Rio 2016 Olympics organizers announce basic ticket prices
Organizers have announced the basic outline of ticket prices for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.
Organizers said Tuesday that 7.5 million tickets will be issued for the Rio Games. Half of them -- 3.8 million -- will be priced under $30. Organizers said the cheapest ticket will be about $20.
The most expensive ticket to the Games will be 4,600 Brazilian reals (about $2,000) for the opening ceremony.
Spokesman Mario Andrada issued a reminder that "many of the events will be seen for free, walking around the Copacabana beach area" or the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon area where rowing events will be held.
Organizers said tickets can be applied for beginning about March of 2015, though they will not be delivered to buyers until just a few weeks before the games open on Aug. 5, 2016.
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said several months ago there would be "subsidies for some of the tickets." He was asked about it after a survey showed that attendance at the World Cup was made up primarily of Brazil's top economic classes. Many of the poor were priced out of attending.
"We will try to do something more democratic," he said, without giving details.