Glasgow 2014 unveils ticketing ambitions for accessible and family-friendly Games

Two-thirds of tickets to experience the action and thrills of the Commonwealth Games will be priced at £25 or less, it was revealed today.

Announcing a family-friendly ticketing strategy focused on delivering packed stadia and a ‘Games for Everyone’, the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee unveiled that access to sporting events at one of the world’s greatest multi-sports Games will start from just £15 for adults.

Half-price concessions will also be available for children – a Commonwealth Games first – and the over-60s.

The price of a ticket includes access to public transport in the local area on the day of your event.

At a launch briefing in the city today attended by Olympic and Commonwealth athletes, Glasgow 2014 promised a simple and accessible ticketing process and pledged that at least 70% of all tickets to all sporting events would be available to the public.

The Games Competition Schedule was revealed for the first time and it gets off to a flying start with 12 sports on Day One, including Swimming and Track Cycling. The first weekend will be very busy with both Rugby Sevens and Weightlifting expected to attract peak audiences.

It was also announced that the ticketing process will launch on August 19, 2013 and ticket applications can be made online with debit or credit cards. A postal application service will also be available.

Commonwealth and Olympic Scots athletes David Carry and Rhona Simpson backed the Ticketing Programme and joined Olympic, Commonwealth and World champion triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards at the launch this morning.

Announcing the Ticketing Programme, Glasgow 2014 Chairman, Lord Smith of Kelvin, said:

“This is a big day for Glasgow 2014 and one that has taken a substantial amount of planning. This isn’t just about selling a million tickets. It’s about making the Games accessible to all. We have spent many months designing a Ticketing Programme that reflects the vision and values of Glasgow 2014. Today’s the day we set out our stall.

“We have listened and learnt from previous Commonwealth Games as well as the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We’ve also conducted our own research. We’ve thought long and hard about the pricing, the process by which you’ll buy tickets, but also the way we communicate.

“This is a Games for everyone. And by that I mean success not just for the Organising Committee and our partners, but also for the people of Glasgow, Scotland and the Commonwealth.”

Glasgow 2014 Deputy Chief Executive, Ty Speer, said:

“Our focus in developing a Ticketing Programme for Glasgow 2014 has been to make these the most family-friendly, accessible and inclusive Games we possibly can. That means having a simple, straightforward application process, a pricing structure which is accessible and methods of payment which do not exclude anyone.

“Glasgow 2014 presents the opportunity to enjoy a festival of world-class sport. We want to have our venues packed with people who can experience the excitement and action of elite sporting performances at first hand and be part of the action.

“We want to be a good host and give the warm and passionate welcome that we owe to our athletes and which they deserve. Our Ticketing Programme is designed to make sure that happens.”

Three-time Olympian and double Commonwealth champion swimmer, David Carry, said:

“Having experienced the spine-tingling and unforgettable atmosphere of London 2012 and the passion of crowds at previous Commonwealth Games, I have no doubt that the athletes hoping to take part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will have something incredibly special to look forward to.

“Having packed stadia and enthusiastic crowds is what absolutely makes for an electric atmosphere at competition time – and that can really impact positively on performance. I know Scotland’s swimmers will enjoy the home advantage of a Scottish crowd shouting, screaming and supporting.

“I also know that Scottish supporters will make the Games a warm, welcoming and once-in-a-lifetime experience for all the athletes. It will be a really special time for them and for Glasgow. It is great that the ticketing policy at Glasgow 2014 is making it as accessible as possible for people to be part of making Glasgow 2014 the wonderful celebration of sport that I know it will be.”

Everyone will have the opportunity to apply for the tickets they want over a four week period when the ticketing process opens later this summer.

An allocation of tickets has also been earmarked for special distribution to identified groups and communities. More details will be announced this summer.

Note to Editors

  1. The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving 71 teams of
    athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years. Glasgow 2014 will be the 20th Commonwealth Games and will be held from 23 July to 3 August. It will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show. The Games will play host to 4500 athletes and sell 1,000,000 tickets with the event aided by an army of 15,000 volunteers. Glasgow 2014 Ltd is the official name for the Organising Committee tasked with delivering the Games in partnership with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth Games Scotland.

  2. Glasgow 2014 family of official sponsors is Longines, SSE, Emirates, Harper Macleod, Search Consultancy, Ernst & Young, Atos, Dell, Toshiba TEC, A.G. Barr, NVT Group, RGS, Trespass, Riedel and Ticketmaster.

  3. The first phase of ticket sales will be open from 19 August to 16 September. It makes no difference whether you apply on the first or last day of this four-week window. For high demand sports and sessions that are oversold – such as the 100m final – an independent and computerised draw will select the successful applications.

  4. You apply for the tickets you want. It’s not a lucky dip – there is absolutely no chance of requesting tickets for, say, Netball and being given tickets for Table Tennis. Similarly, if you ask for four tickets, you will either be successful or unsuccessful in your application for four tickets. You will not be offered one, two or three tickets.

  5. A minimum of 70% of tickets for every sport session will go to the general public. This is different to most sporting events that use a general average – so some events might be as low as 30% public tickets, where others are 95%. For Glasgow 2014, whether it’s a preliminary session on the first day or the 100m final, a minimum of 70% of sport tickets will be available for general sale.

  6. A pricing example is the 100m final: Tickets for this start at £20, and go up to £30, £40, £60, £70 and top price of £90. A half-price concession ticket of £15 applies to the £30 ticket. Take an earlier round of the Athletics competition, and the prices look like this: prices start at £15 (remember, this is the entry price for EVERY SPORT), and then £20, £30 and £40. Half price concessions apply across all these prices. (Concessions are available at all sporting events, but are limited for the medal sessions).

  7. For Athletics, there are six price categories, but for most events we’ve just gone for two or three price bands to keep it simple.

  8. For example Rugby Sevens and Rhythmic Gymnastics prelims have the same prices: £15 (£7.50 concession), £20 (£10 concession) and £25 (£12.50 concession); Weightlifting final would cost you £20 (£10 for kids) or £25.

  9. Only 8% of tickets are set aside for sponsors. Our sponsors pay for tickets like everybody else.

  10. Prices for the Opening Ceremony start at £40 and the Closing Ceremony at £30.

  11. Ticket applications will be accepted online or with a Ticket Application Form (available within the Ticketing Guide which is published on 23 July).

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