Pay-to-View Sailing

Nothing much to see from the Nothe

One minute we are moaning to ISAF that sailing is good for the Olympics because it is a spectator sport and then as soon as someone tries to expand on this we are moaning again! Make your minds up!

 

I think the issue here is that sailing has never been a pay to view sport at an Olympic Games, it has always been free from what I can find....

 

From "official" site....

During the Games

Sailing has historically been a non-ticketed event. We are currently reviewing our ticketing strategy with a view to bringing a spectator experience to suit various levels. This may include free 'Live Sites'; quiet cliff observation points; ticketed venues with TV, tracking and commentary; and ticketed and specific spectator boats.

The 2012 Games will be the first to charge spectators to view sailing events with Locog intending to introduce 4,600 temporary seats in Nothe Gardens, a Weymouth park at overlooks one of the racing areas at Newton's Cove.

Weymouth and Portland Council claim they only received official notification of Locog's intentions in December, more than two months after ticket prices for the Games were announced.

One councillor John Birtwistle hit out at the "deal stitched up by council officers with LOCOG", adding that many residents were "vehemently opposed" to the Nothe being a ticketed venue.

Councillor Howard Legg added: "Before we were even asked about the availability of the Nothe we were asked if wanted tickets!"

Weymouth and Portland Council chief executive David Clarke cited how it was the first time in Olympic history that sailing was considering a ticketed venue

 

Now I doubt anybody would object to paying for an on the water spectator boat, and I understand these will be available, it's the idea of paying to access on shore areas we can walk around anytime that irritates people.

On screen coverage is likely to be aimed at the "interested" non sailor who either doesn't want to go to London, or who failed to get tickets for other events and just wants to see something live of the games.

 

Anyway time will tell if they can sell the tickets, and I'm sure most of us will either pay for "on the water" or find free vantage points.

 

 

 

wouldn't worry on that account - THEY WILL FIND A WAY

 

SECURITY these days allows authorities a lot of power , and they will be bricking it on that respect come the olympics .

 

Guess there'll be officially expensive ways of on water watching .and you thought sitting on the grass with a telescope would be expensive

 

 

 

up our way subs are surrounded by an exclusion zone , enter at your peril , I hear large shipping too soon