Lee Posted February 20, 2011 Report Posted February 20, 2011 London, the UK government and the British public (particularly the passionate fans who went to Athens in 2004) knew or should have known about this at the moment of bidding. So crying foul now is a little easy. Besides, as already pointed out, the option of using pre-paid cards do not oblige anyone to switch to a Visa Credit Card. Unless of course LOCOG and BOA are keen to return the share of Visa money they got through the TOP Programme... What a ridiculous post! So with that logic you are saying that in order to bid for the Olympics any country, it's people or it's government, have to agree with and not question anything that the IOC demands. And your point about pre-paid cards is flawed too as the whole point of putting your purchases on credit is not only about convenience, but means you have some time to pay off the balance. You need to have your entire budget up front in order to use the pre-pay option. Any other type of sponsor demands I could live with but not monopolising the methods of payment. That is restricting and I will never agree with it.
Kenadian Posted February 20, 2011 Report Posted February 20, 2011 Well, you may not agree with it, but you are stuck with it. People grumbled about it in Vancouver, too. And I don't see this European Commission having any authority or grounds to change anything.
Rob2012 Posted February 20, 2011 Author Report Posted February 20, 2011 Yes, I'm sure we are stuck with it but there's nothing wrong with grumbling, it's our national sport in many ways. The European Commission certainly has the authority to act if they see fit though. You should see some of the fines and penalties they've handed out to Microsoft over the last five years... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7266629.stm Over two billion dollars in fines and one of the the net results, Microsoft can longer ship Internet Explorer with Windows in Europe. I think it's unlikely they'll do anything in this case because the IOC almost certainly aren't doing anything wrong, even if I and others don't like it. But the European Commission do have teeth and it's interesting that they're looking at this.
Kenadian Posted February 20, 2011 Report Posted February 20, 2011 But it isn't about the teeth, it is about the legality of the agreement and I'm certain that the IOC and Visa have a crack team of lawyers who made sure that the deal is bullet and water proof...so the Commission is not likely to be able to squash a deal that has existed for decades and backed by solid legal terms just because some people suddenly realized it will impact the way they purchase some sports tickets.
Rob2012 Posted February 20, 2011 Author Report Posted February 20, 2011 I guess you're half right in your previous post then. They do have the authority but probably not the grounds.
Lee Posted February 20, 2011 Report Posted February 20, 2011 I don't expect it to change as the deal has already been done and that would be unfair on Visa. Although I do have a problem with those people that feel you do not have a right to voice your opinion on the matter.
Pure facts Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 What a ridiculous post! So with that logic you are saying that in order to bid for the Olympics any country, it's people or it's government, have to agree with and not question anything that the IOC demands. No need for the attitude. That's not what I said. What I said is that if you have a problem with some of the conditions then you try to negotiate before you sign the host city contract. If you look at the Fifa World Cup bid, at least BBC did its job right but highlighting what they considered as abusive clauses from Fifa before the vote. I do have issues with people that suddenly wake up a few months before the event, discover an issue when it's too late to do anything about it and then whine at anyone but themselves about how unfair life is.
baron-pierreIV Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 But it isn't about the teeth, it is about the legality of the agreement and I'm certain that the IOC and Visa have a crack team of lawyers who made sure that the deal is bullet and water proof. It's been challenged before...to no avail. Attending the Olympics is purely a voluntary thing...as is going to the movies. People pay cash at the movies; in principle, how different is doing that from the Olympics or a football game? Comparison to the Microsoft case is different because Microsoft's embedding of their OS system affects business and gov't to a much larger scheme, and there's an impact for years past and years to come. The unique situation of an Olympics is that it is a one-time leisure event. I mean, if you don't like say going to the...just for example, a De Beers-named Stadium? That's your call. But they paid to have their name up there in every legal sense. Same thing with manner of payment for a 1-time happening; they paid for the exclusivity of it. It's a basic principle in a free-market society.
Sir Rols Posted February 21, 2011 Report Posted February 21, 2011 And also don't forget that it's the reason, out of all the major sports events, the Olympics are the only one where inside the venues - instead of advertising signage and hoardings - we get the nice, clean "look" and decorations of the games themselves.
Lee Posted February 22, 2011 Report Posted February 22, 2011 No need for the attitude. That's not what I said. What I said is that if you have a problem with some of the conditions then you try to negotiate before you sign the host city contract. If you look at the Fifa World Cup bid, at least BBC did its job right but highlighting what they considered as abusive clauses from Fifa before the vote. I do have issues with people that suddenly wake up a few months before the event, discover an issue when it's too late to do anything about it and then whine at anyone but themselves about how unfair life is. There is no attitude in calling your post ridiculous, it is. I read your post again and whichever way you try to put it you are saying that we are not allowed to dispute anything that we knew before bidding. I find that a rather simplistic and authoritarian attitude.
Rob2012 Posted February 23, 2011 Author Report Posted February 23, 2011 Onto another of the points in this article; the Rings: Giant Olympic rings will be suspended from Tower Bridge and will also eventually adorn the London Eye and St Pancras station, terminus for the Olympic Park "Javelin" shuttle service. London's tallest building, the Shard of Glass, will also be crowned with the rings and there are plans for one of its 72 storeys to light up each time the home nation wins a medal. Now, I'm sure those who have been on the forum long enough remember this from London's bid: As for Tower Bridge, we saw a mock-up by the BBC on a documentary on the Games a couple of years ago: Where would they go in St Pancras? On the inside under the clock, or on the outside? I'd imagine they'd want them on the inside, as this is what visitors would see when they step off the Eurostar: And of course, the Pièce de résistance, the rings on the Shard, high above London on Europe's soon to be tallest building. God knows how they'll get them up there!
Kenadian Posted February 23, 2011 Report Posted February 23, 2011 Maybe the clock at St. Pancras could be the black ring?
TrisL93 Posted February 23, 2011 Report Posted February 23, 2011 Maybe on the Shard they won't exactly present the Olympics logo, but the colours of the rings surrounding the top of the building or something...
baron-pierreIV Posted February 23, 2011 Report Posted February 23, 2011 God, what a crazy patchwork layout London has! A couple of questions, going left to right: 1. What is that train station at the base of The Shard? 2. What is that low, off-center conical bldg in the lower foreground? 3. Is that a battleship sitting on the Thames there? 4. 4 bridges up, what is that low, colonnaded building on the right bank? Mighty obliged.
DarJoLe Posted February 24, 2011 Report Posted February 24, 2011 1. What is that train station at the base of The Shard? London Bridge station 2. What is that low, off-center conical bldg in the lower foreground? City Hall 3. Is that a battleship sitting on the Thames there? HMS Belfast 4. 4 bridges up, what is that low, colonnaded building on the right bank? Unilever House
Rob2012 Posted February 27, 2011 Author Report Posted February 27, 2011 Well, here's confirmation: The first set of Olympic Rings, the symbol of the Olympic Games, will be unveiled this week at London’s St Pancras Station, 18 months ahead of the opening of the London Olympics 2012. The five multicoloured, interlinked, aluminium rings, will be suspended in front of the clock at the end of the platforms at St Pancras. Measuring 70 foot wide and 30 foot high in total, they will remain hanging in the station until the games are over. St Pancras was selected as the site for the first unveiling for the red, yellow, black, blue and green rings, because as one of London’s it is the station from which many visitors to the Olympic Park will set out on their journey. The unveiling will take place on Thursday with key figures present including London’s Mayor Boris Johnson and Chairman of the Locog, Lord Coe. http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/olympic-fever-hits-britain/
Mr Tickle Posted February 27, 2011 Report Posted February 27, 2011 I read this in the Times today, I was whooping ahile I read it. I hope the Tower Bridge rings are up for the 500 days to go celebrations
Mr Tickle Posted March 1, 2011 Report Posted March 1, 2011 They are up, this gives nothing away but they do seem to hang quite a bit in front of the clock
4gamesandcounting Posted March 3, 2011 Report Posted March 3, 2011 Just been down there for the unveiling. They look amazing!
Rob2012 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Report Posted March 3, 2011 Excellent, did you get any pics? Another photo found on that tinternet:
4gamesandcounting Posted March 3, 2011 Report Posted March 3, 2011 I have pics but can never work out how to get pictures I've taken up onto gamesbids. grr
Rob2012 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Report Posted March 3, 2011 Try uploading them to either http://imageshack.us/ or http://tinypic.com/ then pasting the direct links as images in the forum. Rob
Athan Posted March 3, 2011 Report Posted March 3, 2011 Wow! And is the clock visible now with all that just in front of it??
Mr Tickle Posted March 3, 2011 Report Posted March 3, 2011 They look spectacular, the games are coming, these next 500 days are gonna fly by
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