LA28 Olympics Ticket Sales Open Globally After Record Local Demand

The LA28 Olympics has opened ticket sales globally after a record-setting first week of local presales, underscoring strong early demand for the Games. The organisers reported that they sold more tickets in the first week than any previous Olympic Games had in their opening week.

The initial phase of ticket sales was limited to residents of the Los Angeles and Oklahoma City areas, with hundreds of thousands of $28 tickets snapped up by local buyers. However, some buyers complained about high costs and fees, and a lack of ticket availability.

“The success of the locals presale speaks for itself,” LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “We’re thrilled by the level of interest and enthusiasm in tickets to the Games.”

The global sales launch, known as “Drop 1,” runs through April 19 for fans who were selected through a draw and assigned time slots. Tickets are available across Olympic events, including the opening and closing ceremonies.

Organisers acknowledged that some fans experienced sticker shock after a marketing push around the $28 entry-level tickets, only to find many of the cheapest seats had already gone quickly or that some events were priced much higher.

Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president for games delivery revenue, told the Reuters news agency that the outcome was not unexpected because the least expensive tickets were always likely to move fastest.

“We really wanted to make sure that the locals had access to the most affordable tickets, and we saw that come to life through this presale,” she said, adding that more low-cost inventory would be released in future sales phases.

LA28 said more than 1 million tickets priced at $28 will ultimately be made available to the public. Nearly half of all Olympic tickets are priced under $200, while more than three-quarters, including finals, are less than $400. Only about 5 percent of tickets cost more than $1,000, organisers said.

The organising committee is under pressure to show it can deliver a fiscally responsible Games without burdening taxpayers, who could be on the hook for cost overruns. LA28 has said its more than $7bn operation will be funded principally through ticket sales, sponsorship and hospitality.