10000 up: A Tweet Odyssey

Ten Thousand Tweets. Wow.

When I first joined Twitter in 2009, I had little idea of the impact it would have on my life. It was, then, the emerging rival social network to Facebook which I would be damned if I joined…

I never realised I would have 10000 things to ‘Tweet’ about in a little over four years. But being an open network that has continually attracted more cerebral, open-minded and (dare I say it) interesting people than FB cannot help but stimulate conversation. Which is what social is all about in the end.

From the humble beginnings of being part of a Twitter-driven radio play collective, to ramblings about work, sport and holidays, right through to the race for tickets to London 2012, and subsequently covering the Games themselves… This network has been good to me. It’s been the journal I never felt brave enough to start. And it has improved many areas of my existence.

No one really knows what will happen to Twitter, especially in 5-10 years time. But it is still - in my opinion - one of the few things that actually resembles an information superhighway, which is what that Internet is meant to be.

I joined Facebook a couple of years ago, and while it’s not as terrifying as anticipated it’s not Twitter. It is the backwater town to Twitter’s heaving metropolis.

My final word is to my followers. Past, present and future. Some I know personally, professionally or by relation(!). But many of you I’ve never met, and perhaps never will. Yet your company and interaction makes this whole damn enterprise that much more enjoyable. And so for that, and suffering me - I thank you.

To the next ten thousand. Wow.


S.

27 May 2013.

The 2014 ticket race - rapid response

No sooner had the last spectator left the Olympic Park in 2012 than minds and hearts were focused on what could be expected from Glasgow, the hosts of the next Commonwealth Games in a little over a year.

If the ticket demand for the London 2012 Olympic Games showed anything it’s that the British population are at ease in their new found role as cerebral sports nuts. It indicates that the Glasgow Games could smash all Commonwealth records with a strong domestic attendance.

Today, the Glasgow 2014 organisers revealed the provisional schedule of events along with guidelines on the ticket buying process. Ominously for those well versed in the 2012 experience, Ticketmaster have again been appointed the official reseller for the UK. But, the news gets better…


The Headlines

-Around 1 million tickets are up for sale
-All tickets for heats/prelim rounds will start at £15
-The highest price event ticket will be ringside seats for the Boxing (£120)
-Ceremonies tickets will start at £30 (Closing) and go up to £250 (Opening)
-Like the London 2012 process, Glasgow 2014 will invite applicants to apply through a ballot-style application. The ballot opens 19 August for 4 weeks
-No payment provider sponsor, so Visa and MasterCard are accepted
-Money only taken once confirmation of allocation of tickets has been received


Pointers from Delhi 2010

Delhi (the hosts of the last Commonwealth Games in 2010) is best viewed with a level of caution as it’s well documented that ticket sales were very poor. While it seems unlikely Glasgow will have similar issues, there is an unknown whether the afterglow of the London Olympics will translate into a boon for our Scottish cousins. So while they may look to adopt a more ticket office driven approach as that used in 2010, online will be the way forward.

One of the major loopholes unearthed by many canny ticket buyers in the run-up to 2012 was the ATR (aka Authorised Ticket Reseller) network, that meant that punters could buy legally from Resellers around the world. In Delhi 2010 a reseller network did exist, and old favourites like Kingdom Sports and Sportsworld all held strong court as the official reseller for a large number of participating Commonwealth nations.

Of course with ATRs come various national requirements and demands, so beware any artificial hopes of filling your boots from the Tuvalu reseller - unless you’re a passport holder!


Schedule: early expectations

17 sports, 14 venues, 11 days - it’s not chance that makes the Commonwealth Games the third largest multi-sport event in the world. Along with the ticketing announcement today, came the release of the provisional event schedule. A lot of colour still needs to be filled in in terms of days and exact events, but again using London 2012 and Delhi 2010 there are a few clues to be aware of:

27 July, which (in 2014) will be the two-year anniversary of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony is shaping-up to be billed ‘Super Sunday’ with the last day of the Track Cycling, coupled with the finals of the Rugby Sevens and the start of the Athletics. Swimming and Shooting will also have medal sessions on that day. And organisers will hope the streets will be packed as the Marathon events are also staged.

31 July could provide Glasgow’s own ‘Thriller Thursday’ with the Road Events races taking place in the city; the business end of the Athletics schedule should see some high-profile events on this day while Artistic Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Lawn Bowls all look to have finals on the day.

While the bulk of events are ticketed, the Marathon and Road Events look to be free for all spectators.


Predictions..!

-Expect Usain Bolt to break his Commonwealth Games duck representing Jamaica, and Athletics tickets to be in highest demand
-With what would be one year to the World Cup (and two years to Rio 2016), expect the Rugby Sevens to be fiercely contested and so one of the high demand sports of the games
-Track Cycling tickets, even with Sir Chris Hoy’s retirement, will still be a precious commodity
-Strong home nation presence should mean the Triathlon, Netball and Squash are dark horses for ticket demand

A full schedule ahead of the application process should be in circulation by late June. For now, any would-be ticket hunters should start swotting up!