Games organisers deny panic over ticket sales

Commonwealth Games organisers say they are not desperately trying to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground for next Wednesday's opening ceremony.

Letters have also been sent to householders inviting them to buy tickets amid reports that some 15,000 remain unsold. An advertising campaign has also been launched on television and in newspapers.

A limited number of tickets to the opening ceremony went on sale on Sunday in the lowest-priced category.

The remaining tickets are priced between $420 and $590.

Games chief executive officer John Harnden said the organising committee was not employing desperate measures to offload the remaining tickets.

"We're putting adverts on the television and we're putting adverts in the newspapers selling tickets," he said.

"We'll continue to do so not only up until the day of the Games, but during the Games to tell people what tickets are available, which is absolutely the norm."

Commonwealth Games Minister Justin Madden said he expected a significant number of tickets would be sold before the opening ceremony.

"In the last seven days and even across the Games, you'll see the Games marketed continuously so we continue to sell tickets," he said.

Mr Madden said a final decision had not been made on what would happen to the unsold tickets for the opening ceremony.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA