| Advance-Booking Office 1928
The Committee had considered a long time before
the Games were due to commence in what way tickets should be issued to
the public. In this connexion it was necessary to examine various points,
such as the desire of the public at home and abroad to timely secure seats
for certain sports; the desire of some people to attend all contests; the
necessity of always having tickets giving admission to one particular contest
available especially for foreigners; and finally the desirability for the
Committee to obtain soonest
possible at least a partial survey of the
receipts anticipated. After carefully considering the various difficulties
the Committee decided not to issue so-called passe-partouts entitling the
holder to all sports throughout the Games. It was expected that there would
be only little demand for this kind of ticket; while it would moreover
be extremely difficult to fix a price for such tickets and to reserve seats
regularly for the holders, especially on busy days.
On the other hand, the Committee decided to
introduce a system of transferable season tickets and also a system of
day tickets. It was further decided to issue the season tickets at reduced
prices compared with the aggregate price of the day tickets which would
be necessary for any one wishing to attend all events. In respect of the
day tickets the sports were divided into two groups, namely:
1. Sports in which each event constituted
one separate whole, such as
hockey and football. The
tickets to be issued would entitle the holder
to attend one match and
would be known as session tickets.
2. Sports in which a series of contests would
be held within a certain space
of time without a break.
This group comprised the greater part of the
sports, such as athletics,
swimming, wrestling, boxing, fencing, weightlifting
etc. The tickets to be
issued would entitle the holder to attend the
contests held within a
certain space of time and would be known as
morning, afternoon, and
evening tickets.
It goes without saying that in order to determine
the prices of the season tickets, the prices of the day tickets generally
would first have to be fixed. Seeing that the prices of the latter tickets
would differ greatly for the various sports, the Committee consulted the
national sports federations on this head, and the general opinion was that
higher prices should be charged for Saturday afternoons and evenings and
also for Sundays than for the other days of the week, seeing that a larger
number of spectators might be expected during the week-ends.
When this principle was definitely decided
on a Section "Tickets" was instituted in the premises at the Weesperzijde,
with Mr. W. A. H. HERMANS as secretary. This Section had nothing whatever
to do with the financial matters connected with the tickets of admission;
such matters being dealt with by the Section "Finance". The Section "Tickets"
therefore had only to deal with the written, telephonic and personal applications
for tickets; notifying applicants what reservations had been made; arranging
and keeping a record of the season tickets allotted.
SEASON TICKETS:
Following the example set by Stockholm on
the occasion of the Games in 1912 it was decided to commence the issue
of season tickets at home and abroad six months before the Games and stop
the issue two months prior to the opening ceremony. During that period
no applications for day tickets would be entertained.
In order to advertise this arrangement the
Section had hand-bills printed in different colours for each sport, showing
the accommodation where the events in question were to be held and the
prices of the season tickets. Except in the case of the football and hockey
events, where the prices were still subject to alteration, the prices of
the day tickets were also given on the bills so that the public might realise
the advantage of purchasing season tickets Thousands of such bills were
distributed at home and abroad. For publicity in Holland the Section also
had posters made giving the same details; whilst the leading daily papers
all did their best to advertise the advance sale of season tickets. By
the courtesy of the Kiosk Company A. K. O. the coloured hand-bills just
mentioned were further obtainable at all the Company's Kiosks. The hand-bills
for abroad were sent to the national Olympic Committees, the international
federations, and the travel offices. Despite all this publicity, applications
for season tickets were far from up to expectations. By purchasing such
tickets the public might have saved themselves the disappointments and
the Committee the trouble with which the sale of day tickets is inevitably
attended.
Olympic Stadion
size : 11 x 6,2 cm
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DAY TICKETS:
When the time for receiving applications for
season tickets had elapsed and it was decided to whom such tickets should
be allotted, it was possible to commence preparations for the sale of day
tickets. Complete sets of session, morning, afternoon, and evening tickets
in various colours had been prepared and numbered some time previously.
The tickets for the seats which had already been disposed of to season-ticket
holders had to be removed from these sets. It is needless to add that such
matters incurred much work especially as the greatest care had to be exercised.
As the bureau at the Weesperzijde was not centrally
enough situated, and there was not sufficient room available for coping
with the stream of applications expected, the Section was transferred to
the premises at the Heerengracht, where it commenced operations on May
16th 1928. Another great advantage in the new quarters was the fact of
there being a number of large safes in which the day tickets, representing
an enormous amount, could be stored. The Section was first taken charge
of by Mr. HERMANS, who was assisted by some 16 counter clerks.
The various day tickets were dealt with in
very much the same way as the season tickets. Written application had to
be made to the Section, and the tickets allotted were obtainable a few
days before the event in question. This method rendered it possible for
a check to be kept on the enquiries and so eliminate the chances of speculation
in tickets. All day tickets not sold in advance were placed on sale at
the Stadium pay-boxes on the day of the respective event.
(Source document: Official
report 1928, page 935)
Numbers of visitors: 665.600
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