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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be outraged on friends behalf re not being able to buy Olympic tickets

134 replies

Shinyshoes1 · 28/07/2012 18:01

Ok outraged is a bit ott but...
My friend from school has just posted on her FB status that she tried to by tickets at the Olympic park for the men's gymnastics as there were loads of empty seats and was til 'no' Hmm
She tried to buy them online outside the park but because her email had already been registered she couldn't buy them that way either.
So far from what I've seen on telly , there have been plenty of empty seats on both the gymnastics and the swimming events .
Surely if she wants to buy them and there are seats left she should be able to

OP posts:
MrsLocog · 28/07/2012 21:29

YANBU, it's very annoying. However, I really don't get the obsession with seeing stuff live - it's FAB on TV and when you get bored of an event you can switch over and get your head around a new sport!

eosmum · 28/07/2012 22:13

There really isn't anything like actually being there. The atmosphere and being with other fans is brilliant.

Kewcumber · 28/07/2012 22:17

we had corporate tickets for the rugby world cup in South africa years ago - you get a block of tickets and our big clients only really wanted to go to the big matches. So we gave all other tickets to local staff - no empty seats in our bit of the stand!

I don't understand why sponsors don't do that

MrsLocog · 28/07/2012 22:18

Yes I suppose so, I think it's different for me as I'm not in to one particular sport and have a low boredom threshold - the BBC red button was created for me!

OlympicAccreditationWearer · 28/07/2012 22:19

This isn't new. We tried to buy tickets in Athens (2004) after seeing many many empty seats at an event we were desperate to attend whilst there. It was sold out, the empty seats were sponsors' ones.

IMHO, the off-shift Olympic volunteers should be contacted and offered the seats, once the paying ticket holders have been moved into the better seats. And local kids, youth groups, etc.

ExitPursuedByABronzeBear · 28/07/2012 23:23

Loads of empty seats at the Eventing Dressage today too. It looks as if no one is interested. (Then again, maybe they are not).

Bossybritches22 · 29/07/2012 00:21

I can understand the tickets being saved for corporate sponsors. But why the feck can they not let the public buy a reduced price ticket at the last minute if they haven't turned up, on the understanding that of they are needed to they move seats?

Such a bloody waste.

carernotasaint · 29/07/2012 00:29

Seb coe is outraged and siad he will name and shame
How fucking ironic is that. And yet Atos is one of the sponsors and Coe doesnt feel outrage at what they are doing.

I really loathe this piece of shit.

sashh · 29/07/2012 07:25

they did say they were going to give unsold tickets to troops/children but I don't know if that happened.

I was at the vollyball yesterday. For healtha nd time reasons I couldn't stay for the second game in the afternoon so would have left an empty seat (well wheelchair space).

I did notice some of the soilders who were doing the security (very politely, nicely and apparently happily) had come in to fill some of the empty seats.

I would have happily handed my tickets over to someone for them to see the second game in the afternoon.

Piggychunk · 29/07/2012 07:29

I tried so hard to get tickets for any Gymnastic event for me and my daughter .. So pissed off that there were so many empty seats. Angry .

TheDoctrineOfEnnis · 29/07/2012 07:33

Piggy, if you are able to go at short notice, there are gymnastics tickets coming up on the London2012 site even now. Same old story of trying over and over to get them in your basket before someone else though!

WillowFae · 29/07/2012 08:10

One issue might be that there are two matches for a lot of events. If you are taking young children then two might be a bit much. DH took DS to the football on Thur but they arrived in time for the second match which was the GB one. We have volleyball tickets next weekend and are considering doing the same as the second match is a GB one.

For us, the whole point of getting tickets was so that the children could experience it. But two matches might be a bit long for them.

Greythorne · 29/07/2012 08:15

I have a friend who is a "games-maker", one of the unpaid volunteers who help run the whole thing. I think she is on a team which can be drafted in to do all sorts from giving directions, manning the info desk, emptying rubbish bins etc.

There is a huge team of games-makers and they have all been told in no u certain terms that they will not be given access to the events as a perk. They are not expecting this as recompense, it really is volunteer work.

But given the empty seats, surely these people who are pre-vetted and have volunteered could be given the opportunity to fill empty seats when they are not volunteering?

herecomesthsun · 29/07/2012 08:20

We have a boisterous Ds just turned 4. We didn't apply for tickets as we weren't sure how he would cope with this sort of thing, sitting still in his seat, being quiet etc. At the same time, it would have been lovely to have gone to some part of the games.

I noticed that there are some tickets still available for trampoline gymnastics. I said to DH, "oh DS might be interested in that" DH said, "Yes, but he would want to join in..."

sparklechops · 29/07/2012 08:27

I really think the website is to blame as well - it's so confusing. I registered back in April 2011 to get tickets and have been trying in vain ever since. I thought I'd got tickets for beach volleyball yesterday but then at the last minute it says there are no seats available (I was only trying to get two). I should have learnt from past experience - that you think you've got them but then it tells you at the last minute there aren't any. It's really annoying when you live within half an hour of the stadium and have supported the whole run up to the Olympics - and then can't get to go and see the bleeding thing!

DontEatTheVolesKids · 29/07/2012 08:54

we originally (16 months ago) applied for Judo qualifiers held this morning, didn't get of course. I am salivating at the prospect of seeing how many empty seats there are for that. Angry

LOCOG will achieve nothing with the so-called "investigation". What are they going to do, go take tickets off of people? Phone up & ask if they are really going to go or not?

It's funny, because the solution is obvious. Don't give away the corporate-sponsor or media tickets in rows, but give them away in very scattered groups of 1-4 all around the stadium. They'll still have as many no-shows, but it won't be so obvious for all the world to see.

VenusStarr · 29/07/2012 09:29

This doesn't solve your friends problem OP but why don't the venue organisers bring the people in the 'cheap' seats, who bothered to turn up, down to the empty seats? Then we wouldn't notice as much that the venues aren't full.

It's difficult as technically the seats have already been sold so people may turn up but it's not on that lots of people are missing out who would have loved to attend.

JT2cv · 29/07/2012 09:46

I tried to get olympic tickets after I got an email to say some were still available. I opted for the paralympics tickets instead. Last day of althletics in the stadium with gold medals being awarded for sprinting, javelin and shot put I think. £5 for a child, £20 for an adult. Result - will see good athletics with amazing people competing, will experience the pomp and ceremony, the stadium etc for a fraction of the cost ( i think!). I think seeing paralympic athletes will also be a real education for my son on what you can do if you put your mind to it!

mountaingirl · 29/07/2012 09:46

I think it is disgraceful to have so many empty seats in all the venues when so many people have tried for so long to see the games. Ticket sales have been a fiasco.
We went to see the winter Olympic semi finals of the mens ice hockey in Turin, we logged onto the site, bought the tickets there and then and received them in the post a few weeks later. The ice rink was packed full of enthusiastic supporters for both matches. It is awful that dedicated fans are unable to see their beloved sports live.
If seats are empty during Olympic events after an hour those that have already paid in the cheaper seats should be allowed to fill them and others waiting to see should be allowed to occupy their vacant seats. Bit chaotic but would add to the ambiance!

Gooseysgirl · 29/07/2012 10:05

At Wimbledon, when someone leaves before the end of play they must hand in their ticket on the way out, then the ticket is resold (for £5 last time I was there) with the proceeds going to charity. Perhaps the organisers could get their act together and arrange something similar for unused corporate tickets? For those still trying to get tickets, don't give up!! I spent an afternoon last week trying for athletics tickets and eventually (after much screeching at the site and pressing 'request tickets' about a zillion times) got two for myself and DH for Wed 8th for £95 each. They are releasing extra tickets every day at the moment so it's worth persevering!

happyAvocado · 29/07/2012 10:34

I went to volleyball in Earls Court. There were a lot of empty seats - and in big groups. SOme of seats were not the most expensive, but second from the botton - I guess £30/seat (cheapest were those I bought at £20 each).

Atmosphere was great shame for those missed opportunities. Surely - they know who they've given tickets to as each was scanned, so it would have been known I bought it. They just don't want to admit who cocked up.

I would gladly go to more events and with the knowledge that I can't because of lack of internal controls - I am Angry

PuffPants · 29/07/2012 10:39

I don't think they would want to deal with huge queues of people vying for stand-by seats every day - can you imagine the hassle? And the drama when the queue is told there are no more?

I don't see how you can name and shame a sponsor - the sponsors are funding your event. Seb Coe is indebted to them really, not the other way round.

That said, I hate seeing empty seats - demoralising for competitors, surely? How hard is it for sponsors to just give the tickets away?

DH says it's a weekend problem and that it won't happen on weekdays. That it's harder to wine and dine clients on weekends whereas nobody objects to being taken to quaff champagne and watch random sports on a Wednesday when they should be in the office.

Nancy66 · 29/07/2012 10:41

a ton of tickets were released last night - seem to have all gone now. But swimming, diving, BMX, basketball and limited athletics became available.

MrsApplepants · 29/07/2012 10:56

I logged on hopefully last night, there were tickets available for a number of events but all seemed to be priced at £400+ so too expensive for us Sad

Dreamgirl1111 · 29/07/2012 11:42

I am desperately trying to buy £10 tickets to see the Olympic park and watch the sports on the giant screens. These tickets are not available too. There are tickets for the Orbit, but you need to enter the Park first. Does anyone have an idea?