Olympic tickets - who knows ?

[pete m]

Just spent a good deal of my morning trying to find out about the tickets ..wtf ?
Why is this whole thing so badly run ? Its absolutely incredidible!!
I reckon the Hockey is the best way to get into the park, plus I like hockey...
Look up Hockey....every single event says "Tickets currently unavailable "....
WTF does that mean ? why cant i find out ? are they sold out, are they not on sale yet, are they waiting for resales ...etc ...it just amazes me how poor that website is, the lack of info makes my knees wobble, wheres the helpline ?
Hello ? anyone there , Lord Coe ? Boris, Steve Ovett ? Eddie the Eagle ! ....

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Tom_the_great]

im pretty sure they were all sold/taken ages ago.

there was a resale of un claimed tickets but they might of gone too now :(

[SoulKiss]

Should that not read

Olympic tickets - who cares ?

If that was the question then the answer would be "Not me"

[pete m]

You might care come July 29 th , err come to think of it, you probably wont ...!
Tom - you thin they ve gone, but my colleague says they havent gone on sale yet , so why doesnt it tell us - that might make a big difference to some people ...like me ....

[maviczap]

You might care come July 29 th , err come to think of it, you probably wont ...!
Tom - you thin they ve gone, but my colleague says they havent gone on sale yet , so why doesnt it tell us - that might make a big difference to some people ...like me ....

The tickets went on sale ages ago, you had to register to purchase and select which tickets for which events and at which price.

My sister got some, for some events, I can't remember which.

I didn't get any for the track cycling which was the only event I wanted to see where I needed tickets.

A lot of events were oversubscribed, and hockey would have been one of them

Your only chance is if some comeback for resale as folk can't make the event or if you're Lord Sugar or Richard Branson's mate and you get in on their corporate tickets.

[Sid Squid]

Should that not read; Olympic tickets - who cares ?Err... Dave, why are you here if you don't care?

If that was the question then the answer would be "Not me"That wasn't the question, so, why are you here?

OP. I don't think it's been badly run - there were apparently 21 million applications for the 3 million tickets available*, whatever scheme is used many people won't get tickets. Including me - but I don't suffer from the selfish entitlement failing that makes me think that as I didn't get a ticket there must be something wrong with how it was done.

I thought the websites were and are pretty simple. Not currently available means 'not currently available', as in 'not currently available', dependant on returns there may still be some to buy, but not now, (see 'not currently available').

*Figures as I understand it, but don't argue - if you think different numbers the principle is the same - there were lots, lots more applications than tickets.

[maviczap]

Err... Dave, why are you here if you don't care?

That wasn't the question, so, why are you here?

OP. I don't think it's been badly run - there were apparently 21 million applications for the 3 million tickets available*, whatever scheme is used many people won't get tickets. Including me - but I don't suffer from the selfish entitlement failing that makes me think that as I didn't get a ticket there must be something wrong with how it was done.

I thought the websites were and are pretty simple. Not currently available means 'not currently available', as in 'not currently available', dependant on returns there may still be some to buy, but not now, (see 'not currently available').

*Figures as I understand it, but don't argue - if you think different numbers the principle is the same - there were lots, lots more applications than tickets.

For once Sid I agree with what you've said, only so many tickets, with so many peeps wanting them.

There are a lot of corporate groups who have a lot of the tickets, which is a big shame, as this will rob some of the atmosphere because they're not the true and passionate fans that really want the tickets.

[pete m]

Again Ian meoldmate, cant agree with you , at all

Is it really the case that every hockey ticket has been sold, even though no-one knows which teams are playing who, when etc...

If that is the case, then NO-ONE knows what matches they are going to be attending, so people come from India, Pakistan, Land of Bruce ( Aus) , and have to hope they get the right match ?

And youre telling me its well run ? :cool:

Not Currently Available isnt really helping anyone , is it ?

[Sid Squid]

For once Sid I agree with what you've said
For once? I'm hurt. :(

There are a lot of corporate groups who have a lot of the tickets, which is a big shame, as this will rob some of the atmosphere because they're not the true and passionate fans that really want the tickets.
(My turn :D) This I completely agree with, it is a shame that many tickets will go to those who are there on a jolly and who don't have much, (or perhaps any), interest in the given sport. That said I appreciate the economic realities of arranging such events and the money that is received from corporate selling. But it still pees me off when I see empty seats and I know full well why that is.
I reserve my greatest distaste for the IOC, and their demands for a gazillion tickets for the cream of the events for which they pay? Hmmm...

I'm still looking forward to the Olympics, it's in our country and some of it in my home town, of which I am proud. To all the whingers, (that's you Dave - I bet you're still lurking), just think; us humans could do nothing but exist, I want more, I want events, I want spectacle, I want to know that there's enjoyment and interest, the Olympics, (which includes many sports I don't much care for), fits the bill nicely. Roll on the 27th of July.

[pookie]

I think there is clearly was something wrong about the ticketing system that wasnt just limited to the fact lots of people wanted them.
How you could justify limiting the purchase of tickets through only visa card transactions for a public national event. After all I'm sure not everyone who wanted to go had a visa card?
I believe when entering a transaction to buy something you have a firm idea of what you are getting when parting with your money otherwise surely its a lottery or raffle.
Furthermore not being told what you may or may not have bought , having to check your visa card statment to see if you have indeed bought anything. And then not even knowing what and when the thing you may have bought actually happens seems almost as badly run as my sentences :)

Didnt have this problem for the Beijing olympics. ( Not currently available either ! but that doesnt help anyone)

[Sid Squid]

Again Ian meoldmate, cant agree with you , at all
Quelle surprise!
Is it really the case that every hockey ticket has been sold, even though no-one knows which teams are playing who, when etc...
Yes, did you really completely miss all the publicity surrounding the first round of ticket sales and the very highly publicised last application date? Do you actually live down a deep hole with no communication to the outside world?
If that is the case, then NO-ONE knows what matches they are going to be attending, so people come from India, Pakistan, Land of Bruce ( Aus) , and have to hope they get the right match ?
As with every other games you don't get to chose which match/game etc, just the sport and the round. The tickets are and must be sold a while before the first rounds so it's impossible to know who will be playing the further matches/games.
And youre telling me its well run ? :cool:
If you can envisage a better way I imagine that the people who are, even as speak, arranging the 2016 games in Brazil will really really want to talk to you.
Not Currently Available isnt really helping anyone , is it ?Having considered the above, what would you suggest - Sebastian Coe will have a kept a bunch of tickets aside, you know - just in case Pete calls?

[maviczap]

For once? I'm hurt. :(.

Only kidding Sid :smt050:smt007

[gruntygiggles]

Err... Dave, why are you here if you don't care?

That wasn't the question, so, why are you here?

OP. I don't think it's been badly run - there were apparently 21 million applications for the 3 million tickets available*, whatever scheme is used many people won't get tickets. Including me - but I don't suffer from the selfish entitlement failing that makes me think that as I didn't get a ticket there must be something wrong with how it was done.

I thought the websites were and are pretty simple. Not currently available means 'not currently available', as in 'not currently available', dependant on returns there may still be some to buy, but not now, (see 'not currently available').

*Figures as I understand it, but don't argue - if you think different numbers the principle is the same - there were lots, lots more applications than tickets.


I actually love this whole post, ;-)

As for the ticketing system, we all moan all the time about all of the big events like this. There are always problems and there always will be because no matter how well thought out, humans are still at the centre and what starts out simple can quickly become extremely complicated and difficult when dealing with such large numbers.

I can't find complaint about the way they are selling the tickets as it was very well publicised that it would be done this way, so moaning about it now is futile.

What I do take exception to however is that you can only use Visa. Even directing you to learn how to obtain a credit/debit or pre-paid visa card in order to be able to purchase tickets is, IMHO appalling. You are basically removing someones financial choices should they wish to buy a ticket. It should be my decision whether or not to get a Visa/Mastercard/Amex etc...I should not have that decision put upon me by anybody else and I certainly shouldn't be excluded from anything purely because I do not wish to make that financial decision.

I will be watching on TV, mainly because I absolutely hate crowds, but had I wanted to go in person, I would have been annoyed at the Visa thing and everything else I would honestly just expect...as we were told beforehand.

[Sid Squid]

Only kidding Sid :smt050:smt007
I actually love this whole post, ;-)
I'm overwhelmed, I'm filling up - an appreciative audience at last!

I'd like to thank my mum, my dad, Nanny Nora, Miss Potter from my primary school...;)

[Mrs DJ Fridge]

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons, we have to remember that a lot of those 'freebie' tickets go to sponsors, lets face facts without big sponsorships like (oh I hate them so much I cannot believe I am going to defend them) McDonalds and Coke things like the Olympics would never happen. Now the IOC that is a totally different matter, the corruption there goes so deep I would not know where to start my rant.

[Littlepeahead]

People always say 'the corporates get all the tickets'. But how many brands are currently running competitions to win tickets. That's where the bulk of them go. It's the same in all sponsorship. I work with Adidas and it won't be their staff going, it'll be winners and quite often charities and community partners just the same as it is for the big cricket matches.

[Messie]

They do cricket matches for insects?? ;)

[Littlepeahead]

They do cricket matches for insects?? ;)

Ha, silly phone keyboard.

If a ticket website says 'tickets not surrently available' it means one of several things.



All of the allocation of tickets already out on sale are sold but there may be more going on sale at a later date.





The seller is waiting for sponsors and agents to decide if they will be using their full allocation. They have to inform the seller by a certain date and at that ponit the unused tickets will go back on sale.





The seller is waiting to see how many returns they get from the public is they offer a returns service and on a given date these tickets will be put back on sale.


However, if there is a ballot or a waiting list then any availlable tickets will first be allocated to the people on this list. If after this there are still tickets available then these will go on sale.

As an example, we sell tickets for the Test match at Lord's via a ballot. If everyone in the ballot gets a ticket the rest go on general sale. Once all of those are sold we say 'tickets currently unavailable'.

A couple of weeks before the match Brit Insurance, adidas, Investec, etc. who all have sponsorship allocations of tickets may say they only need 70% of their allocation and so we then sell the rest via our website.

Then a few days before the game we will put on sale any returns from the public. They only get a refund if we actually manage to sell their tickets for them, but many venues don't even offer this service. MCC do as it cuts down on touting. This is why we always advise people to buy tickets only from us and not via ebay, as if it rains the person who bought the ticket from us gets the refund not the buyer who uses the 'secondary ticket market' as touts are quaintly called these days.

[pete m]

So LPH - I do still have a chance and the tickets arent necessarily all sold ...why cant uit say something like that ? The whole org is so stubbornly opaque it infuriates many of us...anyone see Lady Ladeeda giving Sir Lord Seb a good bollocking at the town hall last week...."WHY CANT YOU JUST TELL US HOW MANY TICKETS FOR THE ATHLETICS EVENTS ARE GOING TO THE FEE PAYING PUBLIC????"
"eRR, Umm, well, err, gulp, whisper - i cant admit it cos there will be a riot, err we have to take into account....bla blah dee blah "....

[Littlepeahead]

It is a ridiculous system I agree. I got around it by not trying to buy tickets for anything, and I'm stuck at an Olympic venue anyway so I can't avoid it if I try.

You may be interested in this though if you like hockey...

http://www.londonandpartners.com/events/news/2012/03/olympic-legacy-for-hockey?j=2824866&e=Clare.Skinner@mcc.org.uk&l=17353_HTML&u=27753975&mid=1015419&jb=0&WT.dcsvid=clare.skinner@mcc.org.uk&WT.mc_id=&WT.mc_ev=click

[Messie]

So LPH - I do still have a chance and the tickets arent necessarily all sold ...why cant uit say something like that ? The whole org is so stubbornly opaque it infuriates many of us...anyone see Lady Ladeeda giving Sir Lord Seb a good bollocking at the town hall last week...."WHY CANT YOU JUST TELL US HOW MANY TICKETS FOR THE ATHLETICS EVENTS ARE GOING TO THE FEE PAYING PUBLIC????"
"eRR, Umm, well, err, gulp, whisper - i cant admit it cos there will be a riot, err we have to take into account....bla blah dee blah "....

No it's not!
The org, as I understand it, it amazing transparent and open. You just put money in my hand on 8th June when you turn up! No lottery or queuing or anything!

But I might get a bit sophisticated if I can work out how, and get a Paypal account set up for AR12. Maybe...