SAfrica's World Cup Legacy: Higher Ticket Prices

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- The initial World Cup legacy of staging the first World Cup in Africa is rising ticket prices and an uncertain future for the new stadiums in South Africa.Just 10 days after Spain's victory in the final at the 94,700-seat Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, the chief executive of the South African Football Association told a parliamentary committee on sport and recreation that soccer had challenges to overcome to keep its world-class venues in use and profitable.

'It is nice to tell people we filled up a stadium, but how much do we charge? $5?'' Leslie Sedibe said Tuesday. ''People need to understand ... we will have to revisit these issues around ticket prices if we are serious about development, because that is where the money is going to come from.''

The South African government spent an estimated $1.3 billion building and upgrading the 10 stadiums used for the monthlong tournament.

Sticking to traditionally low ticket prices for South Africa's low-income soccer fans will mean it is less likely to cover the cost of operating and maintaining the modern arenas.

Sedibe said the new stadiums would cost at least $65,000 to hire for a day, without security costs, and charging low prices for local games would mean ''there is something wrong with the economy.''

More commercially successful sports in South Africa like rugby and cricket could ensure the stadiums are properly utilized. Many of the facilities have no home team and no regular source of income.

New York Times