The ticket office for the Olympic Games, which has been open for a week, has been a real success. But many elected officials, drawn at random to buy places, are dissatisfied in particular because of the remaining disciplines and the high prices.
A week after the opening of the first phase of ticket sales for “tailor-made packs” for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it is already a victim of its own success. “In one week, it went very strong. Within days, people rushed to the squares. Seven sports are already complete, which are rather new sports. We are delighted“rejoiced Tony Estanguet, the boss of the Organizing Committee of the Games, Wednesday, February 22, at the microphone of RTL.
>> To read: Paris 2024: we tested for you the purchase of a tailor-made pack for the Olympic Games
The number of disciplines with no more places for sale even rose to 13 in the morning: fencing, climbing, breaking, BMX freestyle and racing, skateboarding, horse riding, track and road cycling, judo, artistic swimming, triathlon and walking. . “All these sports will be available again during the next sales phase”we are reassured at Paris 2024. The fact remains that during this first sale, many are those who, pell-mell, regret the excessively high prices, the limited choices and a restrictive system of three packs.
A quickly limited choice
“I looked primarily at the Olympic sports par excellence that interested me, there was nothing“, testifies Thierry who was drawn on February 18, three days after the start of the sale, and who had a 48-hour slot to make his choices. “I turned to disciplines I never thought I would go to, like weightlifting”explains the one who dreamed of attending artistic swimming or fencing with his two daughters.
But the prices being too high for him, this Breton preferred to give up, “disgusted and disgusted“by the amount of his basket, which exceeded €600 for just one discipline. Especially since with the system in place, he would have had to buy packs in two other sports. He is not the only one to have given up. Drawn to sport on February 21, Louis dreamed of attending this long-awaited event in France. He had long checked judo, fencing and athletics, but “for lack of places or means, I did not take any ticket“.
“We got away with it for 2500 euros minimum”
An observation shared by Marilou, who was targeting swimming, judo, gymnastics and athletics: “Like everyone else, we were quickly disillusioned with the prizes. I didn’t think that after only five days, there would only be places left in categories A and B. We wanted to participate without putting a thousand and one cents. In the end we took nothing, otherwise we got away with it for a minimum of 2,500 euros”, plague this Norman who counted on the promise of “JO (which) were to be popular and open to all“as announced by Tony Estanguet.
“You can’t even access your own Olympics in France, because there are very few tickets at low prices. These are elitist Paris Olympics.”
Thierry, drawnat franceinfo: sports
Absolute fan of athletics and gymnastics, Charlotte “was rather disappointed” when she accessed the ticket office: “In the sports you want, the prices are crazy”, she regrets. Mother of two children, she still bought tickets by moving towards more affordable sessions such as badminton, water polo and archery. At Paris 2024, we recognize that “logically, and according to the principle of drawing lots, the most accessible tickets went first”.
Despite the frustration expressed on social networks, thehe boss of the Organizing Committee for the Games wants to remain positive, recalling “that one million tickets are sold at 24 euros, and 50% are seats at less than 50 euros. IThere are still places at 24 euros in all sports: sailing, golf, rugby, football… But maybe tomorrow there won’t be any left. On about fifteen disciplines, there are still places at affordable prices, below 50 euros”.
Another phase of sales from May 11
But not everyone has had a bad experience on the ticketing site. Pierre-Henri, drawn on February 20, declares that he is not “in the line of the discontented“. This Nantes “globally satisfied“because he is going to participate” in a childhood dream” nevertheless had to take football as a last resort on his third pack. “There is a little disappointing side but it is still a real satisfaction to be able to be one of the lucky ones”, he nuances. In total, he had to break the bank by spending 1,400 euros for 24 tickets.
This first session will end on March 15, or even earlier if all the tickets find takers. Seven million tickets will be available during the next phase, that of the sale of single tickets. Registrations will open on March 15 and close on April 20, with purchases beginning on May 11.”with affordable prices“, specifies Tony Estanguet. There will then be added to the places for all the sports, those for the ceremonies, as well as for the final phases of the most courted events. Finally, for all, a single resale site will be available at the end of Managed by Paris 2024, it will make it possible to buy tickets at the purchase price.The last opportunity to find the precious sesames of your dreams.