London 2012 charging for babies

[DoodleAlley]

AIBU to think its extortionate that London 2012 are charging full price for all people including babies for all but a few events.

How can they justify charging for a baby which won't take up a seat?

We'd love to apply for a ticket but are thinking about trying for a second child before, oh, the next year and a half. But buying another twenty pound plus ticket for a child which might not even be conceived or might be 6 months old seems crazy.

And we just dont have the option to leave a baby with family.

How can this be encouraging children to be involved?!

Was just wondering exactly the same EvilTwins.

I also need a new house. Could you all please subsidise it for me?

i had also thought about taking dd (who'll be 10 by then) but was shocked at how few events had the blue flag by them to indicate i would only pay her age.

To then go to any event that wasnt the preliminary rounds then it was most often £50 - for only 3 hours!

Granted i never normally buy tickets for sporting events but was realy shocked at how expensive they were even without realising if you took a baby you'd have to pay £50 as well!

so have decided its not worth going - we're also not in the UK so it would involve paying for the flight and a hotel which seems a lot for 1 sesion of the olympics!

I haven't applied for tickets (yet) but if I do, it would be for the preliminary rounds rather than finals - surely that way you get to see more actual sport and more competitors? EG the early rounds of the gymnastics, all the people who you would hope to see in the finals will be there at the same time so if a big favourite gets knocked out for whatever reason, you've still been able to see them.

And then watch the finals on tv so you get the best views.

Bringing a baby isn't involving children, at that age they can't be involved in anything. However, I don't think they should charge for them, if that is the case.
We thought about going, will have a 3 yr old, and fingers crossed for current pregnancy, a 9 month old, but on balance, concluded it wasn't much of a day out for either of them and we have no hope of child care to go on our own.

Could someone explain the sessions bit for me - does that mean if i buy a ticket for the athletics event for a certain day i am only going to see part of that day and not the entire list of events scheduled for that day? If this is the case how do i guarantee that I get to see a particular final. I would like to see the 100m Mens final - i have provisionally booked tickets for that day but how can I guarantee that I will be in the seat when that final is on?

I was fizzing mad when I saw the Visa card thing! How can that be making the Games inclusive and accessible??
Balanced explanation here
Still think it's against everything the Olympics should stand for.

media.ticketmaster.com/en-gb/img/sys/tournament/london2012/oly-athletic.pdf

This link shows the scheduled events for each session.
Choose the event you want to see and buy tickets for that session.

I must say I'm very surprised that they are charging full price for children of all ages including babies at all but a few sessions.

I would have imagined that it would be an under-2 free, under 12 and pensioners half price style scenario. You know, that kind of thing. I'm surprised. I doesn't show the right spirit somehow.

All through this they have made it pretty clear IMO that while Londoners are expected to help pay for it and wave the flags and all of that, we won't actually be involved in it IYSWIM. You can volunteer to help out, sure, and will be asked to avoid the tube while it's all on but god forbid you want to be able to afford to actually go and see an event with your family.

Mind you I've been down on this since it was announced so probably best not to listen to me

Does this happen in other countries, or are children cheaper to take there?

You would think they would do a special family ticket rather than penalise little kids who will not be taking up a seat.

why would ANYONE want to take a baby to the Olympics
PLEASE LET THERE NOT BE ONE NEXT TO ME

I thought the same withagoat, though I suppose it depends on their age. A tiny baby would be ok, but one that wanted to crawl or toddle around would I think get pretty fustrated.

I hadn't realised the pay your age thing was only on limited tickets. They kept that quiet when it was publicised!

And I do not understand why people have a problem with people taking a baby to sporting events.

1. It could be a fun family day out, hardly the same if you've left some of your family at home.
2. A lot of people will be going to there as their holiday- again you can hardly leave the baby at home or in the hotel.
3. Not everyone has babysitters they can use for whole days even if they wanted to.
4. Letting older siblings miss out on an experience they are unlikely to ever get again because parents don't want to take the baby is hardly fair.

Can you tell I have 2 children who regularly go to sporting events? DS2 went to his 1st rugby match when he was 6 days old and has been to a lot in the 2 years since then.

maybe that was a bit ranty. I'm just pissed off as we want to go to several events and if it's going to cost £80 for each we won't be able to.

You do not need to have a visa card ! Pop into any branch of Lloyds TSB, pick up a printed brichure for free & use the order form in there & send off with a cheque. Same chance in the ballot.

The Olympics has/will cost a fortune to host so they've got to get as much revenue as possible

So it's Visa or Lloyds then?

Not convinced by the "leave the baby at home" thing either. I don't agree with leaving babies at home. Not my babies, anyway. You leave yours of you like, that's fine, but my baby goes places with me so ner ner ner ner ner!

You get in trouble if you leave your 14 year old at home anyway let alone a baby

I fucking hate other peoples babies

That's a cheery sentiment to read over breakfast with the baby. What have mine ever done to you? You've never even met them.

I fucking hate grumpy adults. And goats.

You're not BU at all, I think it's ridiculous enough that I'll have to pay full price for my then 3 year old. I hadn't even considered that we'll hopefully have DC2 by then, and will therefore need a ticket for them as well!

By charging full price for children for the majority of events, they will be stopping so many families from going to an event.

IMO it's a family event, and therefore I would have expected to be able to take my family. Like, all of them!

There's no way I'd want to leave DD behind, let alone a small baby just so the people sat next to us could watch an event "in peace"

Pranma - am in exactly the same boat as you - the only events I'm interested in are the equestrian ones so I went online last night to apply for tickets for the cross country phase of the 3 day event and was horrified to discover that tickets for the 3 of us, (and let's not forget you don't get a seat, you're just standing on the course), would cost £165. And there's no child discount either.
Am bitterly disappointed, as would have loved to have gone and taken DD, but there's no way we can afford to spend that amount at the moment.

I think this is very unfair. They should say under 2s not taking up a seat are free. That way you have the choice whether to pay or have the baby on your knee. Most venues manage a policy like this so don't think it would be that difficult to police. I also agree that the children pay their age thing (which is a vg idea) should be available on a better range of events. I really think charging full price for all kids for most events is putting this completely out of the reach of ordinary families who are paying for the event through their taxes.

PointsMakessPrizes - look on the Olympic website at the scedule of events where you can quite clearly see the sessions you can book for exactly how long that session lasts and what will take place during that session.