2003-10-24
SOL NASCENTE. Notícia enviada por José Figueiredo possuindo como fonte a Bloomberg: "About 7,000 Japanese fans bought tickets for the 2004 European Championship in Portugal, lured by the likes of England soccer captain David Beckham, tournament travel officials said. People living in Japan bought 2.1 percent of the 328,000 tickets sold through the first week of October. That compares with 2.4 percent to residents of France, the defending champion, organizers said. Many bookings from Japan were by all-female groups who plan to stay near where Beckham and his teammates are based, said Rita Lanca, a spokeswoman for the Euro 2004 Accommodation Agency which has handled 15,000 bookings. "The Japanese are coming not because they're fans of the teams but fans of players like Beckham,'' Lanca said. They also have good memories of last year's World Cup.'' Japan co-hosted the World Cup with South Korea, the first time soccer's showpiece was held in Asia. The 16-nation European Championship is the sport's No. 2 tournament for Europe's teams. Continental ruling body UEFA expects visitors to spend 262 million euros ($309 million) during the three-week event. Beckham, soccer's highest-paid player, endorses chocolate snacks, beauty clinics and mobile phones in Japan. In August, 40,000 people turned up to watch him and Real Madrid teammates train in Tokyo. England striker Michael Owen also was among the most popular players with Japanese fans last year. Residents of Portugal bought the biggest share of Euro 2004 tickets, 30.8 percent, followed by fans in England, who acquired 21.8 percent. The June 12-July 4 competition will be Portugal's biggest-ever sports tournament."
