There's now just 81 days to go before the staging of the biggest athletics event to ever be held in The Bahamas, the IAAF World Relays, and tickets are disappearing fast.
According to Lionel Haven, managing director of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), approximately 3,500 tickets have already been sold. With only about 25,000 tickets up for grabs over the two days of competition, the public, particularly Bahamians, is urged to secure seats as soon as possible. Nearly 15 percent of the total space available to the public has already been earmarked. Additionally, the majority of tickets sold so far have been in the gold section - the part of the western grandstand of the new Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium closest to the finish line.
With that being said, Haven said that it is imperative that Bahamians recognize the importance of booking their tickets early, and not fall in the traditional "last-minute" category. Interested persons can obtain tickets online at bahamasworldrelays.org, or at the ticket booth at the stadium, which is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The inaugural International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) World Relay Championships is set for May 24-25 at the new national stadium. The event will get underway with The Bahamas' junior segment at 3:30 p.m. each day, on Saturday under the concept 'One Island, One Lane', and on Sunday under the approach 'One School, One Lane'. The top eight teams from the high school test event on May 9-10, will qualify for the 'One School, One Lane' races on Sunday May 25. As for the much-anticipated world relays, they will start at 5:30 p.m. sharp each day. The tickets sold will cover both the junior segment and the world relays for that particular day.
"Ticket sales are going tremendously well," said Haven yesterday. "It is an open shop, and that is why we are encouraging Bahamians to buy early. We are trying to get the Bahamians to come out in droves. We are encouraging you to wear your colors, and let's come out and show what Bahamian culture and ambience is all about."
Also yesterday, it was revealed that four national suppliers came on board in support of the global event, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC), the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC),
Bahamas Waste Ltd., and PharmaChem Technologies Ltd. out of Grand Bahama.
"The sponsors to this event is a major part of what we are doing, and we are very happy to have them here with us," said Haven. "This allows us, from a financial perspective, to meet our financial objectives, but more importantly, it allows us to put on the show that we intend to put on here in The Bahamas.
"It is very difficult for any event to run without the support of corporate citizens. What this event will provide to sponsors is unique, in the fact that it will take the sponsor's brand beyond the shores of our country. We have already tied down an international broadcaster, and we have received requests from over 100 broadcasting companies willing to broadcast this event in their respective countries, so this event is going to be seen around the world."
That international broadcaster is International Sports Broadcasting (ISB), an organization which usually provides live video feeds of competitions and ceremonies. The various official broadcasting companies in more than 100 countries could then tap into the feeds and air the respective programs live or on a taped delay in their respective markets.
There are currently two levels of sponsorship for the world relays - national partners and national suppliers. Coca-Cola, John Bull and Atlantic Medical Insurance Ltd. have come on board as the national partners thus far, and with yesterday's revelation, there are now four national suppliers.
"Our marketing team has done a fantastic job in getting the various companies to support this event," said Haven. "There are a couple others, who we are deep in discussion with, and we're in the process of finalizing those, but anyone who is interested is certainly free to contact us here at the stadium. Like I said, our marketing team has done a tremendous job, and so far, we are quite pleased at where we are at."
In terms of volunteers, about 800 in total will be needed to ensure the smooth running of the global event, and already, about 250 people have signed up. There was a volunteer recruitment drive this past Saturday at the Mall at Marathon.
"People are going to be needed to do a variety of things. In some areas, there will be a need for technical skills, a need for institutional knowledge, and a need for people with energy - plain and simple," said Haven. "Anyone who is interested in being a part of this wonderful event, feel free and register.
"There is going to be a vetting process to ensure that the persons who are registered will be categorized according to their skills, and there will be training so that they will know what is expected of them, and what they need to do. We certainly look forward to many Bahamians from all walks of life getting involved."
Just like ticket sales, volunteer registration can be done on the event's website, www.bahamasworldrelays.org.
"The Bahamas as the host is looking forward to this grand event," said Haven. "We have assembled an organizing committee that is unique to international events in this country. It is completely comprised of Bahamian professionals, who are going to ensure that this event is a success. We are excited, and we look forward to the support of the Bahamian public."
The Government of The Bahamas is investing millions of dollars into this global event. It is estimated that the work being done inside and around the stadium alone, will cost approximately $12 million.
"The government has been fully on board since day one," said Haven. "They are actively involved in every facet of our organization. This is truly a national event. The reputation of The Bahamas will be at stake, and the government is committed to presenting a spectacular product for the world to see, so that the image that exists at the end of this event is a positive one. Also, the media will play a vital role in the impression people in other countries will have of The Bahamas, so we will make sure that everything will be in place."
As far as the press is concerned, about 150 work stations complete with ethernet and wireless connections will be set up in the press tribune inside the stadium, and not too far away will be a main press center. Also, a spacious mixed zone, where written press and broadcasters can interview athletes and coaches, will be on the lower level near the finish line.
"This was important to us, because the press is not only here to cover the event. The press is our unmentioned international marketing arm because of the way they explain their experiences here in The Bahamas," said Venues Director for the IAAF World Relays Jeffrey Beckles. "Their stories tells a lot about The Bahamas, and a lot about our capacity to host events of this nature, so it is important to us to ensure that the press is properly accommodated."
Over the past 20 years, the relays have brought international acclaim to these islands, the bulk of global medals, be it at the Olympics or the world championships. As a result, Director of Sports Timothy Munnings said that it was only fitting that an event of this nature came to The Bahamas. He said that there will be no better time for Bahamians to show their support for our world-class athletes, than to come out to the world relays on May 24 and 25.
"We all know the long history of success The Bahamas has in the relays, and so it's just an exciting feeling to know that these world relays are going to be here in our backyard," said Munnings. "The enthusiasm and excitement that everyone feels when they watch the relay events on television can now be felt in the stadium right here in The Bahamas. The relays are normally the most exciting part of any championships. Hence they are the last events at any meet. The world's best athletes are coming here, but we want the world to know that this is our backyard, and we aren't going down without a fight. So, we are calling on everybody to come down to the stadium and just enjoy themselves. Go Team Bahamas!"
Munnings said that this a national event, and the effect of such could be felt long term. With that said, he encouraged all Bahamians, particularly the many volunteers to sell the islands of The Bahamas to the thousands of visitors, and promote a brand that will be attractive to the entire world.
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