Friday, August 01, 2003  

With Real Madrid due in town next Friday and tickets due to go on sale today, it seems all of Hong Kong has gone mad. This isn't JUST due to the fact that Real Madrid boast three former World Players of the Year in Zidane, Figo and Ronaldo (alongside perennial runner-up Raul), but rather one David Beckham. Real Madrid would already be something of a social event, given football's new "cool" status among the upper classes and Real's standing as the most prestigious football club of them all, but the mass appeal of Beckham has elevated them even beyond that. Everyone must be there, be you a football fan, socialite, or screaming teenaged girl.

By Monday night, a full five days before the sale date, 40 people were in line. By Wednesday night, it was 5,000. Everyone -- and I do really mean everyone -- wants to be at this game. I've been desperately trying to cobble a set of tickets off anyone who could possibly get them, despite the fact that the tickets are going for HK$1500 a pop (approximately $200, £120 or €171 -- take your pick).

Of course, this does bring some amusing moments. Like the fact that my cousin Sheeva, one of the groupie types who doesn't care too much about football other than the fact that it's cool and Beckham plays the sport, is actually in line with her friends for tickets. Meanwhile, the three biggest football fans in the family (being myself, Haneal and Kavi) sit at home playing videogames.

Mind you, if she gets tickets and we don't, she'll be the one left laughing.

Posted at 3:57 AM

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