LONDON -- What if they held an Olympics and nobody came? The situation isnt that bleak, of course, for the Sochi Games. Yet, with less than three weeks to go until the opening ceremony, hundreds of thousands of tickets remain unsold, raising the prospect of empty seats and a lack of atmosphere at Russias first Winter Olympics. There are signs that many foreign fans are staying away, turned off by terrorist threats, expensive flights and hotels, long travel distances, a shortage of tourist attractions in the area, and the hassle of obtaining visas and spectator passes. "Some people are scared it costs too much and other people are scared because of security," senior International Olympic Committee member Gerhard Heiberg of Norway told The Associated Press. "From my country, I know that several people and companies are not going for these two reasons. Of course, there will be Norwegians there but not as many as we are used to." Sochi organizers announced last week that 70 per cent of tickets have been sold for the games, which run from Feb. 7-23 and represent a symbol of pride and prestige for Russia and President Vladimir Putin. So what about the remaining 30 per cent? "We are keeping a special quota for those who come for the games, so that they can indeed buy tickets for the competitions," organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said. Chernyshenko said about 213,000 spectators are expected at the games, with about 75 per cent likely to be Russians. "Tickets are being snapped up fast with the most popular events being hockey, biathlon, figure skating, freestyle and snowboard," the organizing committee said in a statement to the AP. "With 70 per cent of tickets already sold and another ticketing office opening shortly, we are expecting strong last-minute ticket sales and do not envisage having empty seats." Sochi officials have refused to divulge how many tickets in total were put up for sale, saying the figure would only be released after the games. However, according to IOC marketing documents seen by the AP, Sochi had a total of 1.1 million tickets on offer. That would mean about 300,000 tickets remained available. By comparison, 1.54 million tickets were available for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and 97 per cent (1.49 million) were sold. For the 2012 Summer Games in London, organizers sold 97 per cent (8.2 million) of their 8.5 million tickets. Heiberg, who chairs the IOC marketing commission, said the Russians have cut down by 50 per cent on the number of spectators originally planned for the mountain events for security reasons. "That means there will be less people and probably less enthusiasm than we had, for instance, in Lillehammer," he said. "I hope the Russians will fill not only their indoor stadiums but there will be enough people in the stadiums for the Nordic events." Heiberg organized the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, which stood out for the colorful atmosphere generated by passionate Norwegian fans. Sochis ticket sales began in February 2013, a year before the games. Tickets have been sold on Sochis official website on a first-come, first-served basis. Box offices are now open in Moscow and Sochi. The cheapest tickets go for 500 rubles ($15), the most expensive for 40,000 rubles ($1,200). More than half of all tickets cost less than 5,000 rubles ($150). The average monthly salary in Russia is 30,000 rubles ($890). The one and only authorized ticket office in Sochi was busy on a recent afternoon, with three dozen people lining up at what once was a waiting room at the citys railway station. Many, however, complained that all the cheap tickets were already gone. "Prices leave much to be desired, but what can you can do?" said Sochi resident Yana Ivolovskaya, who bought two tickets for bobsled for 2,000 rubles ($60). "Were not going to get another Olympics in Sochi so I thought I should go." Fans outside Russia buy tickets from authorized dealers appointed by their national Olympic committees. Attracting foreign visitors has been a challenge amid all the headlines about Russias law banning gay "propaganda," human rights issues and -- particularly -- the risk of terrorism. Back-to-back suicide bombings killed 34 people last month in Volgograd, about 400 miles (640 kilometres) from Sochi. On Sunday, an Islamic militant group in Russias North Caucasus claimed responsibility for the bombings and posted a video threatening to strike the Sochi Games. CoSport, the official ticket reseller in the United States and six other countries, said the Sochi Games generated "good demand" for tickets and packages. "We experienced demand at expected levels," spokesman Michael Kontos said, without giving figures. Flights to Sochi are expensive, and most international travellers have to go through Moscow, with direct flights to Sochi only available from Germany and Turkey. Western travellers must navigate the time-consuming visa process and requirement to obtain a "spectator pass" along with their tickets. This requires providing passport details that allow authorities to screen all visitors. "What we are hearing is that the bureaucratic complexity, with spectator passes and visa and so on, is what scares off fans, more than worries about security," Austrian Olympic Committee spokesman Wolfgang Eichler said. Jan Serenander, managing director of Jet Set Sports in Norway, cited a lack of tourist attractions in the Black Sea resort. "When Sochi was announced no one had even heard of the place," he said. "They had to get out their atlases." Die-hard winter sports fans, however, will not be discouraged. Orange-clad speedskating fans from the Netherlands are always among the most visible spectators at any Winter Games. "I expect it to be orange," Jeroen de Roever, manager of official Duch ticket seller ATPI, said of Sochis speedskating venue. "We have been sold out for quite a while." Freddy Galvis Blue Jays Jersey . This is the final meeting of the season between these teams.? The Capitals were 5-4 winners in a shootout Oct. Toronto Blue Jays .com) - The New York Jets have named Mike Maccagnan their new general manager. http://www.bluejaysonline.com/blue-jays-jack-morris-jersey/ . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. Paul Molitor Blue Jays Jersey .Mallais and his team out of Saint John defeated James Grattan 5-4 in Fredericton.The 2015 Tim Hortons Brier from Feb. Bud Norris Jersey . You can watch the game on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt and listen to the game on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal. After starting the month of November on an 0-3-1 slide, the Canadiens have recorded wins in three of their last five outings (3-1-1).LOS ANGELES -- Bermane Stiverne completed his long journey to a heavyweight title with one more punishing victory. Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola in the sixth round Saturday night, claiming the WBC heavyweight title belt vacated by Vitali Klitschko. Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), who was born in Haiti but grew up in Montreal, dropped Arreola twice in the sixth, and he was punishing Arreola again when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight with 58 seconds left in the round. The Klitschko brothers had held every major heavyweight title for the past six years. Vitalis retirement into Ukrainian politics in December opened the WBC belt for the 35-year-old Stiverne, a late bloomer who hasnt lost in 13 consecutive fights. After beating Arreola by decision last year, Stiverne hadnt fought in nearly 13 months while waiting for Klitschkos decision to retire. The wait was worth it. "I studied and studied," Stiverne said. "I watched my opponent. I knew I could knock him out. ... I was patient. The plan was to let him get comfortable, and he soon as he gets real comfortable, then crack him. And thats what I did." Stiverne dropped Arreola (36-4) for the first time with a sweeping right hand to Arreolas left temple, sending Arreola wobbling and crashing to the canvas. Arreola rose and kept fighting, but Stiverne put him headfirst into the ropes moments later with another combination. After Reiss stopped the fight, Stiverne wept with the WBCs green belt around his shoulder while promoter Don King celebrated at the Galen Center on USCs downtown campus. "I knew it was a wrap," Stiverne said. "The way I trained, I knew I could knock him out because Ive got the power." Stiverne won a lop-sided decision over Arreola last April, breaking Arreolas nose in the third round. Arreola, who acknowledged training poorly for that fight, felt he lost the rematch when he got hit by the same punch that finished the first fight. "He has a tremendous right hand, thats exactly what it was," Arreola said. "I felt like I was winning the fight. He just got me with the same right hand. Couldnt get away from it, and after that, its all she wrote.ddddddddddddquot; The well-travelled Stiverne, who fought for Canada as an amateur boxer and trained in Florida earlier in his pro career, worked out of Floyd Mayweathers gym in Las Vegas for this bout. He is the first heavyweight champion of Haitian descent and the first champ not named Klitschko since Samuel Peter, who was stopped by Vitali Klitschko in 2008. Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the other three major heavyweight titles, is eager to claim all four belts by fighting the winner. But before that lucrative bout, Stiverne must fight unbeaten Deontay Wilder, the U.S. Olympic bronze medallist and the WBCs mandatory challenger. "With all due respect, I dont give a damn about Wilder or Klitschko right now," Stiverne said. "Right now, its about what I won." Arreola has lost both of his shots at the WBC heavyweight title, getting pounded by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 just up the street at Staples Center. The Los Angeles-area native was attempting to become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. "I could have got back up plenty of times," Arreola said. "Was the fight stopped a little early? I believe so. But then again, the referee is there to protect me from myself. But I felt like I was winning the fight." Both fighters took advantage of the small 17-by-17-foot ring at the Galen Center, which was hosting its first boxing card. Stiverne landed the biggest shots in the opening round, but Arreola dominated the second and third rounds with a withering series of combinations, trapping Stiverne against the ropes. Stiverne laughed off the punishment and allowed Arreola to keep moving forward, content to counterpunch. "I wasnt hurt," Stiverne said. "He actually punched me, my mouth was open, and he busted my lip. I was trying to find out if there was food or something in my teeth, but it was my lip. He didnt hurt me in the head." Stiverne hasnt lost since July 2007, when he was stopped by Demetrice King. He fought to a majority draw with Charles Davis in 2009, but has stopped five of his last seven opponents. ' ' 'oup of six to eight players in mind for the second pick. ' ' '