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Coe: Give tickets to sports clubs first
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent10 Dec 2008
MEMBERS of sports clubs may get priority on tickets for the Olympics under a plan being devised by 2012 chiefs.
The planned scheme by the organising committee, Locog, is intended to boost sports participation and ensure the tickets reach real fans.
Locog chairman Sebastian Coe said this would send a "serious message" that to go to the Olympics it may be necessary to join a sports club.
Community sports clubs have a key role in helping the Government reach its target of getting two million more Britons adopting active lifestyles by 2012.
"If you look at the participation commitments [London has made to the International Olympic Committee], it is clearly important these tickets go to the right people," Lord Coe said after a meeting of the culture, media and sport select committee.
"That means making sure they get to supporters' clubs is very important to our ticketing strategy and is part of what we are looking at."
He said organisers were examining the way tickets for Wimbledon and England rugby internationals were distributed through tennis and rugby clubs across the country.
The move would have the additional effect of helping ensure a knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowd at London's Olympic events, following criticism that some crowds in Beijing were sparse and detracted from the atmosphere in the stadium and on television.
Locog chief executive, Paul Deighton, said that making sure tickets got into the right hands would also help guard against touting.
Although it is illegal to resell Olympics tickets for profit, it has posed a problem at previous Games.
Mr Deighton was unable to confirm that a bid commitment on ticket prices would still be met. He rowed back on a promise made three years ago that half of all tickets for events would cost £20 or less.
Under questioning by Conservative MP Nigel Evans, he said the removal of softball and baseball from the Olympics meant 700,000 fewer cheap tickets, and that more cash must be generated by those remaining.
Reader views (39)
If it were possible for Londoners to get jobs building the Olympics - which it isn't because the site is full of foreign labour, then there might be more people willing to think about forking out for tickets. As things are, we'll all be watching from the dole queue.
- East Ender, London, 13/03/2009 12:17
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Give tickets to sports clubs first – fair enough if they pay for the games.
Londoners and others are paying for the games to take place and then have to pay again if they want to actually see them.
As with everything else, the Political Elite have forgotten whose money they are throwing around, and it is not theirs.
- Ian, Reading, England, 11/03/2009 13:02
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How about giving tickets to people who pay for it on top of their council tax.
It is truly scandalous that Londoners should cough up to top up the Olympic kitty.
- Mario Kempe, london, 10/03/2009 17:16
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My family will not be able to afford to see this ego boosting fiasco on top of our taxes paying for it. Why should we pay three times? Once in taxes, once in joining sports clubs, and now at the gates? I expect we will have to pay a4 th time with our TV licence fee, or if advertising. Scrab these games and send Seb Coe out in the wilderness.
- Jane, Cambs, 28/02/2009 16:20
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I can't afford to go to london now in 2009 - even if I could, the last decent train back is 6p.m. - there is no chance whatsoever that I could afford to get a train, afford some sort of accommodation and pay for transport and tickets when I get into London in 2012 and believe me, there will not be many people north of the Watford Gap who can. So Seb, take your tickets and use them for Rent a Mob -
- Pam, North Wales, 20/02/2009 16:59
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Hmmm, is he trying to keep the great unwashed out?
The olympics.
Elitest, overrated tripe.
- Steve, Gloucestershire, 19/02/2009 11:55
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Suspect a lot of armchair sports enthusiasts like me will be rushing to join up.
I can't believe the selfish attitude of the above comments, by the way.
- Tezza, Norfolk UK, 04/02/2009 09:49
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Let all sports clubs pay for it all then, ZEB?.
- John.L., Scarborough N.Yks U.K., 01/02/2009 22:07
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Scrap them all together now before its to late.France must be laughing having 'lost' the race to host them. Bankrupt Britain and still the tax payers money is spent like water
- Mike Kelly, London England, 29/01/2009 15:32
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The tax payer pays for those who wish to gain glory - for their own selfish ends.
Money from the lottery is diverted from e.g. the arts to these people - who no doubt will be rewarded with honours in preference to those who have made a substantial contribution to society!!
- Cjgood, London UK, 05/01/2009 14:25
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Us who will be left with paying the bill after it is all over should get first choice, we are the right people.
- Tom, Belvedere, 30/12/2008 19:36
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Tax Payers ought to get preference. Tax payers ought to have a say in policy. What percentage of the tickets for big events in the main Olympic Arena will be earmarked for ordinary people? Let Labour bigwigs stand in line for tickets like the rest of us.
- Bill Moriarty, Ilford, Essex, 28/12/2008 04:00
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The Olympics is for EVERYONE,so giving sports clubs some kind of preference is against EU laws,and also the International Olympic Committee rules. China tried to do this and it was ruled unconstitutional.If the London Olympic Committee try to enforce this then I can assure them that there will be law suits coming in all directions.I strongly suggest that the LOC think twice before jumping into the fire.Yes,sports clubs are essential for the communities,but not at the expense of having dominance over the everyday person,and being told a person has to join such an organizastion is arogant in itself.The system of selling these tickets should be carried as the Chinese done,in stages with certain venues going on sale
- Arthur, LONDON, 23/12/2008 15:33
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I'm really looking foward to the Olympics but that excitement will wane if I can't get a ticket to an international event on my doorstep that I have paid for (as opposed to Rugby which I would love to see but as I don't pay for the running of the events I appreciate that don't have any entitlement to tickets). Coe et al have gone on about how great the Olympics are for Londoners yet want to give tickets to athletes - how is that going to inspire anyone to take up sport (one of the purposes of applying for the Olympics in the first place)? It also annoys me that the bigwigs and other sponsors (it should be remembered that London council taxpayers are sponsors in all but name) will get a huge allocation of tickets yet London residents will have to fight (and pay over the odds) to get tickets to any of the popular sports/ceremonies.
- Andy, London, 19/12/2008 12:33
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Major sporting events have little to do with the general public these days. It is all about corporate hospitality, squeezing the flesh and TV & advertising revenue. Witness the grid walks at an F1 race. No real fans ever get near but if you are a minor celeb or B lister you are there with Bern! Half of them do not even seem to realise it is a motor race. I respected Coe in the days he ran against Ovett - now he is a bore raking in the money. All the averagr Londoner will know about is the delays as they try to rebuild numerous stations at the same time to be ready for 2012. Coe and his cronies could not manage the proverbial in a brewery!
- Michael, London, 16/12/2008 14:26
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Simon, we would all love tickets for the olympics but will we get any for the opening ceremony or the finals?. I doubt it. After the MPs, IOC sponsors and families and sports clubs have their lot, we'll have a handful to fight over. But we will be encouraged to sit by the roadside to watch the freebies like cycling and the marathon for tv atmosphere. Coe thinks its his olympics. Remember whose paying for them. We are all entitled to see events as much as the sponsors and more so than Mps and cronies whi will turn up for the freebies and the bragging rights.
- Ian Smith, hull, 16/12/2008 10:29
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I tell you now, in 2012 you all will be clamouring for tickets. It will be the greatest show on Earth! Coe is a giving us something to lift the current gloom. The amount of moaning on this discussion and on the ES site makes me ashamed to be a Londoner. We used to lead the world in optimism and welcome the world to our once great city. Now all we do is moan about anything and everything. Samuel Pepys would be turning in his grave! The good thing is the slient majority I feel are really looking forward to the Games. If you don't want to be here when the games is on go away for the two weeks. I bet you one thing, when you get back you will be gutted as everyone will be talking about it and nothing else!
I was in Sydney for the 2000 games and those Aussies moaned about how it was waste of money and they didn't want it. Then the games started and they didn't look back. The games were a sell out the same as it will be here. It relaunched Sydney as a world class city...showing the world how good it was!
Go Coe et al, bring us the best games ever, give us something to brighten the city, revamp the eastend, give dreams to our children and let us take on the world!
- Simon, Wood Green, 15/12/2008 11:32
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This Olympics is fast becoming a closed shop. Firstly the cronies from Parliament and London council will get tickets for the party. Then the IOC, then the participents families and now sports clubs. Like Wimbledon i pressume?. Those of us who love sport, who dreamed long ago of a London Olympics won't get a look in/ Opening ceremony tickets will be out of the question. This is a disgrace and i am becoming more and more disillusioned about sport with this Olympics than anything else, even more so than the pantomime in Antigua with the cricket millions this autumn.
- Ian Smith, hull, 14/12/2008 22:14
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Give it a rest Coe, we know most of the best seats will be sold off for premium prices to businesses and the wealthy - just like Sydney. The money for your inflated salary has to come from somewhere. But maybe you'll be able to keep it quiet as LOCOG is conveniently immune from the Freedom of Information Act.
Of course the rubbish will be palmed off to sports clubs from the back of beyond and mug punters who still haven't realised what an evil scam it all is.
- Chas, Hackney, London, 13/12/2008 22:58
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It would have been refreshing and a eye opener if the people had a referendum on the games.The outcome would have been a definate
No and then the money could have been spent on things that would benifit us all.
- Barbus, Liverpool, 12/12/2008 17:07
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Wow you're a really negative bunch. I'm not happy about how we got the games or the way they've been managed, but it's a fait acomplis now so let's enjoy it. I also agree with the idea of tickets going to people who are really interested in seeing the events. It's a good way to get people interested in events long-term. Works vrey well with Rugby.
- Mark, London, 12/12/2008 13:45
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These people are in a world of their own, they seem to think that the Olympics are the most important thing in our lives when the truth is that the majority of the population really don't care about them.
But, it's a great way to make a good income for very little work for the insiders like Coe.
- John W, billericay essex, 12/12/2008 13:12
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London council tax payer should have free tickets, WE PAID FOR IT
- P I Staker, London, 12/12/2008 12:59
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I don't know anyone who is is interested in going to East London to see this load of balloney.
It's a pain to get to and there's a good chance you'll be robbed or have a bag snatched en route.
Coe is so pathetic it hurts.Even he can't see what a total
div and laughing stock he has become.Worst,no one has the heart to tell him.
- Chris, bushey, 12/12/2008 10:47
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This country cannot afford to host the Games. It is outrageous to expect tax payers to fund such an event which is, after all, simply to boost the egos (and salaries) of Coe and his team. The ordinary man in the street will be unable to afford to buy tickets for any of the events. The Olympic Games should be cancelled.
- R.F.York, York, England, 12/12/2008 09:44
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Why not give Coe and his mates a ticket. One way only, to anywhere they like. Even if it's to the moon, it will still be cheaper than keeping this smug little twerp and his useless crew on the country's payroll.
- L.Taubler, London / UK, 12/12/2008 01:37
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Death is a better fate than an olympic ticket.
- Richard Warwick, Croydon, 12/12/2008 01:15
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I agree with Bob as a London Council tax payer we should receive at least one free ticket for the games.
- Edwin Sheppard, Pinner UK, 11/12/2008 22:32
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The UK is bankrupt. Sack Coe and his colleagues and stop the work on the 2012 London based Olympics. Nobody continues with a major (unnecessary)project when you are bankrupt.
- Raymond, London, 11/12/2008 14:53
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Sack Coe & Co. and I'll feel better. Parasites.
- Frederick, London UK, 11/12/2008 12:55
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As Londoners have been forking out for this since before we won the games and will carry on until well after the games (about 20 years by current estimates), I think we should be entitled to a ticket each, after all, we'll have paid for about 10 of them by the end of it all.
- Bob, Cheam, 11/12/2008 11:56
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Londoners and the general tax payer are expected to pay for this junket, but only atheletes get tickets. No wonder the population at large have a jaundiced view of the whole process. As long as Coe et al get their "fat cat" pay packets, what do they care?
- Beat, London, 11/12/2008 11:51
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As a completely dis-interested (but forced to contribute) citizen, I think that Seb Coe should force the abandonment of this 2012 fiasco.
If it ever gets off the ground, then it'll be like China, with people being bussed in and forced to watch.
(This could be a condition of receiving their Benefits!)
- Cap, London, 11/12/2008 10:22
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Does Coe seriously think that tickets will be in demand? They're more likely to need bouncers outside the stands throwing people in. Sports club members are probably the only people who will be motivated enough to buy tickets voluntarily, so he's proposing to favour the one group that won't need encouragement!
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london, 10/12/2008 23:35
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I would have thought a ticketing strategy was the last of Coe's worries. Just shows where his head is - and our money.
- Emily, London, 10/12/2008 15:53
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This is unfair and is positive discrimination.
As the tax payer is forking out for these games we should all have a equal chance of getting a ticket, it is not a junket for all
sports clubs and atheletes
- Barbus, Liverpool, 10/12/2008 15:11
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Quite right Andy. I would have paid enough to merit seeing this fiasco unfold first hand without queuing behind some ping-pong playing herbert who's on the dole.
- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK, 10/12/2008 13:38
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In the end they will have to go door to door begging people to accept free tickets. "No junk mail - no Olympic tickets"
- Jilly, London, 10/12/2008 13:13
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As all Londoners have contributed to the cost of the Olympics through Council Tax supplements surely we should be entitled to the tickets (other sponsors get an allocation of tickets)
- Andy, London, 10/12/2008 11:01
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