One in five adults plan to buy tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games, indicating that demand will far outstrip supply.
Organisers are releasing 6.6 million tickets to spectators in the UK, with a deadline of April 26 for applications to join the ballot. A further 2.2 million tickets will be available to overseas spectators and organisations sponsoring the Games.
Outdoor advertising agency Kinetic Worldwide warned that the Games could be “massively over-subscribed”, with 10 million Britons saying they plan to apply for tickets. In the capital, 36% of people say they plan to buy tickets, with just 23% saying tickets are too expensive.
Organisers say one quarter of tickets will cost less than £25 and 90% will cost less than £100. The best seats at the opening ceremony will cost £2,012. More than half of Londoners say they are now excited about the Olympics, up 10% since October to 51%. Across the UK 40% of those surveyed said they are excited.
More than half of those planning to go to the Olympics say they are not sports fans but consider it to be a “once in a lifetime” experience. While 70% believe the Olympics will boost the UK economy, only 39% believe this will outweigh the cost of hosting the event.
James Copley, of Kinetic UK, said: “Our research suggests the level of anticipation and interest in attending the Games is growing and London will see a surge in visitors at the top end of expectations.”
Kinetic Worldwide surveys a panel of 500 UK adults every quarter.