Huge Demand For Memorial Tickets

4-7-2009) According to event organizers, within hours the website www.staplescenter.com has received over 500,000,000 hits and more than half a million fans from around the world applied for the 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson's public memorial service next week.

Within minutes of the annoucement at a press conference that tickets would be available at the Staples Center web site, the website`s server crashed. Officials warned additional disruptions were likely as fans logged on ahead of the Saturday deadline. However, a statement released by representatives for the Jackson family said an additional server had been added to the website to cope with the volume of traffic.

Meanwhile, a massive security operation got underway in Los Angeles in expectance of a huge crowd to honor the King Of Pop.

Source: MJFC / The Washington Post / Reuters/ AFP / Special thanks to Nenad.