Sat | May 4, 2024

Champs to go it alone

ISSA gets approval to use own ticketing system

Published:Thursday | March 10, 2022 | 12:10 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
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A Kingston College athlete focuses as fans cheer in the stands at the 2019 staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
Gladstone Taylor
A Kingston College athlete focuses as fans cheer in the stands at the 2019 staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
Fans cheer on their favourite girls’ schools at a previous staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Shorn Hector
Fans cheer on their favourite girls’ schools at a previous staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Wellington
Adrian Frater
Wellington
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PRESIDENT OF the inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Keith Wellington said the organisation has been given approval from the Government to use a new system for the purchasing of tickets to next month’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships.

The Government had instructed organisers of last month’s Gibson McCook Relays to use a system run on Amber Innovations for the purchasing of tickets for the event, however, there were problems.

The organisers of the Gibson McCook relays complained bitterly about the system, saying it took up to two hours in some instances for persons to make purchases.

The Gibson McCook Relays was given approval to host 10,000 fully vaccinated fans at the National Stadium but could only muster just over 2,000 on the day.

Wellington told The Gleaner that ISSA had designed its own ticketing system for the championships and, therefore, would not be using the platform on which the Gibson McCook Relays were held.

TICKETING SYSTEM

“No, we won’t be using that system ‘cause we would be using our own system, and the public will be apprised by the end of the week as to how they will be able to access the tickets,” said Wellington.

Asked how reliable the new system was and whether it would ease the access woes faced by fans, Wellington had this to say:

“We wouldn’t be using it if we thought it wasn’t good.”

“I am sure that it will ease some of the pressure compared to the system that was used for Gibson (McCook Relays).

“And, yes, we are confident that this is the right direction for us for Champs.”

Wellington added that the tickets for the championships are scheduled to go on sale this month as soon as the details of the event have been finalised.

He also stated that details on the number of spectators that will be allowed to purchase tickets for the event will also be announced later this week.

“Everything is on track for next month’s championships, and we are very pleased about this right now.”