The first Netball World Cup on African shores is fast approaching, and host country South Africa is finalising plans to ensure the global showpiece is a rousing success. In just under four months’, 16 of the best netballplaying nations will descend on the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Cape Town for the tournament.
The plans of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) are well underway with the momentum towards the event, which will run from July 28 to August 6, quickly gaining pace.
The official mascot, Letsatsi, was unveiled late last year along with the official Gilbert netball, Kganya, which will be used for the tournament. The tournament’s premium sponsors are Telkom and Spar, with Vitality being the title sponsor.
In the draw that took place on November 30, the Spar Proteas were drawn in Pool C, alongside Jamaica, Wales and Sri Lanka.
“We are very far ahead with our plans,” said tournament director Priscilla Masisi, who is responsible for leading the implementation of all strategic planning to ensure South Africa hosts a uniquely African Netball World Cup successfully.
Sunday World looks at some of the key things that Masisi and the entire LOC have had to organise to ensure a successful world cup.
Venue:
The ICC in Cape Town was chosen as the venue for the tournament and Masisi believes it will meet all the standards. They will use two arenas inside the ICC with the first one – the main arena – accommodating 5 000 people while the smaller second arena will accommodate only 1 200 spectators.
“We held the Quad Series at this venue, which we used as a dry run,” revealed Masisi.
“We had to look at other arrangements, the venue itself is empty and we have to bring in seating, the courts and everything. So, we learned a lot out of that dry run that we had. We are ready, we’ve bought new floors, we’ve improved the seating. I think we are confident that it will be suitable.”
Accommodation and transportation:
Masisi also revealed they have arranged suitable accommodation for the teams, officials, and other staff. They have ensured the accommodation is of a high standard and meets all safety and hygiene requirements. “We have secured the accommodation and transportation for the teams. All is in order in that department,” she added.
Security:
Arrangements for sufficient security measures to safeguard the players, officials, and spectators have been made, according to Masisi.
This will include security checks, CCTV cameras, and trained security personnel to ensure that everyone attending the tournament will be safe.
Tourism benefits:
The Netball World Cup will be an excellent opportunity for the tourism industry of the country as it will attract a large number of visitors from different countries which will lead to increased spending.
Ticket sales:
Ticket sales were opened well in advance and were made easy to purchase online. All the Spar Proteas matches have been sold out inside phase one and two of the ticket sales.
“The third phase tickets will be released later. We have bronze, silver and gold tickets which vary in prices. The rights are held by World Netball, who are the custodians of the game and they determine the prices.
Marketing and promotion:
Although there seems to be very little visibility and excitement about the tournament with only a few months to go, Masisi insists that marketing and promotion has been done properly.
“We are marketing the World Cup but we are also careful not to over market an event that will only have 5 000 capacity,” added Masisi.
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