Last chance ballot for RWC tickets
04 Oct 2010
The clock is ticking for Rugby World Cup fans as the ballots for tickets to the semi-finals and final gets ready to close on 5pm, Friday NZT (08.10.10).
Rugby fans will get a last opportunity to enter into the ballot for tickets to the hugely popular semi-finals and final - by applying to purchase individual match tickets during the current Phase 2 ticket release.
Fans will learn if their entries for Phase 3 tickets to the semi-finals and final were successful in mid-February, although they will receive confirmation of their success for Phase 2 individual match tickets by November.
Martin Snedden, chief executive of tournament organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011, urged fans to apply before Friday’s closing date to ensure they don’t miss out.
"The semi-finals and final will be the pinnacle of RWC 2011 so I am sure fans who enter the ballots will be eagerly anticipating the result next February," said Snedden.
Preparations underway
Preparations are well underway as New Zealand enters the next stage of getting ready to host the world’s third-biggest sporting event, the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Auckland’s Eden Park, the largest stadium in the country, is getting ready to re-open on 10.10.10 after receiving a three-year, multi-million dollar upgrade. The stadium will be the main venue for the RWC next year, hosting the finals as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
Eden Park’s major overhaul has included increased seating capacity to 60,000, the building of an internal concourse to smooth traffic flow, new goal posts and public access to several areas of the stadium.
More than 500,000 fans from 85 countries around the world bought Phase 1 tickets, which closed in May. Ticket sales have so far topped $76 million and there are strong indications that Phase 2 tickets will sell just as well.
Ticketing phases
Approximately 400,000 individual match tickets will be made available in Phase 2 for all matches, except for the semi-finals and the final.
Similar to the first phase, fans may apply for tickets to matches of their choice. All applications have an equal chance of success, although Snedden warns that fans should be prepared not to get their first choice.
"There will inevitably be some disappointment as we have had strong demand for tickets to some matches at Eden Park and the quarter-finals in Wellington and Christchurch where there has been limited availability."
Fans who have applied for both Phase 1 and 2 tickets are also automatically entered into a draw for the coveted Phase 3 semi-finals and final tickets. Entries for Phase 3 are drawn at random.
Background: Rugby New Zealand 2011 Ltd
The New Zealand Rugby Union was selected as the Host Union for RWC 2011 by the International Rugby Board Council in November 2005.
Rugby New Zealand (RNZ) 2011 Ltd was established in June 2006, and is the organisation responsible for the planning and delivery of Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 in New Zealand on behalf of its shareholders, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the New Zealand Government.
Background: IRB Rugby World Cup
The IRB Rugby World Cup is the third largest sports event in the world. The inaugural tournament took place in 1987 and it is held every four years. In 2007 the sixth tournament was held in France and enjoyed a cumulative worldwide broadcast audience of more than 4 billion.
More information
RWC 2011 individual match tickets on sale
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