Spending €463,870 on Paris Olympics exclusives

The top sports fans are spending up to €463,870 on limited edition Olympic packages to gain access to exclusive events with their idols.

These packages are part-owned by the associates of Rafael Nadal and LeBron James and are considered “ultra-exclusive.” They offer personal meetings with top athletes, a visit to the Athletes´ Village and “the chance to attend the Opening Ceremony.”

These A-list tickets supposedly offer after-hours access to the Louvre and a “royal dinner at the Palace of Versailles”. These six-figure packages include accommodation, premium seats at the opening ceremony, specialised sports services and VIP transport around Paris.

The managing director of GR8 Experience, offering these tickets, Barnabas Carrega, told the Press that he is “very selective” in choosing the athletes he works with in order to provide a quality experience for all buyers. “Some athletes with a huge name but (might) not have the charisma needed for the clients, others provide a true experience,” he said.

Yet, the (IOC) International Olympic Committee spokesperson stated that customers who purchase tickets or hospitality packages outside of the official Olympic channels run “the risk of not having their tickets or packages delivered or being denied access by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.”

A GR8 spokesperson claimed that the company “does not sell Olympic tickets”,” but only “experiences around Olympic events.”

While the majority of sports fans cannot afford these offers, even if they with the financial means, Barnabas Carrega hinted that there is still a limit to access to the exclusive experiences: “Obviously at this price point you have to be a very qualified person to want to spend that money,” he said. “It is the money- can’t buy access, the inaccessible level to something very, very unique and special.”