LA28 organizers are responding to a wave of fan frustration over the initial Olympic ticket release, promising more affordable opportunities are on the way. Following the first sales drop, many hopeful attendees were met with sticker shock and limited availability for high-demand events.

Allison Katz Mayfield, LA28's Senior Vice President of Revenue, addressed the criticism directly, stating that locals were given priority access to the widest selection. She confirmed that the highly publicized $28 tickets sold out rapidly, with hundreds of thousands claimed during the presale period.

Despite organizers noting that 30% of remaining tickets are under $200, fans reported seeing only premium seats—some priced as high as $5,000—for marquee events like the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. A 24% service fee, covering infrastructure and customer support, is also added to each purchase.

"If you want to sit in the absolute best seat at the highest demand event, those do go for over $1,000 for sure," Katz Mayfield acknowledged. "But this isn’t your only chance to get those affordable tickets."

The current "Drop 1" window remains open until April 19, allowing selected registrants to purchase up to 12 session tickets. However, no new inventory was added as sales expanded globally. Organizers emphasized that those not selected for this round are automatically entered into future releases scheduled for later this year, with more registration opportunities coming soon.

In a crucial piece of advice for fans, Katz Mayfield warned against turning to resale platforms at this early stage. "If you’re seeing tickets on resale platforms in 2026, they are not verified," she cautioned. "They may be speculative."

LA28 officials reiterated their commitment to accessibility, stating that nearly 50% of all Olympic tickets are priced under $200, and over 75%—including finals events—are under $400. Only about 5% of tickets carry a price tag exceeding $1,000.