Olympics; tickets

[FredPuli43]

Hooray! I've just been sent an e-mail from the organizers of The Olympics, which are, as we all know, open to all of us ( perhaps as one judge said of the courts, open to all like the Ritz Hotel). It says that Prestige tickets 'to some of the highest demand Athletics sessions' are now available to me starting at £995 per person, minimum order two,'including an exceptional fine dining experience and complimentary bar' .

£995 is only for qualifying sessions.Evening sessions start at £1,950. The Gold evening packages are from £4,500 per person.

Does this surprise anyone?

[d9f1c7]

what's your point? Someone is flogging hospitality packages, should that surprise anyone?

[ummmm]

Well I was surprised when I seen the price of the tickets. Complete rip off.

[jno]

the original allocation of tickets by ballot seemed reasonably fair, though I was disappointed that big spenders were given more time to pay - why should they be? - and of course their computer systems kept screwing up, but that's what computer systems do.

So now you're being offered hospitality packages... but if you play your cards right you might still win tickets with a packet of cornflakes or something.

[andy-hughes]

i am so glad i have interest what ever in sport - it must be heartbreaking to really want to go to some of these events and your only option is a corporate deal like this, which i guess is out of your reach.

As with all things, the egalitarian aspect of the Olympics is a myth - much like the benefit to 'the nation', which to Lord Coe and co. (see what i did there?) extends all the way up to the M25!

[FredPuli43]

d9 it's the organizers themselves who are advertising these. Consider the price of tickets, as originally advertised, and then consider the difference between ticket and package price. That's an awful lot for a free bar and dinner for one ! It's contrary to what we are entitled to expect. I've paid that sort of money for hospitality at Stamford Bridge, but that's at a club that's in it for the money, not an organization which has hitherto being proclaiming itself with the pious air that they would not be profiteering.

[d9f1c7]

I hope they are profiteering, it would go some way to covering the costs and stop all the naysayers moaning.

[naomi24]

From what I can understand, the whole ticket thing has been a complete fiasco. I wouldn't be bothered to indulge whoever is responsible by joining the melee.

[bazwillrun]

"complete fiasco"
complete fraud would have been a better adjective, if the Panorama program a few weeks back is anything to go by.

Coe told an outright lie when he announced the allocation of tickets to Joe Public.
I cant remember the exact numbers but I think he said around 80% was the figure, but if you broke his speech down the true figure was around 34% of tickets available.

The 80% was the number available after allocations for corporate/sponsors/mates/dignitaries etc etc etc etc etc.

So if there were 1000 tickets in total after allowing say 700 for the above mentioned then 80% of the 300 left were for the general public that still leaves 20% of the 300, if I recall isnt there another freeforall/ballot for another million tickets that seem to have materialised !

The whole thing is yet another way for big business to make money.

You can, if you have the money, even buy passes to allow access to the closed off roads and lanes the athletes/dignitaries etc are being allowed to use.

But dont fret years down the line they will be telling you what a wonderful financial success its all been.......well for the people that made money it will be , but what about the people of london that the Newt aka livingstone imposed a tax on, that extra money on your council tax that he had the cheek to say was nothing and people could afford it.

Is that precept going to be specifically removed ?....dream on