Ticket sales for the rugby World Cup have topped the 900,000-mark three days before the last phase of ticketing begins, but remain well short of the organisers' 1.35 million target.
A little more than two months out from kick-off they need to sell another 450,000 tickets to reach that goal.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said today it had sold $31 million worth of tickets over the last six weeks for the September 9-October 23 tournament.
On Monday, leftover tickets for pool matches go on sale to the general public and a day later tickets for the knockout matches, excluding the final, are also released for general sale.
The total revenue from ticket sales now stands at $200m, making it the highest revenue-generating event in New Zealand's history, far surpassing the $24m grossed for the British and Irish Lions rugby tour in 2005.
RNZ 2011 is forecasting total sales revenue of $268.5m, based on expected ticket sales of 1.35m from the 48 matches in the tournament.
Six weeks ago, organisers said 790,000 tickets had been sold and the pick up in sales has been welcomed after it refunded 130,000 tickets and was forced to reallocate eight games following February's deadly Christchurch earthquake.
Snedden said he anticipated the last remaining tickets would be snapped up as the tournament drew closer.
"We are expecting a strong response from fans when the final ticket phase opens. As we saw in France in 2007 and Australia in 2003, many fans make up their minds much closer to the tournament so we are optimistic that fans will respond in the same way," he said.
Snedden said many of the tickets that would go on sale on Monday were in the lowest priced seating categories which ranged between $31-$41 for adults.
"This could be the last time we will see the 20 best teams in the world battling it out for the Webb Ellis Cup in our own backyard, so we hope Kiwi fans in particular seize the opportunity to get ringside seats at the biggest sporting event of 2011," he said.
Recent ticket sales have been driven by the resale of tickets to the eight matches moved after the earthquake and further offers of tickets to those who entered the ballots for the semifinals and final, as well as further sales of travel and hospitality packages.
The public ticket sales period begins at 9am on July 4 with tickets for the pool matches available online at www.rugbyworldcup.com/tickets. Tickets for knockout matches go on sale on July 5.
