Soaring demand to watch the Paris 2024 Olympic Games resulted in all available standard tickets for the equestrian disciplines selling out within 48 hours in the latest release.
More than a million tickets were sold within two days of the second ticketing phase for Paris 2024, which launched on 11 May. By the end of Friday (12 May), tickets for more than half the 32 Olympic disciplines had sold out – including all equestrian sessions.
This phase was for individual tickets, including medal sessions, and followed the initial release of multi-sport ticket “packs” in February and March.
People who had registered for this second release were allocated a 48-hour window at in a ballot to buy their tickets. The speed at which tickets sold and the way in which the ballot was done meant joy for the lucky ones, and disappointment for others.
Nicky Ballard’s timeslot opened on 12 May – she logged in within three minutes of its opening, but all standard equestrian tickets were already gone, with the exception of disabled access.
Kate Williams succeeded in grabbing tickets, picking up two for cross-country day and two for eventing showjumping.
“There was nothing when I first logged into my slot – the second it opened – then as I was scrolling again they came up. Cheap ones, too,” she said.
H&H heard from those who went straight to buying hospitality after seeing reports from those earlier in the draw that tickets appeared to have gone.
Prices ranged from €24 (just under £21) for the lowest-priced seats on dressage qualifying and eventing dressage days, to €420 for the top-price standard ticket for the individual showjumping final.
As H&H went to press, tickets were still available in hospitality and travel packages. At the time H&H checked, a week on from the release, those left in those packages were selling for five figures and above, with travel packages including seats for a mix of sports plus accommodation ranging from €2,490 to €29,135.
But hope is not completely lost for those who have missed out.
“A third ticket sales phase is scheduled for the end of 2023, when 3.5m more tickets will be available, with a resale platform set to open in spring 2024,” said a statement from the International Olympic Committee.
H&H has contacted Paris 2024 for comment.
The first wave of equestrian tickets sold out rapidly in the February/March release, when a total of 3.25m tickets were sold to people in 158 countries.
Fans had to buy packs of tickets for at least three sessions in that initial wave, so if only one or two equestrian sessions were available, they would have to buy tickets for another sport as well. The equestrian tickets released in phase one were for non medal-winning sessions. So for example, tickets for eventing dressage and cross-country, and the team and individual qualifier sessions for dressage and showjumping.
The process came under fire from some, who were “sad” and “disappointed” to miss out, with comments that the system is “unfair”, and others frustrated by its complexity. Others have been “thrilled” to be luckier in securing tickets, and are already planning their trip to next year’s Games. H&H received similar responses from the public following the second wave of ticket sales.
“We’re pleased with the success of our ticketing process,” a Paris 2024 spokesman told H&H at the time (3 March). “This is a new concept in which tickets were offered to the general public around the world through a single, centralised platform.
“Demand, both domestically and internationally, has been strong and there is clearly a real appetite from the public to participate in these Games.”
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