Galaxy-Azkals tickets stay unsold

By JONAS TERRADO


MANILA, Philippines — David Beckham may be one of the world’s most popular footballers, an icon in the soccer universe, but he is no Kobe Bryant.

When Bryant and his band of NBA superstars swooped down in the country last July, the stampede for tickets was so great that scalpers had a Christmas-like celebration.

That may not happen with Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy team as thousands of tickets for their one-game exhibition against the Philippine Azkals remain unsold, prompting a ticket seller to say, for those who may be intrested, that the best seats are still available.

Why the tickets are piled up at the box office could be traced to one thing: prices.

The prices are so over the top, the average Azkals fans who trooped in the thousands when the team played against Kuwait, Sri Lanka and Mongolia are simply not biting.

The MLS champions will face the Azkals on Saturday in what organizers dubbed as a “Dream Match”.

But the match could end up as a nightmare for organizers.

Even the cheapest tickets, pegged at P2,000 each, are hardly moving.

The most expensive seat is P15,500 while other seats are pegged at P12,500, P9,000, P7,000 and P5,000.

Organizers were so confident that the event will be a huge hit that tickets were sold for the open practice and football clinic slated a day before the match. Priced at P1,500-P3,000, there were few takers.

Meanwhile, 15-20 tickets will be raffled when Loyola Meralco takes on Stallions FC tonight in the UFL at the Makati pitch.

UFL has also offered a 35-percent discount on tickets if buyers give a code to a TicketWorld booth. TicketWorld, on the other hand, is offering a 10-percent discount for every 10 tickets purchased.

Beckham and company are scheduled to arrive tomorrow in the second part of their Asia-Australian tour.

Aside from Beckham, also in the team is Landon Donovan – America’s best player.


Manila Bulletin