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Ticket sales of most SEA Games sports cross 70% mark

SINGAPORE — Sales for most of the ticketed events at the 28th SEA Games to be held here from June 5 to 16 have reached the 70 per cent mark, with the opening ceremony sold out, said the chairman of Singapore SEA Games organising committee (SINGSOC), Mr Lim Teck Yin, yesterday.

Nila the Sea Games Mascot takes a break along the benches at Marina Bay.

Nila the Sea Games Mascot takes a break along the benches at Marina Bay.

SINGAPORE — Sales for most of the ticketed events at the 28th SEA Games to be held here from June 5 to 16 have reached the 70 per cent mark, with the opening ceremony sold out, said the chairman of Singapore SEA Games organising committee (SINGSOC), Mr Lim Teck Yin, yesterday.

During a media briefing, Mr Lim said he was encouraged to see more support for the Games and added SINGSOC will work with the various national sports associations (NSAs) to ramp up ticket sales over the next few weeks.

On April 15, Mr Lim reported that sales for several sports were “in the low range”, especially the sports like boxing, silat and judo that will be held at the Singapore Expo.

Despite the encouraging numbers, TODAY understands that table tennis is among the sports that are still struggling to attract paying fans. Only 20 per cent of tickets for the events at the Singapore Indoor Stadium have been sold.

With a 30 per cent take up rate, rugby and judo are doing slightly better, while sepak takraw is slowly approaching the 50 per cent mark. Two of the top performers are fencing and swimming, which have sold 85 and 70 per cent of tickets, respectively.

With the take up rate improving, Mr Lim said he is heartened that the public has stepped up its support for the 18 ticketed sports events at the Games. The rest of the sports events are free.

“Many of the ticketed events have crossed the 70 per cent mark,” said Mr Lim. “These include swimming, fencing, rhythmic gymnastics, silat and wushu. “Others like billiards and snooker, equestrian, sepak takraw, taekwondo, and artistic gymnastics are hovering around the 50 per cent mark and selling quickly.

He added that SINGSOC will work with all stakeholders, including NSAs, to “fill up the venues so that as many people can experience” the Games’ return to Singapore after 22 years.

Despite the low numbers for his sport, Singapore Rugby Union president Low Teo Ping is confident it will increase closer to the start of the rugby competition on June 6 at Choa Chu Kang Stadium.

Said Teo: “I am optimistic that it will pick up, as the competition draws nearer. Singaporeans like to leave it to the last moment and hope that tickets don’t run out by then.

“Choa Chu Kang may seem far, but there is no place that is too unreachable in a small city like Singapore. Some are also worried about being exposed to the elements because the stadium is not sheltered, but we are urging all to put these concerns aside and show their support for our team.”

In reply to queries from TODAY, the Singapore Table Tennis Association issued a statement saying “it has sent out letters to our sponsors, partners, supporters and parents of our youth development programmes to purchase the SEA Games tickets”.

To ramp up support, the Singapore Judo Federation has also sent emails to their 13 affiliates and are printing posters of their judokas to put up at the athletes’ former schools.

“For a humble NSA like us, it is not cheap to print these full-colour, A2-size posters, but the Games are drawing nearer, and we need to do our best to get some good support for our national team,” said its vice-president Stephen Loh.

 

Some 790,000 tickets, priced between S$5 to S$20, have gone on sale at the ticketing box office at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, SingPost outlets, and the ticketing hotline (+65 3158 8080) since February. Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are priced between S$12 to S$60.

 

Non-ticketed sports: Archery, athletics, bowling, canoeing, cycling, floorball, golf, hockey, pentanque, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, tennis, traditional boat race, triathlon, waterski & wakeboard

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