The chairman of the Games Organizing Committee defended, on Wednesday, the model set up for the sale of tickets, explaining that the prices offered were online with those of major sporting events and that half of the tickets were at Less than 50 euros.
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“These are the prices of major events. We are not more expensive than the London Games, or that to attend the World Cup of Football or the World Rugby.” At the microphone of RTL, Wednesday morning , Tony Estanguet, the president of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJOP), sought to defend the ticketing model set up to attend the events of the sporting event in the summer of 2024, subject of strong criticism In recent days.
Since the official opening of the first phase of the ticket office on Wednesday, February 15, many people have made part of their dissatisfaction on social networks. They are annoyed by a ticket allocation system (3 million are sold), which means that seven disciplines (out of 31) are already inaccessible. And, above all, they are indignant at the prices to be paid, denouncing in passing the slogan of “popular games” put forward by the organizers.
“In a week, let’s go very strong. In a few days, people rushed in the places. There are tens of thousands of people who are delighted,” said Tony Estanguet, explaining that Of the 3 million people who had registered in the drawing process, “a few hundred thousand” have already been warned that they could purchase tickets (the sales process is open until 15 March). “Inevitably there is frustration, as we know. Of the 3 million people registered on this first wave, we will not be able to serve everyone.”
#Paris2024: “We wanted an accessible ticket office, we have a million tickets at 24 euros!”. @Tonyestanguet… https://t.co/nblx5qne76
About the prices offered, “one million tickets are sold at 24 euros, and 50 % are places [5 million tickets] at very accessible prices, less than 50 euros”, wanted to recall the President of COJOP. “Currently, there are places at 24 euros in sail, golf, rugby, football. But maybe tomorrow there will be any more. Of about fifteen disciplines, there are places at affordable prices, Below 50 euros, “he added, while certifying that places at 24 euros concern” all sports “. 2> half of the 24 euros tickets bought by the State and communities
Small detail that Tony Estanguet omits to recall: On the million tickets at 24 euros, half is not directly accessible for the general public by the current sales process. This half was reserved for the State and the various local communities with the games of the Games for solidarity ticketing (young people under the age of 16, volunteers in sport, people with disabilities, etc.). A good part of the “popular” component of the Games is therefore funded by public money.
With regard to prices deemed too high (they reach several hundred euros), Tony Estanguet justified them, explaining that there are “half” of the tickets put on sale which “finances the organization of Games “and should make it possible to” balance the economic model “. Paris 2024 in this case, in this case, on 1.24 billion euros in income with the only ticket office (excluding “hospitalities”, the sale of tickets coupled with other services).
This represents a third of the total budget for the organization of games, that is to say as much as the contribution paid by the International Olympic Committee and the sponsorship agreements. In a report, published in January, the Court of Auditors considered this objective ambitious and issued reservations on the “certainty” to achieve it.
The current ticket sales phase is only a first step. Seven million tickets will be on sale by unit from May 11. A new draw process will be open beforehand, between March 15 and April 20.