All U.S. Olympic Trials Tickets to Be Refunded and Resold Due to Seating Change

USA Swimming and the USOPC will refund all previously-sold tickets for the 2021 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials and re-sell tickets as part of its COVID-safety protocols.

Per USA Swimming, a new venue seating map was configured to ensure safe competition and to mitigate COVID-19 infection spread. This new seating map has reduced daily session attendance to 50% capacity, with spectators in ‘pods’ of 2, 4, or 6 individuals that are distanced from other seating ‘pods.’ Given that tickets sold for the June 2020 Trials had surpassed 90% capacity, they’ve decided to completely refund all tickets and then begin a reselling process on April 16.

Wave II tickets are the first to go to market, with the pre-sale opening next Friday the 16th. Pre-sale for Wave II daily and all-session passes are for original 2020 Trials ticket-holders only.

Check out the whole timeline below:

OLYMPIC TRIALS TICKET RESALE TIMELINE

  • Friday, April 16 – All-Session tickets pre-sale opens for Wave II
  • Wednesday, April 21 – All-Session tickets for Wave II released to public
  • Friday, April 23 – Daily tickets pre-sale opens for Wave II
  • Monday, April 26 – Daily tickets for Wave I and II released to public

Tickets will only be sold in groups of 2, 4, or 6, meaning individual ticket buyers or odd-numbered ticket buyers will have to either bring a friend, or purchase an extra seat that will be left empty.

New tickets will be sold on Ticketmaster outlets or online at ticketmaster.com/swimtrials20. Tickets will also be sold in physically distanced pods of two, four or six; fans can purchase up to six tickets for each session and tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Hotels reservations for Wave I, which runs from June 4-7, 2021, will open to teams and the general public on April 7 at 10 a.m. CT, by visiting: visitomaha.com/swim.

Wave I tickets will only be sold as daily individual passes. Under the new scheme for the 2021 Olympic Trials announced in February, faster ‘Wave II’ standards were created, splitting the Olympic Trials meet into two events: a meet for the faster of the qualifiers and a meet for the slower of the qualifiers.

The top 2 finishers in each event at the slower Wave I meet advance to the Wave II meet 2 weeks later.

This created some issues where families of participants had Wave II tickets, but their athlete was now competing in Wave I. That problem will be solved by the full-scale refund.

Wave I meet tickets are only being sold as single-day passes, with the expectation that interest will be primarily from families and friends of participating athletes.

As the vaccine rollout continues to ramp up nationwide, neither a vaccine nor a negative COVID-19 test will be required for spectators to enter the arena, though these are both strongly encouraged by USA Swimming.

FULL USA SWIMMING PRESS RELEASE

Following the January 2021 announcement that the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming would be split into two events, with Wave I on June 4-7, 2021 and Wave II on June 13-20, 2021, USA Swimming, the Omaha Sports Commission and the host venue have been working diligently to plan for the rescheduled event at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.

In an effort to deliver the safest competition possible and to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19, the venue seating map has been reconfigured, reducing daily session attendance capacity to approximately 50%. Given the June 2020 Trials had already sold tickets in excess of 90% of capacity, there will be a complete refund of tickets and re-sale beginning Friday, April 16.

Original 2020 ticket purchasers will have two (2) exclusive pre-sale opportunities for both All Session (Wave II only) and Daily tickets, with the Daily tickets providing access to the morning preliminaries and evening finals on a single day. The ticketing timeline is as follows:

April 16, 2021 at 10 a.m. CT – All Session tickets pre-sale for Wave II
April 21, 2021 at 10 a.m. CT – All Session tickets for Wave II released to the general public
April 23, 2021 at 10 a.m. CT – Daily tickets pre-sale for Wave II
April 26, 2021 at 10 a.m. CT – Daily tickets for Wave I and Wave II released to the general public

Tickets may be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet nationwide or online at ticketmaster.com/swimtrials20. Tickets can also be purchased at the CHI Health Center Omaha box office. Seats will be sold in physically distanced pods of two (2), four (4), or six (6) seats. Fans may purchase up to six (6) tickets for each session and tickets will be sold on a first-come first-serve basis.

Hotels reservations for Wave I, from June 4-7, 2021, will open to teams and the general public on April 7 at 10 a.m. CT, by visiting: visitomaha.com/swim.

The event Organizing Committee (OC) continues to work with USA Swimming National Team physicians, along with the Douglas County Health Department, CHI Health (which is providing medical services for the Trials), the venue and the USOPC in the development of the Trials health and safety plans. Local county health regulations require masks to be worn inside the arena at all times, and event organizers will require this as well, regardless of any changes to local regulations prior to the start of the event. While strongly encouraged, neither a vaccine nor negative COVID-19 test will be required for spectators to enter the arena. The OC will also ensure that anti-COVID measures are enforced and widely available throughout the venue. 

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Allen Barnard
2 years ago

We purchased tickets for the original 2020 trials, and no one will tell us when we are going to get our money back. This is just not fair. Noone to talk to only emails promising someone will get back to us, but noone has.

Bob Smith
2 years ago

I was fortunate enough to receive the code and buy an all session pass with good seats. But we can be there only from Wednesday to Sunday. Does anybody know if there’s a way to re-sell tickets from an all-session pass from Sunday to Tuesday?

Leslie Lindner
Reply to  Bob Smith
2 years ago

We have not been able to buy any tickets, but would want the early part of the week, Sunday thru Tuesday. could you possibly consider selling to us?

Bob Smith
Reply to  Leslie Lindner
2 years ago

if I can, I will for the prorated price. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to because I don’t know if the tickets will come as one pass or individually (my original question). BTW, it will be Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday am because we will be coming in Tuesday afternoon (we changed our flights). Having said that, we will be flying out Sunday so the Sunday tickets (6/20) could also be available.You can text me at 408 space 348 space 7438

Bryan
2 years ago

Has anyone received a presale link yet? I’ve been refunded already but no link a d presale is tomorrow

Paul
Reply to  Bryan
2 years ago

never got my code, wasn’t able to purchase tickets today – extremely disappointed in this process – it is a disaster. Never got any code from US Swimming. Ticketmaster has a location for codes in their account settings, I thought i might show there – never did (and you can’t get ahold of any human at ticketmaster – just email). Ridiculous.

Admin
Reply to  Paul
2 years ago

Sounds like only ALL SESSION ticket holders would receive a presale code for the ALL SESSION presale today. Were you all four day or single-day ticket holders?

Paul
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

All session. See notes below. Multiple people with all session tickets did not get their codes.

Leslie Lindner
Reply to  Paul
2 years ago

for those of us who were not able to get tickets, what other options do we have?

Confused Parent
2 years ago

So if I am reading this correctly (between the lines), the reality is the OT cut times have changed, so if you are in Wave II you are at Olympic Trials, if you are in Wave I you are at a meet (called OT – however not really) hoping to be a wildcard to make Olympic Trials. Am I missing something?

Admin
Reply to  Confused Parent
2 years ago

That’s one possible interpretation of the scenario.

Another is this: swimmers without a Wave II cut aren’t going to make the team anyway, but they’re still getting an opportunity to swim in the biggest and baddest arena they’ve ever swum in, in front of the biggest crowd they’ve ever swum in front of, against a field of very fast swimmers, with meet protocols that will still prepare them for their next shot four years later (if they’re young enough for that).

They’ll also still get to tell their friends, children, and grandchildren that they raced at the US Olympic Trials.

They won’t get to chase Katie and Caeleb around deck asking for selfies, and I get that this is disappointing.… Read more »

Bob Smith
2 years ago

I currently have daily tickets (which I assume will be refunded). How does TicketMaster know that I am eligible for the pre-sale?

Paul
Reply to  Bob Smith
2 years ago

Bob here is what I learned today. Do NOT assume you’ll get the code. Multiple people will full session tickets did not get their codes before today’s ticket sales started. If you don’t get it, you need to call CHI Omaha arena to get your code. Not Ticketmaster or US Swimming but the the arena to get it. They will give it to you over the phone when you call – sadly I got mine 4 hours after tix went on sale. Good luck.

Osd
2 years ago

So they aren’t even selling an all session pass to Wave I. I hope they do something so an arena only 10% ?? full still has some excitement.
Also hoping everyone who had tickets before and wants to go gets to go !

Spectatorn
2 years ago

off topic but stumbled upon this page on USA Swimming website from link in the article. First, almost forgot there is a PSS meet this week, and second, totally missed that this one has morning finals. I am sure there is/was a SS article talked about all this but with all the Olympics qualifying meets happening, I totally missed news about domestic events 😛

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/tpss2021tokyotwisteventschedulemission.pdf

Last edited 2 years ago by Spectatorn
Melissa
2 years ago

Will be disappointing if I have to pay a lot more than I paid for my original tickets….or if I cannot even get any to watch my child swim….ugh!

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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