The competition for the best seats to the 2015 Pan Am Games started Monday morning, when fans were able to begin requesting tickets.
The Pan Am Games, coming to Toronto for July 10-26 of next year, is the third biggest of its kind, right behind the summer Olympic Games and the Asian Games. Nearly 7,000 athletes from Alberta to Argentina are expected to take part in 36 sports, including archery, baseball, beach volleyball, trampoline, rugby, squash, BMX biking, table tennis and cycling.
Here's what sports fans need to know about ticket purchases:
• Ticket requests can be made online here from Monday at 10 a.m. until Oct. 6 at 9 p.m.
• Buyers will need a valid VISA, Visa Debit or Mastercard.
• Where there is more demand than supply, a lottery will take place.
• Confirmations will arrive via email by Dec. 2014. Tickets will be delivered by June.
• Entry starts at $20 but there are some half-price tickets for youth (16 and younger) and seniors (65 and older).
• Three-quarters of tickets will cost less than $45.
• Tickets for preliminary events mostly start at $20; exceptions include swimming ($40), track and field ($40) and golf ($45).
• Tickets for medal sessions range from $35 to $140.
• The opening ceremony on July 10 will feature Cirque du Soleil and a ‘Parade of Nations’ at prices from $100 to $350, with some tickets discounted to $50 for youth and seniors.
• The closing ceremony on July 26 will feature musical acts and a “party-like atmosphere” at a cost of $90 to $200, with some tickets discounted to $45 for youth and seniors.
• The main site is near where the Don Valley Expressway meets the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, but events will be spread throughout the GTA and beyond. For example, swimming will be in Scarborough, boxing will be in Oshawa, equestrian will be in Caledon, soccer will be in Hamilton and martial arts will be in Mississauga.
