Olympic-sized flap over empty seats

Spectators sit among empty seats before Egypt's group C men's soccer match against New Zealand at London Games Sunday / AP

(CBS News) LONDON - Huge blocks of empty seats have been seen in television coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games, much to the surprise and annoyance of British taxpayers - whose money is paying for the London Olympiad - and to thousands of sports fans who couldn't get tickets.

Ticket distribution has been described as a bit of a fiasco here. Normal people can't buy tickets and Olympic committee members who have them aren't using them.

"It's completely ridiculous," said one frustrated Brit. "We can't get any tickets and we see on the news that there's so many free places available, as well. So we are very disappointed."

Other Olympics have been plagued by similar woes, for similar reasons.

In the actual competition, Americans won two more gold medals.

But the world's top-ranked gymnast and a heavy favorite to win gold, American Jordan Wieber, stumbled, and a U.S. relay team came up short in the pool.

If everybody won who was supposed to win, there'd be no point holding the games.

Complete coverage: London 2012

But Wieber dramatically failed to qualify, beaten out by two teammates, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas, who were supposed to be behind her on the depth chart.

"I think, from the very beginning, we're all looking very strong, and I knew it was going to be close between the three of us," Wieber said. "In the end, it is what it is."

17 Photos

Jordyn Wieber

Similarly, first lady Michelle Obama was on hand to follow one of the stories of these games: whether swimmer Michael Phelps would repeat his record medal haul of four years ago.

The answer: No.

He finished out of the medals in the individual medley, an event won by his rival, Ryan Lochte, who's emerging as a possible new poster boy of these games.

33 Photos

Ryan Lochte

The U.S. team in the freestyle relay was a hot favorite, too, but lost out to an inspired swim by the boys from France.

Among the notable American winners so far -- Dana Vollmer, who set a new world record in the women's 100 meter butterfly.

And Kim Rhode, the skeet shooter, won gold and became the first American to win a medal in five consecutive Olympic Games.

"It's just overwhelming," she said. "It's just something. You're just like pinching yourself. Is this real? It's just incredible."

[flowerlady1025]

In 2008 my son was heading off to college and packing in front of the TV so he could see Micheal Phelps win another gold. He said - If I can graduate in 4 years, can we go to the London Olympics? After trying for over a year to get tickets - signing up for the fax submission lottery, signing up for the 2nd lottery for folks who didn't get tickets the first time, learning that 75% of the tickets are reserved for the host country, checking various "package" deals, and checking every few weeks to see if additional tickets had been released - we planned a different vacation to France. Disappointed by the ticket debacle and enraged to see so many empty seats - CoSport, the "official Olympic ticketing service" should be completely audited - something smells a little off here and makes the city of London looks like disinterested morons.

[credibility2]

This is hilarious...a much more embarrassing flap for sure than anything Romney said...I'm just wondering if the reason the guest tickets weren't taken advantage of by the corporate sponsors, is because they were for qualification meets or meets of lesser appreciated events...regardless, it's hilarious...they need to give them to the British Military or sell them...

[Jaylah54200]

What does unused seats have to do with insulting a country when they are your host?

But then, from reading your inane posts over several months, my guess is that you're one of those guests everybody hates. You go to somebody's house for dinner and insult the decor, the menu, the way the food is prepared, and even the brand of toilet paper your host/ess has provided for you to wipe your sh*tty bottom.

I'd lay odds you never get invited to anybody's house more than once, except for your own family members. They'd prefer not to invite you but feel they must since -- although they hate to admit it -- you are family.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by KPeters_from_UK July 30, 2012 2:38 PM EDT

The corporations who didn't show are all tw$ts.
_________________

Why do you automatically assume these are corporate seats, the article makes no mention of who owned the seats.....could it be that sport was boring, and people decided not to attend ? ....there could be wealthy europeans, that have tickets and seats, but prefer to pick and choose which event the view......the tickets were sold, either way, were they not ???? so why is it sooooo important to show the stands full ??? is it because normal people were denied, and these tickets were unused ? if that's the case, too bad, that's life

[credibility2]

...it was reported on several news outlets that the seats were presumably given to corporate sponsors for their guests...they weren't paid for directly, but indirectly through the sponsorships...

[mollydtt]

I guess the "corporations are people" principle works in Great Britain, too.
Too bad that the reserved spaces can't be purchased by those that would love to be there.

[pandamonium6]

Here is a thought...Set aside the seats for the families and officials until a certain date. Those recipients of the tickets MUST either confirm that they will be in attendance or forfeit their seats. If you confirm a ticket, then a person MUST be in attendance. Once a competition starts, any unused seats are considered forfeit and can be resold on a will call basis. If an organization lets a certain percentage go unused in a game, then they will get that percentage less in the next Olympic games.

In reality, it comes down to respect. The people who have these seats saved, do not respect other fans enough to give up unused tickets. Therefore, the Olympic organization should do it for them.

[Jaylah54200]

It's too bad, if they're going to distribute tickets to corporate backers, etc., that they don't have something like a "will-call" window.

The tickets these backers know aren't going to be used could be surrendered to the "will-call" window, and would be available for last-minute sale to the general public.

[alpinequeen]

The original games were used as a political tool by city-states to assert dominance over their rivals. It's comforting to know the modern games still aren't perfect yet.

[quotelawrence]

it is typical these screaming liberals will blame it on Bush or Romney or the GOP

[OmegaWolf747]

The corporate elitism of the 2012 Olympics continues to sicken me.

[jesse2159]

No tickets should be reserved for "officials" or their families.Open competition, open seating. And a good start would be for the leaches called the "royal family" To watch the Queen during the opening ceremony was like watching someone with constipation. Couldn't she at least crack a smile while the thousands of "subjects" cheered her royal ass. Anyway, no tickets for "officials" Let them buy tickets like everyone else and stand in lines like everyone else.