Olympic Tickets or the 2012 rip off

Ok, well one person has already stated it would cost their family of 2adults and 1child £624.50 just to get to London in the first place.

If we factor this in as a cost, then you should charge tickets at 1p, because £624.53 is a lot of money for 2 adults and a child to see one event.

What price would you say is fair? Even at current prices, transport is still going to be 80% of the cost for those who live far from London. Can't blame trains/petrol/hotel costs on the olympics now can you?[/QUOTE]

You can if they inflate them during the olympics and we all know thats going to happen.

C

[keith_d]

Ticket prices are high because the costs of running an event like this in London are high. Unfortunately, it's only relatively rich countries that can afford to stage the olympics, so ticket prices are always going to be high. As our american managers would say, "get over it !"

I quite fancy seeing some of the badminton. But the ticketing system puts me off completely. They can't tell me which tickets (or even which block of seats) I'm booking. And they're going to charge me before they know if I'm actually getting any seats. There are so many ways this can go wrong that I'm not sure I'll bother.

Keith.

Originally Posted by keith_d

Ticket prices are high because the costs of running an event like this in London are high. Unfortunately, it's only relatively rich countries that can afford to stage the olympics, so ticket prices are always going to be high. As our american managers would say, "get over it !"

Why should we 'get over it'? Why should we accept high prices for everything? Why is it unacceptable to complain, why am I accused by the other keith of moaning and whining? Aren't I entitled to complain?

And besides, his rudeness is simply a red rag to a bull.

I'm with Keith in certain aspects - the fact that you can only book once and you are not being told what tickets you are getting and where i think is a jolly poor show. esp when advice is to book more that what you need to guarantee seats. I can expect to afford all tickets if all come through - but I'll be charged.

Yes the cost is high but the standard of living ain't that higher than other places round UK - Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are all but equals to London these days.
And just because the cost are high does not mean that ticket prices have to be high. the prices are prohibitive to Londoners too before travel costs are put on.

I know the commonwealth isn't as big but we have a commitment to making sure it's accessible to all despite the high cost of the new builds and roads ( which were pushed forward) Its not that hard - most tickets are a nearly half of a weeks benefits!

I think its seen os the London olympics therefore becuase it SOoooooooooo much more to live there the tickets go up to ensure that a profit is made - and to me that go against the whole ethos of sport. BUT that is the world today

Originally Posted by thulfi

Ok, well one person has already stated it would cost their family of 2adults and 1child £624.50 just to get to London in the first place.

If we factor this in as a cost, then you should charge tickets at 1p, because £624.53 is a lot of money for 2 adults and a child to see one event.

What price would you say is fair? Even at current prices, transport is still going to be 80% of the cost for those who live far from London. Can't blame trains/petrol/hotel costs on the olympics now can you?

What is it with people who cant read just lately. My arguments are:

That all tickets should have cost the same so the that the Milkman and his family have the same chance of seeing 100metre mens final in a prime seat as the banker and his family. After all we have all paid for it.

Secondly that if they can do conssessions for the Marathon then why not the Olympics? We all know that hotels and travel to london are extortinate so why not offer concessions here as well even if you only got 20% off thats £140 of £700 an amount not to be sneezed at.

In short, going to London is expensive...period. To not even recognise that for what is a state funded and driven event for everyone I find incredible short sighted and sad.

[Viney]

Originally Posted by Rog

Quite fancied going to the Olympics as a one off event for my life time but it looks like that dream is fading now.

Basically where are the concessions? I assume that the Olympic committee do know that people live outside of London? The cost of travelling down to London and staying in London is extremely prohibitive normally, without factoring in Olympic ticket prices, the undoubted hike in prices by both train companies hotel companies during the Olympic weeks and I can see the catering being absolutely extortionate.

My other point is why is there blue ribboned events? If the seats are being decided on a ballot when over subscribed. This ballot should apply to all seats and prices be all the same. this would ensure that the Olympics that we have all paid for has equal accessibility to all.

As usual something the average Joe has actual paid for is moved out of his financial reach.

Concessions Its just as dear if you live in London you know. Ok, so i can get there on my Oyster card, but your house is half the price of what mine would cost, so you cant have it always...Northerners

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Ed

Parking at S'bury station (we live 10 miles away) £8. If we got the bus it's £5 each return.
Train £462.50 (from Virgin website)

Rather disingenuous don't you think? As there are three of you in your example it is more cost effective to drive, although with fuel prices as they are it is still a considerable sum. I like to watch Wales when I can and the travel cost for 4 to car share to Cardiff is about £25 while the train would be about £50

I take the point that travel costs are a major factor in addition to ticket prices though, but have to point out that such costs are inherent in wanting to attend a major event - unless you have the good fortune to live nearby to the venue. In the example of watching Wales play, I have to accept the travel cost as 'part of the deal'.

I would like to see the Olympics as it is a 'once in a lifetime' event in the UK, so will be saving the pennies to try to get tickets for a number of events. I'm trying for the Opening/Closing ceremonies too and if I get my tickets I'll worry about getting there then.

No it isn't disingenuous. Why should I drive? What if I didn't have a drivers licence or didn't feel confident to drive that far? Where do I park? It's many years since I lived in London, and then it was a different part. Do London hotels have car parks? Is it all stitched up, like the Visa card only thing?

[Luckypants]

For the purposes of comparisons it seemed fair to use the least cost mode of transport, that's all. There is no compulsion to drive but when the car has more than two occupants it is often the cheapest form of transport.

Agree that if you are unable to drive, then it's a valid point. But most people are able to drive, you included

Originally Posted by Rog

What is it with people who cant read just lately. My arguments are:

That all tickets should have cost the same so the that the Milkman and his family have the same chance of seeing 100metre mens final in a prime seat as the banker and his family. After all we have all paid for it.

Firstly I can read and I didn't dispute this, so no need to repeat the point twice.

Originally Posted by Rog

Secondly that if they can do conssessions for the Marathon then why not the Olympics? We all know that hotels and travel to london are extortinate so why not offer concessions here as well even if you only got 20% off thats £140 of £700 an amount not to be sneezed at.

In short, going to London is expensive...period. To not even recognise that for what is a state funded and driven event for everyone I find incredible short sighted and sad.

I think it is perhaps you who is not reading quite so closely. I quote

Originally Posted by thulfi

Ok, well one person has already stated it would cost their family of 2adults and 1child £624.50 just to get to London in the first place.

If we factor this in as a cost, then you should charge tickets at 1p, because £624.53 is a lot of money for 2 adults and a child to see one event.

What price would you say is fair? Even at current prices, transport is still going to be 80% of the cost for those who live far from London.

Put it another way, if someone is willing to pay £600+ to get down to London in the first place, what do you think a fair ticket price would be? Concessions for a yearly domestic event like a marathon is much different to a worldwide event like the olympics.

My point is...even at current ticket prices, if you live far from London the vast percentage of the total cost would be getting there in the first place. So complaining about the ticket prices is almost just an excuse to complain about nothing. If tickets were free even, £600 plus for 3 people for 1 event is still insane.

We are a country just like the United States is a country. When the olympics were in Georgia 96 I'm sure it would have been financially prohibiting for the majority of Americans to trek across their country to make it (same with Sydney/Montreal/wherever theyve been held in the past). It may be the olympics of this country but they are in London, and if you live so far that it costs more than half a grand to get down (and you're willing to pay that even) then can't complain that tickets are £125 instead of £50 or whatever you think they should be.

I think clearly the fact that some people would be willing to pay £600+ to get down in the first place highlights that £125 is not such an unreasonable price.