Opening Ceremony

[baron-pierreIV]

Were Beijing's tickets cheaper? Certainly. But we also remember the 70% empty venues that were 'sold-out'. The government gobbling up tickets and no one actually going does not equal a successful games.

Didn't hear about The Party buying up blocks of tickets (which doesn't make sense since they already financed the whole thing)...but I did learn that no-shows in sold-out sessions were traced to people in the provinces who just sent in for a few tickets as "souvenirs" of the Games but really had no intent or interest at all in going. I think that's a valid situation as any. Those vain athletes don't need 'full houses' to perform!!

[bgdrewsif]

Didn't hear about The Party buying up blocks of tickets (which doesn't make sense since they already financed the whole thing)...but I did learn that no-shows in sold-out sessions were traced to people in the provinces who just sent in for a few tickets as "souvenirs" of the Games but really had no intent or interest at all in going. I think that's a valid situation as any. Those vain athletes don't need 'full houses' to perform!!

Well I don't know much about rural Chinese buying tickets just to say that they had them although it would not surprise me at all. However, I do recall there being a number of reports in the news at the time about the government buying up lots of tickets and then handing them out to officials, corporations, etc. as rewards whether or not anyone was actually going to these events or not. I'm sure all organizing committees do go but just not on the scale that beijing experienced apparently.

[AthleteEye]

Vancouver is a pretty expensive city to work with, and I'm sure David Atkins realized that himself. Right now, I'm organizing a major global conference to be held in a few months in Vancouver -- getting ready to stage everything from the Opening Ceremony to the relighting of the Olympic Cauldron!

I assume you are speaking about the Cities Summit? Held at the start of Feb to coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the Games in Vancouver? If you can share any details that would be appreciated.

-AE

[baron-pierreIV]

I assume you are speaking about the Cities Summit? Held at the start of Feb to coincide with the 2nd anniversary of the Games in Vancouver? If you can share any details that would be appreciated.

-AE

Huh? The only New Cities Summit that pops up is the inaugural one for Paris in May 2012. Nothing about Vancouver.

[mr.x]

Well, here in Vancouver the public was complaining about the ticket costs for Games events. But there was so much to do in Vancouver during the Olympics, that those who didn't have any tickets and were complaining were also part of the whole "Olympic experience."

So all in all, those Live Sites and whatever public celebrations London has planned is quite vital for satisfying the greater public and also for building the Games atmosphere London organizers are yearning for. I'm sure it'll be fantastic, I don't think Brits are the stiff/conservative type? That would be the Russians two years later.

Huh? The only New Cities Summit that pops up is the inaugural one for Paris in May 2012. Nothing about Vancouver.

http://www.globaltvbc.com/vancouver+to+host+international+sustainable+business+summit/6442538051/story.html

[Athensfan]

This could become an Issue for the Olympic Movement down the road. If only the wealthy can afford airfare, hotel, food, and ticket prices that are through the roof, that will begin to trigger resentment. It's hard to claim global Games if they're only accessible to the very wealthy -- however internationally diverse that crowd might be. Particularly when you consider the rising pricetag of hosting the Games, they start looking like a frivolous indulgence for the elite that others pay for and then have no hope of attending in person. Thinks aren't to that point yet, but I can imagine that they might be in the coming decade or two.

Read "things aren't to that point yet"

[baron-pierreIV]

It's what the market will bear. Yeah, sure, the low and the mighty went to old Olympia...and the moneyed either stayed in SOME guesthouses or had tents set up. The ordinary visitor, reports say, just slept out in the fields...and where do you think they did their latrine chores? Having various tiers of tickets and accommodations just brings a little more order to such a vast operation. The host city is able to control more of the activity that is happening w/in its confines and if it's a little costlier, then that provides a better experience for the visitor. Come Qatar 2022, can you see people coming wiht a ticket in hand, and with no place to sleep or sh*t, just camps out on the dessert?

And THAT's WHY it's available on TV too. No ONE HAS to go to any Olympic event. It is an entirely OPTIONAL activity.

[Rob2012]

It is, for the most part, what the market will bear, as Baron says. And the UK is a wealthy country so ticket prices will be higher. It's not purely market driven though. LOCOG has put on sale lots of £20 tickets by making the most expensive tickets more expensive than they otherwise would be, and they're giving lots of free tickets to schools, to the military, and have the Pay-your-age scheme for Under-16s and I believe some discounts for the elderly. So it's a market system tempered by LOCOG to get a more diverse home crowd. That's fair enough because, whilst you say going to an Olympics is entirely optional, us paying for them isn't! So it's the duty of the organisers to yes, make up their costs, but also to ensure people from the UK who want to go can.

Whatever the case, London's tickets have sold quicker than any past Games, so the organisers must be doing something right.

I expect Rio will be cheaper, surely? Selling tickets to Olympic tourists is only a smallish part of the revenue, it's the home crowd that counts, and it's that which determines the level of pricing I would have thought.

[Gangwon]

It is true to say London's tickets are more expensive than past Games. It's more true to say - certainly looking at that diagram - there is a much bigger gap between the cheapest and most expensive tickets. This is because, for the big ticket events at least, the mega-expensive tickets (e.g. the £2012 Opening Ceremony tickets) allow organisers to sell more of the £20 ones.

The ticket prices in that diagram are only for the opening ceremonies. And it's hard to figure out from that diagram how much LOGOC hopes to make. The price of £20.12 was surely made as a symbolic gesture; how many of those tickets are available? Are they just the last row of standing-room places? How much of the £2012 will be occupied by the IOC, dignitaries and sponsors, who would be getting those seats for free anyway? I would think that the vast vast majority of paid tickets (maybe even over 95%) would be somewhere in between those two figures.

[Rob2012]

"1.5 million tickets at £50 or less and one million at £20 or less." was the spread.

[Gangwon]

"1.5 million tickets at £50 or less and one million at £20 or less." was the spread.

What spread? I only saw Mr. X's graphic table and link.

And this being for the opening ceremonies.

[mr.x]

It's what the market will bear. Yeah, sure, the low and the mighty went to old Olympia...and the moneyed either stayed in SOME guesthouses or had tents set up. The ordinary visitor, reports say, just slept out in the fields...and where do you think they did their latrine chores? Having various tiers of tickets and accommodations just brings a little more order to such a vast operation. The host city is able to control more of the activity that is happening w/in its confines and if it's a little costlier, then that provides a better experience for the visitor. Come Qatar 2022, can you see people coming wiht a ticket in hand, and with no place to sleep or sh*t, just camps out on the dessert?

And THAT's WHY it's available on TV too. No ONE HAS to go to any Olympic event. It is an entirely OPTIONAL activity.

Nobody has to go to any Olympic event, but who pays to put on these Olympic events?

Taxpayers.

[Athensfan]

I understand LOCOGs reasoning and appreciate the attempt to make some tickets more affordable. All I was saying was that if the trend continues for the next couple decades, the Games could wind up with a serious image problem where the taxpayers feel like they fund a big party that's only accessible to the most elite.

Yes, there is tv, but as we all know, its hardly the same thing. II still think this could become a problem down the road if it isn't handled carefully.

[Rich]

Just watched the X Factor final here in the UK. Was really impressed with the light wrist bands everyone was wearing during Coldplay performing especially when the 10,000 strong audiences wristbands were flashing on and off in time to the music. These would be perfect for the OC, a step up from the usual torch waving from the audience.

[Lee]

Just watched the X Factor final here in the UK. Was really impressed with the light wrist bands everyone was wearing during Coldplay performing especially when the 10,000 strong audiences wristbands were flashing on and off in time to the music. These would be perfect for the OC, a step up from the usual torch waving from the audience.

I think every Olympic fan watching was thinking the same thing, take note Danny Boyle.

[Rich]

Lol it was mid performance and I was think I've got put this on gamesbids. Haven't found any decent clips on YouTube at the mo. There is this ropy clip but it doesn't do the wristband lights any justice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_0CrBZf-c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[mattperiolat]

Out of curiosity and plain blue skying, what NEEDS to be a part of London's OC to make it great?

Of course, we all have our preferences and ideas, but no shame in sharing them.

For me, I know some people on the forums HATE the roll call of Olympic cities, but especially with this being London's third time hosting and it being the 30th Olympiad, I'd love to see it. Plus I do think the roll call is becoming more and more a part of the protocol. If they wanted to do something creative but not too tacky, they could have an X light up at mid-field or something each of the three times London is mentioned so you have a symbol of the XXXth Olympiad when you are done.

Another thing that might be cool, as long as it is not disruptive of the ceremony proper, is in the lead up to Queen Elizabeth proclaiming the Games open would be running a clip of her father King George declaring the '48 Olympics open, symbolic of the last time London hosted and from father to daughter passes the honor.

Just things I'd dig seeing.

[Gangwon]

I'd like them to show the UK as it was in 1908 with all its imperial gallantry, and again in 1948 recovering from the war, leading up to the present. I don't think it's distasteful to pay homage to Britain's imperial past, and even better if it shows footage of the common folk enjoying the 1908 and 1948 Games. By all means emphasize the present and future, but a London Games in particular shouldn't forget the past.

[Ikarus360]

How about doing somekind of a rolldown countdown like Melbourne 2006 opening ceremony did? (they did somekind of a clock sequence projection on which they rollcalled the previous host cities)

[Rich]

This gives a better feel of the lighting effects and the possibilities available. Filmed from the back of Wembley Arena at last night x factor final...

[baron-pierreIV]

Nobody has to go to any Olympic event, but who pays to put on these Olympic events?

Taxpayers.

Well, then, you/whomever has to be on the NIMBY bandwagon before it's awarded. And one way or another...it's:

1. either pay for HIGH ticket prices up front

2. pay for them for a generation or 2 (like Montreal and Mexico City) or

3. DON'T have them at all.

[mr.x]

Well, then, you/whomever has to be on the NIMBY bandwagon before it's awarded. And one way or another...it's:

1. either pay for HIGH ticket prices up front

2. pay for them for a generation or 2 (like Montreal and Mexico City) or

3. DON'T have them at all.

It certainly isn't as black and white as you make it out to be.

[Mr Tickle]

Those wristbands were amazing. It sounded like Coldplay supplied them too as Dermot thanked them for bringing them. I sooooo hope they perform at the opening and bring their wrist bands too

[kevzz]

Amazing how those wristband blinks and switched on/ off in uniform. Wonder if they were controlled by a master devise or the audience just followed instruction brilliantly?

[bgdrewsif]

For me, I know some people on the forums HATE the roll call of Olympic cities, but especially with this being London's third time hosting and it being the 30th Olympiad, I'd love to see it. Plus I do think the roll call is becoming more and more a part of the protocol. If they wanted to do something creative but not too tacky, they could have an X light up at mid-field or something each of the three times London is mentioned so you have a symbol of the XXXth Olympiad when you are done.

Another thing that might be cool, as long as it is not disruptive of the ceremony proper, is in the lead up to Queen Elizabeth proclaiming the Games open would be running a clip of her father King George declaring the '48 Olympics open, symbolic of the last time London hosted and from father to daughter passes the honor.

I LOVE that idea for the roll call with London X 3. FYI, as far as I am aware this tradition began with Atlanta in 1996, and was then seen seen again in Salt Lake 2002, then Athens 2004 (which added an acknowledgement of the 2 World Wars and their disruption to the Olympic schedule) and most recently with Vancouver 2010. I don't recall seeing this done in Nagano or Beijing, nor am I aware of it being done before Atlanta. Although I have seen many prior ceremonies online, my real 'memory' of the ceremonies does not extend back beyond Barcelona 92 (at which time I was 9, going on 10 in October), so if it was done prior to 1992, please let me know

I am also looking forward to seeing this as a major ceremonial role for Her Majesty the Queen.