Ticket Sales Boom!
25-Apr-2010 - Australian Open Team
"Orders have been coming in every day without a break. It's been hard to stop and take a breath" said Gary Hampson, Tournament Director. "But it is exactly as we hoped. Now that we know that the best players in the world will be here in Canberra in August, it is just too good an opportunity to miss."
"I feel sorry for Ray Payne and Samantha Paterson in the Squash ACT office. We don't have fancy, impersonal ticketing systems and each order from a customer has to be treated with care and attention. We've seen a few late nights recently. But then we wouldn't have it any other way."
Over $50,000 worth of Centre Court seating, Gala Dinner tickets, seminar and fringe tournament entries have been received in the first few days of ticket sales.
"One well-known, northern Sydney squash club ordered 30 Premium Season Passes for all three days on the Centre Court and are now looking for a bus to drive to Canberra. Another group from New Caledonia booked their airfares and accommodation early and had to wait for ticket sales to open to confirm 15 Premium Passes. We've had three group tickets purchases of 10 or more tickets from our local squash fans in Canberra and Queanbeyan."
"My gut tells me that Centre Court tickets for the Men's and Women's Championship Finals on the Sunday will be completely sold out within the next few weeks. And that nearly all the other tickets will be gone by June. With nearly 2,000 people around the Centre Court each day, squash as a sport in Australia will really be on the map."
But Gary Hampson, Tournament Director is also worried. 'I hope keen squash fans aren't disappointed. I hope they don't get upset with us. It's the quick and the dead in terms of ticket sales. In June or July, it will probably be too late to get a ticket and the history of squash fans has been to wait until the last minute and then turn up. I doubt that's going to happen this year."
The Australian Open Squash Championships in August will see over a hundred of the best men and women squash players in Canberra. The crucial matches will be played on the all-glass Centre Court in the well-appointed Royal Theatre. Over 1,700 fans will have an exceptional view of the action from permanent, theatre-style seats with access to food, drink and entretainment within the National Convention Centre. 2010 will be the first time for decades that the Australian Open will take centre stage on the World Tour and bring the world's best to our shores. for all dedicated players and fans, it is an opportunity too good to be missed.
