Games revenue exceeds $1m

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33425, 5 January 1974, Page 10

Games revenue exceeds $1m

The gross revenue from the sale of the British Commonwealth Games tickets now exceeds slm, after the purchase of tickets by .Miss F. McCall, of Riccarton, on Thursday afternoon.

The total of slm more than doubles that of Edinburgh in 1970 and far exceeds any other sales at Commonwealth Games. It is believed that there may be as much as $150,000 to come.

Miss McCall yesterday attended a function to mark the reaching of the millionthdollar sale and was presented with a large bouquet of flowers and some appropriate Games and N.A.C, mementos. She was then entertained to lunch by the chairman of the Games Organising Committee (Mr R. S. Scott) and the general manager of N.A.C. (Mr D. A. Patterson).

“We could all stay at home and watch the Games on television, but if we were physically able I think it is important to get the feeling and spirit of the Games by going to the events. When we have experienced the Games we will be able to relive the experience when we see well-classed athletes in action,” said Miss McCall when she spoke at the lunch. Mr Scott said that what most people did not realise back in 1970 was the deep interest in international sport, of which New Zealanders see very little, and the excellence of the marketing and distribution system for the tickets which was to become available to them domestically through N.A.C., and overseas through Air New Zealand.

Miss McCall, who is a property investment consultant, had just recently returned from overseas and had already arranged for her parents to purchase opening and closing ceremony tickets. When she returned she felt because of her family’s sporting interest she would purchase more tickets. This now brings the family’s total expenditure to $314.

There is a strong family interest in boxing — her brother Glen some years ago was the Canterbury amateur heavyweight champion. Glen was trained by his father, a boxing enthusiast for many years. Miss McCall’s interests are in dancing and in the ballroom field she has gained an Oscar, one of the highest awards in New Zealand. Games ticket office officials have been aware that the millionth-dollar mark was coming up and Miss McCall was one of five people who arrived at the N.A.C. ticket office in the Square on Thursday.