The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Badminton tourney: huge demand for tickets

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Monday, Aug 03, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Badminton tourney: huge demand for tickets

Staff Reporter

1,500-2,000 fans to be accommodated per match
Tickets to be made available within the reach of public

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

all set: Badminton Association president V.K. Varma and coach P. Gopichand reviewing arrangements on Sunday.

Hyderabad: Pullela Gopichand’s cup of woes is near-full. The Tournament Director of the World Badminton Championship (August 10 to 16) at Gachibowli Stadium, is increasingly feeling the pressure on the ticketing front.

While there is huge demand from fans to get tickets, he is in a position to accommodate 1,500-2,000 only in the 3500-odd capacity stadium. He is also trying to convince Badminton Association of India chief V. K. Verma to ensure the pricing of tickets are within the reach of the average fan.

Free entry

Gopi has proposed free entry for the first day for schoolchildren, Rs. 150 per ticket for the next two days, then about Rs. 250 and Rs. 500 denominations for the subsequent days with Rs. 750-Rs 1,000 per ticket for the final. “It’s a world championship and like Olympics, one gets to a chance to see at a premium. We are trying our best to let tickets be within the reach of the general sports lover,” he said, while reviewing the arrangements with the BAI boss.

He is also trying to accommodate VVIPs in 180 seats. Yet, he has to take into consideration the Chief Ministers from North Eastern States, host of Central Ministers, officials and other VIPs likely to throng the venue from the State government side. “We cannot say no to anyone. But how to satisfy them all is a major issue,” he admitted.

Besides, Gopi has to think of making provision for special shuttlecocks made from two specific feathers of the bird, as many as 5,000 of them. These along with other necessary badminton equipment like poles and nets, again exclusively designed for this championship, are being sourced from Japan.

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