Beyond rumination, more like regurgitation at such gross exploitation.
I gather that within the whole Olympic venue the only food concession is Mc Donalds.
All soft drinks are purveyed by CocaCola
All alcohol is supplied by Heineken.
Picnics not allowed for ‘security reasons’. More likely security of corporate pockets!
So, not one British Company, no choice at all and totally unhealthy food to boot. I just cannot understand why anyone would want to go. Can you imagine being trapped in there for the day with only burgers and cokes? Oh yes and only payment by VISA card, I suppose they are forced to take cash? The whole thing is beyond my understanding that there is no choice. I am rather surprised that the law of the land allows the lack of competition.
I wonder if the`Zil lane occupants are forced to eat burgers? Not bloody likely!
I do so hope there is a great deal of civil unrest and disruption, there deserves to be.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Amen to all that, Christina. Include me out from the much vaunted and overhyped “London 2012”. As I type, the BBC is broadcastiing the national weather forecast based on Wilmledon, SE19.
Bleauchh!
OZ
As perhaps the only member here who attends international sporting events on a regular basis (well, maybe not ‘only member’ but I doubt that any attend more than me) may I say that I don’t have a problem with any of the vendors having exclusivity.
It costs a fortune to stage international events and if I have to force down a BigMac & Coke for the pleasure of being there I consider it a small price to pay.
In fact who owns the concession stalls is the last thing on our minds, we’re more interested in the game, the players, the teams and the history of it all, the fact that we can grab a bite to eat and get a drink we just take for granted, so long as somebody is there we don’t care (nothing wrong with Heineken by the way, we had that awful Budweiser during the world cup but we managed ;))
Everything from T shirts to fluffy toys will also be ‘exclusive’ and over priced, I know that, the organizers know that I know that.
The true sports enthusiasts understand the marketing hype and live with it, we move on and simply enjoy the events.
I believe they tried the ‘no private food’ thing at the Sydney Olympics until some health organisation said that they couldn’t do that because of the numbers of people who were on restricted diets. The ban was lifted.
I can’t imaging being ‘trapped’ at an Olympic Venue for one day – with or without MacDonalds and Coke. Still, each to their own… 🙂
Yet again Mrs O a highly valid point,
The whole overgrown sports day is a complete farce. It will cost us a piggin’ fortune and be of absolutely no benefit whatsoever.
Sorry Soutie ol’ bean but the lympics is nothing short of a gigantic pain in the rump.
Hi Christina, I am with you. The two overriding themes throughout events such as these are monopolistic practices and corruption. No company would or should be allowed to operate in the high street in such a dominant position at the exclusion of its competitors and the lack of choice to the public. I am surprised that the Board of Trade or whoever is responsible for monopolisitc practices even allows them. The Olympics are not a private enterprise, they belong to the world, particularly in this case, Britain. Londoners are forced to suffer inconveniences and pay taxes to accommodate the games. They have a choice not to walk into a Macdonalds restaurant. They do not have a choice about the disruption caused by the Olympics.
Others might argue that the sponsors pay for these events. Well, to a point. Individuals pay to watch the events live and the tickets are far from cheap. Broadcasters too pay huge sums to show the games on tv All of which raise vast sums. And lets not forget the host city and its residents who also have to pay for much of the development.The truth is, there simply does not need to be so much money spent. Olympics of the past were just as keenly contested and just as exciting to watch. Bob Beaman’s 1968 long jump record was every bit as impressive and thrilling as Uisain Bolt’s 2011, 100 metre record. The same applies to football, cricket and rugby and in fact any sport. Though the facilities may not have been as good or the salaries as high, the passions of the players and spectators were as intense. And that is what sport is about, or at least it should be. These days, however, too much of the money that is poured into sport ends up in the hands of corrupt administrators as was evidenced by the exposure of many of the FIFA officials. Sepp Blatter being the arch thief.
Many years ago, I met Seb Coe and he seemed a thoroughly decent chap, but I think that he and his committee should have been far firmer about the exclusive privileges that are afforded to the sponsors. It may well have meant that London would have lost the bid, but better that than to allow such immoral practices to take place. Monopolies and corruption are immoral. And nobody should be limited to a diet of Macdonalds and Coke.
One of the reasons I never went to any of the World Cup matches in Cape Town is that I so strongly disapprove of FIFA and the nature of the sponsorship. I feel the same about the Olympics.
No, no, no! You’re all wrong. It’s called globalisation, the reward for Empire and the English Language Diaspora. None of this happens in Denmark, y’see.
No one will be trapped for a whole day, Christina. The tickets are sold for either morning or evening events – no running under the blazing afternoon sun of London! So spectators could survive their morning or evening session without recourse to Coke or le MacDo.
It’s all about the “legacy” innit? All those kids who attended and stuffed themselves with burgers and fizzy coke to the point of obesity will be able, in years to come, to return and gaze lovingly at the athletics track and dream of being fit enough to use it. Oh… no they won’t ,cos it’s its all being flogged off to some footie team or other afterwards.
PS, like Soutie, I enjoy the sport and ignore the hype. It’s wrong to say London will pay. In fact the tourist revenues will be ginormous and not just for London. Many stadia around the UK will bring benefits to the local economies.
I am not against London hosting the games. On the contrary, I welcome it. But I am against the fact that certain mammoth, and what is particularly irksome, non-British companies are allowed to use their power to extend their monopolies. Exclusive sponsorship arrangements should not be permitted. More money does not mean better games. The games are about human athleticism not about corporate and personal greed.
Londoners are paying for the games. It may prove to be a worthwhile investment, but they do not have a choice about it. I don’t necessarily have a problem that the decision to bid was taken by politicians, but allowing companies exclusivity is a bit like allowing McDonalds and Coke exclusive rights to supply the NHS.
Since June 2009
British Lions v EP Kings (rugby)
South Africa v Japan (football)
Portugal v Ivory Coast (football)
Germany v Serbia (football)
England v Slovenia (football)
Holland v Brazil (football world cup ¼ final)
Germany v Uruguay (football 3rd/4th play off)
Boks v All Blacks (rugby)
SA v Aus (cricket)
International 7’s (rugby)
Boks v England (rugby)
Countless EP cricket and rugby matches.
Those are memories that you can’t get on a TV screen.
My first test match was SA v Aus (1969, cricket) I watched the British Lions (twice) in ’74, At the ’74 test there were perhaps 50,000 there, most of us standing nobody under cover.
I’ve a long history, yes I can force a Bigmac down with a Heineken, when last did any here bother to go and support a local international tournament?
Janus, evidently not, tourism is going to be well down, hotels attempting to gouge have had to drop their prices. Most are avoiding London like the plague.
From what I can see there is no advantage to Britain PLC in the slightest, only the bills. No Olympics yet has made a profit. When you consider the lost productivity of workers unable to attend their places of work, the cost go even higher. Equally by gouging ticket prices they have not sold them all by a country mile!
I find the wuhole thing disgusting and do hope the equivalent of Occupy are suitably noisome!
Soutie, with respect, I think you need your head testing! Nothing on God’s earth would get me to attend any professional sport, I find the whole thing totally disgusting along with most of the moronic fans!
I have to admit that I have never even been out with anyone that attended a professional game of anything but rugby, and not many of them. It was always the first hurdle!!! All exs and son were only allowed to play amateur rugby, cricket and golf. Never had anyone who kicked a football over the doorstep, count the spoons time!
I don’t know about you all, but I have always categorised avid sports fans along with religious maniacs and other mad zealots. Completely irrational and to be avoided like the plague!
De facto anyone who goes near London in July needs a strait-jacket!
Fancy having a riot over who won kicking about a blown up pig’s bladder, bunch of bloody Neanderthals!
Everyone pushes up their prices, Christina if they can.
I usually go to the UK in July – the fare in July last year was $1,000 more than I paid in January this year. The difference is justified by the the fact that July is ‘summer’ in the UK. This year, when I looked, the airlines wanted around $1,500 more for the privilege of being in London for the Olympics. No Thanks! We’ll go later!
CO, good evening.
I am, of course, standing beside Soutie on this one. I seriously love watching sport of any and every kind whether live or on the box. Apart from basketball – I just seem to have a blank spot for that.
It follows that I have watched as much of every Olympic competition that I could from when we got our first TV in 1959. So,many memories of so many great sporting moments. And it also follows that I am delighted that this year’s event is taking place in the Capital of my country. I’ll wait for the final figures and to see what ‘legacy’ actually results before I choose to start slagging off that Capital or that country.
I’m just counting the days until it happens and hope that we do ourselves proud and give the rest of the world a memorable show. As Boadicea says, each to their own.
But, when I read your rant, which was well up to your usual standard, even I became incensed to learn that ‘within the whole Olympic venue the only food concession is McDonalds’. Even for me, this was a sponsorship deal too far.
Except that it’s not true as a five minute google would have informed you, had you but bothered. McDonalds is indeed one of the ‘Worldwide Olympic Partners’ and Lord Coe can do nothing about that, But the Golden Arches do not have a monopoly onsite.
Extract from http://www.londonbusinessnetwork.com/2012-information/catering-for-the-games
‘In March 2011, LOCOG announced the Tier 1 Catering contractors. The Olympic Park Catering has been divided into four main packages. The athletes’ accommodation in Stratford, Weymouth and Royal Holloway College will be catered for by Aramark. The Main Press and International Broadcast Centre catering will be supplied by BaxterStorey. Amedeus will organise catering in the Olympic Park North, and the Olympic Park South will be catered by Sodexo. Further appointments include:
Arena Leisure – Eton Dorney and Greenwich Park
Compass – North Greenwich Arena, ExCeL, Coventry Stadium, Earls Court, Wimbledon, Wembley Arena and the Millennium Stadium.
Creative Events – Earls Court and ExCeL
DNC – Wembley Stadium
Do & Co – Olympic Hospitality Centre
Global Infusion – Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park, Hadleigh Farm and the Lee Valley White Water Centre
Sodexo – Lords, Royal Artillery Barrack, Hampden Park and St James Park.
Bon Appetit Caterers Ltd – Non competition venues
Smart Event Catering – Olympic Hospitality Centre’
Plenty of British companies involved and lots of benefits for the British economy.
The only restriction would appear to be that any non-McDonalds catering must be unbranded. It would also seem that spectators will be able to bring their own food onsite with certain restrictions.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/olympic-food-drink-prices-revealed-152009588.html
I have no idea if any of the catering will be mouth-watering but it would appear that it is going to be eye-wateringly expensive. The fact remains that those lucky enough to be there will not have to restrict themselves to Big Macs.
Sorry to disagree Janus, us Londoners have been paying for the past 7 years with an increase supplement in our council tax, we will also pay with more overcrowded transport and closed roads as we have to struggle to work. When it is over we will pay again for the great clear up and then when the buildings don’t sell (AKA the O2 or Dome) we will pay for the upkeep of the white elephants.
The final police bill will put extra costs onto us London tax payers or a reduction in services to cover the costs, we will also pay by increased crime in the suburbs as all of our ineffectual cops will be drafted into the Olympics.
God forbid if there is an incident because that will make the entire thing cost double or more.
Before anyone says the costs is carried by the rest of the countries tax it may be, but we are paying that as well, so paying double; yet we do not get free or cheap tickets for our money.
I did bother JM, it strikes me that all the other categories of attendees get to choose but not the peasants. The only food in the main stadium is Mc Donalds. Those sites you quote are extremely shy on naming the food outlets, they are all holding companies.
Bo, it doesn’t surprise me about the airfares. It is obvious that the usual visitors will not come at those prices.
RR, Londoners need a ‘Peasants Revolt’! As you say, massive bills and no advantage whatsoever.
Jm, I’m delighted you dared to allow facts to get in the way of sports bigotry. 🙂
Rick, you always have a choice. I hear Athens is nice just now. 😦
PS I lay a small wager that tourist numbers will be sky high despite higher fares and hotel prices.
I ought to tip my hat here to the Ukrainian’s organisation for the Euro football finals. There were indeed restrictions on traffic – but they applied to everybody 🙂 (Of course, in Kiev, there are always Zil lanes…) On match days,part the city was turned into a pedestrian Zone so that fans could congregate and move freely to the match venues. No comment on the behaviour of some of the fans, of course…
PS. I still have no interest in the round ball game. I was forced to watch the Italy – England (mis-)match because every establishment was covered in wall-to-wall TV screens. Wouldn’t have missed much if I had my druthers and ignored it…
Yes, Bravo, it was rubbish.
CO: only one Olympic Games has ever made money — Los Angeles 1984. It was designed as an austerity Olympics and the city used almost exclusively existing facilities. Only two things had to be built and the money that did come in more than covered for it.
We couldn’t expect anything so sensible from Blair, Christopher. Once we’d “won” the Olympics, he had to go and splash money around like there was no tomorrow.
I rather think that the selection process is mainly to blame for the ridiculous amounts of money that are spent on the Olympics. Can you see a country who put in an ‘austerity’ proposal using existing facilities getting awarded the Games these days?
It’s all about who can spend the most money and put on the glitziest show.
And, joy of joys, Virgin Media are offering free WiFi on the Tube. Cannot get away from twits tweeting even there! Still it might be useful to find out how late the trains/tubes/busses are, assuming they are not all on strike!
FEEG, it’s a health problem. Without access the twats (noun from verm to twitter) go into withdrawal and need medical help.