Complex seating complex

Friday 14: The seating configuration at the Telecom Sports Arena could be blamed for the confusion over the availability of tickets for games at the World Youth Netball Championships.

Almost all the 240 seats inside the complex – that is, inside the roller doors – have been sold or taken up for sponsors, VIPs and IFNA delegates.

WYNC operations manager Karen Harvey says most of the ‘inside’ seats have been snapped up by people who have purchased tickets for the whole tournament, or acquired them through travel packages.

“These people have paid top dollar for these seats and it entitles them to seats to all the games, so we can’t sell those seats even if they don’t turn up.”

Harvey says things were made difficult on Tuesday as the sail cloth which keeps out wind and the glare from the sun, had not been affixed to the outside of the complex.

And with the roller doors having to be pulled down so that the sun and wind would not adversely affect play on the courts, Harvey says that it would not have been fair to have sold tickets for seats outside of the roller doors.

With the two-court configuration, Harvey says it is also difficult to view play in the shooting circle closest to the seats, when sitting right at the top – right beside the sailcloth.

“Tuesday was a very, very hard day without the sailcloth. We have had to deal with things as best as we could, but things have got a lot better each day.”

Harvey says that tickets are basically sold on a first-come-first-served basis, with reduced prices for seats outside of the roller doors. Even participating teams have been restricted in terms of viewing games at the championships.

However, come finals day, Harvey says there should not be any problem with seating as one court will be used.

Around 1400 seats – inside and outside – will be available on Thursday, August 20.- MM