Organizers of Paris Olympics say 6.8 million tickets sold so far, defend pricing

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
AP Sports Writer

Organizers of the Paris Olympics say they have sold 6.8 million tickets out of 10 million available with 14 months left before the opening ceremony. They have also brushed off criticism that prices are too high. Organizing committee president Tony Estanguet says the second ticketing phase that ended last week exceeded expectations despite some fans and athletes complaining about hefty prices. The most expensive tickets are 2,700 euros ($2,900) for the opening ceremony, and the sports with the highest prices are the athletics, swimming and basketball finals. The cheapest tickets are 24 euros ($26) and were quickly snapped up, leaving just 200,000 low-cost seats available in a later round to the frustration of many buyers.