of the ticketing policy.
He explained that the main objectives were to maximize the ticket sales and match attendance for a global television audience; operate a safe event efficiently; generate revenues for the future of the game; and leave a positive legacy for West Indies Cricket.
The Commercial Manager also sought to address a major concern of regional cricket fans – that of the availability of tickets, stating that there would be “a fair and equitable distribution of tickets” for the 51 matches to be played over a period of 47 days in March and April 2007.
Quotas, he informed, had been allocated for host venue nationals, CARICOM residents and international fans, who will have to apply online or in person to purchase tickets.
“If demand for tickets of a certain price for any one match or combination or package is higher than the number of tickets available, the application will go into a ballot to determine who receives the tickets. This ballot will be supervised by independent auditors,” he noted.
Expounding on the public ticket sales procedure, Mr. Price informed that it would be conducted in three phases. In phase one, which begins on May 1, 2006 and ends on July 3, all fans applying have an equal opportunity to get the tickets they want.
“There is no need to submit an application at the start of this phase, because they will not be processed until the end of the application period, which will last for three months,” he clarified. Fans can apply for single match tickets, Venue Combinations or Follow Path combinations. The latter allows the purchaser to follow the tournament from the start of the group stage through to, and including the Final.
Applications will be available from official ICC CWC 2007 Inc. Ticket Centers and the official ticketing website: www.cricketworldcup.com.
In August 2006, ticket sales will be closed to allow for the processing of ticket applications and payments. Confirmation will be forwarded to applicants no later than August 31 advising, which tickets/matches they have been allocated.
Phase Two will begin on September 1, 2006 and close on November 30, 2006. During this stage, ticket sales will be conducted on a “first come, first served” basis. Customers will be issued a receipt at the time of purchase.
From December 1, 2006 to January 2007, ticket sales will be closed while specific seat locations are assigned to all ticket purchasers and tickets are printed and prepared for distribution.
In the third and final phase, ticketing runs from January 9, up to the morning of the Final on April 28, 2007. Again, tickets will be sold on a “first come, first served” principle, with the actual seats being sold from the official ticketing website, official ticket centers and venue box offices at host venues.
As for a breakdown of the types of tickets available for the general public, Mr. Price revealed that there were three categories. Category one, offered the highest quality seating, while category two, middle quality seats and category three, standard quality seating. There will be the party stand, which is a popular addition to Caribbean cricket and will be located outside the reserved seating area with a moderate and possibly restricted view of the field of play. The area will not be covered.
“It will be the biggest event in Caribbean sporting history and everyone has an equal chance to secure a ticket,” he said. For Sabina Park, ticket prices will range from US$15 to US$100 for first round matches and for the semi-finals, prices will be from US$50 to US$130. For the opening ceremony at Greenfield, tickets will cost between US$50 and US$120.
In order to ensure fair and equitable distribution of tickets, some restrictions will be applied by ICC CWC 2007 Inc. These include a limit of four tickets per match per application. In addition, only two applications per residential address will be allowed. Applications in excess of these limits will be rejected.
Mr. Price also reminded the public that tickets could only be purchased through authorized ICC CWC 2007 agents as well as the official tour and travel operator, Cricket Logistics 2007 and their agents, and the official corporate hospitality provider, Corporate Hospitality 2007.
“Anybody else purporting to be ticket agents for ICC Cricket World Cup is unauthorized. We wish the public to stay away from these unauthorized agents,” he warned, adding that persons seeking to determine who authorized agents were could visit the official world cup website.
