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Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui called it “highly unsatisfactory” after spectators were forced to leave the Kai Tak Arena before the conclusion of a match of the World Grand Prix snooker tournament on Tuesday night, sparking outrage among fans.
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Speaking to media on Wednesday, Law attributed the incident to communication and coordination failure between the event organizer and the venue operator.
The government has instructed the organizers to ensure spectators can watch the entire matches, and, if necessary, arrange transportation for attendees after late-night games, she said.
“In fact, both organizers and the venue operator were aware beforehand that matches could extend into late hours, potentially run overtime,” Law said.
“There were concerns that spectators being stranded with fewer transportation options due to the late-night schedule.”
Law said it requires time for the Kai Tak Sports Park and event organizers to adapt to each other, especially given the unpredictable nature of snooker match durations.
"This is a learning experience for all parties involved," she said.
Gilly Wong Fung-han, chief executive of the Consumer Council, said the council has received seven complaints related to the World Grand Prix, with six about Ronnie O'Sullivan's withdrawal due to illness, and one about spectators being forced to leave before the match ended on Tuesday night.
Wong noted that while the organizer offered compensation by allowing ticket exchanges on March 5 and 6, it did not address alternative measures if consumers cannot attend on those days.
She urged the organizer to handle the matter more flexibly.
Regarding O'Sullivan's withdrawal, Wong said consumer dissatisfaction is understandable while emphasizing that spectators should be aware of the risks when purchasing tickets, and organizers must clearly inform the audience of these risks and prepare contingency plans in advance.
The organizing committee of the World Grand Prix snooker tournament has also apologized to affected spectators.
“We deeply regret the incident on the evening of March 4, where some spectators were asked to leave before the match ended. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused,” the committee said in a statement.
The incident occurred during a late-night match between Kyren Wilson and Matthew Selt on Table 1, which began after 9pm.
As the game extended past midnight, a message appeared on the venue’s screens instructing fans to leave due to venue restrictions.
Staff then urged spectators to exit, pausing the match and escorting players to a break room.
Fans argued with staff for about 20 minutes before being removed by security.
In response, the committee said it has worked with the venue to ensure spectators attending evening sessions from March 5 to 9 can stay until matches conclude.
As compensation, ticket holders for the March 4 evening session at Table 1 can exchange their ticket stubs for equal-value tickets to any available session on March 5 or 6 at the event merchandize booth near Gate G.
Feng Huanhuan, CEO of F-Sports Promotions Limited, the event organizer, explained the company was unaware of the venue’s midnight curfew.
“Having organized large snooker events in mainland China, where there are no such restrictions, we didn’t anticipate this issue,” Feng said.
“The reminder for spectators to leave was issued within an hour of us learning about the curfew.”
However, some fans remain dissatisfied. One attendee called the organizers’ actions “unacceptable” and said they might file a complaint with Hong Kong’s Consumer Council.
“Hosting a world-class event in a state-of-the-art venue should be a proud moment, but the lack of coordination is deeply disappointing,” he said.
Another VIP ticket holder criticized the organizers for treating attendees as “guinea pigs,” adding that it was still unfair for affected spectators despite the free ticket exchanges.
Kai Tak Sports Park said on Wednesday that it will ensure all ticket holders can watch matches until their conclusion.
The operator said it had coordinated with event organizer to arrange transportation from teh park to nearby transit hubs in the Mong Kok, in addtion to overnight bus services along Prince Edward Road, to facilitate spectator’s depature in late night.
(Ayra Wang)
