WSJ Article on WC2006 and US Fans

[Pichi]

Avery Johnson has a nice write up in todays (21 March) WSJ Personal Journal Section page 1 entitled: "The 'Other Football' Draws Record Flock of U.S. Fans. Key points she made was:

1. US Fans purchased more (Team Specific Tickets) TST's than any other country.
2. The US Soccer Federation sold out its own pool of tickets (8&) of the seats for each US game in one day.
3. She describes the various phases of ticket sales and mentions the ongoing phase four sales.
4. The other expensive options fans have if they are willing to pay $$'s to see the WC.
5. As usual some fans were interviewed as to what their plans are to see the US in Germany.
6 To close our her article she describes some of the travel considerations that one who may be going to Germany may consider when it comes to hotels and bargains.

I am sure that by tomorrow there will be a URL for the article, I unfortunately an not an online subscriber to the WSJ but receive the paper version.


Viva Er Beti

Er Pichi

[Old Man!]

It looks like even the online version is only for subscribers. Does she mention any new FIFA allotments to the USSF?

[Pichi]

Not really she mentions that with phase four ending on 15 April and the fifth and last phase:

"begins on 1 May and runs through the end of the tournament. Because tickets are being released all the time, spots are theretically available for all matchs. But demand is high and devotees have to act fast: The German organizing committee estimates that 30 million fans want tickets-about 10 million more than for the French Cup in 1998. (Tickets start at around $43 and go up to $730 for the final. "

She also mentioned in her article the scalping side of the WC saying that:

"Fans will find it harder to get scalped tickets at the stadiums this year. That is because the organizing committee says it will be tagging the tickets with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards. The tickets will be stamped with the buyers name and fans may be required to show their passports at the gate. (Organizers say the major concern isn't terrorism but "hooliganism, " the rowdiness that plagues major soccer matches). "

Hope that helps,

viva er beti

Er Pichi

[Brushes Sand]

did she say anything about the number of tickets (75%+ ????)
that the Fed held back for their own use (i.e. insiders/sponsors) ?????

it's easy to sell out in one day when you only sell what you feel like selling.

-bs