MOSCOW, February 7 (RIA Novosti) – Ticket prices for 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia’s Sochi will begin at the cost level of 500 rubles (about $17), the head of the organizing committee said on Thursday.

“The most important is that we want as much fans as possible to support our [Russian] team and that is why the cost of 42 percent of all tickets will be below 3.000 rubles [$100],” said Dmitry Chernyshenko, the head of the Sochi Olympics organizing committee.

He also said that prices for the opening ceremony of the 2014 Games will start at 6,000 rubles ($200). Rehearsals of the opening and of the closing ceremonies will begin in August this year, he added.

According to Chernyshenko, ticket prices for men’s ice hockey final game is expected to begin at 7,000 rubles ($230), which is 30 percent cheaper comparing with 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The Games will take place in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi from February 7 through 23.

Chernyshenko earlier said that some 3.5 billion viewers are expected to watch the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on television.