Ticket sales low, but International Champions Cup bosses hopes high for successful MCG tournament

INTERNATIONAL Champions Cup chiefs are confident the Melbourne tournament will be a success, but conceded disappointment with ticket sales for Saturday’s MCG opener.

Juventus has sent an understrength side down under. Picture: Michael Klein

ICC chiefs were confident the Melbourne tournament would be a success but conceded disappointment with ticket sales for Saturday’s MCG opener.

Juventus open the 2016 event against Melbourne Victory, with highly-rated coach Massimo Allegri arriving in Melbourne with an understrength squad due to Euro 2016.

Geoff Jones, TEG Live chief executive and tournament organiser, said momentum would build once Tottenham and Atletico Madrid’s squads were announced.

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“As the event builds up towards the last game next Friday the crowds will get bigger,’’ Jones said.

“Players come and go but brands stay and Juve’s a massive brand and it’s their best available team due to international football requirements.

“It’s disappointing but unavoidable that Italy went as far as they did at Euro 2016 as did Germany, so they (Juventus) lost some good players.

“We were aware going into this four-year arrangement that 2016 was the most difficult year because of the Euros and Olympics and Juve being team that they are, they had 10 players competing, mainly with Italy, who are on mandated holidays.’’

Miralem Pjanic is among the biggest drawcards of an understrength Juventus squad. Picture: Michael Klein

Juventus’ fanatical Australian supporter base is still expected to turnout in strong numbers and it’s understood the Italian giants’ ticket take up has been far stronger than Victory’s for the A-League club’s ICC debut.

Jones swas confident Victory will make waves on and off the field.

“We really hope that Victory fans get behind their team and show their colours and support against one of the biggest brands in world football,’’ he said.

“We’re really pleased that Victory’s there and we know that Victory will give a really good account of themselves.

“The expectation is that we’ll have a healthy crowd. We’d always like more, but the simple fact of matter is that numbers won’t be where we’d hoped.

“We don’t give out projected crowd numbers beforehand and tickets are still selling plus we’ll have walk ups.’’

Originally published as Ticket sales low, but International Champions Cup bosses hopes high for successful MCG tournament