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≡ GOOD FIRST TICKET SALE ≡
The Paris 2024 organizers set an all-time record of 9,556,792 tickets sold for the 2024 Olympic Games and a total of 12,132,647 tickets sold including the Paralympic Games, and raised more than €1.6 billion (about $1.87 billion U.S. today) from tickets, hospitality and licensing.
The LA28 organizers got a strong start, announcing Thursday that the first sales of tickets, first to “locals” in the Los Angeles and Oklahoma City areas, and then to a worldwide audience, was more than four million, solely for the Olympic Games.
According to the statement:
● “Tickets sold across 85 countries and all 50 states and U.S. territories, with top international sales coming from the UK, Canada, Mexico and Japan.”
● “95% of all tickets under $100 were sold during the LA & OKC Locals Presale” and “Roughly half a million $28 tickets went to locals during the LA & OKC Locals Presale.”
● Artistic gymnastics sold faster than all other sports and four of the added sports for 2028 – flag football, lacrosse, softball and squash – sold all of the tickets made available in this session.
For comparison, the Paris 2024 initial sale, in March of 2023, sold 3.25 million tickets with only limited sessions available. A much larger inventory was made available in the fall of 2023.
LA28 is now planning its next sale for August, with registration for those not yet signed up, open to 22 July. A grand total of 14 million tickets, including Paralympics, is expected to be available for sale for the 2028 Games.
Observed: Of keen interest to budget watchers, the LA28 announcement said nothing about revenue realized or the average price of tickets sold.
Against a tickets and hospitality revenue target – Olympic and Paralympic Games combined – of $2.5 billion:
● An average ticket sale of $100 each means $400 million came in for the first sale;
● At $150 each, $600 million was received, or
● At $200 each, $800 million was received, or
● At $250 each, $1 billion was received.
That’s 16% or 24% or 32% or even 40% of the budget goal, so no matter how good the sale was, there is a long way to go. But this is a solid start and does not include hospitality sales, which are being handled by On Location.
For our exclusive review of the hospitality offerings for the 2028 Olympic Games, including pricing as of 4 April, refer to our story here. There are no bargain offers here.
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