Published on : 22/05/2023 – 15:22
The organizers of the 2024 Olympics in Paris have been facing a new round of criticism on the prices of places for almost ten days, including this time from athletes, who are undermining their promise of “popular” Games.
A new salvo of criticism falls on the price of the places of the Olympic Games. As during the first phase of ticket sales, the organizers of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, despite obvious enthusiasm, have been facing a new round of criticism for almost ten days on the prices of places, including this time from athletes, who undermine their promise of “grassroots” Games.
For this second phase of sales which began on May 11, the organizers had decided to sell nearly 1.5 million tickets, individually, after having sold more than 3 million during the first phase by packs.
From the first day, almost two thirds of sesames left according to the organizers. To give an example of the voracity of buyers, the places for the men’s final in the heavy category in judo, that of Teddy Riner, “left in two hours”, assures Paris-2024. “Frankly it started very strong, almost too much. It’s proof of a huge enthusiasm”, analyzes the organizing committee.
“We knew there would be disappointments”
But as during the first phase of sales this winter, the protests against prices deemed far too high by some, on social networks in particular, further blurred the promise of “popular” Olympics despite this time the message of Tony Estanguet, the boss of Paris-2024, repeating that not everyone can be served.
“We expected the criticism, we were warned that the sales periods were a difficult time. But we had underestimated the scale”, admits a Paris-2024 executive, “with four million registered at the draw for 1.5 million tickets on sale, we knew that there would be disappointed.
Of the million places at 24 euros for these Olympics, the lowest price, nearly 150 000 have been put up for sale for this second phase. But mechanically, since these first tickets were the first to go, potential buyers quickly found themselves facing much higher prices.
Three days after the launch of this second phase of sales, sports fans were offered tickets at 690 euros or even 980 euros for athletics semi-finals, tickets at 2 700 euros for the opening ceremony… Prices considered exorbitant by some. “The prices of the Olympic Games tickets… What a big joke”, tweets for example @BenjiTjumper, or even @KimKy_Love: “Pardon Paris-2024 but the opening ceremony at 2 times the minimum wage (!!), it’s a joke?”
#JO2024
Olympic Games accessible to all, you said… ????
In fact, you have to make bank loans so that families and loved ones can have the chance to come and see us…
Well at least if by then there are still tickets left… #Shame #Disgusted— Amandine Buchard OLY (@BubucheOfficiel) May 16, 2023
Athletes’ anger
The sounding board of criticism has also been amplified by the athletes themselves, admittedly few in number, but who have heightened skepticism about the pricing policy.
Judoka Amandine Buchard, bronze medalist in less than 52 kg during the last World Championships, did not spare the organizers on Twitter : “Olympic Games accessible to all, you said… In fact, you have to make bank loans so that families and loved ones can have the chance to come and see us… Well, at least if by then remaining tickets”.
“How can we put such high prices for our sport?” Revolted to him on Instagram Jimmy Gressier, 2023 French cross-country champion. Some voices have also been raised abroad, such as the Belgian Nafissatou Thiam, double Olympic champion in heptathlon “I’m not even sure that my family will be able to come and see me, it’s so expensive,” she told Belgian media DH.
An “unfair” trial
An “unfair” trial for the organizers, who also had to deal with a technical bug, an error in the scheduling of events over eight athletics sessions for which Tony Estanguet has undertaken to find a solution.
The Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra also wanted to defend the pricing policy of the Paris Olympics by telling the National Assembly on May 16 that the prices of Paris-2024 were “lower” than previous editions.
“The accessible tickets, at 24 euros, exist but they go too quickly. It is a perception of people that the Olympic Games are not popular”, defends Paris-2024.
“There can’t be popular Olympics, that doesn’t exist,” he told AFP David Roizen, sports policy expert, “the Champions League final, the Olympics, are events reserved for a financial elite. It is a mistake to have mentioned popular Games”.
With AFP
2023-05-22 14:13:03
#prices #ticket #sale #anger #athletes
