Olympic torch arrives in Sussex tomorrow

[Herr Tubthumper]

Do any of the naysayers have any better suggestions of a way to bring a bit of the Olympics to so many people, all around the UK?

Yes. Don't localise the Olympics to a single city but have a host country. More people get to see the event and existing venues can be used instead of building new ones in a single location, reduction in costs can be passed on in ticket prices meaning more access to tickets (there are still some events which are unsold due to high tickets prices and cost of getting to venue) This will also relieve the undeniable strain and demand on a single city and lead to less racketeering by hotels etc making the event even more accessible.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Yes. Don't localise the Olympics to a single city but have a host country. More people get to see the event and existing venues can be used instead of building new ones in a single location, reduction in costs can be passed on in ticket prices meaning more access to tickets (there are still some events which are unsold due to high tickets prices and cost of getting to venue) This will also relieve the undeniable strain and demand on a single city and lead to less racketeering by hotels etc making the event even more accessible.

So basically scrap the whole idea of the Olympics and start again. It probably would reduce the strain, but the whole beauty of the Olympics is that you get a massive concentration of athletes and spectators within a city at the same time creating a special atmosphere. You'd lose all that if you spread it out too much.

As for tickets, accessiblity has been amazing. In fact many people would think that tickets have been too accessible leading to demand being far far far greater than supply. LOCOG could easily have priced the lowest value tickets at £30 or more and still sold out. £20 to see world class sport is a bargain (less than what it cost to go to the withdean). Outside football there will be very few tickets left unsold and even in football they'll sell more for the Olympic football than they did for Euro 96.
The tickets even include a free travel card and the ability to book cheap train tickets.

Even the hotel price racket thing has been overstated. I just did an expedia search for rooms in London on the 31st July and there were plenty of 2/3 star rooms available for around £80. Probably less than you'd pay in Brighton.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Even the hotel price racket thing has been overstated. I just did an expedia search for rooms in London on the 31st July and there were plenty of 2/3 star rooms available for around £80. Probably less than you'd pay in Brighton.

I have booked 3 hotels for work during the Olympics in August and the price has clearly gone up in the centre of London and also out at Heathrow compared to other times. As have flights. I'd be interested to know where this 2 star hotel is...and what sort of hotel it is.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As for tickets, accessiblity has been amazing. In fact many people would think that tickets have been too accessible leading to demand being far far far greater than supply. LOCOG could easily have priced the lowest value tickets at £30 or more and still sold out. £20 to see world class sport is a bargain (less than what it cost to go to the withdean). Outside football there will be very few tickets left unsold and even in football they'll sell more for the Olympic football than they did for Euro 96.
The tickets even include a free travel card and the ability to book cheap train tickets

There seems to be quite a lot of tickets and packages floating around and I also have read many lesser events and rounds have not sold out. My own evidence is that I am being bombarded with emails offering me packages and tickets. A significant proportion are quite pricey though. The original question was about touching more people; a slightly different pricing strategy (and an open and transparent strategy) will enable more people to get at the tickets. There is still time for the tournament to sell out, I hope it does bu there have already been calls to release the currently unsold tickets to sporting associations and schools.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So basically scrap the whole idea of the Olympics and start again. It probably would reduce the strain, but the whole beauty of the Olympics is that you get a massive concentration of athletes and spectators within a city at the same time creating a special atmosphere. You'd lose all that if you spread it out too much.

If you want to touch more people then spread the events out in my opinion. For the record I am not criticising the tournament itself. It's fine, in fact a lot more than fine, but the question was how can it touch more people.

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

I thought the Cricket ground was really good, kids enjoyed it Rizzle Kicks were good and the Lloyds gymnast/dancers were amazing. I also entered into the spirit by olympic relaying beer down my throat so all in all a good night.

So stop moaning you miserable twats!

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Yes. Don't localise the Olympics to a single city but have a host country. More people get to see the event and existing venues can be used instead of building new ones in a single location, reduction in costs can be passed on in ticket prices meaning more access to tickets (there are still some events which are unsold due to high tickets prices and cost of getting to venue) This will also relieve the undeniable strain and demand on a single city and lead to less racketeering by hotels etc making the event even more accessible.

Thats very similar to what Mark Perryman wrote in The Observer on Sunday. Almost word for word in fact.

Anyway the stick thing comes past Tubby Towers today and my road has never been so clean! So Im all for it on that basis alone.

 

[Simster]

I have booked 3 hotels for work during the Olympics in August and the price has clearly gone up in the centre of London and also out at Heathrow compared to other times. As have flights. I'd be interested to know where this 2 star hotel is...and what sort of hotel it is.

[MENTION=661]Hatterlovesbrighton[/MENTION] is spot on though, whilst the hotels did put their prices up, they have all been left with empty rooms. According to many of the cabbies you speak to in the city, it is unbelievably dead at the moment, and nobody at all seems to be staying south of the river.

Mind you, it doesn't mean there wasn't racketeering going on - it's simply the case that no-one is staying in London in these economic times.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thats very similar to what Mark Perryman wrote in The Observer on Sunday. Almost word for word in fact.

Indeed, where on earth do you think Guardian reader's/lefties views and opinions come from?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

[MENTION=661]Hatterlovesbrighton[/MENTION] is spot on though, whilst the hotels did put their prices up, they have all been left with empty rooms. According to many of the cabbies you speak to in the city, it is unbelievably dead at the moment, and nobody at all seems to be staying south of the river.

Mind you, it doesn't mean there wasn't racketeering going on - it's simply the case that no-one is staying in London in these economic times.

My experience differs though. I was quite surprised how different in price flights are to be honest. Hotels seem more but flights are a lot more.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but well done for cheering Samsung execs/journalists...

Identified: mystery German torchbearers in Bognor and elsewhere | Help Me Investigate the Olympics

Well I watched it down the road this morning and thought it was great, love the fact I have been watching it for weeks and know its been to far off places that I have been or worked. As for cheering executives, I hope they had a good time and enjoyed our great Sussex hospitality. I have been working with Lloyds TSB and they had spaces when it past head offices, so they had a ballot and workers got to experience traveling with the torch procession and it was brought into the main foyer of the office for everyone to see.

Its very hard to detach yourself from the corporate world and I like to think of myself as someone who is 'independent' but hey, I do work for the main bank sponsoring the event, I have an account with another that sponsors our football stadium, I have a new Samsung HD TV to watch the olympics on. So unless you do a good life or go and live up a tree and store and eat nuts its very hard to detach yourself from corporations (having lived and worked with organic foods when I was young I see the difficulties). Especilaly with sport as its seen as such a good way to get into markets like BHAFC for example, If Amex sponsoship pays Vicentes wages well that may challenge my beliefs...

So I am interested in your post to know what point you are making, I assume you either feel 1. No olympics on cost or fact it is no longer amateur 2. Olympics but corporate sponserhip to be toned down and more funding from public purse 3. Olympics good and great parts are funded by private money but the bosses should not be allowed perks like this even they should give it the common worker. 4. An other...

I would personally like it government funded/ pay tax towards it and more public access to tickets, just brand it all olympics so it is everyones.

We spent 4 days in the velodrome in February for the world championships, £25 a day, roof came off with the noise as everyone inside was a cycling fanatic. We have one evening session for the olympics that cost £95 for 2-3 hours. The atmosphere will be more muted due to corporate tickets and Laura Trott who could be one of our biggest stars of the olympics (may get 2 Gold medals) lives 15 miles from the venue, will only get 2 tickets. If you took away the corporate side she would still only get 2 tickets because demand for these events are so high.

All I can say is we will have a fantastic cycling venue because of this whole process for years to come and I hope many of the kids out having fun and watching it today will end up training, enjoying and perhaps even winning more British medals because of it. I will enjoy it all and hope the corporate crap does not get in my face too much.

In fact it won't be long before we may be NCS sponsored by Samsung...

Coming your way: sponsored sticky threads

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

My experience differs though. I was quite surprised how different in price flights are to be honest. Hotels seem more but flights are a lot more.

Compared to when though? This time last year? or earlier in the year?

 

[crabface]

Torch has just been past my office, good to see so many people out and enjoying it especially considering the weather we have had recently. As someone mentioned previously, i was a little suprised by how corporate it was with all the sponorship but that is the type of world we now live in. Look at us we have a stadium sponsored by a huge firm.

 

[Jim D]

Yes. Don't localise the Olympics to a single city but have a host country. More people get to see the event and existing venues can be used instead of building new ones in a single location, reduction in costs can be passed on in ticket prices meaning more access to tickets (there are still some events which are unsold due to high tickets prices and cost of getting to venue) This will also relieve the undeniable strain and demand on a single city and lead to less racketeering by hotels etc making the event even more accessible.

The point of the original (Greek) olympics was to get all the various tribes together under a truce (as many were at war with at least one of the others) in a central location. I'm not a historian but I'd have a fair bet that the hoteliers and homeowners of Olympia made a fair bit of profit out of this arrangement (and there were lots of people complaining) - every 4 years for over 1000 years. Of course the stadium was probably already there after the first one and there weren't hundreds of different events to manage but seizing the opportunity to make money is as old as mankind.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Compared to when though? This time last year? or earlier in the year?

All times. It's a route I know very well.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Compared to when though? This time last year? or earlier in the year?

It's not something I feel strongly about though. I am just stating an observation.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Indeed, where on earth do you think Guardian reader's/lefties views and opinions come from?

Their own brains hopefully

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Thats very similar to what Mark Perryman wrote in The Observer on Sunday. Almost word for word in fact.

Anyway the stick thing comes past Tubby Towers today and my road has never been so clean! So Im all for it on that basis alone.

you still in Ashton rise then

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Wow those kids got a top view!

 

[vegster]

My girlfriend's sister's boyfriend bought a Samsung Galaxy last month....can I have a go with the torch too ?