The build-up to the London 2012 Olympics takes another huge step tomorrow when the application process for tickets finally opens.
While applicants are urged to get online and register their interest in each of the 26 featured sports, it makes no difference whether hopeful punters get online within minutes of the process opening or just before its deadline on April 26; all enquiries will be dealt with equally through a random ballot.
8.8 million tickets will be up for grabs in total with prices to suit all budgets although during the six week application process, no money will be taken from buyers’ accounts until May 10 at the earliest. All successful applicants will be notified by June 24.
To Apply for London 2012 tickets visit www.tickets.london2012.com any time between 15 March and 26 April.
TICKETS BY NUMBERS
• 8.8 million Olympic tickets on sale
• 90% of these tickets will be priced at £100 or under
• Two thirds of these tickets will be priced at £50 or under
• 2.5 million tickets will be priced at £20 or under
• £47 is the average price of ticket available in public application process
• 75% of tickets go on sale to the public via the application process which opens on March 15th 2011
• More than 2 million people have already signed up for Olympic and Paralympic tickets
• 649 separate ticketed sport sessions at the London 2012 Olympic Games
• More than 220 sessions included in the ‘Pay Your Age’ scheme (1.3 million tickets)
• Thousands of tickets will be available to under 16s in a ‘pay your age’ scheme, which could see the cheapest ticket at £1.
PRICING RANGE EXAMPLES
• 100m final: £50 to £725 (to see Usain Bolt in the heats: £20 to £150)
• Diving final: £50 - £450 (to see Tom Daley in the heats: £20 to £150)
• Cycling final: £50 to £325 (to see Sir Chris Hoy in the heats: £20 to £150)
• Equestrian final: £35 to £150 (to see Zara Phillips in the heats: £20 to £95)
• The Opening Ceremony: £20.12 to £2,012.
• The following events will be free: The men’s and women’s marathon, men and women’s cycling road race, men and women’s time trial, two men’s walking races, one women’s walking race and men’s and women’s cycling as part of the triathlon.
For a full list of ticket prices, visit www.tickets.london2012.com
USEFUL DATES & FACTS
Try a new sport:
Fancy something a little bit different? Head down to the handball arena in the Olympic Park on quarter final day, the 7th August to see some fast and furious action with plenty of goals - usually both teams score at least 20 goals each, and it is not uncommon for both teams to score more than 30 goals.
The Great Outdoors:
If you want to catch a bit of sun while you’re watching the sport on offer, there are a few venues under the open sky.
• Try the archery held at the iconic Lords cricket ground from 28th July.
• The rowing will be held at Eton Dorney, on the Dorney Lake until the 4th August.
• The marathon will finish at the mall on the 5th August and tickets are free are long the entire route.
• The triathlon will be held in the beautiful surrounds of Hyde Park on the 4th August for the women and 7th August for the men. Parts of the route are free and other tickets start from £20.
Around the Country:
• There is plenty of sport on offer outside of London during the 2012 Games. The Olympic football tournament kicks off on the 25th July and runs through to the 11th August. Featuring the world’s best under-23 players, it will be held in at the City of Coventry Stadium, Hampden Park in Glasgow, the Millennium Stadium in Cadiff, Old Trafford, Manchester, St James’ Park, Newcastle and Wembley Stadium.
• The sailing will be held at Weymouth from the 29th July, boasting some of our top medal hopes including three times gold medallist Ben Ainslie.
• The mountain biking is being hosted by Hadleigh Farm in Essex on the 11th and 12th August with tickets from £20.
• The canoeing slalom events will be at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in Hertfordshire from the 29th July to the 2nd August.
GB Going for Gold
The atmosphere is going to be icredible when a Team GB athlete goes for gold in front of their home crowd. Here are our top tips for when and where to go to see Team GB gold:
• Team GB cyclists swept aside all the opposition in Beijing to finish top of the cycling table. With the team supplemented by a new wave of youngsters coming through the ranks, the team look set to have another successful Games. The gold rush is likely to kick off with the team sprint finals on August 2nd in the velodrome in the Olympic Park.
• If you want to see a Team GB gold in the main Olympic Stadium, there are a number of realistic chances. World heptathlon champion Jess Ennis will be going for gold on August 4th. Meanwhile the flamboyant triple jump world champion, Phillips Idowu, will be hoping to be in the final on August 9th. If you want an outside tip for GB gold on the track, try getting tickets for the men’s 400m hurdles final to see Dai Greene on the 6th August.
• The sailing team will be hoping to repeat their success in Beijing and 6th August looks like a day of golden promise for Team GB with five gold medal races down at the sailing venue in Weymouth.
• The rowing is at Eton Dorney and as the third of the famous ‘sitting down’ sports at which Team GB excels, it holds high hopes for a number of gold medals for the home team. Head down to the river on the 4th August for the blue riband event, the Men’s Fours and three other gold medal races with British contenders.
• Becky Adlington will be trying to repeat her double in the pool from Beijing and she goes in the 400m freestyle on the 29th July and the 800m freestyle on the 3rd August. However, she’s not our only hope in the pool and Fran Halsall in the 100m butterfly on the 29th July and Hannah Miley in the 400 Individual Medley on the 28th July will also be aiming for gold.
To Apply for London 2012 tickets visit www.tickets.london2012.com any time between 15 March and 26 April.