This story is free to read.

Less than half the tickets sold so far for Rio Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, of Germany, left, speaks with Member of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, Anita DeFrantz, of the US, right, at the opening of the second and last day of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP) International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, of Germany, left, speaks with Member of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, Anita DeFrantz, of the US, right, at the opening of the second and last day of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne, Switzerland, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

By Associated Press March 2, 2016 1 min read

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) – With five months to go before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian organizers have sold less than half the available tickets for South America’s first games.

Rio organizers say about 47 percent of the total 7.5 million tickets have been bought so far.

Rio organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada says the revenue from ticket sales stands at $194 million, or 74 percent of the total target.

Andrada says tickets for “premier events” and the Aug. 5 opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium are essentially sold out.

He says most tickets for the foreign market have been sold, leaving domestic sales as the main priority.

Speaking to reporters after Rio reported to the IOC executive board, Andrada says organizers plan to set up electronic ticket sales booths across the city.