Olympic Rip off

[erastes]

I really wanted to go to one of the events too. LOOK at these prices—it's disgusting. 

Opening ceremony: £2,012, £1,600, £995, £150, £20.12.

Closing ceremony: £1,500, £995, £655, £150, £20.12.

Each sport’s event will have the same number of tickets in each price bracket. Some events have varying prices for quarter-finals and semi-finals and men’s/women’s events.

Equestrian – Dressage: preliminary £95, £65, £40, £20; final £275, £175, £95, £65.

Equestrian – Eventing (dressage, jumping only): preliminary £95, £65, £40, £20; final £150, £95, £55, £35.

Equestrian – Eventing (cross-country only): preliminary £55.

Equestrian – Jumping: preliminary £95, £65, £40, £20; final £275, £175, £95, £65.

Comments

[aigooism.livejournal.com]

YIKE! Those are expensive!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

it's absolutely disgusting. £55 for the cross country? plus travel down to London congestion charge fee, and a nightmare journey.

Better to watch it all on the telly.

[tina kolesnik (from livejournal.com)]

Welcome to the Olympics. For years in the USA, we've always known the Olympics is something you need to start saving for, the minute you hear it's going to be hosted in an American city. That's why they announce so early. Factor in price gouging by the hotels and taxis etc and yeah-- it's an expensive once in a lifetime trip.

:/

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Sadly, it's not something I'll be able to afford in my lifetime, and I only live 80 miles away.

[kerri]

Too lazy to convert those to CAD, but I imagine it's about the same sticker shock that I had when I was looking at buying tickets for Vancouver. :/

One suggestion I have is to check to see if tickets go on sale later for rehearsals, etc. They're a lot cheaper and it's a good way to enjoy a taste of the Olympic events. My friend and I went to see figure-skating rehearsal for the Vancouver Olympics. :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

well, sadly I only wanted to see the ceremonies or the equestrians, so there's no rehearsals for them! LOL - and again- very sadly, no figure skating in the summer - don't know what events there would be rehearals for for summer?

[kerri]

You never know, for the equestrian events they may have warm-up times that you may be able to go to! They are usually posted later and are on the same day as the bigger events, but earlier in the day. -g- I do realise that there's no skating, of course, haha. :D It's worth checking out, though... Maybe sign up for email notifications from the site, since they tend to be posted closer to the time :) *checks email history* The Winter Olympics were in Feb, and it looks as though the tickets were posted in December, so two months before. I imagine events like gymnastics and such may have rehearsal/training times.

[cerisaye.livejournal.com]

I am very glad to have zero interest in sports, however I feel very sorry for those who would love to attend events but cannot afford the costs involved, with tickets set at those levels. I bet a high per centage of tickets will go to corporate buyers, too. How much public money went into this? Yet another rip-off for the huge majority of people in this country outside the wealthy elite.

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

Glad you posted this - I saw the prices in the Metro newspaper this morning and they're obscene.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

fifty five quid for the pleasure of walking 4km in the (probable) rain and watching one horse going over one fence. they should pay me.

[lexin.livejournal.com]

And I live a mile away and have no intention of going. Wasn't even before you brought those prices to my attention - if I could, I'd go on holiday somewhere like Scotland, but I don't suppose I'll be allowed the time off.

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Well, *somebody* has to pay for the Olympics, I guess. :(

[jean-roberta.livejournal.com]

It is disgusting. I don't usually think in pounds sterling (haven't lived in the UK since 1974) & I don't even have the symbol on my keyboard, but those are high prices by any standards.

[ejab62.livejournal.com]

Yaiks! They came up with 'brilliant' mascottes as well, I saw on some program a couple of weeks ago. *Cough*

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

It was never going to be cheap, despite the hype about it being for the people of England - sorry, Great Britain.
I suppose if you are a rabid sports fan,having had several years to save for it, you might think it worth the money, especially if you live close enough to get cheap travel on National Express or what used to be British Rail. I am just glad that I have absolutely less than no interest in any of it - I am just fuming they have had the audacity to have the opening ceremony on MY birthday!!! Do they not know the nation has more important things to celebrate than some poxy games?