Beijing 2008--Got Cash?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Interesting article about the cost for families of Olympians to go to Beijing:

"Green Comes Before Gold"

By the way, if anyone is going to Beijing and wants to share one of the USFA's fabulous apartments, PM me. The USFA's Andrea Lagan hooked some of these after the Boys in Beijing kept jacking up the price for the units in the Leisure Village.

USFA Digs

[remise]

It's crazy, and I totally sympathize with anyone trying to fund that.

[MdA]

The prices are absolutely ridiculous. It seems like just another way to fleece the average folks who just happen to have a son or daughter in the Olympics.

I don't think we can chalk these prices up to increased energy costs. These are just prices jacked up by Olympic hype. ...and after years of 9 PM practices, lessons, equiment costs, travel, training camps....this is the final straw to put the parent supporters of our US Olympic effort in the poor house.

I think watching my kid on television would be my only option...probably get a better view based on the availability of tickets.

How would you recover from that expense in a sport like fencing? Maybe a Nike contract might help but fencers are not going to make $$millions.

I think the US government should support its Olympic athletes...like so many other governments. The President should fly the parents to the Olympics with him on Air Force 1.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Yep, just like the boxer guy, I've had multiple phone calls from "fencing promoters" angling for early advantage with that lucrative post-Oly contract.

I was appalled at the reference to Chinese hotel rules limiting the rooms to two occupants. Surely we didn't do that in Salt Lake City...

[Nolano]

Wow.... That's ridiculous. I really think that they should at least give Athletes who qualify a voucher or two or something that severely reduce ticket and hotel prices... Charging this much for the families of olympians is bad.

[Barry Paul]

Having visited the venue for the trial event I expect the least of the problems are the over priced accommodation. Even If tickets for the event are obtained (very limited in total)the fencing hall is so large and spread out that unless you are in the centre at the front you will not be able to see the fencing on the four pistes without binoculars. The seating is spread out and have a very low shallow rise so some body sitting in the back corner will be about 100 metres from the diagonal opposite piste.

[sheck]

Having visited the venue for the trial event I expect the least of the problems are the over priced accommodation. Even If tickets for the event are obtained (very limited in total)the fencing hall is so large and spread out that unless you are in the centre at the front you will not be able to see the fencing on the four pistes without binoculars. The seating is spread out and have a very low shallow rise so some body sitting in the back corner will be about 100 metres from the diagonal opposite piste.

Sorry to hear that. What about the finals?

The best presentation I have seen in person was the 2005 WCs in Leipzig. I also attended the Atlanta Olympics and that was great too.

[KD5MDK]

The prices are absolutely ridiculous. It seems like just another way to fleece the average folks who just happen to have a son or daughter in the Olympics.

Agreed.

I think the US government should support its Olympic athletes...like so many other governments. The President should fly the parents to the Olympics with him on Air Force 1.

Well, that's a lot of parents. It would probably take Air Force 2, 3 and 4 as well.

I was appalled at the reference to Chinese hotel rules limiting the rooms to two occupants. Surely we didn't do that in Salt Lake City...

I don't know, but it sure is crazy. I wonder if a developed market will grow up for Chinese residents renting out mattresses in their apartments. Then again, from what I hear space is at a premium in those already.

[downunder]

The prices are absolutely ridiculous. It seems like just another way to fleece the average folks who just happen to have a son or daughter in the Olympics.

I don't think we can chalk these prices up to increased energy costs. These are just prices jacked up by Olympic hype. ...and

Of course the prices are high because of the Olympics. I thought America was the land of capitalism? You can't have it both ways. Demand increase when short term supply is fixed, price increases.

The reason why it costs as much as $25k to go and watch the games is because thats what some people are willing to pay. If the governing body subsides it then that's just money coming out of other projects.

[Dr Epee]

I think the Chinese invented capitalism a long time before it even occurred to the Europeans. (And long before America even existed). This Communism thing was just a speed bump.

[MdA]

I think these prices are artificially inflated by Olympic ϋber-hype! (pardon my half-Deutsch). Your right, America is the land of capitalism. It is also the land of ravenous sports fans…you know the type…the ones who paint their bodies and wear ridiculous hats (or are those soccer hooligans?).

We will see if the real demand materializes. With current gas prices, I think a lot of Americans; will be staying home this summer. We may be watching it on TV, in which case the Chinese will need to make do with the TV revenues. Hope it covers their costs!!! I mean com’ on…it’s the Olympics not the Superbowl!!!

Isn’t the idea of the Olympics to increase tourism to the host nation? At these prices, they may be discouraging a lot of future customers!!! Possibly another speed-bump.

[Barry Paul]

Sorry to hear that. What about the finals?

The best presentation I have seen in person was the 2005 WCs in Leipzig. I also attended the Atlanta Olympics and that was great too.

The final piste is the centre of the hall.

[sheck]

A large number of tickets might be part of packages. That was the case in Atlanta and the DE hall was half empty. The finals were better attended but still some empty seats.

[MdA]

The links in some of the early posts said that tickets were included. But I don't think they guarantee the events. In the case of the fencing, if I was going to spend all that cash to get there and sleep, I want to guarantee good seats...which sounds like it will be very expensive. KKKaaaaaChinggggg $$$$$$

[MdA]

Since we are speaking of the cost for families to go to Beijing, (not to drop names or anything)…but I was talking to Bob Hurley the other day at practice…and he said that the USFA won’t give him a credential to be on the floor to coach Kelley. In fact, he said there won’t be a credentialed USFA women’s epee coach in Beijing. All the credentials have been assigned to coaches and mangers for other weapons.

His plan is to try to swap tickets with some of the USFA officials so he can get down close enough so that Kelley can see him when she is fencing. According to Barry Paul this doesn’t sound like a very effective coaching plan. This is absolutely ridiculous. After spending tens (perhaps hundreds) of thousands of dollars to get their daughter to the Olympics, she has to fence with her Dad (coach) shouting at her from the stands

[KD5MDK]

The allocation of credentials will be an interesting topic to see more about when the information can be made public.

[darius]

In fact, he said there won’t be a credentialed USFA women’s epee coach in Beijing.

Will there be a credentialed USFA men's epee coach?

darius

[Barry Paul]

His plan is to try to swap tickets with some of the USFA officials so he can get down close enough so that Kelley can see him when she is fencing. According to Barry Paul this doesn’t sound like a very effective coaching plan. T

It even worse than I originally explained. The paying public are only on one side of the hall the other side is reserved for press V.I.P and athletes.

[MdA]

Will there be a credentialed USFA men's epee coach?

darius

According to Bob, no.

[KD5MDK]

Looks like we're prioritizing events where we have teams.