Rave Up with Arielle Free

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Just hearing on 5Live about the many largely arbitrary and STUPID rules for the Olympics and those attending,

things such as what FLAGS (flags of non-competing countries) you take AND TSHIRTS you wear to venues (nothing with a competitor to a sponsor's logo on it) and you can ONLY eat and drink sponsors product within the Olympic Park (packed lunches reportedly to be checked?), there's protecting the brand and there's 'protecting the brand', I for one think such moves HURT these brands in my eyes and I will be making a point to actively AVOID them now, personally.

Also use of the Rings logo and the words or numbers 2012 is apparently prohibited for shops etc.

Hmm funny, didn't think we were actually IN 1984, close maybe but not THERE. Bloody ridiculous and draconian and for an event that makes all this hassle really NOT worth it.

[Viv]

(packed lunches reportedly to be checked?), there's protecting the brand and there's 'protecting the brand', .

One sentence: doughnuts in bra.

I have only bought an Olympic bracelet so far. Have to agree, it is all waaayy over the top.

[cxx666]

Now I can sort of understand them not wanting competitors logos etc on them but I happen to know of a guy who had unbeliebably horrible dietry requirements as a kid, no idea if he still has them, but he had to have everything made at home specifically for him so where to people like that stand? they can't have things made by the sponsors so its not really fair. Taste and desency should be a factor in clothing but nothing more than that.

If this was anything other than the Olympics people would be pissing themselves laughing at the awesome stupidity of the rules.

doughnuts in bra..

Tits with holes in them.

[Viv]

*shocked at cxx666's post *

[DarkAngelMJH]

Only able to use Visa cards is a stupid thing too. What if you only have a MasterCard or Amex?

[MrDoovdeHaxorz]

Really? That's a new one on me. How stupid ARE they.

[DarkAngelMJH]

Ticketholders attending the Olympics should expect long queues to get money out at venues after 27 cash machines at sites such as Wembley are replaced by eight Visa ATMs.

Visa confirmed that it was replacing the existing cash machines at various Olympic sites with machines running on its own system as part of its exclusivity arrangement as a sponsor. The move means people with Mastercard credit or debit cards will not be able to use the ATMs to withdraw money.

ATMs will be switched off at the Excel Centre, Earl's Court, North Greenwich Arena, Wembley Arena, Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon, Old Trafford, St James' Park and the City of Coventry Stadium. A number of the existing machines charge users a fee to withdraw money. The replacement Visa ones will be free to use.

Retailers at the Olympic sites will be accepting contactless payments, and much has been made of the 2012 Games being a "cashless Olympics".

Ron Delnevo, the managing director of Bank Machine, the largest operator of free and fee-charging ATMS, condemned the move. He said it would leave the Olympics "cash-starved by design".

"The vast majority of people attending the Games, from over 200 countries, have no interest in becoming guinea pigs in product launches by sponsors," he said. "They are gathering to celebrate sporting excellence and should be allowed to do so, unhindered by the commercial manoeuvring of sponsors."

The Payments Council, which oversees all payment services in the UK, said it could not comment on Visa's move. "It really is a matter for Locog [the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games]. It's up to them what they do with regard to sponsors."

Disabling the ATMs will make it harder for visitors to find somewhere to withdraw cash, but Visa said it expected many to bring money with them.

"Debit cards have overtaken cash as the most popular way to pay for goods in the UK," a Visa spokeswoman said. "We expect people to use a mixture of cash and cards to pay once they are inside the Games' venues."

Almost 97% of debit cards in use in the UK are Visa-branded. There are likely to be fewer overseas visitors holding a Visa card, but no official figures are available.

Visa would not comment on how much revenue it expected to generate from ATM exclusivity.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jun/01/visa-cuts-atms-london-olympics

Stupid idea! Think of the massive queues.