2012 Olympics - what to buy?
For those in London or likely to be in London in 2012, I have had a look through the timetable for the Olympics and as usual there is more that I want to go to than I have the financial resources to fund. Points to bear in mind:
1) All prices listed below are for the second most expensive price band available, unless specifically mentioned otherwise
2) All prices mentioned are per ticket
I am potentially interested in going into the ballot for the following events:
Basketball: £65 for daytime mens’ preliminary sessions (lasting four hours), £75 for evening mens’ preliminary sessions. The preliminary session covers two games, so you have four chances of seeing a top team. Womens’ are £50 for daytime preliminary sessions.
Not that WNBA players aren’t a) freakishly talented, and b) hot, but I reckon the gender differential is worth £15.
Quarterfinals jump to £85 for two mens’ games, so I reckon daytime mens’ preliminaries are the way forward. But quarterfinals does mean you will see four of the top eight teams (ie no minnows), so this is a really close choice.
Gymnastics: £95 for qualifying rounds (two hours), or the third most expensive tickets for qualifying rounds are £65. One gender per session.
Finals are £295, or £185 for third most expensive tickets.
Is anyone interested in chaperoning Marie to a mens’ qualifying round?
Maybe some of either:
a) Handball: £40 for preliminary sessions (three hours). Covers two games. £50 to see one quarterfinal, or
b) Volleyball: £55 for preliminary sessions (three hours). Covers two games. £65 to see two quarterfinals.
Weightlifting: £45 for preliminary sessions (four hours). Covers one lighter mens’ and one lighter womens’ weight class.
Or, if you just want to see one monster class (ie men weighing >105 kg) that is £45 for a two hour preliminary session.
£95 for one weight class final.
Opening and closing ceremonies: the lowest priced tickets for both are £20.12 – the next cheapest tickets are £150, and the most expensive ticket is £2,012 and £1,500 for the opening and closing ceremonies respectively.
The £20 tickets will get way over subscribed, but I think it is worth entering the ballot. There is a limit of four tickets per ceremony per application.
Ruled out on cost, at this point in time
Athletics: £95 for qualifying session (around three hours), £295 for cheaper medal sessions. Medal session for 100m mens’ final is £420 for second most expensive tickets, £725 for top tickets.
Beach volleyball: £65 for preliminaries lasting four hours – two mens’ + two womens’ matches. Yes I am a lech, but the view will be better on my TV.
Boxing: £75 for early sessions – 2.5 hours, however many fights that covers. Just a touch too expensive to be considered.
Track Cycling: £95 for qualifying sessions (only 90 minutes!), and £225 for medal sessions.
Diving: £95 for qualifying (only an hour!), £125 and up for medal sessions.
If the qualifying rounds for either of these were just a bit longer I might be interested, but a price north of a quid a minute is a bit steep.
Swimming: £95 for qualifying sessions (three hours), £295 for medal sessions.
One thing to be aware of here is that if you apply for four tickets to each of two events and are successful in the ballot, you have to purchase all eight tickets you applied for. You can sell the tickets back to the organisers a few months down the track, but an application for tickets is treated as a binding contract.
