Manny-Floyd ticket price soars

By Cheneen R. Capon
BUSINESS establishments in Davao City are cashing in on earning revenues out of the richest fight in boxing history.
Businesses like hotels and accommodation, malls, restaurants and cable providers have made sure to come up with pay-per-view services for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. showdown on May 2 (May 3 in Manila) in Las Vegas.
And, unlike in Pacquiao’s previous fights, prices of tickets for the Mayweather clash have gone up this time.
“From P150 per ticket, we are now selling the ticket at P350 inclusive of drinks like beer, coffee, juice or tea,” The Royal Mandaya Hotel marketing officer Guada Gamboa told Edge Davao.
“We’re expecting more than 200 boxing fans on the May 2 fight here,” she added.
She said the management has to increase the selling price of the ticket to match with the increased price of the service provided by cable providers here.
At the Grand Regal Hotel, tickets for the pay-per-view showing were out for selling three weeks before the big fight.
“Every Paquiao fight is an event for us. It’s been a tradition for the hotel to offer pay-per-view services during his fight,” an executive of Grand Regal Hotel said.
The marketing officer added that Paquiao fights have been part of anticipated events of the establishment.
About 400 boxing fans who will watch the fight at Grand Regal will have the privilege to enjoy buffet lunch.
The officer said Paquiao fights don’t just bring revenue to the hotel, but also give boxing fans in the city the chance to convene together and support Pacquiao even from thousands of miles away.
Meanwhile, cinemas in SM City Davao will be packed with boxing fans who expect the Filipino boxing sensations to knock Mayweather out during their 12-round fight.
“We’re expecting 2,351 viewers,” SM City Davao operation assistant for cinema Hanna Gyly Napawit said. “All our cinemas will be showing the fight.”
Napawit said the price of ticket for the fight was also higher than previous Pacquiao fights.
“We’re selling ticket at P600. Before, it was only P550,” she said. “It’s an order coming from our central office in Manila.”
Napawit said the first 100 patrons who bought tickets also got free commemorative shirts from the Paquiao-Mayweather fight.