Pacquiao ticket prices a concern!

By Brad Cooney

17/04/2006

Pacquiao ticket prices a concern!

Junior lightweight superstar Manny Pacquiao wanted to bring a fight back to his native Philippines for his fans, who were so happy to hear of a major fight featuring their idol that they celebrated with friends, family, and boxing fans alike.  Then the complications began. Due to security concerns in the wake of a government coup attempt, HBO decided not to go to Manila, and opted to pick up the pay-per-view feed for the American viewing audience. The rumored ticket prices will start at 1000 Philippines pesos for this fight, a figure that has launched a rash of complaints from Pacquiao’s fans. In a previous Boxingtalk interview, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, said that ticket prices were out his their hands, and that local promoter ABS was the entity with control over the prices. For the sake of the fans, ticket prices should be set at a level that will take into account the ability of many of Manny Pacquiao’s true fans to attend the event. Not just the wealthy fans, but the Pacquiao fans that work in the fields, the ones who stood on the sidewalks of Manila to watch Pacquiao’s rematch with Erik Morales, a fight that momentarily unified a country. Even if it was for just a day, the entire country of The Philippines stood still, and joined together in support of their hero. Now it's time for Pacquiao to return home and get into the ring in front his countrymen. It would be a shame if the ticket prices were set at a cost that would prevent his lower income fans from attending.