nnn

Ugh indeed. I also spent crazy hours researching, getting tickets, prime business and first class awards (this is still FT), lodging, etc. -- all for a bucket list trip for Mrs. nnn, who is super into the Olympics (much more so than I, but it would still have been a lot of fun). At least the athletes, especially those who only get one real shot, will get to compete (hopefully!).

In terms of getting your refund, IIRC, you may have a decent case -- especially for any tickets purchased under the original CoSport contracts (before the pandemic), and especially now that nobody will get tickets. I think CoSport may have had an argument to keep the money based on their about-face where they let you take the tickets, even if you couldn't get into Japan. But now that option is out. But all that is based on a faint memory of what the contracts said. I have tried to put it well out of my mind since then. So I could be dead wrong.

And of course, regardless of what the contracts say, the right thing to do would have been to offer refunds of the fee, or at least half of it or something. Not sure that I fully trust them that they didn't take any profit on the 20%. Agree with you that hopefully they will be kicked to the curb.

Carolina2Cali

Welp, I got called out, but I kinda expected it. At this point, if not even a Japanese resident can go, it's going to get pretty hard. But I did say it if it was boring... I won't go. Which it will be!

Carolina2Cali

Would this have been your first Olympics? Definitely message me before Paris 24 or beyond if you want. This would have been my 6th or so... plenty of tips for a games in a normal year. I also did Beijing '08 but I really hope they get 2022 cancelled for SO many reasons.

nishimark

Maybe I missed it on this thread. But does anyone think that Japan will get another Olympics soon to make up for all of the troubles with this one? I wonder if an unwritten promise has been given that if this one is allowed to go forward, even without spectators, then Japan will be rewarded with another one as soon as possible.

JapanFlyerT

Soon? I would doubt it. In the next two or three decades, maybe. One thing going for Japan is that costs are always rising and applications have been going down, so the pool of countries that can realistically hold a summer games is pretty small.

hailstorm

One day I'm going to head down to Enoshima with a pair of binoculars to catch a glimpse of a sailing competitor, just to say that I went to the Games that you could not.

With "rewards" like that, who needs punishments? The well of public support for such an event has been poisoned for a generation. It would be political suicide to try and bid for another games.

JapanFlyerT

No plan to bribe a volunteer for use of a uniform ?

hailstorm

The dominos are falling among the remaining venues allowing spectators. Last night Hokkaido announced they were changing course and not allowing spectators at the soccer games in the prefecture. And just now, Fukushima, the "symbol" of Japan's "recovery" from 3/11, announced they were changing course and not allowing spectators at the baseball and softball games in the prefecture.

Both changes came as they realized that it would be "difficult" to prevent fans from Kanto with tickets from attending the events. This holds true for other venues as well...

Topcare

Surely they will not block the entire course? Should be able to see some marathon?

https://athleticsillustrated.com/tok...rse-announced/

Maybe also the triathalon? https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/sports/triathlon/

Maybe some of the road race also?

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...e-route-357988

just wondering really.

hailstorm

Even "no spectators" is not really no spectators, as sponsor tickets and IOC officials/VIPs are not officially counted as "spectators". The opening ceremonies especially I expect to see several thousand people in the stands despite "no spectators".

So it's more a fire sieve than a fire wall.

hailstorm

Today the mayor of Sendai, a city in Miyagi Prefecture hosting some Olympics soccer games, announced that she will be sending a request tonight to Olympics organizers that these matches in Sendai be held without spectators, due to concerns with people coming to the event from other areas. The Miyagi Prefecture government had previously stated that, barring an emergency/quasi-emergency declaration within the prefecture, the events would go on with fans as scheduled, so it will be interesting to see which direction wins out.

shonanroger

Thanks a lot for explaining what Sendai is. 😂 I need to remember this one.

Q Shoe Guy

https://japantoday.com/category/toky...ympic-pep-talk



"Bach tripped over his words while addressing his Japanese hosts, referring to the “Chinese people” rather than “Japanese people” as he spoke."

nnn

CoSport emailed today to inform us that refund checks have been mailed. Despite my complaining about the retained fees, I'll give them credit for making the refunds happen relatively quickly.

hijiji

So much for the Bubble.
Olympic Bubble Chaos