Corporate NZ says no to Sydney 2000

By KATHERINE HOBY

New Zealand ticket sales for the Sydney Olympics are a quarter of what was originally expected, mainly because the corporate sector is not buying.

"Joe Public has said, 'yes, I want to go to the Olympics and party' but the corporates? No," says Malcolm Beattie, director of Sportsworld International, which is marketing the tickets here.

Corporate managers generally tended to be as rugby mad as the rest of New Zealand, and many might have taken clients and staff to the rugby World Cup last year.

"Rugby and America's Cup has sucked some of the interest out of Sydney and that's a shame."

Agents forecast that 9000 tickets would be sold in New Zealand, then in January lowered their expectations to 6500. So far, they have sold no more than 2200.

"If we reach 3000 now I'll be happy," Mr Beattie said. "There are about six times the number of average Kiwis going to Sydney as would normally go to an Olympic Games, but it's frustrating that the corporate community hasn't come to the party."

New Zealanders' favourite events appear to be swimming, rowing, equestrian and cycling. Even those tickets allocated to New Zealanders for the opening ceremony, costing from $656 to $1795, have sold out.

Olympic sponsor Air New Zealand has dropped its Sydney fares to just $599, when it might have been expected that flights during the six golden Olympic weeks would be sold at a premium.