Paris 2024 chief hits back at World Athletics president Seb Coe after he labelled ticket prices for next summer’s Olympics ‘lumpy’, insisting they are actually CHEAPER than London 2012
- Seb Coe criticized ticket prices for next summer's Olympic Games this week
- The Paris 2024 president has hit back at Coe for calling the prices 'lumpy'
- He has claimed that ticket prices are actually cheaper than in 2012
The Paris 2024 boss has hit back at Lord Coe's criticism of their ticket prices – insisting next summer's Olympics will actually be cheaper than London 2012.
World Athletics chairman Coe complained this week that the cost of tickets for the athletics was a “bump” and he feared it could result in “unacceptable” empty seats at the Stade de France.
Coe chaired the organizing committee for London 2012 and said Paris would be “the most expensive ticket prices in an athletics arena that we have seen at an Olympic Games.”
However, Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet has now responded by claiming that their cheapest and most expensive tickets for the Games – €24 and €990 – both cost less than in London, once inflation and exchange rates are taken into account.
“In London the price was £20, which, with inflation, amounts to about €27,” Estanguet said. 'The maximum price was £725, which, with inflation, equates to just over €1,000 today.
Lord Coe (pictured) complained about ticket prices for Paris 2024, calling them 'lumpy'
Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet (pictured) has hit back, claiming they are cheaper than London 2012
'So these prices are slightly higher than those of Paris 2024. That was twelve years ago, so I think our prices are within the norm for such an exceptional experience.
“We are pleased with the approach we have taken to make the event accessible to as many people as possible.
“We're talking about more than four million tickets for the Olympic Games at €50 or less and then we're offering these higher prices, which take longer to sell, but which help balance the Paris 2024 budget.”
Paris 2024 says they have sold 7.6 million tickets out of a possible 10 million so far, but not all of them have gone on sale yet.
For an evening athletics session, the cheapest remaining tickets cost £170 and the most expensive £850, leading to Coe's comments earlier this week.
“These prices are lumpy,” he said. “I don't want fans to be sent out of the stadium, and I don't want athletes and their families to be sent out of the stadium.
'There will always be premium tickets, but it is important that our stadiums are full of people who love our sport, not people who can afford to go to the Olympics.
'Our sport cannot afford to appear marginal in major championships. It's really unacceptable. Full stadiums are absolutely a requirement.'