FIFA Blames JAWOC, KOWOC for World Cup Ticket Fiasco

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 25, 2002

FIFA Blames JAWOC, KOWOC for World Cup Ticket Fiasco

FIFA on Monday blamed the Japan and South Korea World Cup organizing committees for a ticket fiasco that has resulted in empty seats during many matches at the2002 World Cup finals.

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FIFA on Monday blamed the Japan and South Korea World Cup organizing committees for a ticket fiasco that has resulted in empty seats during many matches at the2002 World Cup finals.

David Will, Chairman of the FIFA Ticketing Sub-Committee, said in a statement that ticketing operations had been affected due to delayed submissions of stadium seating data by the Japan World Cuporganizing committee (JAWOC) and the South Korean World Cup organizing committee (KOWOC).

Under their contract with FIFA, JAWOC and KOWOC should have submitted necessary information by last October 15, but the final data required did not reach FIFA's designated ticketing agent, Byrom PLC until March 2002, he said, adding that the situation led to ticket printing and delay problems.

Will also praised Byrom PLC, which has been under fire due to the ticket mess, saying the British company has done an extraordinary job in a limited time and saved the World Cup tournament from a ticketing crisis.

The ticket mess led to swathes of empty seats in first-round matches, angering fans and leaving Japanese and South Korean organizers, FIFA and Byrom all pointing fingers at each other.

Will said the problems caused by the late receipt of full stadium data carried forward into the first four days of the WorldCup. For example, two of the matches in these first four days were undersold to the extent of 8% and 10% respectively.

However, from June 4 onwards, with the close cooperation of KOWOC and JOWOC, FIFA overcame the ticketing problems and the ticketing process has run smoothly since then, said Will.

The FIFA official added that lessons have been learnt and FIFA will bear these in mind when devising the ticketing system for the2006 World Cup in Germany.

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