Tag: Tickets

Sevens Ticket Prices Increase

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2017/HKWR7s-Hong-Kong-v-Kenya-So-Kon-Po-6-April-2017/i-zXqs9tj

After last year forcing children to pay adult prices for their tickets. Those prices have gone up as the Hong Kong Rugby Union announced that tickets will increased by $50/day, approximately 8%.

Not that the general public can buy them anymore, but from 2018 a three-day ticket – except HK rugby are not calling them tickets anymore they’ve been rebranded as “event packages” – costs $1950, up from $1,800 in 2017.

There’s so much guff verbiage and faux justifications within the HKRU release announcing the price increase that you’d swear they’ve been taking lessons from Trump.

The guff includes that fans at the stadium have to pay more so that other people can watch the Sevens for free “HKRU is also expending significant funds to share the excitement of the Sevens with the wider community, with its free admission fan zones in Chater Garden and Lee Gardens”.

I wonder what the sponsors and suppliers who paid HKRU massive sums to have their brands linked to the Sevens and have a presence at those two locations think about that fiction.

The HKRU claims the Sevens are “still excellent value” but there was a lot less actual rugby played at the 2017 Sevens than in years past – so fans of rugby are being shafted twice… paying more for a lot less.

Robbie McRobbie, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Rugby Union states that “We have an obligation to generate as much revenue as possible from the tournament to support the growth of the game in Hong Kong.”

This from an organisation that is quite probably the richest rugby union in the world and has according to a recent annual return assets of well over $250 million.

The Sevens will still sell out because it’s a unique event and can trade on it’s name and reputation for years to come, but the atmosphere at recent events is not what it used to be and the fans disquiet and sense of being milked increases every year.

What the HKRU and World Rugby fail to understand is that fans do go to watch the rugby. The non-stop run of games throughout the day keeps fan energy high. Now with big gaps in the rugby, the atmosphere and energy sags. We don’t need bands with awful sound systems playing 5 songs. The energy from the rugby drives the Sevens fan experience which powers the rugby… More rugby, more women’s rugby and less of the insipid distractions.

Hong Kong Sevens
Date: 6-8 April 2018
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium
Tickets: $1,950.

Sevens Ticket Ballot 2017 Registration

2017-ticket-ballot

The annual farce of the Sevens ticket ballot resumes again as registration opens for the public ticket ballot. The registration period runs even longer this year from 14 October to 3 February, 2017 with the ballot taking place on the 8 February, 2017 and winners notified that day by email.

The HKRU has yet to announce the exact numbers but based on last year there are 9,000 individual tickets on-sale. Since regular tickets are sold as 3-day pass. There’s actually only 3,000 tickets available to the public each day in the 40,000 seater HK Stadium. The rest are given to local rugby clubs, allocated to tourist packages or whored out to corporate sponsors paying the big bucks.

If you want a better chance of a sevens ticket, join a local rugby club. You don’t even have to play rugby, join many of the clubs as a social member and as long as you’ve paid the membership fees you can apply to buy a full three day ticket at cost price. You’ll support the local game and you never know you might even enjoy the rugby.

Those who ‘win’ in the ballot will need to pay for their tickets by 22 February 2017. The ticket cost is HK$300 for Friday, HK$750 for Saturday and HK$750 for Sunday. In addition an administration fee of HK$50 will be charge for each ticket.

To register http://hksevens.com/tickets/ballot-registration

Image: HKRU

 

Sevens Ticket Ballot 2016 Registration

hksevens-2016-ballot

The annual farce of the Sevens ticket ballot begins again today as registration opens for the public ticket ballot. The registration period runs from 27 November to 31 January, 2016 with the ballot taking place on the 5 February, 2016 and winners notified that day by email.

There are 9,000 individual tickets on-sale. Since regular tickets are sold as 3-day pass. There’s actually only 3,000 tickets available to the public each day in the 40,000 seater stadium. The rest are whored out to corporate sponsors or as a ‘reward’ for joining (and funding) a local rugby club. You don’t even have to play rugby, a social member as long as you’ve paid the membership fees (For example SCAA Causeway Bay charges  $900 annually for a non-playing membership) can apply to buy a full three day ticket at cost price. Or roughly added in with membership fees, about the same as you’d pay a street ‘reseller’ – which is where many of those tickets and those reserved forsale overseas end up. Sadly as the minuscule crowd that turned up for the Olympic qualifiers showed, it’s the event not the rugby that’s the attraction. So if you want a better chance of a sevens ticket, join a rugby club – you’ll support the local game and you never know you might even enjoy the rugby.

Those who ‘win’ in the ballot will need to pay for their tickets by 19 February 2016. The ticket cost is HK$300 for Friday, HK$750 for Saturday and HK$750 for Sunday. In addition an administration fee of HK$50 will be charge for each ticket.

To register http://hksevens.com/tickets/ballot-registration

Olympic Sevens Qualifier Tickets Onsale 14 August

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An anonymous source has informed bc that tickets for the Women’s and Men’s Olympic Rugby 7s Qualifier tournament on the 7-8 November at the HK Stadium will go onsale on the 14th August from Ticketflap (www.ticketflap.com).

That 24 hours before the tickets are scheduled to go onsale there’s been no announcement to public is another example of the Union unable to organise a piss-up in a brewery. This despite rugby’s renowned enjoyment of the personal waitress service and beverages that many Wanchai and Angeles’s breweries offer.

While tickets prices were released weeks ago, $360 (2-day pass), $200 (1-day pass), there’s been no information from the HKRFU or Asia Rugby about the number of tickets for public sale. There should though, be more than the 3000/day HK Sevens tickets that the public were allowed to maul over in March.

The women’s qualifier is an 8 team event, the first part of a two leg qualification process that culminates in Tokyo on 28-29 November 2015. Teams competing in the women’s event are China, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

The men’s tournament is a 12 team event featuring with the men’s winner claiming Asia’s sole automatic slot amongst the 12 teams participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Rugby Sevens will make its much anticipated debut.

Teams competing in the men’s event are Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand and China

Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic Qualifier
Date: 7-8 November, 2015
Venue: HK Stadium
Tickets: $360 (2-day pass), $200 (1-day pass), under 12 free from Ticketflap
More info: Public sale from 14 August

Hong Kong v China in Shenzhen – 3 September – Ticket details

Hong Kong v China

Hong Kong will travel to Shenzhen to face China on Thursday, September 3 for their next match on the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The match will be played at the Shenzhen Baoan Sports Centre Stadium and a total number of 28,000 tickets will be available for public sale from the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Tuesday, August 18. 2,200 tickets, individually priced at RMB480, have been allocated to supporters from Hong Kong and they are located at Lower Level 124, 125, 126 & Upper Level 228, 229 and 230 of the stadium.

HK supporters holding valid Home Visit Permit/ passport can access to http://www.mypiao.com for online ticket purchase.

Tickets bought will be sent by express delivery se remember to fill in your full mailing address. To get into the stadium you’ll need to present both the ticket and your Home Visit Permit/ passport.

Remember – 3 September is a national holiday in China and a one-off public holiday in Hong Kong to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Japan’s surrender.

China Football Association poster
“Do not estimate any opponent. In this team, there are black-skinned, yellow-skinned, and white-skinned players. We must be cautious against a team with so many colour layers”.

Hong Kong Football Association
“Do not let others look down on us. Our team has blacks, yellows, and whites, and our only goal is to show them what Hong Kong is made of. Support us if you’re a true Hongkonger!”

hong-kong-team-photo-june-2015

Hong Kong v China
Date: 3 September, 2015
Venue: Shenzhen Baoan Sports Centre Stadium, Shenzhen, China
Tickets: RMB480

Win Hong Kong Sevens Tickets

Win Sevens Tickets

The world’s greatest social sporting event happens at the end of March every year in our own backyard. Turning 40 this year, the Hong Kong Sevens has transformed rugby on a global level since its inception. The rugby is exhilarating, the atmosphere amazing – come join the fun.

Thanks to the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, bc magazine has two 3-day tickets to give away to the 40th Anniversary Sevens. Entry is simple, use the entry form below, answer the devilishly hard question: Where does the HK Sevens take place? and follow bc magazine on Facebook and bcmagazinehk on Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entries close at midnight on the 22 March, 2015. Only the two winners will be contacted. By entering this game of skill, you agree to abide by Terms and Conditions of the competition.  

Pacquiao vs. Rios: The Clash in Cotai @ The Venetian – 24 November 2013

After being knocked-out in his last fight many expected Manny Pacquiao to retire his boxing legend status firmly inked in the boxing’s annals. But no, the Pacman wants at least one more night in the ring and tickets for his 12-round welterweight rumble against Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios at The Venetian go onsale 29 July, 2013 from CotaiTicketing.

Special Offer:
Fists of Gold II ticket holders, A Reserve or above can purchase one advance ticket in any category for Pacquiao vs. Rios: The Clash in Cotai for each A Reserve or above Fists of Gold II ticket presented at the Cotai Arena box office, from 3 p.m. July 27 until 2 a.m. July 28, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 28. This exclusive pre-sale offer is available only at the Cotai Arena box office, for a maximum of six tickets per person, subject to availability.

What: Pacquiao vs. Rios: The Clash in Cotai
When: 24 November, 2013
Where: CotaiArena, Venetian, Macau
How Much: $9,880, $6,480, $3,880, $1,880, $880 from www.cotaiticketing.com
Pacquiao vs. Rios: The Clash in Cotai @ The Venetian – 24 November 2013