The Rugby World Cup is already New Zealand’s biggest money-making event just a day after ticket sales opened to the public, according to online news site Stuff.co.nz.
Fans flooded an official website calling for applications after it opened yesterday morning and demand had reached nearly 90,000 match tickets in the first six hours.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden was quoted in the report saying the World Cup had overtaken the British and Irish Lions tour in 2005 as New Zealand’s highest grossing event. “The Lions tour grossed $32 million, which is the biggest grossing event New Zealand has ever had. Well, we’ve hit the $40 million mark today.”
That included demand for about $16 million worth of tickets yesterday and earlier applications from global fans and New Zealand rugby clubs, box holders and season ticket holders.
According to the report, British sales were 37% ahead of what they were at the same time leading up to the Rugby World Cup in France in 2007.
The New Zealand government is preparing to introduce Rugby World Cup empowering legislation this week giving it sweeping powers to over-ride normal processes if required in the leadup to the tournament.
