Ticket prices for Rugby World Cup released

Organisers of the 2011 World Cup released ticket pricing that they hoped would counter the rising costs of hosting the event and have local families flocking to stadiums.

Tickets, which go on sale in April, will start at $15 for children and $30 for adults for many pool matches, with the final at Eden Park in Auckland to cost between $390 to $1250. Visit RWC ticketing and pricing structure please visit here

"We believe the ticketing policy will result in each match being played in front of full venues, showcasing New Zealand's love of rugby and its place as a host of major international events," tournament chief executive Martin Snedden said in a statement.

"Although tickets for knockouts and major pool matches are expensive by New Zealand standards, we have been able to price two-thirds of matches at or below existing test match prices."

Organisers will also allow buyers to pay for their tickets in instalments to lure them to more expensive games at the knockout stages.

"We're conscious that ticket prices for some matches will be well beyond what Kiwis are used to paying so we are introducing a payment plan that will allow those who pay for their tickets on a credit or debit card to be able to do so in instalments," Snedden said.

With the International Rugby Board (IRB) retaining all commercially generated income as well as taking a $150 million hosting fee, New Zealand must rely largely on ticket sales to cover the cost of hosting the tournament.

Although ticket revenue has been projected at $280 million, organisers expect to post a $30 million operating loss.

Source: TVNZ

New Zealand Hosts Rugby World Cup 2011

Source: Photosport

The 2011 Rugby World Cup will be the seventh Rugby World Cup. At a meeting of the International Rugby Board (IRB) held in Dublin on 17 November 2005, New Zealand was selected as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa. There were two rounds of voting by the IRB Council to decide the host nation, with South Africa eliminated in the first round.

The event is expected to cost about NZ$310.0 million to run and will generate NZ$280 million in ticket sales. It will be the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand, eclipsing the 1987 Rugby World Cup, 1990 Commonwealth Games, 1992 Cricket World Cup, 2003 America's Cup and 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.[citation needed] Around 70,000 visitors from overseas are expected to travel to New Zealand for the associated games and events.

The event is scheduled to be played over seven weekends from the weekend starting 10 September and culminating the weekend starting 22 October 2011.[3] The weekend of the final was chosen so it falls on a long weekend caused by the New Zealand public holiday of Labour Day (Monday, 24 October 2011). The final is scheduled to be played in Auckland at Eden Park.

As of 19 February 2008, New Zealand's progress in preparing and implementing plans for the event received an A+ rating from the International Rugby Board's chairman and chief executive.

After months of speculation that the number of participating teams would be reduced to 16, the IRB announced on Friday, 30 November 2007 that the 2011 tournament would again feature 20 teams. Twelve teams qualified as a result of finishing in the top three in each pool in the 2007 tournament. The remaining eight berths will be determined by regional qualifying tournaments.