Some Beijing residents say
that TV will be the most important medium for them to experience the 2008
Olympics, followed by newspaper and radio.
According to survey results released by researchers from the Beijing Academy
of Social Sciences (BASS), a chief think-tank in the Chinese capital, 85 per
cent of those surveyed said they would watch the Games on TV, while 42 per cent
would turn to newspapers and 35 per cent would listen to the radio.
Meanwhile, 24 per cent said they would go to the sports venues. And only 18
per cent of respondents said they would watch events on the Internet.
More than half of those surveyed, 52 per cent, said high prices would
prohibit them from buying tickets to events, while 43 per cent noted their work
may not allow them any spare time to see Olympic events.
Traffic was a concern for some respondents 31 per cent believed traffic jams
would be likely, but few seemed to mention the hot weather as a problem during
the Games.
BASS researchers Nian Wei and Wen Boneng did the survey last year. The survey
covered a community in downtown Beijing that had "typical characteristics" of
ordinary residents in the city, they said.
They published the results in the book "The Social Development Report of
China's Capital (2006)" with a co-authored paper entitled "Research on the
Sports Life and Olympic Knowledge of Community Residents in Beijing."
Popular events
A total of 54 per cent of the residents surveyed said they would follow
basketball events during the Games, while 53 per cent said they would prefer
table tennis.
Soccer is also a hot event at 49 per cent, followed by volleyball at 46 per
cent, the survey showed.
Only 2 per cent said they would like to see softball. The percentage is the
same for water polo, kayaking and modern pentathlon.
In the survey, most males said they preferred soccer and basketball, while
females said they would like to see table tennis.
As to the motivation for watching events, 49 per cent of the residents
surveyed said they wanted to see the competitive skills of the athletes, while
45 per cent said they liked the performance aspect.
And 45 per cent said they wanted to see Chinese athletes achieve good
results. But few seemed to care about the atmosphere or the cost of tickets.
Olympic ticket prices
Nian also predicted the average ticket prices for the 2008 Games could be
between US$20 and US$30.
Nian's research on Olympic ticket prices shows that the average price for
Olympic events since 1972 has accounted for between 0.1 per cent and 0.5 per
cent of the local per capita GDP. Nian said there should be a gap between
high-cost and low-cost tickets for the 2008 Olympics.
He said per capita GDP for Beijing residents in the year 2008 could hit
around US$6,000, and average ticket prices for the 2008 Games would therefore be
between US$6 and US$30. Deducting other factors, he thought the best price range
could be between US$20 and US$30.
Nian told China Daily that he thought some sports would see higher ticket
prices such as basketball (US$39), diving (US$38), swimming and boxing (both
US$37), followed by track and field events (US$36), synchronized swimming
(US$34) and football (US$30).
Low-cost events could include rowing and shooting events (both US$10),
archery and softball (both US$9).
"Other events could be priced between US$11 and US$27," he said.
Too high?
But some Beijingers have other ideas about ticket prices, according to the
survey.
Some 42 per cent of the residents said they thought the average ticket prices
for the 2008 Olympics should range between 20 yuan (US$2.5) and 50 yuan
(US$6.15).
Only 23 per cent of residents responding to the survey said they could accept
a price ranging between 50 yuan (US$6.15) and 100 yuan (US$12.3). None of the
respondents said they wanted to spend over 1,000 yuan (US$123) on a ticket.
Nian said the people included in the survey sample had monthly incomes
ranging from less than 500 yuan (US$61.6) to over 3,000 yuan (US$369.9).
"Though a price range between US$20 and US$30 is far below the average ticket
prices for the Olympics in the past decades, it may be still hard to attract
Beijing community residents to the sports venues," said Nian.
"I think the ticket price should be as low as possible, so that we common
folks are willing to buy one to see a game. For me, I think 50 yuan (US$6.15) is
OK," said Zhang Bin, a migrant worker from East China's Shandong Province, who
now works as a security guard in Beijing's Chaoyang District.
Liu Huilin, an accountant in Haidian District, said she is willing to accept
a ticket price above 200 yuan (US$24.6). "The Olympic Games in Beijing is a rare
event. Even if the prices are a bit high, I would like to go," she said.
Locals see benefits
More than 70 per cent of those surveyed told the researchers they thought
hosting the 2008 Olympics could help raise the international profile of the
Chinese capital, and 42 per cent said the event is conducive to enhancing the
cultural awareness of locals.
Some 41 per cent of the interviewees noted Beijing's infrastructure and
environment would be improved through the Games, and 37 per cent said they are
hopeful the city's employment rate will increase.
Moreover, some 28 per cent said they believed the sporting lives of Beijing
residents would be enriched. And 22 per cent thought Beijing urbanites would get
wealthier.
Most people, at 68 per cent, said the city should provide education on
etiquette in the lead-up to the Olympics, while 64 per cent expected their
English to improve.
More than half of the respondents, 54 per cent, wanted to see better
publicity on security issues, while 36 per cent believed promoting Beijing's
history and culture is important.
