75 percent of World Cup tickets sold

Revenue from ticket sales for this year’s Rugby World Cup has reached 75% of target levels two months out from the opening match, organisers said on Friday.

   Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said the tournament had reached “a significant milestone” with 200 million New Zealand dollars ($165 million) in revenue generated from the sale of around 900,000 tickets.

   A further 450,000 tickets remain to be sold to meet organisers’ target of 1.35 million ticket sales.

   RNZ 2011 has forecast total revenue from ticket sales of 268.5 million New Zealand dollars ($221 million) which will leave a 30 million dollar ($25 million) operating deficit to be met by the New  Zealand Rugby Union and taxpayers.

   Snedden said the final phase of ticket sales will begin on Monday and tickets remained available to all matches apart from the  Oct. 23 final.