Krasnoyarsk breaks ticketing records as fans pack Universiade venues

The Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace retrofitted with ice for the curling competitions of the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade

KRASNOYARSK – It’s 9 a.m. on a Monday morning in Krasnoyarsk. South Korea is playing Sweden in curling as a capacity crowd chants and cheers on each significant play. It’s a sight to behold.

The support the people of Russia have shown the 29^th Winter Universiade is inspiring.

At every competition, the stadiums are full, the stands are overflowing, and the crowds are energetic. The fans are loud, proud and out in force to show both the athletes and the world what Siberians are made of.

While much has been made of the legacy that the Universiade will leave on the city, it is the legacy that the Russian people will leave on the Universiade that is undeniable. FISU confirmed that more than 255,000 tickets were sold for the various competitions.

“We can firmly declare that the ticket program of Winter Universiade 2019 in Krasnoyarsk has broken all records for the sale of tickets for whole history of event,” said FISU officials.

Whilst the sheer volume of tickets sold is impressive, the most significant statistic is that “80% of Universiade ticket buyers were locals in Krasnoyarsk and Krasnoyarskii Krai.”

The local fans’ passion and hunger for sport will be told for years to come, and the numbers achieved here will be the benchmark for future Universiades.

“The experience of the Universiades shows the extremely high interest of viewers for such international events. Therefore, subject to the recommendations of the FISU Tickets team and a clear organisation of the sales process at affordable ticket prices, we always expect a full house at the Universiade competitions,” added FISU officials.

It cannot be underestimated the impact a full stadium has on the student athletes not used to competing in front of such numbers. As a springboard for the Olympics, the Universiade provides invaluable experience of what it feels like to ski, skate or snowboard in front of huge crowds, live television cameras and hungry journalists waiting for a story.

Some will have never competed in front of such numbers or heard a full 5,000-seat stadium erupt as the puck hits the back of the net or after a brilliant move is executed to take first place. These are the experiences that will live with the athletes and motivate them to take the next leap and potentially become world champions and maybe even, in the not too distant future, Olympic heroes.

There can be no substitute for the real experience, and the Universiade certainly delivers.

Whilst there are many factors that can be attributed to the achievements seen in the heart of Siberia, FISU outlined that “this success was achieved by the high-quality work of the ticket program department of the Games Directorate together with the FISU Tickets project, which began work in June 2017.

“The FISU Tickets team is actively and successfully developing a strategy aimed at popularising the World Student Games, increasing the results for selling tickets to FISU events, and creating a global base of sports fans around the world.”

If the numbers and experiences seen at Krasnoyarsk are anything to go by, then FISU and the Universiades are well on their way to realising their vision.

Krasnoyarsk has already started to leave a lasting impression on all who took part in it.

By FISU International Young Reporter James Oana at the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade