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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not get why anybody would have a burning desire to go to the Olympics with their kids let alone pay for the privilege?

72 replies

MilaMae · 22/06/2011 11:14

Ok I'm not sporty but seriously sitting in a stadium with my 3 watching ants run round a track for 5 minutes(let alone an afternoon)would be pure torture. You couldn't pay me to do it let alone expect me to fight for tickets and part for ££££s.

Handball,bandminton,table tennis..... [yawn emoticon].... with 3 bored kids or even just with dp?????

Seriously who are these people desperate for tickets?Can anybody enlighten me as to what I am missing. I don't get it.

OP posts:

Pagwatch · 22/06/2011 11:17

If you don't get it then it is not your thing.
I go to rugby matches, athletics meets, cricket matches - love all of them.
Millions of people watch sport every week and this is arguably the worlds biggest sporting event.

Is it really a big leap to understand why it would be popular? Really?

ExitPursuedByAKitten · 22/06/2011 11:19

With you on this one. Although I suppose if I lived nearer to the venues I might have more interested. All that queueing, not being able to see much, battling to get to and from the venue. Far rather watch anything I might be interested in (equestrian stuff) from the comfort of my own armchair.

ExitPursuedByAKitten · 22/06/2011 11:21

But then I am a lazy bastard.

soggybottomflancase · 22/06/2011 11:22

I'm with you on this one, I don't understand why anyone would travel and pay to see these things when it's all free on the telly, you can pause the action to go to the toilet etc.
People will come on here saying it's the atmosphere and all that but I'm not arsed at all!
I don't like crowds and queues, I'd rather watch films at home than go to the cinema.
I will say with regards to the olympics, I don't like the way the tickets were allocated, it seems to me that genuine sports fans will have missed out, and that's not really fair.

iwanttoseethezoo · 22/06/2011 11:22

me too in lazy bastard territory. Would only want to see the gymnastics, and certainly not with my three bored children refusing to sit still. Torture. I will watch it on telly for free and send them out in the garden!

AmberLeaf · 22/06/2011 11:24

I agree, I'd rather watch at home if at all

KvetaBarry · 22/06/2011 11:27

meh, I feel the same way about most live music concerts - no idea why the excitement over seeing Take That live, for example.

The Olympics only come to the UK very rarely, I was in London on July 6th 2005, and was excited about them coming to London then - so was always going to try for tickets. I'm not especially interested in sport, but for a one off, special occasion like this - I want DS to be able to go, and when he's older, be able to say he was there. We've got tickets for 1 minor event, and it'll be fun :)

MrsBuntyLentilMuncher · 22/06/2011 11:28

I'm with you, I don't get it either. I can see why others might though. The only sport I really like watching is tennis. Not in a patriotic kind of way though -just like exciting tennis matches. Andy Murray makes me YAWN. I won't be sitting on 'Murray's Mound' anytime soon. He's nearly as dull to watch as Mr Charisma himself Tim Henman was, with his flat feet. Double yawn.

Original poster

MilaMae · 22/06/2011 11:28

Errr yes it is Pagwatch.

Sorry but most of it would be pure tedium just watching it on TV let alone sitting in a huge stadium with 3 dc who would be bored shatless and in need of the loo after 5 minutes.

It must be impossible to see anything what so ever and seriously do people care which country wins syncronised swimming,really?

OP posts:

JudysJudgement · 22/06/2011 11:29

i dont understand why anyone would spend real folding money to watch any sport, especially cricket, tennis or golf

Insomnia11 · 22/06/2011 11:30

We tried to get tickets for a morning session of the athletics, one of the swimming heats and one of the equestrian events, sadly we got nothing.

I chose things it would be easy to get to location wise, I thought they would enjoy and get something out of and sessions where they would not be tired. Also if they were bored we could always leave and do something else! they'll be 7 and 3 next year. I'd have loved being part of something like that even as a three year old and would probably remember it all my life. I still remember watching my dad play local cricket when I was 2 or 3.

Fimbo · 22/06/2011 11:32

I am not really that bothered, but dh is desperate. I would rather go on holiday, but no we will be at the pc at 6 on Friday, credit card in hand. (Didn't get tickets first time round and there is another chance from Friday onwards for about a week to try again, only for those who missed out first time).

He keeps twittering on and on about how it is a once in a lifetime experience and the children will never get to do anything like this again . We live close enough to London for a daytrip and could go and see events like the marathon for free. Or peer through the railings at Greenwich Park to watch equestrian events .

Insomnia11 · 22/06/2011 11:33

I don't understand people who are unable to grasp why others may enjoy playing/watching sport.

I don't like reading celebrity or women's magazines or lightweight novels but am able to grasp why others might enjoy them.

Blu · 22/06/2011 11:33

It isn't compulsory - just don't go!
You sound all grumpy and resentful about it - I'm not sure why.

Insomnia11 · 22/06/2011 11:34

That said I'm not applying for tickets in the next round as I'm thoroughly peed off by their system. Lord Coe can do 800 metres off a short pier AFAIC :o

Pagwatch · 22/06/2011 11:36

But I will be able to see, I have great tickets. And dd loves gymnastics as she does it. And I enjoy the excitement of competition when a crowd really know about a sport and get behind a team.

But why would you be baffled that other people enjoy something you don't. That is why I am a bit "really"

I can't stand soaps. They seem the most fucking pointless waste of time I can imagine. But I can accept that others like them.
Because we are all different.
I don't see why that is a leap.

Ragwort · 22/06/2011 11:38

I agree with Insomnia - there are lot's of things I personally don't enjoy - sport, celebrity gossip, music, tv, sex etc etc but I can fully appreciate how other people enjoy these things.

I am delighted that my DH has been allocated some tickets - he and DS are thrilled to bits .

Original poster

MilaMae · 22/06/2011 11:39

Not grumpy far from it as I said I'm not into sport so not a lot to be grumpy about.I'd be grumpy though if I'd payed ££££ because I felt I had to and after 2 minutes the dc said"can we go now".

I don't get the hysteria for tickets or it being a newsworthy item is all.

I also thought money was supposed to be tight,surely a lot of people are going to be taking on a debt for an afternoons entertainment/boredom-bonkers.

OP posts:

worraliberty · 22/06/2011 11:42

But why would you take your children anyway if they would be bored shitless? That doesn't make any sense at all.

I'm taking mine because they're really excited and looking forward to going (plus the stadium is only 10 mins away by train)

If you or your kids aren't into it...well you wouldn't understand.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 22/06/2011 11:42

Not my bag either but live music is 1000000 times different to recorded music.

There are lots of things I don't understand, so I let them pass me by :)

Pagwatch · 22/06/2011 11:44

My dcs won't be bored. I wouldn't have bought them tickets if they would be bored.

ZZZenAgain · 22/06/2011 11:45

I never had this burning desire. I quite like to watch the sprint finals on tv but I don't fancy sitting out there all day looking at things that are too far away for me to really see properly.

Original poster

MilaMae · 22/06/2011 11:48

And ZZZ no guarantee you'd be seeing what you actually wanted to see anyway for the price of a holiday.

OP posts:

Insomnia11 · 22/06/2011 11:49

I'd rather watch films at home than go to the cinema - unless the cinema has wasabi peas and wine at your seat - your seat being a big sofa with endless leg room (there are the odd ones like that). And there are no teenagers sniggering and throwing sweets.

I'd rather watch Glastonbury on the TV as well, certainly. Not into mud, sweat, tears and searing hangovers.

But a live sporting event is totally different. I was a junior member at Old Trafford and used to go to a lot of home games. Was brilliant, even though Utd's form was somewhat inconsistent back then (yes, it's that long ago). I also got a thorough education in insults and foul language. My friend and I used to come out crying with laughter at the creative swearing even if we lost :o

paisleyII · 22/06/2011 11:51

dh just told me he just got confirmed two tickets to see the diving event taking dd - tbh i would love to have gone actually, i love watching diving although he got the cheapest available tickets (£50 each, doesn't seem cheap to me) and probably won't be able to see anything although i ain't too keen on crowds and am not overjoyed at the thought of dd going there but will keep that to myself, i don't want to be a killjoy

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