President of the International Paralympic Committee Andrew Parsons told AFP that he hopes the Paralympics in Paris would be held in full stadiums and that there will be the highest TV coverage ever.
Just over two weeks after the Olympics, from August 28 to September 8, the French capital will host the 16th Summer Paralympics.
Six months before to their opening, Parsons stated in an interview that securing a large audience for the tournament was his top aim.
Out of the entire 2.8 million tickets, less than a million have been sold thus far, but the president of the IPC emphasized that this is “normal” given the time until the Paralympics.
“We are working with the organising committee to make sure that we have full stadiums in Paris,” said Parsons, a Brazilian who has been in charge of the IPC since 2017.
“We have some sports that are nearly sold out. We are satisfied where we are, but of course we need to push for more.
“We are very pleased with the preparation so far. We’re in this moment where all the operational plans are ready.
“We have learned from the test events, and we are now in the moment where what we need to focus on is the fine-tuning of some of the operations. We are all focused on the promotion of the Games,” he added.
The IPC is launching numerous campaigns through various platforms, including social media, traditional media, and national Paralympic committees, to spread the word and “(make) people raise the excitement around the Games… (and be) aware, informed, wanting to buy tickets and to watch it on TV” in order to reach the goal of full stadiums in Paris.
In contrast to the Olympics, Paralympic ticket sales usually peak closer to the Games’ commencement.
Two weeks prior to the start of the Games in Rio de Janeiro, organizers of the 2016 Paralympics noted a significant increase in buyer enthusiasm, with total ticket sales doubling in a single 48-hour period.
If ticket sales are currently following “a normal graphic line for the Paralympics”, Parsons said media coverage for the Games had already surpassed that of previous editions.
Broadcasting agreements have been secured in more than 160 nations and territories, constituting the “biggest number ever”, he said.
