Mistakes to Avoid for Brazil's 2014 World Cup

Despite claims that the 2010 FIFA World Cup went off "nearly perfectly", mistakes were made, and there is room for improvement over the next four years as the tournament prepares to head to Brazil, according to this article.

The tournament may have at times been a playground for the world's rich and famous, with celebrities flocking to South Africa's biggest cities to soak up some of the action, but on the ground there was still considerable ground for improvement.

At the top of this list was the issue of tickets and making sure there is no repeat in Brazil of the vast empty spaces we saw, especially in the group phase. FIFA's insistence before the tournament that 97% of tickets had been sold hardly seemed credible. If that was indeed the case, then huge amounts of seats earmarked for the so-called "football family" - mainly sponsors and VIP bigwigs - were not taken up and needs to be thoroughly re-examined as a principle.

Lessons to learn before Brazil 2014
ESPN
July 10, 2010

FIFA Rakes Cash, But Slow Ticket Sales May Hurt South Africa

Ticket sales are one of the major sources of World Cup-related revenue for host countries, and South Africa's struggling ticket sales could turn out to be a major problem for the country's economy. Meanwhile, FIFA officials are confident that the tournament will be a financial success for the sport's international governing body.

Match tickets are a "key revenue stream" for a World Cup's local organizers, according to Udesh Pillay, of the Pretoria-based Human Sciences Research Council.

Pillay is editor of the book, "Development and Dreams, The Urban Legacy of the 2010 Football World Cup", the result of a five-year study into the long-term impact of the World Cup.

He notes that the local organizing committee of the Germany World Cup in 2006 made a profit of $237.5 million, "partly due to the near-capacity sales of match tickets."

South Africa 2010, because of a unique set of factors, may not be able to maximize this revenue stream as other hosts have done.

South Africa sacrifices short-term profits, hopes for long-term benefits
The Canadian Press
April 19, 2010

Concerns Over Available World Cup Tickets

More than 650,000 World Cup match tickets remain unsold, which is causing some concerns for organizers.

Of the 2.95 million tickets on offer, 650,000 still remain unspoken for, with 330,000 unsold among the 570,000 allocated to competing nations - worrying at 58%. Germany 2006, in contrast, received 15 million applications for just 3.4 million seats.

650,000 tickets remain unsold
ESPN
March 24, 2010

FIFA Official Admits South Africa Has Hard Work and Little Time

Jerome Valcke, secretary general of FIFA, admits that there is a lot of work to be done to get South Africa ready to host the World Cup, and that finishing the work may require some overtime work.

"At this stage, we couldn't play the opening game. That's a fact. At this stage, we have 700,000 tickets still to sell, at this stage I can make a list of things that aren't ready for the World Cup. We have 108 days - it seems short, it is short, but even if we have to stay awake all night, every day, we will be ready by the time of the World Cup."

FIFA: World Cup couldn't start tomorrow
ESPN
February 23, 2010

Ticket Sales Simplified in South Africa

In an effort to boost local sales of World Cup match tickets, organizers have simplified the ticket buying process in South Africa.

From April tickets will be available to purchase for cash as well as via the internet or written forms in banks.

Supporters in host nation South Africa are used to buying seats on the day of a match rather than in advance.

Organisers simplify World Cup 2010 ticket sales
BBC
January 18, 2010

Build a Stadium, Watch a Match

Stadium workers in South Africa are being granted two free tickets to a World Cup match. The move is part of the FIFA World Cup Ticket Fund, an outreach effort to enable some of the country's lowest income residents to attend the event.

Launched on Friday at Walter Sisulu Square in Soweto, the fund will see tickets being allocated through various programmes run by Fifa partners.

Tickets will go to deserving pupils, workers, teachers, parents and community leaders.

Of the 120 000 tickets, 40 000 will go to stadium construction workers, who will be given two tickets each to watch a game at the stadium they helped build.

Stadium workers to get 2010 tickets
The Star
August 15, 2009

Poor Attendance Highlights Confederations Cup Ticket Pricing Concerns

World Cup organizers are voicing concerns about poor attendance numbers so far at the first games of the Confederations Cup, running June 14-28. One game saw its stadium only half full. Some argue the ticket prices are too expensive for most working class South Africans.

The cheapest ticket for a group match in the Cup is R70 (~$9) - more than half a labourer's average daily earnings. After that, the prices climb threefold to a minimum R210 (~$26).

Asked whether Fifa would consider lowering prices for upcoming games, Mkondo said: "It was mentioned in some quarters. It is an issue that the organising committee and Fifa will look at."

Organisers mull how to fill Cup stadiums
Mail & Guardian
June 15, 2009

Stadium Disaster Leaves 22 Dead in Ivory Coast; SA Officials Deflect Concerns

A crush of people inside an Ivory Coast stadium for a World Cup qualifying match caused a wall to collapse, injuring more than 130 attendees and leaving at least 22 dead.

At least 22 football supporters have died at a World Cup qualifying match in the Ivory Coast, according to state officials. Reports suggest that a wall collapsed as a number of fans, possibly without tickets, crushed into the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan shortly before Ivory Coast were due to play Malawi. Desire Tagro, Ivory Coast's minister of the interior, said that 22 people were killed and more than 130 were injured.

...

Reports conflict over the number of fans in attendance, with estimates ranging from 36,000 to more than 60,000. Some news sources reported that the game was sold out and the stadium overcrowded after cut-price tickets were put on sale.

"Spectators who did not buy tickets were jostling before the match," the Ivory Coast's sports minister, Dagobert Banzio, told state television. "They smashed one of the main gates of the stadium. They were trampled." Banzio estimated the number of injured at 132.

South African World Cup organizer Danny Jordaan says stampedes like those seen during many African matches will not be a problem during the 2010 tournament, mainly due to the way tickets will be sold.

Jordaan says many African fans buy their tickets only when they reach the stadium, and often arrive late to do that, creating an impatient crowd outside that can spark an incident.

When the World Cup comes to South Africa in 2010, match tickets will have to be purchased well in advance. Jordaan says those without tickets will be "stopped kilometers away," and fans will be urged to arrive early.

Sources:
Supporters die at Ivory Coast World Cup qualifier after crush
The Guardian
March 30, 2009

World Cup organizer: Stampedes won't be an issue
Associated Press
March 30, 2009

2010 Ticket Requests Top 1 Million

Demand for the first batch of tickets for the 2010 World Cup has surpassed expectations, with more than a million online requests. This doesn't include South African applications presented at locations within the country, though local demand is expected to be relatively low.

By Thursday, online applications for more than one million tickets had been received from over 160 countries via Fifa.com for the 743 000 available tickets for sale at this stage.

This excludes any applications handed in by South African residents at FNB branches in the host country.

The number of applications has far exceeded Fifa and the Local Organising Committee’s expectations.

Source:
Million plus WC tickets wanted
Kick Off
March 28, 2009

Success on the Field, But African Demand for the Game Has Some Worried

As African nations enter the climactic stage of World Cup qualifying, the sport is experiencing an unprecedented success on the continent. African players are increasingly among the world's top players, earning some of the highest salaries. Investment in the African Champions League is also at an all-time high. But while the sport is benefiting, ticket sales for the upcoming Confederations Cup are disproportionate. Worries persist among many that the local audience for the Confederations Cup and the subsequent World Cup will be small.

Yet football's world governing body is concerned that when the best teams in the world arrive for next year's finals, there might be few locals to watch them. Although global ticket demand for the World Cup is high, the local pick-up has been slow and FIFA is unhappy with South Africa's marketing for its forthcoming tournaments. "There isn't a single promotion of the events, even when you arrive at the airport," secretary general Jerome Valcke lamented earlier this month.

This might partly explain the poor ticket sales ahead of June's Confederations Cup, the eight-team tournament featuring the various continental champions not to mention the last World Cup winners too: Italy being joined by Brazil, Spain, Iraq, New Zealand, America, Egypt and the hosts. Yet with just three months to go, little more than a quarter of the tickets have been snapped up.

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As the African Diaspora flourishes, the game is also advancing back home - at least monetarily. While the continent's domestic football will always be plagued by inadequate pitches, poor preparation, nutrition, salaries, administration and of course, corruption, sponsors are now pumping record amounts of money into the African Champions League.

Source:
African eyes all turn to World Cup
ESPN
March 26, 2009

Confederations Cup Organizers Stressing Over Low Ticket Sales

Low ticket sales for the 2009 Confederations Cup have event organizers and World Cup boosters uneasy about the local response the the international tournaments.

Fifa and the Local Organising Committee have persuaded South African Rugby, Cricket South Africa, Cosatu and the ZCC to help promote the tournament.

In spite of the world’s leading teams coming to South Africa to take part, ticket sales have been disappointing.

The chief marketing officer of the LOC, Derek Carstens, said: “We want to encourage South Africans to take ownership of this tournament, to see themselves as hosts, and the best way is to go out and fill the stadiums and welcome the teams and visitors to our country."

Source:
Divine inspiration sought for Cup
The Times
March 19, 2009

Cheaper Tickets Reserved for South Africans

About 16% of tickets to be available for the 2010 World Cup are being set aside specifically for South Africans. Concerns over citizens' ability to afford access to the event in their own country spurred FIFA to reserve the most affordable tickets for locals.

In order to facilitate the access of ordinary South African football fans to a tournament that might otherwise be beyond their reach, Fifa has blocked off about 16% of the tickets -- all the cheapest category four tickets -- for South African residents.

These tickets start at R140, "which is the cheapest price of a World Cup ticket for many, many years," David Will, head of the Fifa sub-ticketing committee told a media ticketing seminar in Johannesburg.

Source:
World Cup's cheapest tickets reserved for South Africans
Mail & Guardian
February, 18, 2009

U.S., England Lead World Cup Ticket Buying

Foreign buyers are making up the vast majority of ticket holders for 2010 World Cup Games. U.S. and England are home to the main buyers. Tickets are being released for sale on a staggered schedule, but in the month since the first release, available tickets are already sold out for 28 of the tournament's 64 games.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said following an executive committee meeting Friday that at least 28 of the 64 matches for next year's tournament have sold out, and close to 800,000 tickets have been sold.

On a separate note, countries planning to bid on future World Cups will also face new limitations.

At the executive committee meeting, FIFA decided to limit lobbying by candidates to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Bid teams can have three accredited people attend the FIFA Congress on June 2-3 in the Bahamas and three tournaments being played in Africa this year — the Confederations Cup, the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt and the Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria. Bidders may not mount exhibitions until the 2010 FIFA Congress in South Africa.

The United States, England, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Russia and South Korea are bidding, plus joint candidates Belgium-Netherlands and Spain-Portugal. The 24-man executive committee will vote in December 2010.

Source:
England, US leading World Cup ticket buyers
Associated Press
March 20, 2009

FIFA Dismisses Low Sales for Confederations Cup

Sales for the Confederations Cup are low, prompting some concern about the success of the tournament, seen as a test run before the World Cup main event in 2010. Sales for the World Cup, however, are high since tickets became available in February -- mainly due to a large international demand from countries such as the United States and England.

Officials in South Africa proposed plans on Tuesday to sell group tickets to companies and fan clubs in an attempt to boost interest in the Confederations Cup, the test event for 2010.

"We have one concern about the Confederations Cup and that is the ticketing," Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke told reporters after soccer's governing body held an executive committee meeting."

"Valcke said two thirds of the World Cup tickets had gone to the international market, with fans in the United States and England buying the most."

"Demand will pick up further once fans know which teams have qualified and following December's draw."

"The global financial crisis has yet to cause any major disruption to South Africa's plans. World Cups generate 95 percent of Fifa's revenues."

Source:
Fifa plays down 2010 World Cup ticket
Independent Online
March 20 2009

Tickets on Sale for 2010 World Cup

Ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup opened to the public on Friday, February 20. The first batch of tickets publicly available number 740,000.

"* Just over 3 million tickets will be available for the 64 matches of the tournament, to be played in 10 different venues across South Africa

* Around 1.5 million tickets will be sold to the public. This is divided into 740,000 tickets on sale from Friday; 570,000 made available later in the year to supporters of qualified countries and 344,000 to those who buy tickets through an official tour operator

* World Cup sponsors are entitled to 550,000 tickets with a further 380,000 for hospitality rights holders. TV rights holders are entitled to 66,000 tickets

* FIFA will keep 200,000 tickets for member associations who do not qualify, give 89,600 to each participating country's football association and give the local organising committee 91,000 tickets to distribute"

Source:
FACTBOX - Tickets for the 2010 World Cup
Reuters
February 18, 2009