Ma’s Hong Kong visit sparks online ticket frenzy, despite being free, registration only

China table tennis legend Ma Long will visit Hong Kong next week to talk to local students, and a demand for tickets has already sprung up online despite it being a free, registration-only event.

The six-time Olympic champion commands a crowd wherever he goes, and a 90-minute seminar at Polytechnic University seems to be no exception.

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, vice-president of the city’s Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, will host the event – A Glamorous Transformation in Sports: The Next Level – at the university’s Jockey Club Auditorium on March 20.

The 37-year-old Ma is also expected to play against the university’s table tennis team later in the day.

And one RedNote user, Kiwi Happy Planet, posted a picture of the email advising students to register with the caption “Seeking one ticket for the exhibition match. Willing to pay, price is negotiable”.

“Spots for the first seminar are also acceptable. Willing to pay, price is negotiable,” they added in the comments below.