Posted January. 24, 2008 08:52,
Figure skating fans have made their voices heard, spearheading a campaign that has greatly cut ticket prices for a major championship.
Admission for the Four Continents Figure Skating Championship to open next month in the northern Seoul suburb of Goyang will be lower than previously announced.
The event is receiving great fanfare because it will feature world-class skaters such as homegrown hero Kim Yu-na and her Japanese rivals Asada Mao and Ando Miki.
Ticketlink set prices Wednesday, with single-day tickets going for 30,000 won (royal), 20,000 won (A) and 10,000 won (B). The gala show on the last day, where winners stage their own shows, is 40,000 won (royal), 30,000 won (A) and 10,000 won (B).
The prices are less than half those previously announced at the beginning of this month. A super royal seat had gone for 100,000 won, royal 70,000 won, A 50,000 won and B 30,000 won.
This price cut was largely the result of demands from figure skating fans. Shortly after the prices were announced, they posted protests on numerous Web portals while and sent complaining e-mail to the Goyang City Hall and the Korea Skating Union, the organizers of the event.
Fans cited ticket prices overseas in making their argument for a price cut. Admission for previous Four Continents Championships abroad cost 30 U.S. dollars for a gold seat and 20 dollars for silver. Other international events in the sport were also lower than what the Korean organizers were trying to charge. They also presented the prices of a Japanese tourism companys championship package as evidence.
A skating union official said, Due to the constant demand from skating fans after the ticket prices announcement, the Korea Skating Union and the Goyang City Hall asked the event organizer SBS to lower ticket prices.
SBS said, The ticket prices that we put out early this month were only part of our pricing plans. We adjusted ticket prices to a reasonable level so that many figure skating fans as possible can enjoy the championship.
Fans hailed the price cut. After ticket sales began Wednesday at 11 a.m., the ticket Web site was so overwhelmed with buyers that service was disrupted for a while. All tickets eventually sold out in four hours.
The sports fans will also campaign for the positive development of Korean figure skating, including the construction of an exclusive figure skating rink and the reform of the skating union.