WEG organisers under fire for highly priced tickets
The organisers of next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Kentucky are under fire again — this time for highly priced tickets.
Pricing information was launched at the end of June for tickets to the games (25 September-10 October 2010), but some are more than three times the price of tickets for Aachen’s WEG in 2006.
A day ticket to the endurance event in Kentucky costs $45 (about £28), more than three times the price of a ticket to watch the endurance in Aachen — €10 (£6.90 converted using 2006 exchange rate of 69p to €1).
The cheapest seat to watch dressage is £37 using today’s conversion rates — £30.10 more than the cheapest seat in Germany in 2006.
Tickets to some events in Kentucky are not only more expensive, but also for a half-day slot only.
WEG spokesman Amy Walker said organisers consulted “several knowledgeable sources” in the US and around the world to review ticket pricing for appropriateness.
“The responses were unanimous that the prices were appropriate for an event of this magnitude and importance,” she said.
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“And as a privately funded event, ticket revenues play an important role in our financial planning.”
British team manager Will Connell commented: “I am sure people will take in to account the price when deciding whether to travel to Lexington next year.
“If all the tickets sell, then the organising committee have set the prices right. If they do not all sell, then they haven’t.”
Aachen spokesman Niels Knippertz said the German government provided funding for building that was needed for the 2006 WEG, but it wasn’t used to keep ticket prices down.
About 600,000 tickets will be available for the 2010 Alltech WEG, and will be on sale from 25 September. Visit www.alltechfeigames.com
This article was first published in Horse & Hound (16 July, ’09)
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