Sochi having trouble selling Olympics tickets

[FaxModem1]

NPR

LONDON (AP) — What if they held an Olympics and nobody came?

The situation isn't that bleak, of course, for the Sochi Games. Yet, with less than three weeks to go until the opening ceremony, hundreds of thousands of tickets remain unsold, raising the prospect of empty seats and a lack of atmosphere at Russia's first Winter Olympics.

There are signs that many foreign fans are staying away, turned off by terrorist threats, expensive flights and hotels, long travel distances, a shortage of tourist attractions in the area, and the hassle of obtaining visas and spectator passes.

"Some people are scared it costs too much and other people are scared because of security," senior International Olympic Committee member Gerhard Heiberg of Norway told The Associated Press. "From my country, I know that several people and companies are not going for these two reasons. Of course, there will be Norwegians there but not as many as we are used to."

Sochi organizers announced last week that 70 percent of tickets have been sold for the games, which run from Feb. 7-23 and represent a symbol of pride and prestige for Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

So what about the remaining 30 percent?

"We are keeping a special quota for those who come for the games, so that they can indeed buy tickets for the competitions," organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said.

Chernyshenko said about 213,000 spectators are expected at the games, with about 75 percent likely to be Russians.

"Tickets are being snapped up fast with the most popular events being hockey, biathlon, figure skating, freestyle and snowboard," the organizing committee said in a statement to the AP. "With 70 percent of tickets already sold and another ticketing office opening shortly, we are expecting strong last-minute ticket sales and do not envisage having empty seats."

Sochi officials have refused to divulge how many tickets in total were put up for sale, saying the figure would only be released after the games.

However, according to IOC marketing documents seen by the AP, Sochi had a total of 1.1 million tickets on offer. That would mean about 300,000 tickets remained available.

By comparison, 1.54 million tickets were available for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and 97 percent (1.49 million) were sold. For the 2012 Summer Games in London, organizers sold 97 percent (8.2 million) of their 8.5 million tickets.

Heiberg, who chairs the IOC marketing commission, said the Russians have cut down by 50 percent on the number of spectators originally planned for the mountain events for security reasons.

"That means there will be less people and probably less enthusiasm than we had, for instance, in Lillehammer," he said. "I hope the Russians will fill not only their indoor stadiums but there will be enough people in the stadiums for the Nordic events."

Heiberg organized the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, which stood out for the colorful atmosphere generated by passionate Norwegian fans.

Sochi's ticket sales began in February 2013, a year before the games. Tickets have been sold on Sochi's official website on a first-come, first-served basis. Box offices are now open in Moscow and Sochi.

The cheapest tickets go for 500 rubles ($15), the most expensive for 40,000 rubles ($1,200). More than half of all tickets cost less than 5,000 rubles ($150). The average monthly salary in Russia is 30,000 rubles ($890).

The one and only authorized ticket office in Sochi was busy on a recent afternoon, with three dozen people lining up at what once was a waiting room at the city's railway station. Many, however, complained that all the cheap tickets were already gone.

"Prices leave much to be desired, but what can you can do?" said Sochi resident Yana Ivolovskaya, who bought two tickets for bobsled for 2,000 rubles ($60). "We're not going to get another Olympics in Sochi so I thought I should go."

Fans outside Russia buy tickets from authorized dealers appointed by their national Olympic committees.

Attracting foreign visitors has been a challenge amid all the headlines about Russia's law banning gay "propaganda," human rights issues and — particularly — the risk of terrorism.

Back-to-back suicide bombings killed 34 people last month in Volgograd, about 400 miles (640 kilometers) from Sochi. On Sunday, an Islamic militant group in Russia's North Caucasus claimed responsibility for the bombings and posted a video threatening to strike the Sochi Games.

CoSport, the official ticket reseller in the United States and six other countries, said the Sochi Games generated "good demand" for tickets and packages.

"We experienced demand at expected levels," spokesman Michael Kontos said, without giving figures.

Flights to Sochi are expensive, and most international travelers have to go through Moscow, with direct flights to Sochi only available from Germany and Turkey.

Western travelers must navigate the time-consuming visa process and requirement to obtain a "spectator pass" along with their tickets. This requires providing passport details that allow authorities to screen all visitors.

"What we are hearing is that the bureaucratic complexity, with spectator passes and visa and so on, is what scares off fans, more than worries about security," Austrian Olympic Committee spokesman Wolfgang Eichler said.

Jan Serenander, managing director of Jet Set Sports in Norway, cited a lack of tourist attractions in the Black Sea resort.

"When Sochi was announced no one had even heard of the place," he said. "They had to get out their atlases."

Die-hard winter sports fans, however, will not be discouraged. Orange-clad speedskating fans from the Netherlands are always among the most visible spectators at any Winter Games.

"I expect it to be orange," Jeroen de Roever, manager of official Duch ticket seller ATPI, said of Sochi's speedskating venue. "We have been sold out for quite a while."

___

Associated Press writers Nataliya Vasilyeva in Sochi, Eric Willemsen in Vienna, Matti Huuhtanen in Helsinki, Mike Corder in The Hague and Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt contributed to this report.You must be signed in to leave a comment. Sign In / Register

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[Ahriman238]

My heart bleeds. Sixty times a minute.

[Borgholio]

I do not hope for any bloodshed, but I am fully expecting something to explode. I don't trust Russian security.

[Mr Bean]

I do not hope for any bloodshed, but I am fully expecting something to explode. I don't trust Russian security.

A failed attack would generate much the same response as a slightly successful one. If two yokels with AK's decide to shot at the stadium (As happens to the white house every few years) I expect fully as much of a crack down as if 14 Chechen tried to attack the athletes and were put down by security.

It's just way to tempting a target for all of the former friends Russia has made over the years with their policy of friendship and happyness for all.

Not to mention lets be blunt 70% of the games is mob built. Sochi is going to be a great tell all book in about four years.

[Grumman]

It's a joint venture between a bunch of authoritarian crony capitalists and the Russian government. I won't shed a tear if this is an utter failure.

[Irbis]

By comparison, 1.54 million tickets were available for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and 97 percent (1.49 million) were sold. For the 2012 Summer Games in London, organizers sold 97 percent (8.2 million) of their 8.5 million tickets.

No one sees a tiny problem in here? Comparing a big city right on top of US/Canadian western seaboard (or, to make it even more laughable, probably best connected city in the world, with huge population, close to every EU state, in summer) to an event held in remote small place without good flights?

Yeah, Sochi Olympics are an atrocity in many respects (though for different reasons than usually touted in press) but making such laughable critique only drowns the relevant one. Especially seeing that we go back to Turin, Winter Olympics before Vancouver, we will find, big suprise, reports of bad ticket sales that didn't broke the million barrier. Despite Turin being tourist attraction marvel with perfect communication to whole of Europe. Oh, and don't even look for numbers for Nagano or Salt Lake City, they demolish this article's comparison utterly. Still, who cares about facts when you can just make some shit up, as long as it makes evil Putin look bad?

[Borgholio]

as long as it makes evil Putin look bad?

You don't need to make up numbers to do THAT...

[Irbis]

You don't need to make up numbers to do THAT...

That was exactly my point - criticize ecological destruction, ham fisted land nationalization, rampant corruption, sure. Cherrypicking numbers from summer olympics and that before sales are even closed is scraping the bottom of barrel labelled 'sad' in comparison.

[PKRudeBoy]

I do not hope for any bloodshed, but I am fully expecting something to explode. I don't trust Russian security.

I would think that if there is anything the Russians would be good at it's security, given that it seems like it's a security apparatus with a government attached to it instead of the other way around.

[Kitsune]

I do not hope for any bloodshed, but I am fully expecting something to explode. I don't trust Russian security.

I would think that if there is anything the Russians would be good at it's security, given that it seems like it's a security apparatus with a government attached to it instead of the other way around.

The problem is they don't sweat too much about casualties

[wautd]

NPR

There are signs that many foreign fans are staying away, turned off by terrorist threats, expensive flights and hotels, long travel distances, a shortage of tourist attractions in the area, and the hassle of obtaining visas and spectator passes.

"Some people are scared it costs too much and other people are scared because of security," senior International Olympic Committee member Gerhard Heiberg of Norway told The Associated Press. "From my country, I know that several people and companies are not going for these two reasons. Of course, there will be Norwegians there but not as many as we are used to."

I wager there are also plenty of people who don't want to go as a form of boycot against the current regime.

[FaxModem1]

What happens if a country's Olympics fail to sell the desired amount of tickets? Who eats it? The IOC, the hosting country, or the corporate sponsors?

[Borgholio]

Hosting country and corporate sponsors. They both inject a shitload of money into the games and expect tourism to recoup the costs. That's why it's a big deal with an Olympics turns a profit. I think about half of the modern games actually were in the red or broke even by the time everything was over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_the_Olympic_Games

Looking at the cost of the games, Sochi is costing more than 3x more than any other Olympic games in history. If that's true, they are NOT going to turn a profit on this one no matter how many tickets they sell.

[Darksider]

Are tickets the only way to recoup the costs? Does the hosting country get anything from broadcast rights, merchandise, etc?

[Zaune]

Are tickets the only way to recoup the costs? Does the hosting country get anything from broadcast rights, merchandise, etc?

Not a hell of a lot of money in those compared to bums on seats, I should think. The TV channels have to pay for the privilege of showing the Games, and most state TV networks don't carry commercials so there's no way to make their money back that way, and the merchandise... Well, that tends to be a bit hit-and-miss, mostly miss. Remember Wenlock and Mandeville?

[K. A. Pital]

If that's true, they are NOT going to turn a profit on this one no matter how many tickets they sell.

What do you mean "turn a profit"? All people who needed to turn a profit turned a superprofit, rest assured.

[Borgholio]

If that's true, they are NOT going to turn a profit on this one no matter how many tickets they sell.

What do you mean "turn a profit"? All people who needed to turn a profit turned a superprofit, rest assured.

Touche

[Simon_Jester]

Why is it costing so much more than normal?

[mr friendly guy]

Hosting country and corporate sponsors. They both inject a shitload of money into the games and expect tourism to recoup the costs. That's why it's a big deal with an Olympics turns a profit. I think about half of the modern games actually were in the red or broke even by the time everything was over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_the_Olympic_Games

Looking at the cost of the games, Sochi is costing more than 3x more than any other Olympic games in history. If that's true, they are NOT going to turn a profit on this one no matter how many tickets they sell.

Good gosh. Sochi at estimated $50 billion cost more than Beijing at $43 billion. Granted part of that might have been some depreciation of the US dollar due to QE, but its amazing. I can understand why Russia and the PRC spent money bags (prestige) but its amazing Beijing actually turned a small profit relative to what they spent. Lets see whether Sochi can performed given Vancouver and London broke even. Beijing at least had "patriotic" citizens who like to attend these international events (also witness the Shanghai expo) supplemented by government employees who are "persuaded" to attend going for them. Can Russia do the same?

[Flagg]

Why is it costing so much more than normal?

Probably the security to keep the Caucasians from blowing shit up.

[Dr. Trainwreck]

Why is it costing so much more than normal?

It's full of pork and gifts to Putin's pals.

[K. A. Pital]

Why is it costing so much more than normal?

It's full of pork and gifts to Putin's pals.

This. It's basically building lots of expensive shit in the middle of nowhere. Not just in Sochi but everywhere. Hell, the torches alone were costing several million dollars, made in a factory. Pork all the way.

[Flagg]

Why is it costing so much more than normal?

It's full of pork and gifts to Putin's pals.

This. It's basically building lots of expensive shit in the middle of nowhere. Not just in Sochi but everywhere. Hell, the torches alone were costing several million dollars, made in a factory. Pork all the way.

And they keep going out which is hilarious.

[K. A. Pital]

And they keep going out which is hilarious.

One of them went out right inside the Kremlin - an embarrassment of epic proportions. Zippo saved the day, of course.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Wait, does it even count as the Olympic flame if it goes out and a different fire source restarts the torch? I seem to remember that being a minor plot point on King of the Hill, once.