Friday, June 30, 2006

OPEN TICKETS IN DEMAND

TOUTS RESELLING AT 10 TIMES FACE VALUE

Golf experts are warning that ticket touts could price genuine golf fans
out of next month's Open Championship, with tickets estimated to resell
for up to 10 times face value.

With less than four weeks to go to the start of the Open at the Royal
Liverpool Hoylake, the National Golf Clubs' Advisory Association (NGCAA)
is concerned that unscrupulous touts will cash in as thousands flock to
see UK heroes Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo take on Championship
holder Tiger Woods.

National Secretary at the NGCAA, Michael Shaw, comments:  "High demand
tickets are already selling on online auction sites for more than three
times face value (over £150).  Prices for tickets such as final day,
composite and reserved grandstand will escalate as the tournament draws
closer and ticket touts return from the World Cup.

"The Royal & Ancient has been outstanding in its pricing and allocation
of tickets.  However, with demand outstripping supply, tickets will
invariably fall into the wrong hands and real fans left facing
extortionate resale prices."

Unlike legislation implemented ahead of this year's World Cup and the
proposed Olympic Bill, there is no rule outlawing the resale of tickets
for golf events.  Similarly Wimbledon, theatre, music and other sporting
events such as rugby and cricket have no legal protection against ticket
touting.

Although the Government is working with ticketing agencies to address
ticket touting, any action is likely to be too late to protect Open
Championship fans.  With this in mind, Shaw is advising golf clubs and
sponsors, which often receive preferential ticket treatment, golfers and
golf fans to be wary about how they handle their tickets.

He concludes: "The Government, event organisers and promoters, and
ticketing agencies are due to meet again next month and hopefully we are
moving closer to stamping out a problem that ruins so many sporting and
entertainment events for thousands of fans.

"If people with Open Championship tickets find that they are unable to
attend the event or have extra tickets, they should sell them at face
value to people that they know.  This will ensure that real fans get
tickets and help take the bottom out of the ticketing black market."

The Open Championship will be held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club from
Thursday 20th to Sunday the 23rd of July 2006. This will be the 135th
Open and the 11th time the club has hosted what is arguably the greatest
golf tournament in the world.

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