7's? Plenty of tickets available!!..........
Sevens ticket prices slashed
Last updated 05:00 31/10/2014
Ticket prices for next year's Wellington Sevens have been slashed as organisers seek to boost flagging interest in the event.
With just 13,000 tickets sold so far, the cost of general entry tickets will be cut from $199 to $149, while those in the premium zone will drop from $235 to $195.
New general manager Steve Dunbar, 10 days into the job, said tickets sales had been slow since their release last month and fans had told organisers that prices were part of the reason.
"It's fair to say that ticket sales . . . haven't been as good as we've hoped," he said. "I think the fans have spoken."
Prices had already been reduced by $10 after this year's tournament saw the worst ticket sales since the event began.
Dunbar has replaced former boss Marty Donoghue, who resigned earlier this year after just one tournament in charge.
He said that, on top of reduced prices, there would also be more promotion of the event, including trying to drum up student interest by offering the chance to those who bought four or more tickets to have $3000 paid towards their university fees.
Organisers would be contacting people who had already bought tickets to arrange a partial refund, based on the difference between what they paid and the new prices.
Dunbar, whose sports management experience has included working on the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and previously as tournament director and chief executive of NZ International Sevens, said he was reviewing other aspects of the tournament, including the entertainment.
The event had to be a good mix between action on the field and entertainment off it.
"I think to date Wellington has done that particularly well. If you look at some of the other tournaments in the series, it is still the shining light . . . and I'll just come in and have a look at that, and see if there are any enhancements that can be made."
- The Dominion Post
