The 7 million tickets for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing are now available for purchase. However, because of China's massive population of 1.3BN, tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies will be limited to only one per person.
Only 25% of the 7 million tickets for sale are available to non residents of China.
The most expensive tickets will be for the opening ceremony on August 8th 2008, which will cost $645. The cheapest tickets for that event will be $26.
Ticket prices for the closing ceremony will range from $19.40 to $390.
Showing posts with label tickets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tickets. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Monday, July 31, 2006
Couch Potatoes
Beijing residents have said that TV will be the most important medium for them to experience the Beijing 2008 Olympics, followed by newspaper and radio.
Those are the survey results released by researchers from the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences (BASS).
Approximately 85% of those surveyed said they would watch the Games on TV, while 42% would use newspapers and 35% would listen to the radio.
Only 24% would go to the sports venues.
Over half of those surveyed, 52%, said that high prices would prohibit them from buying tickets to events.
The results are published in the book "The Social Development Report of China's Capital (2006)".
Those are the survey results released by researchers from the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences (BASS).
Approximately 85% of those surveyed said they would watch the Games on TV, while 42% would use newspapers and 35% would listen to the radio.
Only 24% would go to the sports venues.
Over half of those surveyed, 52%, said that high prices would prohibit them from buying tickets to events.
The results are published in the book "The Social Development Report of China's Capital (2006)".
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The Olympics Lottery
The British lottery operator, Camelot, has announced that it will launch a new twice-weekly game to raise money for the 2012 London Olympics.
Tickets for the Dream Number game, priced at £1, will go on sale from July 13. Draws will take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays, alongside the main lottery game.
Camelot is hoping to raise £1.5BN, to help build stadia and the Olympic village.
Camelot will of course also make a profit out of this.
Tickets for the Dream Number game, priced at £1, will go on sale from July 13. Draws will take place on Saturdays and Wednesdays, alongside the main lottery game.
Camelot is hoping to raise £1.5BN, to help build stadia and the Olympic village.
Camelot will of course also make a profit out of this.
Friday, February 10, 2006
World's Tallest Cauldron
The Turin Winter Olympics has already broken one record, that of having the world's tallest cauldron which will hold the Olympic flame.
The design was conceived by Pininfarina SpA, best known for its Ferrari SpA sports-car designs.
It is 57 metres high, and cost $2.1M.
The flame will be lit at today's opening ceremony, which will be attended by the U.S. First Lady Laura Bush and Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
The opening pageant, whose theme is "Passion, Dynamism and Italianism", will involve 6,100 costumes and more than 100 kilometres of electric cables.
The event will be staged around a traditional Italian piazza.
The opening ceremony is expected to be sold out, and attended by 35,000 people. However, 265,000 tickets still are unsold out of the 1 million available.
The design was conceived by Pininfarina SpA, best known for its Ferrari SpA sports-car designs.
It is 57 metres high, and cost $2.1M.
The flame will be lit at today's opening ceremony, which will be attended by the U.S. First Lady Laura Bush and Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
The opening pageant, whose theme is "Passion, Dynamism and Italianism", will involve 6,100 costumes and more than 100 kilometres of electric cables.
The event will be staged around a traditional Italian piazza.
The opening ceremony is expected to be sold out, and attended by 35,000 people. However, 265,000 tickets still are unsold out of the 1 million available.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Winter Blues
There seem to be a number of glitches in the preparations for the forthcoming Winter Olympics, which start in Turin this Friday.
Transport seems to be an issue, last week two British Olympic staff were stuck in traffic for five hours between Turin and the mountain venue of Sestriere because of heavy snowfall and an accident on the road.
Organising committee chief, Cesare Vaciago, has indeed admitted that the biggest problem involves transportation.
Ensuring that Italian drivers respect the lanes reserved for Olympic vehicles and making sure bus drivers know their way around, will be a major headache.
Over 2,000 bus drivers have been drafted in from all around Italy, and many are not familiar with the local roads.
It also seems that there are issues with regard to the number of spectators, specifically there are not enough; 700,000 tickets, 85% of the available volume, have been sold. Therefore organisers have arranged to bus in coach loads of Italian schoolchildren, to boost crowds during the Games.
The Olympic torch relay has also encountered problems, it has been subject to various protests along the route.
On Sunday, it had to be diverted in a northern valley to avoid demonstrations opposed to a high-speed rail link.
Given the recent outbreak of flag burning, and threats to Europeans, by Muslim fanatics security is also an issue.
Special security measures, including the deployment of 15,000 police and military personnel, are in place to protect the Games as a whole. A meeting of law enforcement agencies was convened on Monday to discuss security concerns.
Transport seems to be an issue, last week two British Olympic staff were stuck in traffic for five hours between Turin and the mountain venue of Sestriere because of heavy snowfall and an accident on the road.
Organising committee chief, Cesare Vaciago, has indeed admitted that the biggest problem involves transportation.
Ensuring that Italian drivers respect the lanes reserved for Olympic vehicles and making sure bus drivers know their way around, will be a major headache.
Over 2,000 bus drivers have been drafted in from all around Italy, and many are not familiar with the local roads.
It also seems that there are issues with regard to the number of spectators, specifically there are not enough; 700,000 tickets, 85% of the available volume, have been sold. Therefore organisers have arranged to bus in coach loads of Italian schoolchildren, to boost crowds during the Games.
The Olympic torch relay has also encountered problems, it has been subject to various protests along the route.
On Sunday, it had to be diverted in a northern valley to avoid demonstrations opposed to a high-speed rail link.
Given the recent outbreak of flag burning, and threats to Europeans, by Muslim fanatics security is also an issue.
Special security measures, including the deployment of 15,000 police and military personnel, are in place to protect the Games as a whole. A meeting of law enforcement agencies was convened on Monday to discuss security concerns.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Turin Organising Committee Spooked
The Turin Organising Committee is so worried about the low turnout of punters prepared to buy tickets to the forthcoming Winter Olympics, that it has commissioned a national television and advertising campaign called "Being There Is Different."
Turin's organising committee, which sells tickets within the European Union, has sold less than 60% of its 1 million tickets and has availability left for every event.
Turin's organising committee, which sells tickets within the European Union, has sold less than 60% of its 1 million tickets and has availability left for every event.
Friday, January 20, 2006
One Third of Winter Olympic Tickets Remain Unsold
Over 370,000 tickets remain unsold for the Turin Winter Olympics, which begin on February 10th.
That represents over one third of the available tickets.
The Turin organising committee are putting a brave face on it by claiming that, in Italy, everything is done "at the last minute".
That represents over one third of the available tickets.
The Turin organising committee are putting a brave face on it by claiming that, in Italy, everything is done "at the last minute".
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Poor Ticket Sales For Turin
With only one month to go until the start of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, only half of the one million tickets have been sold.
In theory, organisers hope to eventually sell around 850K tickets. However, expectations of a boost after the Olympic torch began its two-month tour the length and breadth of Italy in early December have not been realised.
The main problem is that there has been little or no publicity in Italy for the Games.
Italy-wide advertising has suffered from cuts in marketing expenses during a series of cash crises over the past year.
In theory, organisers hope to eventually sell around 850K tickets. However, expectations of a boost after the Olympic torch began its two-month tour the length and breadth of Italy in early December have not been realised.
The main problem is that there has been little or no publicity in Italy for the Games.
Italy-wide advertising has suffered from cuts in marketing expenses during a series of cash crises over the past year.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Winter Olympics Off To A Slow Start
The winter Olympics in Truing begin in less than 150 days. However, less than half of the tickets to this event have been sold.
Out of 460,000 tickets sold, only 100,000 have gone directly to the public. The rest have been sold/given to sponsors, corporations, sports federations, broadcasters, national Olympic committees and ticketing agencies.
Giorgio Lauretta, head of ticketing, said:
"I would have liked to have sold more, but our advertising so far has been quite weak".
Out of 460,000 tickets sold, only 100,000 have gone directly to the public. The rest have been sold/given to sponsors, corporations, sports federations, broadcasters, national Olympic committees and ticketing agencies.
Giorgio Lauretta, head of ticketing, said:
"I would have liked to have sold more, but our advertising so far has been quite weak".
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
China Pushes Ahead
The Chinese are proving to be no laggards, when it comes to organising the 2008 Olympics.
Putting many previous host countries to shame, the Chinese will being formulating their plans for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics this year.
The tickets for the 2008 Olympic Games will be going on sale in 2006.
A production team for the ceremonies will be selected in September. The Chinese are working on a spectacular opening ceremony, which is hoped will outdo all previous ceremonies.
Putting many previous host countries to shame, the Chinese will being formulating their plans for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics this year.
The tickets for the 2008 Olympic Games will be going on sale in 2006.
A production team for the ceremonies will be selected in September. The Chinese are working on a spectacular opening ceremony, which is hoped will outdo all previous ceremonies.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Turin Test Run Success
The first test event in the city of Turin, for the 2006 Winter Olympics, was a success.
The organising committee of the Turin Games, reported near-capacity crowds for the three days of the European Short Track Speed Skating Championship.
Apparently, over 13,000 tickets were sold.
The championships were held in the Palavela stadium rebuilt, at a cost of over 50 million euros, after 44 years of lying derelict.
The organising committee of the Turin Games, reported near-capacity crowds for the three days of the European Short Track Speed Skating Championship.
Apparently, over 13,000 tickets were sold.
The championships were held in the Palavela stadium rebuilt, at a cost of over 50 million euros, after 44 years of lying derelict.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
New York Does It Large!
New York unveiled its detailed plans for its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics yesterday.
It is promising to beam the Olympic Rings into the night sky over Manhattan, to illuminate the Empire State Building with the national colors of competing countries and to cover every available surface with Olympics advertising.
The latter point will definitely please the judges, given the fact that the Olympics are now entirely the plaything of the marketing men from the corporate world.
The triathlon event would use Central Park, whilst baseball and basketball would be played at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden respectively.
New York would construct new sites including; an aquatics center in a 35-acre waterfront park in Brooklyn and a park for equestrian events on the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island.
The Olympic village would be built in Queens, and would accommodate the 4,400 athletes.
Ticket prices will be extortionate; between $550 and $1,500 for the opening ceremony, whilst ordinary tickets would cost around $50.
The IOC will visit New York in February 2005, and announce the winner in July.
It is promising to beam the Olympic Rings into the night sky over Manhattan, to illuminate the Empire State Building with the national colors of competing countries and to cover every available surface with Olympics advertising.
The latter point will definitely please the judges, given the fact that the Olympics are now entirely the plaything of the marketing men from the corporate world.
The triathlon event would use Central Park, whilst baseball and basketball would be played at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden respectively.
New York would construct new sites including; an aquatics center in a 35-acre waterfront park in Brooklyn and a park for equestrian events on the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island.
The Olympic village would be built in Queens, and would accommodate the 4,400 athletes.
Ticket prices will be extortionate; between $550 and $1,500 for the opening ceremony, whilst ordinary tickets would cost around $50.
The IOC will visit New York in February 2005, and announce the winner in July.
Friday, November 05, 2004
A Little Bit of Politics
Valentino Castellani, the chief organiser of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics (TOROC), has resigned 15 months before the Games are due to start.
It seems that Castellani, who will formally submit his resignation on 24 November, is feeling "undermined" by the Italian government's nomination of Mario Pescante, culture ministry undersecretary and former head of the Italian Olympic Committee, as overall supervisor for the Games.
Quote:
"The powers given to Pescante ... represent a lack of confidence in the work done here up until now, and above all, in the capacity to continue it..."
TOROC has been criticised for a $227 million budget shortfall; plus, as usual with Olympic events, there has been a distinct lack of enthusiam in the host nation for the event.
TOROC has also been under attack from the media, Il Giornale has publicly "shredded" every detail of TOROC's financing; alleging that excessive amounts have been set aside for food, wine and plane tickets.
Excess spending on drink and hospitality, by Olympic officials, surely not!
Let's face it, the Olympics are regarded by those who organise them as nothing more than a large trough of money in which they gorge themselves like pigs.
It seems that Castellani, who will formally submit his resignation on 24 November, is feeling "undermined" by the Italian government's nomination of Mario Pescante, culture ministry undersecretary and former head of the Italian Olympic Committee, as overall supervisor for the Games.
Quote:
"The powers given to Pescante ... represent a lack of confidence in the work done here up until now, and above all, in the capacity to continue it..."
TOROC has been criticised for a $227 million budget shortfall; plus, as usual with Olympic events, there has been a distinct lack of enthusiam in the host nation for the event.
TOROC has also been under attack from the media, Il Giornale has publicly "shredded" every detail of TOROC's financing; alleging that excessive amounts have been set aside for food, wine and plane tickets.
Excess spending on drink and hospitality, by Olympic officials, surely not!
Let's face it, the Olympics are regarded by those who organise them as nothing more than a large trough of money in which they gorge themselves like pigs.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Winter Sale
The tickets for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, being held between 10-26 February 2006, have now gone on sale.
There are 1 million tickets; 650000 are available for the public, the remaining 350000 are reserved for national Olympic Committees, sponsors, international sports federations and broadcasters.
The tickets will be priced at between $25.50 and $1082 (how very reasonable!).
The first phase of the ticket sales start today, and will end on the 15th of December.
There are 1 million tickets; 650000 are available for the public, the remaining 350000 are reserved for national Olympic Committees, sponsors, international sports federations and broadcasters.
The tickets will be priced at between $25.50 and $1082 (how very reasonable!).
The first phase of the ticket sales start today, and will end on the 15th of December.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Touts Scammed by Their Own Petard
Major sporting occasions attract ticket touts, offering inflated priced tickets, like flies around dog s**t.
The Olympics has proven to be no different. However, for the hapless spectator who has been fleeced by these scam merchants in the past; there is at last a feeling of schadenfreude.
It is reported that, as a result of low attendance figures, ticket touts are offering tickets at face value for most events.
However, before you start to weep for the poor ticket tout; do remember that he will have bought his tickets in bulk at a considerable discount.
So if you still want to attend, for example, the 22nd of August men's 100 metre final you can; tickets that are listed on the Athens 2004 official site as sold out, are still available at face value of $110.90.
My advice is to haggle with these guys, you should be able to get a discount.
The Olympics has proven to be no different. However, for the hapless spectator who has been fleeced by these scam merchants in the past; there is at last a feeling of schadenfreude.
It is reported that, as a result of low attendance figures, ticket touts are offering tickets at face value for most events.
However, before you start to weep for the poor ticket tout; do remember that he will have bought his tickets in bulk at a considerable discount.
So if you still want to attend, for example, the 22nd of August men's 100 metre final you can; tickets that are listed on the Athens 2004 official site as sold out, are still available at face value of $110.90.
My advice is to haggle with these guys, you should be able to get a discount.
Monday, August 16, 2004
The Half Million Giveaway
In an effort to fill empty stadiums, and to create the illusion of success, the Olympics organisers are reportedly going to give away 500,000 tickets for Olympic events.
It seems that a combination of fears about terrorist activities, and the extortionate prices being charged by hotels, restaurants and other tourist services in Athens; have driven the Olympic tourist away.
Around 1.3 million tickets remain unsold, and the IOC does not want to see pictures on TV screens of half empty stadiums.
The Greek authorities are pleading with Greek citizens to buy tickets, so as the honour of Greece is not tainted by the low attendance figures.
One bright spot is that the ticket touts, who normally make a killing at such events, are being "screwed"; as tickets that they hold, and "cornered the market in", are simply not shifting.
It seems that a combination of fears about terrorist activities, and the extortionate prices being charged by hotels, restaurants and other tourist services in Athens; have driven the Olympic tourist away.
Around 1.3 million tickets remain unsold, and the IOC does not want to see pictures on TV screens of half empty stadiums.
The Greek authorities are pleading with Greek citizens to buy tickets, so as the honour of Greece is not tainted by the low attendance figures.
One bright spot is that the ticket touts, who normally make a killing at such events, are being "screwed"; as tickets that they hold, and "cornered the market in", are simply not shifting.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Not Long Now
With less than 2 weeks to go until the start of the Olympics 2004 in Athens, the final "touches" are being put to the Olympics infrastructure.
Despite the dead bodies of the construction workers, see yesterday's article, the organisers are beginning to feel proud about the achievements they have made.
Greek minister Voulgarakis is very optimistic that everything will be ready in time, for the start of the Games. Most importantly of all, the computer system that is meant to protect the Olympics; has finally been delivered, at a cost of $350M.
All they have to do now, is sell the remaining 5 million unsold tickets.
Brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Despite the dead bodies of the construction workers, see yesterday's article, the organisers are beginning to feel proud about the achievements they have made.
Greek minister Voulgarakis is very optimistic that everything will be ready in time, for the start of the Games. Most importantly of all, the computer system that is meant to protect the Olympics; has finally been delivered, at a cost of $350M.
All they have to do now, is sell the remaining 5 million unsold tickets.
Brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Economic Reality Dawns
It seems that the forces of economics have finally prevailed on the hotel owners of Greece.
As reported earlier on this site, there are some 5 million unsold tickets for the Olympics 2004; which are being held in Athens in a few weeks time. This shortfall of an Olympic audience naturally has had a knock on effect on hotel occupancy rates.
I have noted on several occasions that, when tickets don't sell, one helpful mechanism is to reduce the price.
Although the Olympic Committee stubbornly refuses to lower the prices of the tickets, at least the hotel owners in and around Athens have a little more economic "savvy".
The greedy hotel owners, who had attempted to "milk the Olympic tourists dry" by putting up their prices (by up to four time the normal amount for this time of year); have realised they will be left with empty rooms, unless they curtail their greed.
It is reported that the "bargain" rates on offer now include rooms in the Holiday Inn at £800 per night, down from a whopping £1260 per night.
I have to say that the greed displayed by the hotel owners, and others connected with the Olympics, is truly mind numbing. I have little sympathy for them if they take a loss on this event; Olympic tourists are not mindless cattle, that can be milked for every last Pound or Dollar.
My advice, to any of you who are thinking of travelling to Athens for the Olympic Games, is to "play hard ball" with the hotel owners and airlines.
Whatever price they quote you, ask for another 20% off at least; and remind them that there are 5 million unsold tickets for the Games.
Use the "Last Minute" advert on the menu bar of this page as a starting point for pricing your trip.
Brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
As reported earlier on this site, there are some 5 million unsold tickets for the Olympics 2004; which are being held in Athens in a few weeks time. This shortfall of an Olympic audience naturally has had a knock on effect on hotel occupancy rates.
I have noted on several occasions that, when tickets don't sell, one helpful mechanism is to reduce the price.
Although the Olympic Committee stubbornly refuses to lower the prices of the tickets, at least the hotel owners in and around Athens have a little more economic "savvy".
The greedy hotel owners, who had attempted to "milk the Olympic tourists dry" by putting up their prices (by up to four time the normal amount for this time of year); have realised they will be left with empty rooms, unless they curtail their greed.
It is reported that the "bargain" rates on offer now include rooms in the Holiday Inn at £800 per night, down from a whopping £1260 per night.
I have to say that the greed displayed by the hotel owners, and others connected with the Olympics, is truly mind numbing. I have little sympathy for them if they take a loss on this event; Olympic tourists are not mindless cattle, that can be milked for every last Pound or Dollar.
My advice, to any of you who are thinking of travelling to Athens for the Olympic Games, is to "play hard ball" with the hotel owners and airlines.
Whatever price they quote you, ask for another 20% off at least; and remind them that there are 5 million unsold tickets for the Games.
Use the "Last Minute" advert on the menu bar of this page as a starting point for pricing your trip.
Brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Monday, July 12, 2004
Megalomania
In a splendidly absurd example of megalomania, the Olympic organisers have issued a decree that prohibits groups of people attending the forthcoming Olympic Games in Athens if they wear T shirts and other clothing bearing the logos of companies or organisations that are not sponsoring the event.
The theory is that they want to keep the Games clear of advertising.
Umm...a few points here guys (addressed to the Olympic organisers), just to clarify my understanding of the rules:
1 What constitutes a group? 20 people sitting together, or 20 people sitting apart?
2 Why can people wearing the logos of the sponsors attend the Games en masse? This constitutes advertising does it not?
3 What gives you the right to dictate to people what they will wear?
4 Define non sponsor; eg does the wearing of a T shirt with an NGO logo constitute a breach of the rules?
5 There are 3 million unsold tickets for the Games, does this restriction help the sales of tickets?
The Games organisers claim to be protecting the Games from commercialisation. I suspect that the reality is that one or more of the official sponsors, fearful of a poor turnout for these Games, have "strongarmed" the organisers and forced them into issuing this absurd ruling.
My advice to people attending the Games is to go along wearing identical T shirts, hats, bags anything you can find that does not have an official sponsor logo; to show how absurd the ruling is.
The theory is that they want to keep the Games clear of advertising.
Umm...a few points here guys (addressed to the Olympic organisers), just to clarify my understanding of the rules:
1 What constitutes a group? 20 people sitting together, or 20 people sitting apart?
2 Why can people wearing the logos of the sponsors attend the Games en masse? This constitutes advertising does it not?
3 What gives you the right to dictate to people what they will wear?
4 Define non sponsor; eg does the wearing of a T shirt with an NGO logo constitute a breach of the rules?
5 There are 3 million unsold tickets for the Games, does this restriction help the sales of tickets?
The Games organisers claim to be protecting the Games from commercialisation. I suspect that the reality is that one or more of the official sponsors, fearful of a poor turnout for these Games, have "strongarmed" the organisers and forced them into issuing this absurd ruling.
My advice to people attending the Games is to go along wearing identical T shirts, hats, bags anything you can find that does not have an official sponsor logo; to show how absurd the ruling is.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Fawlty Towers
In the true Olympic spirit, the hotel workers of Greece staged a 24 hour strike yesterday.
That should help bookings!
Their grievance is simple, more visitors for the Olympic Games in Athens means more work; therefore they want more money. Admirable logic, unfortunately there are 3 million unsold tickets and hotels are standing empty. Maybe a strike is not the best means of encouraging bookings?
In a splendidly irrelevant gesture, the Union of Greek Archaeologists went on strike as well yesterday. They want money as well from the Olympics.
Today, it is the turn of the bus drivers and other transport workers to try to grab a slice of the pie. There is even a rumour that the air traffic controllers will strike.
It seems that the Olympics this year are being viewed by many as a humungous cash cow. Unfortunately, there is every danger that it may in fact be a still born calf.
That should help bookings!
Their grievance is simple, more visitors for the Olympic Games in Athens means more work; therefore they want more money. Admirable logic, unfortunately there are 3 million unsold tickets and hotels are standing empty. Maybe a strike is not the best means of encouraging bookings?
In a splendidly irrelevant gesture, the Union of Greek Archaeologists went on strike as well yesterday. They want money as well from the Olympics.
Today, it is the turn of the bus drivers and other transport workers to try to grab a slice of the pie. There is even a rumour that the air traffic controllers will strike.
It seems that the Olympics this year are being viewed by many as a humungous cash cow. Unfortunately, there is every danger that it may in fact be a still born calf.
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