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Tokyo 2020 Olympics discussion [consolidated]

Tokyo 2020 Olympics discussion [consolidated]

Old Mar 22, 2021, 1:48 am
  #316  
 
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I'm guessing some are trying to save Face as much as economics.

Originally Posted by Steve M
I don't know enough about the economics of hosting the Olympics, but I would guess a major component of that would be the economic benefit of a large influx of international visitors. If those are now banned, why is there such a pressure to hold the games in 2021, as opposed to 2022 when I would guess there is a high likelihood of international travel being possible, if not close to normal?
Some of the economics are tied to property development in the Olympic Village. I believe the cachet of living in a former Olympic area was accounted for in some of the pricing for residential housing after conversion.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/To...s-and-lawsuits
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...ics-delay.html

As the Nikkei article notes, sponsorship to increase brand value and recognition is definitely an economic factor. Billboards which serve as athlete backdrops don't need in-person spectators but you can probably get more shots in of such things to a wider area if there are fan cams up towards bleachers & wide angle.

2022 is Winter Olympics in Beijing. Trying to hold both in the same year like they used to be grouped (I'm fuzzy on why they were split) would be definitely be a Face thing with Beijing x Tokyo, in addition to many many business concerns.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 1:58 am
  #317  
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Originally Posted by freecia
2022 is Winter Olympics in Beijing. Trying to hold both in the same year like they used to be grouped (I'm fuzzy on why they were split) would be definitely be a Face thing with Beijing x Tokyo, in addition to many many business concerns.
But the two events are essentially about the same amount of time apart whether you hold the Games in July 2021 or July 2022.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 2:01 am
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Originally Posted by hailstorm
It's not about optics. They don't have the luxury to worry about such optics. It's about the economy. In that regard, local spectators, that buy tickets and later go out and spend money, are better than no spectators.

And everything else here already has spectators anyway. Baseball games, sumo matches, wrestling shows, Takarazuka (a RIZIN show is going on as I type this). Would seem strange to not have them at the Olympics that they've spent so much money on.
Baseball, J-League, sumo are all different in that those are all local events with Japanese making up vast majority of athletes and >95% of spectators (except sumo) traditionally. So there's no need to expressly ban foreign residents from those events, no controversies necessarily. Olympics run on a completely different premise.

They had 5 choices: 1. full-version (but with lottery to eliminate some % of ticketholders to limit crowd) with loosening of public health restrictions on foreign ticketholders; 2. full-version but all foreign ticketholders subject to standard Covid entry/quarantine restrictions; 3. Japanese ticketholders only; 4. No spectators; 5. No Games.

(1) seems too risky and irresponsible.
(2) seems to put unfair amounts of burden and uncertainty on too many people.
(3) bad optics - if they want to do it, fine. but foreign ticketholders being banned will be a legacy of the Tokyo Olympics.
(4) some not so insignificant revenue loss, not ideal; but Tokyo leaves a less controversial legacy than (3) imo,
(5) revenue loss is too huge, not to mention you're ruining athletes' opportunities.

There's no right/wrong here. Many people probably won't care. But if you ask me, (3) is poor form, (4) is the least bad choice. I guess it would've been better if IOC had decided it, but it seems this was Jpn's decision.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 2:25 am
  #319  
 
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Originally Posted by hailstorm
But the two events are essentially about the same amount of time apart whether you hold the Games in July 2021 or July 2022.
*Sucks teeth*

I just don't see them readily agreeing to share the same calendar year. Beijing 2022 would also be known as Tokyo 2022. Beijing 2022 sponsors went in on the premise that they'd get a certain brand recognition bump for it and any common sponsors across the two games probably thought they has a little more time between the games to pay up.

Beijing also has some PR to do and this isn't the first time Olympics are in a touchy location. I can see trying to control opinions by going first vs second.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 3:45 am
  #320  
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Originally Posted by evergrn
Baseball, J-League, sumo are all different in that those are all local events with Japanese making up vast majority of athletes and >95% of spectators (except sumo) traditionally. So there's no need to expressly ban foreign residents from those events, no controversies necessarily. Olympics run on a completely different premise.
Actually, the vast majority of tickets sold to these Games were sold to people living in Japan. So the premise is the same.

Originally Posted by evergrn
They had 5 choices: 1. full-version (but with lottery to eliminate some % of ticketholders to limit crowd) with loosening of public health restrictions on foreign ticketholders; 2. full-version but all foreign ticketholders subject to standard Covid entry/quarantine restrictions; 3. Japanese ticketholders only; 4. No spectators; 5. No Games.
Guess you forgot option zero: full-version. This is what Florida seemed to promise.

Originally Posted by evergrn
There's no right/wrong here. Many people probably won't care. But if you ask me, (3) is poor form, (4) is the least bad choice. I guess it would've been better if IOC had decided it, but it seems this was Jpn's decision.
Let the IOC decide what to do in a sovereign nation? Name one country that would allow that.

Originally Posted by freecia
*Sucks teeth*

I just don't see them readily agreeing to share the same calendar year. Beijing 2022 would also be known as Tokyo 2022.
No it wouldn't. Tokyo 2020 is still Tokyo 2020. I assure you that not one single sign in Tokyo has been changed to read "Tokyo 2021", nor would it change to "Tokyo 2022". They're wedded to that branding too.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 4:50 am
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Originally Posted by freecia
I (I'm fuzzy on why they were split)
Staggering the events helps the IOC to negotiate higher broadcast rights fees than if the events "compete" for budgets in the same year. But it's really all about the athletes and world peace through sport.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 8:19 am
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Originally Posted by jib71
Staggering the events helps the IOC to negotiate higher broadcast rights fees than if the events "compete" for budgets in the same year. But it's really all about the athletes and world peace through sport.
It also keeps the Olympics on a near constant awareness and tempo, rather than something to be put on a dusty closet shelf for three years.
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Old Mar 22, 2021, 9:14 am
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Originally Posted by rustykettel
It also keeps the Olympics on a near constant awareness and tempo, rather than something to be put on a dusty closet shelf for three years.
TBH I'm surprised that the IOC hasn't already launched a franchise for the odd-numbered years.
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Old Mar 25, 2021, 4:03 pm
  #324  
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Wouldn't it be nice to postpone the Olympics by a full four years?

But of course, that's impossible. The IOC would never agree to do something like that.
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Old Mar 26, 2021, 9:29 pm
  #325  
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Oh, Mori-san. Don't ever change.

Ex-Tokyo Olympics chief makes another offensive remark toward women
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Old Mar 27, 2021, 6:41 am
  #326  
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Originally Posted by hailstorm
Some of those ojayi are truly the gift that keeps on giving.
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Old Mar 27, 2021, 12:20 pm
  #327  
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Originally Posted by hailstorm
Can we assume that the woman he insulted is in fact considerably younger than he is?
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Old Mar 27, 2021, 12:54 pm
  #328  
 
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O/T
Originally Posted by Pickles
Some of those ojayi are truly the gift that keeps on giving.
The article linked to a survey of most sexist remarks by Japan Public Figures over the past ~ 1 year and he ranked second. So, of course, I wondered who was first and it was the female legislator Mio Sugita (53).
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/005000c

I'm not celebrating that a woman won over a man in this context but dark humor did make me wonder if those oyaji have decided to up their game.
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Old Mar 27, 2021, 3:53 pm
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Originally Posted by hailstorm
Wouldn't it be nice to postpone the Olympics by a full four years?
This would mean also postponing 2024 and 2028 Olympics, which is not reasonable.

The current plan (no foreign spectators) seems the most reasonable one. Japan seems to have the pandemic more or less under control, and maybe there will be later a backdoor for foreign spectators who are fully vaccinated and can show a negative PCR test.

For foreign fans, it is of course a pity not to be able to experience the Olympics in a city without pickpockets and street robberies (hello Rio), but given the pandemic, this is something we'll have to live with.
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Old Mar 27, 2021, 6:28 pm
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CoSport

--------------Dear

Re: Refund Request Form Due April 9, 2021

Unfortunately, the news none of us wanted to hear – that the Japanese Government decided to bar international spectators from attending the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games due to concerns over COVID-19 – was announced last week. This was a difficult decision for all parties involved.

We, like you, are very disappointed by this news but are committed to working with you through the refund process being determined by Tokyo 2020. As mentioned previously, this refund process regrettably will take time as the organizers continue to work through the impact of the pandemic. After Tokyo 2020 has returned the requisite funds to us – which they have indicated will take up to the third quarter of this year – we will need time to process your refund. We are taking steps to shorten this last step and will address those in a follow-up letter.

Although CoSport and other Olympic entities encouraged the Japanese Government and organizers to refund all costs incurred by international spectators, they decided to refund event tickets based solely on the Terms & Conditions included in your purchase agreement. This means, if you complete and submit the included request form, you will receive a refund totaling the face value of each Individual Ticket you purchased plus the shipping fee.

We hope you understand CoSport is unable to go beyond the Terms & Conditions and refund the rest of your costs, namely the 20 percent handling fee. Authorized Ticket Resellers, such as CoSport, conduct international tick ericeting programs on behalf of organizing committees and are allowed to charge this fee for doing so. As the program was developed and mostly implemented a year ago, this fee has been expended. In fact, due to the refund process, some of our costs, such as financial transaction processing fees and currency conversion, will be doubled.

You can initiate your refund process by submitting your completed request survey form by APRIL 9, 2021, at 11:59 p.m., EDT. Failure to meet this deadline will jeopardize your refund. We recognize this is a quick turnaround; however, it is based on the deadline we must meet to apply for a refund on your behalf.

The survey form allows you to identify each order for which you are claiming a refund, authorize CoSport to cancel the ticket order on your behalf and release CoSport from any further claim related to these orders. Whether you choose to complete and submit the refund form, all ticket orders will be cancelled as a result of the international spectator ban imposed by the Japanese Government.

CoSport was founded to help spectators enjoy the experience of a lifetime at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We remain disappointed we were not allowed to fulfil this mandate and that you were not allowed to create those memories. We recognize a refund will not cure the disappointment, but we will do what we can within our control to hasten the process.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this request form and promise to share updates related to this process as we receive them.

Regards,
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