“It’s a success that exceeds our forecasts and our objectives”, acknowledges Tony Estanguet. During a press briefing organized this Tuesday afternoon from the headquarters of Paris 2024, the president of the organization gave a more than positive assessment of the second phase of ticket sales, organized from May 11 and which ended at the end of last week.
1.89 million sesames thus passed in less than 10 days, against 1.5 million initially envisaged. And the competition was fierce between sports fans: 1 million tickets were sold in 36 hours, with five sports “sold-out” in just… two hours (triathlon, escalade, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle et Breaking), says the organization. Some sessions have been particularly targeted, such as that of women’s judo over 78 kg, or men’s over 100 kg, a category where Teddy Riner should compete. Both also found themselves unavailable for sale in two hours.
Among the best-selling sports: football, basketball, handball, athletics and volleyball. As for the opening ceremony, strongly criticized for its seats at 2,700 euros in category A (there are 4,000 left to date), tickets for categories E, E + and D sold out in a single day.
800,000 24-euro banknotes offered for sale
With the success of the first sales phase, organized last February, 6.8 million tickets have already been sold, including 5.2 million for the general public. The remaining 1.6 million was acquired by “all stakeholders”, said the organization, including “the State, local authorities, the IOC or even federations”. “We experienced very strong enthusiasm from all audiences,” continues the former Céiste. 63% of buyers are French, while British and Americans occupy the second and third steps of the podium.
Despite this success, Paris 2024 has again not escaped criticism and other controversies, including those launched by certain athletes themselves, worried about not being able to offer places to their loved ones. “Of course there is frustration, and we can understand the disappointment. But we knew from the start that we could not meet all this demand, which is much greater than the supply, ”repeated Tony Estanguet. The organization has endeavored to justify the prices offered to the general public, ensuring that it needed “exceptional tickets in small quantities which finance tickets accessible in large volumes”.
Paris 2024 notably specified that 5.3% of the tickets put on sale had a price greater than or equal to 400 euros, when four million tickets cost 50 euros or less. Paris 2024 also ensures that there are as many tickets (800,000) at 24 euros on sale for the general public as tickets at 200 euros or more.
Opening of the Paralympic Games box office on October 9
Faced with this popular enthusiasm, and while it was initially announced for the end of the year, the third phase of sales, organized according to the “first come, first served” formula, will be held this summer. The ticket office will therefore be reopened, with the places that did not find takers during the first two phases. The organization ensures that there are still places at 24 euros, in particular for sailing, organized in Marseille, golf, or even certain basketball matches. The schedule will be specified later.
Final sesames will be put back on sale in 2024. Some places from so-called “contingency” places, which account for around 10% of the gauges and are currently “retained” pending the final layout of the Olympic sites, will be “released”. Finally, Paris 2024 also announced the official launch date for the Paralympic Games ticket office (August 28 to September 8, 2024). This will begin on Monday, October 9. “2.8 million tickets will be on sale,” says Tony Estanguet, with prices between 15 and 100 euros. And this time, there will be no draw.
