Olympics Desk 

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today announced more details of its ticketing plans and invited sports fans all over the country to ‘sign up’ and register their interest. By signing up to www.tickets.london2012.com, people will be able to indicate which sports they are interested in and receive updates on major sporting events, test events and London 2012 developments – plus they will be among the first to find out when tickets go on sale in 2011 and how to apply for them.

 
In its first major announcement on ticketing, LOCOG today confirmed:

-          More tickets will go on sale for the Olympic Games than originally stated – increasing from 7.7m to 8m

-          More tickets will also go on sale for the Paralympic Games – increasing from 1.5m to 2m

-          75% of tickets will be available directly to the public via a ballot process

-          Tickets will go on sale from spring 2011

-          There will be a fair application process through a ballot

-          Prestige hospitality tickets will account for less than 1% of tickets on sale

-          More information on pricing will be issued later this year

-          The ticket ‘sign up’ registration scheme is now open at www.tickets.london2012.com or by calling 0844 847 2012

The ‘sign up’ process will allow the British fans to identify which Olympic and Paralympic sports and events they are interested in and make sure they are in the best position to learn about when tickets go on sale, how to apply for them and what events – including test events – will be taking place between now and 2012.  People can sign up any time between now and when tickets go on sale from spring 2011.  With 10 million tickets for both Olympic Games and Paralympic Games going on sale, signing up now will help the British public save time in 2011 when tickets go on sale and make the process easier.

By issuing more details around the allocation of tickets, LOCOG is reaffirming its commitment to making the Games accessible and affordable. Later this year when the competition schedules and all venues are confirmed, more information around pricing and availability will be released.

LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton explained the approach: “After the success of the Vancouver Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, which saw fantastic atmospheres at venues and around the city, we are now progressing with our plans.  This is our first major announcement on ticketing and we commit to updating again later this year, with more information around pricing. Right now, we’re asking people to sign up on the ticketing website and make sure they’re in the front row for information. Ticket sales make up a significant part of our income, but at the same time we are completely committed to ensuring our events are accessible, that tickets are affordable and that our venues are packed to the rafters with sports fans.’

Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, said: “Watching an Olympic event in your home country is a once in a lifetime experience. That's why it's critical that as many tickets as possible end up in the hands of the general public. With 10 million tickets going on sale next year people will have even more of a chance to get the ticket that makes their dream come true. It's great that people have the chance now to sign up for more information about Olympic tickets.”

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "With less than 900 days to go to the London Games excitement levels are starting to pick up pace and there is understandably huge interest in tickets. Today is another important stepping-stone on the journey to the 2012 Games, confirming that tickets will be on sale in Spring 2011. I want to encourage as many Londoners as possible to sign up for information so that they are kept fully up to date on progress and are poised to purchase tickets once they go on sale."