Looks like blogs and forums are on fire regarding the prices for the upcoming friendly match between the Azkals and LA Galaxy. They are quite steep but unfortunately there's not much that can be done about that.
First off, it was quite a feat to pull off to get the LA Galaxy to agree to play against the Azkals here in the Philippines. A high profile football match that involves David Beckham can only be good for Philippine football, especially as there is a strong need to get Filipinos to get behind this sport and support its growth and development. While not as impressive as some of the top European clubs that make their way into out region during the off-season, the LA Galaxy is still a widely recognized brand in the global football community. This event and the publicity it is sure to generate is likely to give Philippine football a shot in the arm.
Back to ticket prices, it is indeed quite high and out of range for a huge number of ardent Philippine football fans and supporters. It would have been ideal if it were a bit more comparable to the prices of the Azkals World Cup qualifying campaign but we have to recognize that this friendly match is on an entirely different level. It has to be understood that it takes a lot of money to organize an event of this significance. Added to this, is the fact that our only decent football stadium can accommodate 13,000 spectators only. Our small stadium capacity in comparison to our ASEAN neighbors who have 80,000 and 35,000 seater stadiums is a major reason for the high ticket prices. More seats available means more tickets can be sold which further means that organizers can afford to lower ticket prices. Sadly, that is not the case here in the Philippines. At least the match will be televised, so all is not lost.
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