DUBAI // Tennis fans queued from as early as 4.30am yesterday morning to buy tickets for the Dubai Tennis Championships finals, as the online ticket quota for the final stages of next month's event sold out within 20 minutes.
All tickets for the quarter-final, semi-final and final portion of both the mens' and womens' tournaments sold out within several hours of going on sale at 10am. By the afternoon, disappointed fans were already posting on Dubizzle.com, a popular online marketplace, asking for tickets.
The unusually fast sale fuelled concerns that touts had snapped up the majority of the tickets, hoping to resell them at vastly inflated prices.
The scarcity may have artificially inflated prices to the point where many tennis lovers have been priced out of the market, said Brij Menon, 36, manager of the Dubai United Expat Tennis club (Duet).
"A lot of our members will be disappointed that the tickets for the finals have sold out so fast," he said. "Many of these tickets will now be resold for up to Dh500 to those that can afford it. It is the real fans that miss out, and this can diminish the atmosphere at the stadium."
Until several years ago, touting was virtually unheard of in the UAE, although it has been a common practice in Europe and North America for decades. An increasing roster of popular events such as Formula 1 and the Rugby Sevens has not only generated a huge demand, but a lucrative resale market.
Some fans were duped into buying forged tickets even before details of November's F1 races had been announced, and as recently as last week ticket touting was evident at the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.
Although there is no federal rule prohibiting touts, it is a condition of sale that tickets cannot be re-sold, and those purchasing such tickets, either online or outside the stadium, could be prevented entry to the event.
Salah Tahlak, tournament director for the tennis championships, warned customers against buying invalidated tickets from unofficial sources. "We discourage anyone from buying tickets that are being sold above face value, and to only purchase tickets from official outlets," she said.
The event's organisers, who also manage the Rugby Sevens tournament held early last month, have already limited sales to four tickets per person and 10 per company in an attempt to discourage touts. They have also been working closely with Dubai police and administrators at online marketplaces where tickets are sold.
"During the championships, Dubai Police and tournament security play a vital role in carefully monitoring the resale of tickets outside the stadium," said Mr Tahlak.
He added that organisers also work with websites such as Dubizzle.com, which has staff monitoring and removing any ticket postings by those seeking to make a profit.
Mr Menon at Duet said the problem could also be combated by following the lead of European tournaments, such as Wimbledon, which hold back 50 per cent of the tickets for sale on the day of the match itself. Although this can lead to long match day queues, it at least ensures a balance between corporate guests and genuine fans who are willing to wait.
With the online tickets gone, fans had no choice but to queue at the Aviation Club box office for the remaining seats. Rajat Kumar, 43, a banker from India, waited for almost four hours, but said the atmosphere and the star players would make it worthwhile.
However, he had one suggestion for solving the touting problem. "If they print names on tickets and ask for ID upon entrance, then touts wouldn't be able to resell them," he said.
In the future, ticket shortages for the event should ease once a plan to move it from the 5,000-capacity tennis stadium in Al Garhoud to a new 25,000-capacity stadium in Dubai Sports City is realised, perhaps by next year.
The Dubai Tennis Championships will be held from February 14-27.
tbrooks@thenational.ae
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CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years-of-age
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his/her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30-years-old and able to support the child financially
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Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
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Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 400m Olympic running track
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6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
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How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
