4-year deal for Singapore to host ICC
Four-year deal for Singapore to host ICC; catch Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan at National Stadium in July
Want to watch Eden Hazard blaze the flanks at the Singapore Sports Hub? Or see Manuel Neuer pull off a fingertip save in the 55,000-capacity National Stadium?
Then you better get your tickets to the International Champions Cup (ICC) fast.
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, tournament organisers Relevent Sports and Catalyst Media Group (CMG) officially announced Singapore as host of one leg of the prestigious pre-season tournament for the next four years, until 2020.
This makes Singapore the third country in the Asia-Pacific region to host the ICC - after China and Australia - and the only one in South-east Asia.
From July 25 to 29, English Premier League giants Chelsea, Germany's most successful club Bayern Munich, and 18-time Italian Serie A winners Inter Milan will be strutting their stuff here.
Organisers, who are expecting a significant number of fans from the region to travel here for the tournament, said there are no assurances Singapore's fans will get priority treatment once tickets go on sale on March 30.
Patrick Murphy, president of CMG, said: "The whole ticketing strategy will be announced toward the end of March... (so) I don't want to pre-empt too much.
"What I will tell you though, and I think this is important for people in Singapore to know, is that we will be making tickets available at very competitive prices.
"It's important to us we are able to reach all parts of Singapore society.
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International Champions Cup
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National Stadium
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July 25 — Chelsea v Bayern Munich
July 27 — Bayern v Inter Milan
July 29 — Chelsea v Inter -
Details to be announced at end of the month. Available from March 30 at www.sportshubtix.sg; Sports Hub box office; and Singapore Post outlets.
"It's also very important to us that we are here for four years, because we want to build a relationship with the Singapore football fans and therefore our ticketing pricing will bear that in mind."
Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran hailed the move of bringing the ICC to Singapore.
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He said in a Facebook post: "Happy that Singapore will be the exclusive South-east Asian host of the ICC - a popular football tournament watched by millions of fans worldwide.
"The ICC tournament will augment Singapore's current suite of sporting and lifestyle events, and enhance our global branding as an attractive lifestyle and tourism destination.
"Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) efforts to grow our list of quality events and products will continue, so as to offer a diverse range of experiences for Singaporeans as well as visitors, and drive tourism growth in the long run."
Lim Kia Tong, president of the Football Association of Singapore provisional council, added: "The ICC is a high-profile international event and the arrival of top world-class stars from Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Inter Milan will certainly excite our fans, players and coaches.
"We look forward to working with, and supporting, the organisers CMG, STB and Sport Singapore to ensure a successful hosting of the ICC."
Tickets will be available from March 30 at www.sportshubtix.sg, the Sports Hub box office, and Singapore Post outlets.
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