MHF considering extension of ticket discount promotion

07/01/2002

WHEN Malaysia won the bid to host the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup, the
strong point which swayed the votes in our favour was crowd support.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) took into consideration that
hockey has a strong support base in Malaysia, and when FIH president Els
van Breda Vriesman came to Malaysia during the recent Champions Challenge
held at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, she was confident that
when the World Cup begins on Feb 24 and the event is broadcast on
television, there will not be many empty seats in the stadium.
When met in Hobart, Tasmania during the Junior World Cup, she said:
"Although hockey will always remain in the shadows of soccer, tennis,
golf, cricket and rugby as far as fan support and television coverage is
concerned, I am determined to make it a more people and budget friendly
sport."
Wise words from a woman who is a lawyer by profession.
But with 48 days to the World Cup, the situation still looks bleak as
far as ticket sales for hockey's most prestigeous event is concerned.
The 40 per cent discount offered to Malaysian's has been extended twice
but still there were hardly any takers. Now, after the Jan 5 deadline for
40 per cent discount came and went without any increase in local sales,
the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) are pondering whether to extend the
date of promotion.
Since the launch of tickets sales more than a month ago, only 10 per
cent has been booked by local and overseas hockey fans.
MHF will hold a meeting today to discuss on the matter as according to
MHF secretary S. Satgunam, they did set aside a certain percentage of
tickets for locals during the discount period but never even came close to
the target.
He did not reveal what was the target for local fans, but surely, MHF
would not want to see more foreign than local fans at the stadium when the
World Cup is beamed across the world.
Many fans have called Timesport saying that instead of increasing the
duration of the 40 per cent discount for another few days, why not just
reduce the prices for local fans.
Right now, with the 40 per cent discount, the cheapest tickets are
priced at RM15 per-match (behind both the goalposts) and it is a price
which is affordable to most Malaysians as most companies, due to the
economic slowdown, have yet to pay or did not pay their employees the much
needed year-end bonuses.
Should the MHF decide not to extend the discount period the cheapest
tickets per-match is RM25.
Hockey in Malaysia received a luke-warm response this year judging from
attendance during the Azlan Shah Cup in August and the Champions Challenge
where some matches only drew 200 fans though the ticket prices were quite
reasonable.
The MHF, after making a loss in the Champions Challenge due to poor gate
collections (tickets were priced RM3 and RM5) have increased the price to
RM5 and RM10 for the Six-Nation on Jan 18 to 26.
The Six-Nation involving Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia,
Pakistan and World Cup defending champions Holland is viewed as a prelude
for the World Cup and when it begins, MHF will know for sure what the fan
support would be like then.
Today's meeting will also discuss ways to increase promotions for the
World Cup, which many see as non-existant.
A hockey fan from Penang suggested: "MHF and Post Malaysia recently
released the World Cup commemorative stamps and I read that they will be
sold at all the 667 post offices nationwide. Why not MHF get the help of
Post Malaysia to display posters and pamplets of the event at all their
branches because as the public queue-up to pay their bills, they normally
read what is displayed at the notice boards," said Mohamed Salim.
jugjet@nstp.com.my
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