For anyone who has played or watched top-class international volleyball in Japan, the word "So-re!" will be very familiar -- because the home fans shout it enthusiastically every time a Japanese player is about to serve.
It means "let's go!" -- and it can now apply to another aspect of volleyball in Japan: buying tickets for the FIVB World Champiosnhips!
On July 23 -- exactly 100 days before the opening ceremony of the FIVB World Championships on October 31 -- around half a million tickets will go on sale to the general public for the month-long volleyball feast. Twelve gymnasiums in 10 host cities will stage the 208 matches, 104 in both the women's and men's championships.
"We have been receiving a lot of enquiries for tickets from within Japan and from other countries, and soon all the volleyball fans will be able to buy them," says Kazuyuki Kojima, Secretary General of the Japan Volleyball Association and of the World Championships Organising Committee.
"We have already held a limited sale of tickets through the JVA's mobile telephone site, and our ticket agent, PIA, is running two separate campaigns for priority members.
"After that, on July 23, comes the general sale, and we are confident there will be lots of interest around the country."
According to PIA, a total of 503,382 tickets are available for the World Championships, with 203,519 for the women's event from October 31 to November 16, and 299,863 for the men's championship from November 17 to December 3.
The biggest of the 12 venues is Saitama Super Arena, which has 103,785 tickets for the five days of the men's Pool A, featuring Japan.
"We are targeting a full house every day, but would be satisfied with an 80 per cent sale," added Mr. Kojima.
"Eight years ago when Japan last staged the FIVB World Championships it was almost full, and this time we want to do better.
"We have some very popular teams in both the women's and men's competitions spread around the country, from Fukuoka in the south to Sapporo in the north."
Ticket prices for the general public, not including special deals for schoolchildren, range from 3,000 yen to 10,000 yen (around US$26 to US$88).
The official travel agency of the FIVB World Championships, Toptour Corporation, will provide details of tickets and hotels via their link on the official World Championships website, www.2006vball.jp, from the end of July.
