If you also dream of being an Olympics spectator, you’d better get busy. The U.S. Olympic Committee has authorized only two companies to sell tickets, and the hottest events–like men’s basketball and women’s gymnastics–always sell out quickly. There’s still hope, however. Tickets went on sale in May, but economic uncertainties and the war in Iraq have resulted in slower-than-usual early sales. So far, there are still tickets available for most events.
Like the athletes, spectators have their own pregame rituals. In order to nail down event seats, airline reservations and a place to stay, you’ve got to know how to work the preliminaries–and be willing to spend buckets of money. Merson figures it’s easy to spend $15,000 to $20,000 on a quest for the gold. You could spend less, but there aren’t many bargains in the Olympic Village: most hotel rooms start at $800. Even a frugal couple should plan to spend $10,000.
CoSport, in Far Hills, N.J. (cosport.com; 877-457-4647), is the only place where Americans can buy packages. Their top-of-the-line deal costs $12,522 per person, double occupancy ($21,192 single), and gets you an opening-ceremony ticket, six nights on the Queen Mary 2 (since Athens is on the Mediterranean, cruise ships are another lodging option), plus tickets to some swimming, gymnastics and other events. Want airfare, ground transportation or a rental car? Extra, extra, extra. The company does –have cheaper deals: for $4,041 you can get mid-Olympics lodging for five nights in the three-star Achilleas Hotel, meals and tickets to gymnastics, swimming and other cool stuff. CoSport constantly rejiggers the mix of tickets in its packages; if you don’t see the combo you like, call the company. President Sead Dizdarevic says he’s still got tickets even for the coveted men’s gold-medal basketball game.
Cartan.com, in Manhattan Beach, Calif. (cartan.com; 310-546-9662), is hawking tickets for individual events, but already some (like that trumps-all roundball game) are wait-listed. The firm uses a lottery system to distribute tickets for sold-out events, but if you buy tickets in June, you’ll have the best shot at getting what you want. Never give up, advises Don Williams, the company vice president. He spends much of his time trying to wheedle more tickets from Olympics organizers, as other countries turn in passes they’re not using. Williams expects to fill 90 percent of requests by the time the torch is lit. Prices range from primo $1,170 seats for the opening ceremonies to $14 for such events as archery and badminton.
Don’t skip the trip just because you can’t get every event you want. Soak up the Olympic Village atmosphere, and, though nobody involved with the Games will say this, you often can snag tickets outside the gate once you’re there; just beware of the counterfeit passes that start showing up everywhere.
There are ways around those pricey lodging and airfare packages, too. Andre Noble of Los Angeles plans to fly to Paris, then take a train to Athens. (You can book a flight to any European city and try the same trick; airlines will probably start taking reservations in August.) Noble is willing to take his chances on finding a place to stay: he’s betting someone will show up at the train station with last-minute rooms to rent. And if all else fails, he has a last-ditch option: “I’ll bring a tent.” It’s worth the risk, he says, to live out his own Olympic dreams.
