Olympic Trials, Sept. 8-12, Northern Michigan U.

[aaosmts19]

media.www.thenorthwindonline.com/media/storage/paper1202/news/2009/02/12/Sports/Tickets.Available.For.Speedskating.Events-3627388.shtml

Tickets for the 2010 U.S. Speedskating Olympic Trials Sept. 8-12 and the 2009 Speedskating World Cup Nov.13-15 at Northern Michigan University's Berry Events Center will go on sale Monday, Feb. 9.

The Olympic Trials will feature the country's elite short track speedskaters competing for a spot on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team competing at the Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada in January. Participation of all potential U.S. Olympians is required. Prominent athletes such as Apolo Ohno, Shani Davis, Kimberly Derrick and Anthony Lobello are expected to attend. The Olympic Trials consist of four days of competition with no events held Thursday, Sept. 10.

Additionally, the World Cup is one of two events used to qualify countries for the Winter Games. With approximately 25 countries expected to attend, spectators will have the opportunity to watch the world's best skaters compete.

Before Aug 1, Adult all-event passes are $28 for each event or $50 for both. Student and children all-event passes are $18 for each event or $30 for both. All-event passes give spectators access to all days of competition for the respective event including time trials of the Olympic Trials.

Adult daily passes are $12 and student and child daily passes are $7 for both events. The Olympic Trials time trials are included in all-event passes and will be $7 for an adult daily pass and $4 for a student/child daily pass. The time trails will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The USOEC will also be offering a group rate. Tickets for groups of 10 people or more will receive a 25 percent discount.
Additionally, a limited number of VIP packages are also available. The package can be purchased for either event or as a combination. VIP packages include prime seating for all days of competition, access to a VIP lounge for food and refreshments, and event merchandise including a poster autographed by selected athletes and a voucher to choose an item from the merchandise stand. VIP tickets will not be available until Feb. 16 and can only be purchased through the USOEC offices located in the Superior Dome or at 906-227-2888.

All tickets, excluding VIP tickets are assigned seating. All-event passes and combination tickets can only be purchased at the Superior Dome ticket offices. Single day tickets can be purchased at all EZ ticket outlets, via phone at 906-227-1032 or online at www.nmu.edu/tickets. VISA, an official sponsor the U.S. Olympic Team, will be the only method of electronic payment accepted for event tickets.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the USOEC at 906-227-2888 or at [e-mail].

[gasp]

Nope. But I'm planning on it

[evie5]

If I was going to go...where would I fly into? In looking at the University's web site it looks like I would have to drive from where ever I fly into. Has anyone ever been there? Anyone have any information that would help me? I want to check out prices and then I can begin a campaign to convince my hubby!!!

[apolostarr]

Oh I may be able to go to this!

[mtnme]

For us west coasters, the best deals I've found so far are into Chicago....and then you've got a long drive, or an expensive puddle jumper to Marquette. I'm more bummed that the American leg of the World Cup is going to be there too . (Yeah, that's the ticket! Grow the sport by making it more expensive for a fan to get there than to fly to Europe! - AND do it TWICE in one year...)

I say 'spread the love'. Marquette already got their golden ticket. I would prefer the World Cup was in the vacinity of a decent sized city with a major airport. What were they thinking? (we don't WANT anyone to show up?)

Could you imagine that the major sports would ever be this successful in filling the stands if they made it this financially outrageous for a fan to get there? ...especially in a sucky-pissy economy...(yeah, that right, make it harder....)

...sorry, I'm venting....off of soapbox now....

[rinkydink]

I'm planning on going, but I haven't gotten my tickets yet. I really, really want to go to both. I'm more invested in our skaters so will choose the Olympic trials if I can only go to one, but I have never seen world level skating yet. But mtnme is right. Why are they making this so hard?

[apolostarr]

Does anyone know what hotels are near there or if there is a yahoo group for Trials?

[lilyover76]

A minor technicality...but USSpeedskating lists the dates as:

Sept. 9 - Sept. 13

[A.O.Freak]

has anyone purchased tickets for this event yet??

[aaosmts19]

I was looking at some options from Boston - Marquette. The times look good...currently it's at about $323 with tax...without a schedule its hard to figure out when to fly in. But the $323 would get me there for THursday afternoonn and departing Sunday night.

To mtnme's thought of option of Driving from Chigao...I checked out both from Boston...cheaper to go to MQT than go Chicago + driving.

[trisha]

I've been to 2 events in Marquette: the 2006 Olympic Trials and a World Cup in 2003. Both events were very well organized and VERY WELL attended. Marquette may be in the middle of nowhere, but a lot of people went to those events. As a matter of fact, I believe more people attended those two Marquette events than attended the 2006 World Championships in Minneapolis or the World Cup in Madison, WI. Madison and Minneapolis are much larger cities with more convenient access to larger airports, but the events at Marquette draw a larger crowd, for whatever reason.

....And a larger crowd means more revenue for USS and the hosting organization. That may be the reason Marquette was chosen

[evie5]

Any suggestions on where to stay?

[trisha]

As far as hotels in Marquette go, I wonder if there will be a designated host hotel? The host hotels often give special rates to fans attending the event. Maybe as we get closer that information will surface.

Both times I went to competitions, I stayed at the Days Inn on the edge of town. It's not within walking distance to the arena so you'll need daily transportation, but it's a nice, very reasonably priced hotel. Right next door (so close it's almost like being on the same piece of property) is a Comfort Suites which is also very nice - you can get a room with three double beds so you can share with a couple of people and save $ on the room. A little farther away, but still within walking distance of the Days Inn is a Holiday Inn. When I went to these events we had large numbers of fans stay at all three hotels so there was a lot of traffic back and forth for after event get togethers and for transportation to the venue.

In downtown Marquette is the Ramada Inn and the Landmark. I don't know much about the Ramada except it's right next to the road & I've heard people who stay on the 1st floor have to deal with headlights illuminating their room at night. The Landmark is very nice, but fairly pricey I think, and I think it was one of the host hotels for the World Cup. You'd need transportation to the venue each day as neither of these hotels is within walking of the venue.

[Lori]

Apolostarr, I've closed the Yahoo Group - the threads and people here seem to be doing a more than adequate job of posting information, and for those who aren't members here, they can add info at Boots & Blades. I'll be periodically summarizing the info at Rocker U, and just last night I added a page for the Olympic Trials. It's much easier to post summaries there than on the forums, 'cause it stays in one place!

The link is:

www.rocker-u.net/us_champs.htm

The only thing I have up right now is the ticket info, but more will be coming over the next few days and weeks as people post here, and as I do more research - so keep checking.

[susie]

Lori, from what I remember, the tickets for the VIP section are not assigned seats -- thank goodness!

Does anyone know if they will accept a check for VIP seats? I have a Master Card but not a Visa.

And are they running Olympic Trials on that Friday? At first it seemed like they were not going to do that, but now it seems like they are. I'm confuzzled.