Snedden optimistic over RWC ticket sales

Rugby New Zealand 2011 Chief Executive Martin Snedden remains confident of healthy total ticket sales for this year's World Cup despite organisers having suffered a major setback by losing earthquake-hit Christchurch as a host city.

With 100 days to go until the start of the Rugby World Cup, Snedden said on Wednesday that the 22nd February disaster which killed 181 people had presented the biggest challenge to organisers.

All seven matches scheduled for Christchurch, including two quarter-finals, had to be moved after the quake, with organisers refunding 150,000 tickets sold for the matches in the city as well as giving the original purchasers an opportunity to buy them back.

Snedden said interest in tickets had been promising for the two relocated quarter-finals, which will now be played in Auckland, along with a pool match between England and Argentina. However, he admitted that reselling the remaining games initially slated for Christchurch had been "a harder prospect" and said the original target of 1.35 million ticket sales would be difficult to achieve.

Snedden told Radio New Zealand "realistically, we're probably not quite as confident as we were before the earthquake happened, but there's a lot that can be done.

We're seeking to sell about 550,000 tickets from now. It is achievable, but it is a very difficult target."

Snedden said he hoped for a surge in sales when tickets go on general sale on 4th July and added that he was still confident the tournament would meet its target of NZ$268 million in ticket revenue. Snedden added that overall preparations were on schedule, including construction work at stadia in Dunedin and Auckland, where the final will be staged.

15th April 2011 - SNEDDEN OUTLINES ECONOMIC BOOST OF RUGBY WORLD CUP