The opening of the ticket office for the 2023 World Cup in France on Monday generated more than 250,000 connections.
This presale - of the first packs, by city or by team, reserved for holders of the MasterCard card, sponsor of the event - was "an unprecedented success in the history of sport", rejoiced the committee of organization.
Also recognizing some hiccups.
"France 2023 is sorry for all those disappointed on the first day."
In an interview with RMC Sport, the CEO of the organizing committee, Claude Atcher, returned to this first day which exceeded his most optimistic forecasts.
A quack ... relative
Many supporters have complained, via social networks, of having had to wait a long time, and often in vain, or of having suffered repeated error messages.
A fiasco for some that Claude Atcher put into perspective.
“There were seven minutes during which there were indeed error messages.
Between 1:30 p.m. and 1:37 p.m. precisely.
There are also people who have waited a very long time, it is the truth.
But at this level of attendance, which we have never seen at any of the major sporting events, it is difficult to do better than what we have done. "
Tuesday afternoon, during a press briefing, the CEO returned to this choice.
“We are well aware of the large number of people who have not been able to purchase tickets, despite long minutes or hours of waiting to access the precious sesame.
We are aware of this and sorry.
But we assume the principle of '' first come, first served ''.
This has a negative effect, but we accept and defend this position.
We said that the World Cup would be accessible to all, open to all at the same time.
It is a principle of fairness and transparency to which we hold. "
But a launch with a bang
This "important expectation is unfortunately the price of success."
As long as, at 12:01, 150,000 people log in at the same time to buy tickets, I can consider that it went well.
(…) Sales greatly exceed France 2023 forecasts. The site has been taken by storm.
But he held on.
It's not just the French who buy tickets.
There was an international crowd.
(…) A huge failure like that, I don't mind every day. "
In total, the site recorded 250,000 connection requests.
310,000 tickets were sold in less than 12 hours.
"This result and this enthusiasm allow us to be reassured on two subjects: the acceptability of our offer on the schedule of matches, but also on the prices charged", underlined Claude Atcher during his press briefing.
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All packs already sold out ...
"We sold almost in one day all the tickets of the contingent of the first three days", rejoiced Claude Atcher Monday evening.
All that remained was Saint-Etienne “City” packs and Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Italy and Japan “Team” packs.
Who pulled out this Tuesday morning.
At noon, 24 hours after the launch of the ticketing, France 2023 indeed announced that there was no longer any pack for sale.
France 2023 indicated that the most sought after packs, and therefore sold out first, were (in this order) the England, France, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland "Team" packs as well as the Nice "City" packs. , Lille, Saint-Denis, Bordeaux and Marseille.
All Team Packs and City Packs were sold on our first sales phase.
️For members of the 2023 Family, meet on March 18 at 6 p.m. for new availability.
# RWC2023pic.twitter.com / Wsdq5OAmMl
- Rugby World Cup France 2023 (@ France2023) March 16, 2021
... But all packs back on sale Thursday
All packs, and in all categories, will be on sale again on Thursday March 18, starting at 6 p.m.
“There may still be waiting lists because we don't know how many people will be connecting at the same time.
But you will again have the possibility to buy packs. ”
This phase, reserved for the 540,000 members who have pre-registered for the “2023 Family”, will end on April 5, with the sale to the general public opening on April 6 at 6 p.m.
Each time, more than 300,000 tickets will go on sale again.
This is just the beginning
This first phase concerns 60,000 packs, or less than 20% of the total tickets (2.6 million, for 48 matches).
Several others will follow before, in September 2022, ending with the sale of individual tickets.
“We have set a target of 90% of the sale of these 2.6 million tickets.
The objective, in terms of turnover, is 330 million euros, ”Claude Atcher had specified before this launch.
While secretly dreaming of an occupancy rate approaching 100% ...
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