semi OT: Weak ticket sales for winter olympics, 50 miles from North Korean border

[MattTuck]

The IOC's brilliant decision making is on display once again.

https://qz.com/1077182/to-be-held-ne...-ticket-sales/

South Korea will host the games Feb. 9-25 in Pyeongchang, which is just 80 km (50 miles) away from the heavily fortified border with North Korea. That location might seem to be ill-considered given North Korea’s frequent missile tests and fiery threats toward the United States (where president Donald Trump has unleashed fiery words of his own, including a memorable warning of “fire and fury”). But Pyeongchang won its bid to host the games in 2011, before the Kim regime started dramatically increasing the number of its missile launches in 2014.

Ticket sales to the big event have been slow. Organizers are expecting to sell more than a million tickets, about 70% of them to South Koreans. But as of mid-July only 229,000 spots had been sold (less than 20% of the total), including 177,000 to overseas fans. In the first phase of sales earlier this year, when organizers offered 162,000 tickets in an application lottery, South Koreans bought only 52,000 tickets. Organizers hope online ticket sales that started earlier this month will boost the numbers.

“Regional tensions surrounding North Korea are seemingly putting off some international visitors,” noted Inside the Games,

Really, you think?

[verticaldoug]

they should just move it to Nagano. Nagano sites may be a bit dated, but they all work

[zennmotion]

They should just cancel the olympics permanently as an outdated idea that has morphed into a wasteful corrupt big business $hit$how that's bad for just about everybody.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

They should just cancel the olympics permanently as an outdated idea that has morphed into a wasteful corrupt big business $hit$how that's bad for just about everybody.

OR, put them at a single, permanent location, summer and winter..and have the participants pay for upkeep and modernization. That would save a bundle.

Easy for summer games, Greece...winter may be tougher...

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

They should just cancel the olympics permanently as an outdated idea that has morphed into a wasteful corrupt big business $hit$how that's bad for just about everybody.

Potd, maybe year.

[Mark McM]

... Anti-doping agencies are calling for the Russian Olympic Committee to be banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...=.487acb89cd22

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

OR, put them at a single, permanent location, summer and winter..and have the participants pay for upkeep and modernization. That would save a bundle.

Easy for summer games, Greece...winter may be tougher...

Not part of the business model. The IOC survives on wringing everything they can out of a rotating cast of host cities.

Saving money? That's last on their rather parasitic priority list.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

They should just cancel the olympics permanently as an outdated idea that has morphed into a wasteful corrupt big business $hit$how that's bad for just about everybody.

Im glad someone said it. im tired of always playing the jerk

[Spaghetti Legs]

In related news, the nuclear winter games are scheduled for summer of 2018.

[tiretrax]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

In related news, the nuclear winter games are scheduled for summer of 2018.

Now, that's the POTD!

[54ny77]

missile just launched over japan.

bad.

hopefully china will intervene here.

[gasman]

Hope China does something. They're the big brother that may be able to defuse tensions.

Never been interested in watching the Olympics live, now I'm really not interested .

[buddybikes]

Permanently move winter games to Lillehammer Norway - that was the most beautiful olympics. Met US olympic bi-athlon coach that was a former USSR skier, had been to 25 years of olympics and said Lillehammer was bar far the best.

Greece can have summer games, let them migrate some venues out where necessary. Just not dead of summer.

This is going to be one big problem in South Korea this winter I predict. People are going to be cold and starving 50 miles away with a loonie

[Seramount]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

They should just cancel the olympics permanently as an outdated idea that has morphed into a wasteful corrupt big business $hit$how that's bad for just about everybody.

+eleventy

[sg8357]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

This is going to be one big problem in South Korea this winter I predict. People are going to be cold and starving 50 miles away with a loonie

Protect S. Korea with 20km thick belt of WalMarts and KFCs.
They Came, They Saw, They Looted.