LA 2024 organizers would "seek to offset" the estimated $5.3B budget for the Olympics with average ticket prices of more than $1,700 for the Opening Ceremony and $250-$450 for "marquee events" if the city is awarded the Games, according to David Wharton of the L.A. TIMES. Less popular Olympic events, including preliminaries for rugby and shooting, would "average about $34 a ticket." LA 2024 Chief Communications Officer Jeff Millman said tickets are "based on" '12 London prices. Bid leaders "estimate that they will sell 97% of available seats, which would be an improvement" over the Rio Games, where some events were "sparsely attended." Millman: "Rio is a very different city than Los Angeles. London was our starting point." Wharton notes the bid proposes to "provide athletes with renovated rooms and upscale dining choices at UCLA, which will serve as the Olympic village." Competitors would be "supplied with 'concierge' wireless devices, helping them find the shortest food lines, order meals for pick-up or catch the next bus to their venue." Bid leaders also said that they "plan to utilize Hollywood talent and California’s high-tech industry to help the Olympic movement connect with young fans." LA 2024 officials have "estimated that they can cover all expenses by generating billions in revenue from sources such as broadcast rights, corporate sponsorships and merchandising." Golf preliminaries would be the "cheapest event at an average of $13.12," while diving finals "would cost $270 and beach volleyball finals would be $166." The overall average "would be about $137 a ticket" (L.A. TIMES, 2/3).
RALLYING CRY: In California, Scott Reid notes LA 2024 in its bid to the IOC argues that a third L.A. Games would be a "stabilizing and unifying force at a critical juncture in the nation’s and Olympic movement’s histories." There have been calls for LA 2024's bid to be "withdrawn and questions about the viability of any U.S. bid" in the wake of President Trump's first days in office. But LA 2024 officials said that the Games would be a "national and global rallying point" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/3).
