London marks Olympic countdown with launch of ticket sales

LONDON (AP):

Sebastian Coe is predicting massive demand when tickets go on sale to mark the 500-day countdown to next year's Olympics, another milestone in the multibillion-dollar project that is changing the face of east London.

With a giant countdown clock being unveiled last night in Trafalgar Square, Coe's Olympic organising team is prepared for a heavy crush when 6.6 million tickets are put up for sale online today for the 650 competition sessions across 26 sports.

"It's a big day emotionally," Coe said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It's a big day in reality of course."

Coe said the ticket launch marks the third biggest online retail site in history after eBay and Amazon. He said organisers have worked hard to prevent the system from crashing.

"I think there'll be a massive interest," said Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500-metre champion who heads the local organising committee. "We've done everything we can to stress-test the system. I'm not going to sit here and tell you there will be no glitches. I really hope not. This is not without its challenges."

The tickets, ranging in price from US$32 to US$3,215, are being sold through a single official website.

Organisers stress the tickets are not being sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Customers can apply for tickets over a six-week period ending April 26. Any oversubscribed tickets will be distributed via a ballot or lottery system. Tickets will be allocated by June 24.

Acquiring tickets

"You want Madonna, you want cup finals or Super Bowls, you go first-come first-served," Coe said. "Here, you stand no greater statistical chance" of acquiring tickets on the first day or last day.

More than 2.5 million people have already registered interest in buying tickets.

The online process at www.tickets.london2012.com is available for residents of the United Kingdom and 26 European countries, with Visa the only credit card accepted. Elsewhere, including in the United States, the sales are handled through national Olympic committees.

About one million tickets will go to non-European overseas buyers, with American fans representing one of the biggest blocs, Coe said.

Tickets for many sports start at US$32 (approx J$2,550), while the top seats for the men's 100-metre final will go for US$1,200 (approx J$102,000).

Coe said ticket sales are the organising committee's "single biggest financial dependency," projected to raise about US$800 million in revenue.

Authorities have promised to crack down on any illegal or unauthorised sales.

"You do want to get tickets into the hands of the people who really want them," Coe said. "You don't want them in the hands of people that see them as something that's tradable."

Coe spoke shortly before the steel countdown clock began clicking down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the opening ceremony on July 27, 2012. The clock - made by Olympic sponsor Omega - is 27 feet high, 16 feet long and weighs about four tons.