Team Singapore needs you at the SEA Games

SINGAPORE - Organisers of the 28th South-east Asia (SEA) Games have issued a rallying call to Singaporeans when the Republic plays host in June.

The Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) yesterday unveiled a slew of promotional activities leading up to, and during the Games from June 5 to 16, to draw Singaporeans to the 31 competition venues across the island.

Singapore is hosting the SEA Games for the first time since 1993.

The initiatives announced to engage Singaporeans include an Orchard Road rally, community sports festivals and carnivals during the Games.

To make the Games accessible to Singaporeans, spectators will gain free entry to 18 of the 36 sports.

For the rest, ticket prices start at $5, with a 50 per cent discount to students, senior citizens and full-time national servicemen.

At a briefing at the Singapore Sports Hub, Singsoc chairman Lim Teck Yin said: "The tickets are very affordable. They are not intended as a revenue generator.

"If you buy four or more tickets at one go, there is a 20 per cent discount.

"It is very affordable, especially for families."

Singsoc's "multi-prong strategy" to draw Singaporeans to the Games includes grouping events to accessible venues, organising carnivals, and working with national sports associations and parent support groups in deciding on venue sizes.

"Other than fixed venues like the National Stadium, there will be temporary venues, for which we had to decide how many seats to configure to create the right atmosphere," said Mr Lim.

"The earlier Singaporeans express interest (in an event), the earlier I can make adjustments (to the venue sizes)."

Singsoc started an 18-month build-up campaign to the SEA Games from December 2013, and will ramp up the promotional activities in March, starting with the One Team Singapore rally on Orchard Road on March 7.

LIGHT UP

Highlights of the event include the lighting up of the SEA Games arch at the junction of Scotts and Paterson Road, the unfurling of the Team Singapore flag and sports try-outs.

Two carnivals - in Kallang and Marina Bay areas - will be held during the Games to ensure "there is something for everyone".

Sports such as traditional boat race, triathlon and marathon will be held in conjunction with community sports events to generate a buzz around them.

For example, traditional boat race events will be interspersed with events in the DBS Marina Regatta.

Mr Lim hopes the SEA Games will be a springboard for Singaporeans to become and stay engaged in sports - a key component of the Vision 2030 sports masterplan.

He said: "We are at the right point to rally One Team Singapore.

"We have an opportunity to rally our people at a time when Singapore is reminiscing about what brought us here, commemorating and celebrating our pioneers who brought us to this point, and thinking about how Singapore can do so much more to be the best home for Singaporeans in the next 50 years." 

ONGOING

Milestone events and community road shows: Reached out to more than 500,000 people so far.

School outreach programmes: 79 primary schools and 56 secondary schools and junior colleges have signed up for modular, age-appropriate programmes, with Team Singapore athletes also visiting schools during road shows.

Merchandise outlet: On Orchard Road and online.

UPCOMING

One Team Singapore rally: Lighting up of the SEA Games arch on Orchard Road on March 7, along with other activities.

ActiveSG: SEA Games sports festivals every weekend from March to May. About 100 schools to be involved in ActiveSG initiatives.

Community sports festivals: To involve 15 clusters over two weekends in May. The SEA Games torch will be paraded during these festivals.

Displays: Banners and signboards on display in the heartland, official Games hotels and public buildings, as well as on lamp posts and flyovers.

50-day countdown: More than 50 organisations have signed up, each allocated a number to be uniquely displayed.

Regional outreach: Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and to-be-launched game where two winners from each participating country will win a trip to watch the Games here.

DURING THE GAMES

Ticketing: Standard tickets start at $5, with discounts for bulk buys, students, senior citizens and full-time national servicemen. Entry to 18 of the 36 sports will be free.

Carnivals: At Marina Bay and Kallang. Includes performances, sports try-outs and athlete meet-and-greet.

Sports & Fitness Asia Expo: June 11 to 13 at Singapore Expo, where the combat and martial arts sports will be held.

Combination events: The SEA Games marathon, triathlon and traditional boat race will be held in conjunction with community sports events.

Broadcast: Dedicated free-to-air channel, with possibly additional channel when Team Singapore athletes compete. "Second screen" application to be launched, to provide additional statistics and camera angles.

FREE ADMISSION

Athletics, archery, softball, tennis, squash, rowing, canoe/kayak, sailing, traditional boat race, water ski, cycling, golf, triathlon, bowling, shooting, petanque, hockey, floorball

PAY TO WATCH

$5: Boxing, judo, pencak silat, sepak takraw, taekwondo, wushu

$10: Basketball, billiards & snooker, fencing, netball, rugby 7s, volleyball

$20: Aquatics, badminton, equestrian, football, gymnastics, table tennis

- Prices exclude administrative fee and delivery charges.

- Season tickets for badminton, table tennis and aquatics are half the price of the standard daily tickets.

- 50 per cent discount for students, senior citizens and full-time national servicemen.

- A 20-per cent discount will be given for purchases of four or more tickets in a single transaction.

WHEN TO BUY

Jan 28 (pre-registered) and Feb 4 (general sales).

Tickets to team sports events will be available after the draw in April.

HOW TO BUY

Website: www.seagames2015.com

Hotline: 3158-8080

Note: The Singapore South-east Asia Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) stresses that APACTix is the sole distributor of Games tickets.

Official Games tickets can be bought from the 28th SEA Games website, the official ticketing hotline, any SingPost outlet and Singapore Indoor Stadium's Box Office.

Tickets bought through other means and distributors will not be valid for entry into competition venues, and the opening and closing ceremonies.

The public should not buy tickets from unauthorised vendors and report such vendors via the official ticketing hotline.

This article was first published on Jan 29, 2015.
Get The New Paper for more stories.