Visa only at the Olympics

[Garlick]

So if you want to buy a ticket, drink, t-shirt etc at the 2012 Olympics you'll have to pay in cash, or use your Visa card.

No other cards can be used at the venue after the organisers signed an exclusive deal with Visa for the entire games. Apparently, there are enough Visa credit/ debit cards in circulation to equate to almost every UK citizen holding one.

I've never heard of this type of 'exclusive' before, and wonder if it will make a huge difference to people attending?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10394970.stm

[The jiffle king]

Was the same at the Sydney Olympics as well, so it's not new. I guess if they put in many millions, they want something for it and this is a guaranteed way

[FasterFreddy]

Garlick said:

So if you want to buy a ticket, drink, t-shirt etc at the 2012 Olympics you'll have to pay in cash, or use your Visa card.

No other cards can be used at the venue after the organisers signed an exclusive deal with Visa for the entire games. Apparently, there are enough Visa credit/ debit cards in circulation to equate to almost every UK citizen holding one.

I've never heard of this type of 'exclusive' before, and wonder if it will make a huge difference to people attending?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10394970.stm

IMO these restrictive sponsorship deals are beginning to get in the way of the events.

Did you see the coverage of the girls in the orange skirts in South Africa, who were arrested because Budweiser complained about the tiny 'Bavaria' brand tags on them? A publicity stunt, yes, but when people start getting arrested for wearing an 'unapproved' brand, things are getting out of hand.

What will happen next with the Olympics (if it hasn't already)?

• Only McDonalds food served in the stadium - any other food will be confiscated at the gate
• You can only take photos if you have an Olympus camera
• If you want to sit in the front row of any grandstand, you must agree to have 'Tesco' tattooed on your forehead

In any case, it won't affect my attendance. I'm staying as far away from the Olympics as I can get.

[zac510]

It would seem to only offer the opportunity to piss people off when they don't have any cash and the wrong card.

[zac510]

FasterFreddy said:

Did you see the coverage of the girls in the orange skirts in South Africa, who were arrested because Budweiser complained about the tiny 'Bavaria' brand tags on them? A publicity stunt, yes, but when people start getting arrested for wearing an 'unapproved' brand, things are getting out of hand.

While reading about that case I learnt that FIFA had pushed for a new law in South Africa to protect the World Cup against ambush marketing (which the women were arrested under) and that the previous UK Government has also put in place similar law to protect the Olympics.

The Governments want these events so badly that they're willing to bring in new laws just to protect these sponsors of a commercial sporting event. It's crazy.

The other thing is if it's not Visa's sponsorship money then its the taxpayer's and we know what Joe Taxpayer thinks about his tax money being spent on sporting events.

[Davi]

well, that's done it for me. I definitely won't be going.

Not that I would of anyway, I'd rather pull hairs out my scrotum with oversize pliers, but definitely not now.

Mastercard all the way!

[MX7]

FasterFreddy said:

Did you see the coverage of the girls in the orange skirts in South Africa, who were arrested because Budweiser complained about the tiny 'Bavaria' brand tags on them?

Only because such a fuss was made about it. If they had ignored it, the press wouldn't have carried the story, and Bavaria would have received almost zero coverage. It seems the way to get free advertising is by deliberately breaking the sponsorship rules while the press are near by.

[speedchick]

I am sure I read somewhere the other day that they have protected certain words, and people are not allowed to 'use' them on websites and such like.

It was things like twenty tweleve, sponsor, games, gold, silver, bronze.

That's gonna cause me trouble, how do I describe gold and silver metal without using the words?

[Parrot of Doom]

speedchick said:

I am sure I read somewhere the other day that they have protected certain words, and people are not allowed to 'use' them on websites and such like.

It was things like twenty tweleve, sponsor, games, gold, silver, bronze.

That's gonna cause me trouble, how do I describe gold and silver metal without using the words?

You can't trademark or "protect" words in that way, AFAIK.

[emicen]

Parrot of Doom said:

speedchick said:

I am sure I read somewhere the other day that they have protected certain words, and people are not allowed to 'use' them on websites and such like.

It was things like twenty tweleve, sponsor, games, gold, silver, bronze.

That's gonna cause me trouble, how do I describe gold and silver metal without using the words?

You can't trademark or "protect" words in that way, AFAIK.

Pretty sure Cannondale managed it claiming they came up with the term "freeride" in relation to mountain bikes. They certainly tried to trademark it.

[speedchick]

Parrot of Doom said:

speedchick said:

I am sure I read somewhere the other day that they have protected certain words, and people are not allowed to 'use' them on websites and such like.

It was things like twenty tweleve, sponsor, games, gold, silver, bronze.

That's gonna cause me trouble, how do I describe gold and silver metal without using the words?

You can't trademark or "protect" words in that way, AFAIK.

According to this.... http://www.london2012.com/about-us/our-brand/using...

You can't even use the simple 2012.

[FasterFreddy]

zac510 said:

the previous UK Government has also put in place similar law to protect the Olympics.

Really? Nothing would surprise me having endured Labour for so long, but I just can't see how they're going police something like that in this country.

Police Officer: "Excuse me sir, did I just see you with a can of Pepsi? You do realise that is an offence under the 'beverages and refreshments (Olympics) act' do you?"

[Stig]

Davi said:

well, that's done it for me. I definitely won't be going.

Not that I would of anyway, I'd rather pull hairs out my scrotum with oversize pliers, but definitely not now.

Mastercard all the way!

Any reason for the anti-Visa view?

Did you know that Visa (as an entity in the UK) are a not-for-profit organisation?

It's the issuing banks that take the profit. Visa just handle the transaction processing.

[Davi]

None whatsoever LOL. Just happens by complete co-incidence that I have 3 Mastercards and no Visa in my wallet, so the choice has been removed for me.

Edited by Davi on Thursday 24th June 10:58

[Oakey]

Stig said:

Davi said:

well, that's done it for me. I definitely won't be going.

Not that I would of anyway, I'd rather pull hairs out my scrotum with oversize pliers, but definitely not now.

Mastercard all the way!

Any reason for the anti-Visa view?

Did you know that Visa (as an entity in the UK) are a not-for-profit organisation?

It's the issuing banks that take the profit. Visa just handle the transaction processing.

And? I bet the MD still rakes it in.

[paulrockliffe]

Take Mastercard, insert into machine, extract cash? Or your other bank card that doesn't charge for cash withdrawals. Isn't rocket science really.

[Rude-boy]

Dear Sirs,

I have recently been viewing your website and have noticed the following under the section entitled ‘using the brand’:-

Website said:

What are the Games' Marks?
All of the official names, phrases, trade marks, logos and designs related to the 2012 Games and the Olympic and Paralympic movements (collectively referred to as the ‘Games' Marks’) are protected by the law in a variety of ways.

The following are some of the current items that make up the Games' Marks:
• The Olympic symbol
• The Paralympic symbol
• The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic emblems
• The words ‘London 2012’ and ‘2012’
• The words ‘Olympic’, ‘Olympiad’, ‘Olympian’ (and their plurals and things very similar to them – eg ‘Olympix’
• The words ‘Paralympic’, ‘Paralympiad’, ‘Paralympian’ and their plurals and things very similar to them – eg ‘Paralympix’
• The Olympic motto: ‘Citius Altius Fortius’ / ‘Faster Higher Stronger’
• The Paralympic motto: ‘Spirit in Motion’
• The Team GB logo
• The Paralympics GB logo
• The British Olympic Association logo
• The British Paralympic Association logo
• London2012.com (and various derivatives)

As a solicitor I am concerned to ensure that at all times I and my firm operates within the laws of this country but am concerned that I will be unable to date any documents during the year that your event will be held in this country as a result of this.

Could you please clarify the legal position on this issue. If you have time could you also please clarify why it is your chosen logo looks like a certain underage American cartoon character performing a sexual act as I am also concerned that this breaches a number of this country’s laws in relation to such images?

Edited by Rude-boy on Thursday 24th June 11:17

[MX7]

[Rude-boy]

paulrockliffe said:

Take Mastercard, insert into machine, extract cash? Or your other bank card that doesn't charge for cash withdrawals. Isn't rocket science really.

No, but it is a pain in the arse, especially given that we are all now so used to being required to use plastic.

And i thought it was only AmEx holders that had to put up with this st!

[emicen]

Stig said:

Davi said:

well, that's done it for me. I definitely won't be going.

Not that I would of anyway, I'd rather pull hairs out my scrotum with oversize pliers, but definitely not now.

Mastercard all the way!

Any reason for the anti-Visa view?

Did you know that Visa (as an entity in the UK) are a not-for-profit organisation?

It's the issuing banks that take the profit. Visa just handle the transaction processing.

What about the % they charge for every transaction? The banks get the interest, yes, but they still make money off people using the card.