Yet preparations for the Athens Games have run anything but smoothly. The Games have been plagued by media reports of unfinished construction projects, potentially severe traffic jams, fear of terrorist attacks, and the rising value of the Euro on international currency markets, making travel to Europe expensive for many visitors.
Now, not surprisingly, the big question is whether there will be enough people to fill the seats set up for viewers in more than 120 venues. The Games, to run from Aug. 13 to Aug. 29, will include new Olympic disciplines like triathlon, trampoline and Taekwon Do. But already a number of observers fear that some events may have the sparsely attended, scattered-fan feel of a Montreal Expos game, raising questions about whether the Greeks will get a financial payback for this huge investment.
By the end of June, about 1.95 million of the total 5.3 million tickets had been sold, according to Greek officials, who have not revised the number since then. Cartan Tours of Manhattan Beach, Calif., one of two companies in the U.S. officially designated to sell Olympic tickets and accommodations, said Olympic ticket sales are down about 20% from the 2000 Sydney Games. Tickets range in price from $14 to $1,200 for the opening ceremony. Meanwhile Olympics watchers are hoping that the southern European propensity for making plans at the last minute will produce interest in the games and fill up the seats before opening day.
Scott Rosner, an expert on sports business who lectures in Wharton’s legal studies department, says the financial burden of a poor-selling Athens Games will fall most heavily on Greece because it gets to keep about 95% of the revenues from ticket sales.
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