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Concerns for New Zealand
Open
New Zealand Open organisers are battling the double whammy of atrocious weather
and slow ticket sales despite the presence of superstar Tiger Woods.
Promoter Open 2002 Ltd has forked out $US2 million ($A3.93 million) - more
than four times the $A820,000 total purse for the tournament - to lure world sport's
biggest name down under for the first since the 1998 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.
But it's now facing financial trouble if the unseasonable weather which is
lashing New Zealand persists.
The January 10-13 Australasian tour event, to be held at The Paraparaumu Beach
Golf Course near Wellington, has been hit by two-and-a-half times the average
December rainfall over the past fortnight.
"It's been absolutely terrible," said a spokesman from TV New Zealand's
weather bureau today.
Open 2002 managing director David Pool put on a brave face today, playing down
greenkeeper fears about the rain, but admitted ticket sales weren't exactly reaching
box-office proportions.
Pool said his staff had undertaken an extensive number crunching exercise but
declined to release the exact amount of spectators needed for the risky venture
to break even.
"For the event to be a financial success we need to have a reasonable
amount get on to the course every day and obviously if the weather is bad, then
that would potentially impact on that," he said.
"They're achievable numbers if we get a bit of enthusiasm and a bit of
Tiger mania.
Pool said ticket sales opened strongly on September 4 but "really slowed
down" a week later following the terrorist attacks on the US when uncertainty
surrounding Woods' participation hit home.
He said ticket sales had picked up since leading New Zealand television journalist
Paul Holmes snared a seven-minute interview with the world No.1 at the World Cup
soccer draw in South Korea this month.
Pool conceded Open 2002 was fortunate to have the support of several major
sponsors to help cover the basic costs of the event if it strikes financial problems.
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