Since tickets for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles went on sale for local residents on 2 April, excitement for the Games has given way to sticker shock among some Angelenos over what they describe as exorbitant prices and an unexpected service fee.

LA28 had made a wave of slots in the presale ticket lottery available for residents throughout southern California, where the majority of contests will take place, and in Oklahoma City, which will host the canoe slalom and softball events. Tickets ranged in price from $28 into the thousands.

Many residents found the $28 tickets quickly sold out or unavailable for more popular sports like gymnastics and track and field, and were left instead with exponentially more expensive tickets. In addition to the ticket price, customers were met with a 24% service fee that LA28 said was meant to go toward necessities like customer service during the Games.

Los Angeles resident Kathy Dorn told the Guardian that she registered for the lottery to buy a ticket on the morning of 3 April and was surprised by the prices and concerned about the fates of those whose slots were later in the day.

“Most gymnastics tickets sold out during my time slot, I didn’t expect them to be gone that quickly,” she said. “Overall, I found the prices quite high, and it didn’t seem like they released additional inventory for people with later time slots, which made it even more frustrating.”

It’s going to be interesting to see how many countries send athletes to a fascist country that detests foreigners (on the official front, not personal).

This could make the Berlin games look like a fun time was had by all.