More than half a million tickets remain unsold for the Paris Olympics, just days before the opening ceremony. Organizers have confirmed that between 500,000 and
600,000 tickets are still available, including for the highly anticipated men's and women's 100m finals. This is despite the fact that these tickets are cheaper than those for the London 2012 Olympics when adjusted for inflation.
The Telegraph reports that around 4,000 tickets for the opening ceremony on Friday are still unsold, primarily in the highest price categories of £738 and £2,300. Despite concerns about empty seats, Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet has dismissed suggestions that this is due to a lack of interest in the event. He explained that a significant number of tickets had been held back until seating plans were finalized.
"We initially had 10 million tickets, but kept 20 percent in contingency," said Estanguet. "New ticket opportunities were released in the last six months as we finalized the delivery plan."
So far, a record 8.8 million tickets have been sold for the Paris Olympics, meeting the income target set by the organizers. However, most of the unsold tickets are for football matches, while events like cycling, swimming, rowing, rugby sevens, and other athletics finals also have seats available.
Additionally, there has been public discontent over the increased cost of using the Paris Metro during the Olympics, with ticket prices nearly doubling to €4 until September. Estanguet explained that the price hike was necessary to reinforce the transport system by 15 percent during the Games.
The situation is further complicated by potential disruptions from French trade unionists. Performers signed up for the opening ceremony have filed a strike notice a week before the event, protesting low pay and unequal treatment. The Union of Performing Artists has highlighted that many of the 3,000 dancers, acrobats, and actors involved are working for low wages or for free.
A spokesperson for the union stated, "We regret to announce the filing of a strike notice for the opening ceremony on July 26, 2024, as well as for the rehearsals of the Paralympic Games' opening ceremonies."
The threat of strikes adds to the challenges faced by the Paris Olympics organizers, who are already dealing with heightened security concerns, environmental issues, and political instability following a contentious election. Despite these obstacles, Paris 2024 officials assert that they are committed to maintaining dialogue with the unions and ensuring fair working conditions for all involved. Photo by Chabe01, Wikimedia commons.