Up to one million tickets for the UK’s next big sporting celebration will go on sale from 10am today (Monday, 19 August) as the starting pistol is fired for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Marking the 10am launch with a splash in every sense, Commonwealth and Olympic swimming star, and just-announced Glasgow 2014 ambassador, Michael Jamieson will dive into the newly re-furbished Tollcross International Swimming Centre for the first time - the pool where he hopes to win one of Team Scotland’s first Golds of next summer on the first night of competition.
For Glaswegian Michael the pool holds special memories as it’s where he trained as a youngster and today he will share the historic moment with young swimmers from Glasgow School of Sport, who all hope to be swimming champions of the future.
Next summer will see 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth compete for gold and glory in Glasgow. Within the Glasgow 2014 Ticketing Programme there’s something for everyone, across 17 sports and 11 days of competition, with family-friendly pricing and a simple application process. The four-week ticketing phase is open from today until 16 September offering fans the opportunity to experience the action and thrills of the Games with two-thirds of tickets priced at £25 or less.
Ticket applications can be made from 10am on glasgow2014.com/tickets or via postal applications forms distributed nationwide with the Official Ticketing Guide. It makes no difference whether fans apply on the first day, last day or in between, but all applications must be received by 6pm on 16 September.
Everyone will have the same opportunity to apply for the tickets they want over the four week period. It’s a brilliant opportunity to experience world-class competition in all the sports you already love and experience new thrills of elite athletes going for Gold in sports you’ve never seen live or at that level before. It makes no difference whether you apply on the first day, last day or in between – so take time to explore the sports programme and plan your application with your family and friends.
Access to sporting events will start from just £15 for adults. Half-price concessions will also be available for under 16s - a Commonwealth Games first - and the over-60s.
The price of a ticket also includes access to public transport in the local area on the day of your event.
As part of the simple and accessible ticketing process at least 70% of all tickets to all sporting events will be available to the public, and a number of different payment methods can be used.
Glasgow 2014 Chairman, Lord Smith of Kelvin, said:
“Glasgow 2014 in every sense is a Games for everyone and a fantastic opportunity to experience world-class sport up close in one of the world’s great sporting cities. We look forward to welcoming elite athletes from across the Commonwealth and the best welcome we can give them are stadia packed with supporters cheering them on.
“Now is your chance to be part of this friendly force of fans for what I hope will be a great moment for sport, for Glasgow and Scotland.
“This is your opportunity to make sure you are part of the experience, part of the action and enjoy all the thrills and spills which Glasgow 2014 will have on offer. We want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy live sport and really make these Games the best they can be.”
Michael Jamieson said:
“Glasgow 2014 is going to be one of the highlights of my career and I’m delighted to be an Official Ambassador for the Games. As well as being an athlete the great thing for me as a sports fan is being able to attend other events and I can’t wait to get to see as much as I can at Glasgow 2014.
“The difference between watching a big multi-sport event on television or actually being there and experiencing it is second to none. You can feel the support of the crowd, the noise from the stadium and being in front of a home crowd will just add to the excitement. I would encourage as many people as possible to get tickets and come and be part of the action. These are elite athletes in every one of the 17 sports competing against their rivals so no matter which sport you get tickets for you will be enthralled, excited and entertained. There is nothing to beat live sport.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said:
“In less than one year’s time, Team Scotland hopes to be fielding its biggest team ever at Glasgow 2014. Our athletes in 17 sports will be ready to go up against the best in the Commonwealth and make their mark at the biggest international sporting event to come to these shores.
“We urge the public to buy tickets now to ensure that the venues are filled with Saltire flags and cheering Scots, helping to make home advantage count. From swimming to weightlifting our athletes are training hard to give you something to shout about, so come along and play your part in the Games!”
Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said:
“This is a chance to be part of one of the world’s biggest events and the largest ever multi-sport event in Scotland. With affordable ticket prices and concessions for children and over 60s, this is a truly family friendly Games that will guarantee top class sporting drama for spectators and a great Glasgow welcome for visitors.”
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:
“The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games come a step closer today when tickets to see so many of the world’s greatest athletes become available. This presents a fantastic opportunity to see world-class performers compete in Glasgow in what will be a very special 11 days next summer. The Games is an occasion not be to missed, and I am sure we will take this opportunity to give a great Glaswegian welcome to the athletes as we watch them in venues across the city.”
ENDS
Note to Editors
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.
Glasgow 2014’s official partner level sponsors are Longines, SSE, Virgin Media, BP and Emirates. For more information on Glasgow 2014’s full sponsor family, please visit http://www.glasgow2014.com/games/our-sponsors
Glasgow 2014, the Commonwealth Games Federation and UNICEF are working together in an exciting partnership that will transform the lives of children in Scotland and throughout the Commonwealth. Using the power of sport and culture this unique partnership aims to inspire, enable and empower the children of the Commonwealth to be the best they can be.
The first phase of ticket sales will be open from 19 August to 16 September. It makes no difference whether fans apply on the first or last day of this four-week window. For high-demand sessions and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, or for venues where seating is limited, you can buy up to four tickets per household. This is the fairest way of ensuring more people have a better chance of getting tickets for these events. It’s normal practice for a wide range of sporting and cultural events,
People apply for the tickets they 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 someone asks ask for four tickets, they will either be successful or unsuccessful in their application for four tickets. They will not be offered one, two or three tickets.
2/3 of tickets are £25 and under.
For Athletics, there are six price categories, but for most events there are two or three price bands to keep it simple.
Only 8% of tickets are set aside for sponsors. Our sponsors pay for tickets like everybody else.
Prices for the Opening Ceremony start at £40 and the Closing Ceremony at £30.
10. Ticket applications will be accepted online or with a Ticket Application Form (available within the Ticketing Guide which was published on 23 July).
11. ATP Event Experts is the Games Travel Office Provider for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and part of the ATPI Group, one of the world’s fastest growing corporate travel and events businesses. Since 1984 the ATPI Group and ATP Event Experts has offered corporate sponsorship activation and travel and event services for a wide array of global sporting events including the UEFA Champions League, Rugby World Cup, and since 1997 the previous ten Olympic, Paralympic and Winter Olympic Games around the world. For further information about corporate hospitality packages please visit www.glasgow2014packages.com, or contact the Games Travel Office (GTO) operated by ATP Event Experts on Glasgow2014@atpi.com
12. The World Press Briefing is being held in Glasgow on 2 and 3 September 2013. Registration is now open via the Press Operations extranet ‘The Pulse’. Contact pressoperations@glasgow2014.com for more details.
13. For further information please contact Matthew Williams on 030 2014 0133 / 07557 322 490 matthew.williams@glasgow2014.com or Simon Buckland on 030 2014 0612 / 07557 846547 simon.buckland@glasgow2014.com