The organisers say that the sale of “Make Your Games” packs is already the largest ever sale of tickets for a sports event in France
With 3.25 million tickets sold in less than three weeks, people in France and across the world have responded in huge numbers during the first phase of ticket sales for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, say the organisers of the games. On March 15, with 500 days to go until the Olympic Games begin, Paris 2024 will invite the public to register for the draw for the sale of individual tickets, which will include the most sought-after sessions of the Games, via the official ticketing platform.
In a press statement, the organisers say that the sale of “Make Your Games” packs is already the largest ever sale of tickets for a sports event in France. For the first time in Olympic Games history, tickets were made available worldwide from a single platform, with purchase time slots allocated through a draw and to manage flows, without major waiting times. Thanks to this new approach, using the ticketing platform proved to be a relatively smooth experience, even though around 600 sessions and thousands of possible combinations were on sale in real time.
The French public, who made up two thirds of ticket purchasers, responded in their thousands. So did fans from abroad, with 158 different countries represented. A relatively high proportion were female and young: in this first phase, 45 pc were women and 44 pc were aged under 35 – reflecting the way these will be the first ever Olympic Games with equal participation by male and female athletes. “Make Your Games” packs designed to promote the diversity of sports in the Olympic Games programme, says the statement.
In this first sales phase, the Organising Committee sold tickets in packs in order to promote what makes the Games so special, the diversity of sports and the opportunity to discover new disciplines.
Tickets for all sports where tickets were available, since there are no tickets for surfing, were sold during this first phase of sales. Tickets for climbing and BMX freestyle sold out on the first day, while those for fencing, judo, breaking and track cycling were all snapped up in just a few days. The sports for which the most tickets were sold included football, athletics, rugby 7s, basketball and volleyball.
The organisers say that the price brackets for the tickets that were purchased reflected the balanced pricing structure developed by Paris 2024. A large proportion of tickets were available at affordable prices, with around 50 pc costing Eur 50 or less. Combined with a smaller number of higher-priced tickets, these have made for a balanced ticketing model designed to generate one third of the Organising Committee’s revenue. During this initial sales phase, more than
400,000 tickets priced at Eur 24 were sold. Around 70 pc of tickets sold cost less than Eur 100 and 4.5 pc cost Eur 200 or more. The statement adds that the second registration phase will open on March 15, exactly 500 days before the Olympic Games begin. For the Olympic Games, a total of around 10 million tickets will be put on sale. 80 pc of these will be made directly available to the public via the official ticketing platform. The organisers say that the other 20 pc will be distributed through their official hospitality supplier, On Location, as well as Paris 2024 stakeholders, host local authorities, global and national partners, official broadcasters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the sports community in France and abroad.
The statement adds that the next phase of sales, dedicated to individual tickets for the Olympic Games, will begin with a draw registration period. Anyone who has not yet secured the tickets they were hoping for, who has not yet registered for the draw for the second phase, or who has not yet applied for tickets, is invited to register between March 15 and 20 April 2023 on the website. The sales phase itself will start on May 11, with individual tickets available for all Olympic sports where tickets are sold, including the most sought-after finals where new Olympic champions will be crowned. Tickets will also be available for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Tony-Estanguet
At the end of 2023 and into 2024, remaining tickets will be available in real time on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Paralympic Games ticketing will open this autumn, the organiers say. “What a response! With 3.25 million tickets sold in less than three weeks, the level of interest has been phenomenal, both in France and abroad. Anyone who has not yet secured their ticket still has a chance to do so, starting on March 15, when we will open the registration period for the sale of individual tickets. This new sales phase will provide an opportunity to attend flagship events at exceptional venues, to support outstanding athletes, and to experience extraordinary moments at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games,” says Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.
