da premier bet： South Africa’s passion for Twenty20 has meant that four matches for September’s World Championship are already sold out
da bet sport： Cricinfo staff12-Jul-2007
Twenty20 cricket has pulled in huge crowds around South Africa © Getty Images
South Africa’s passion for Twenty20 has meant that four matches for September’s World Championship are already sold out. The opening game between South Africa and West Indies along with the two semi-finals and the final have led the huge demand for tickets.Since arriving in South Africa 20-over cricket, known as Pro20 domestically, has attracted huge crowds with record sell-outs at the Wanderers last season. The two back-to-back matches at Newlands in Cape Town on September 16 – potentially Australia against West Indies and South Africa against England if the group stages run as expected – are selling fast.However, Steve Elworthy, the tournament director, said more tickets could yet be released. “We have contractual obligations to our sponsors and other corporate interests, but they have to let us know this week how many tickets they will need, and after that, any spare tickets will be fed back into the system,” he said on Thursday,” he told the new agency.”Because we haven’t sold packages, we are able to keep an eye on what is happening at the various venues – the Wanderers, in Johannesburg, Kingsmead in Durban and Newlands in Cape Town – and so we will be able make plans to get more spectators at matches where we haven’t sold out.””We’ve noticed that the weekdays are more about corporate sales whereas families are buying tickets for the weekends.”Elworthy said that there had been some issues with no school holidays around the tournament, but is pleased by the early rush for tickets. “We will be working through our amateur arms in all three centres to bring schools and clubs to the cricket,” he said. “We know, for instance, that it will be hard to fill the Wanderers nine times in 13 days. But generally, we are very pleased with the sales so far, especially as we haven’t even started our marketing campaign yet.”The tournament starts of September 11 with the final at the Wanderers on September 24.
