And good tickets for premium events are tipped to cost in the hundreds of dollars.
SOCOG's major policy announcement this year comes as senior Games sources express fears about reaching the organisation's target of raising AUSAUS$600 million in ticket revenues.
The sales target has forced SOCOG to maximise prices in more favoured sports to offset its promise of 1.5 million tickets priced between AUS$10 and AUS$19 for low-demand events.
SOCOG is also believed to have allocated between 100,000 and 200,000 tickets for low-income earners at "affordable" prices to in-demand events, including the opening ceremony and swimming finals. The Games' Social Impact Advisory Council is tipping prices between AUS$30 and AUS$90.
The social justice commitment pushes the lion's share of revenue-raising onto the remaining tickets sold to other members of the public, sponsors and overseas buyers.
Buyers of better seats at medium-ranking events can expect to pay well above AUS$100, while tickets for top-level events such as swimming finals and the opening ceremony are expected to fetch between AUS$1,500 and AUS$1,800.
Overall, there are more than 8.5 million Games tickets. About 5 million tickets are expected to be offered to the Australian public with a ballot for in-demand tickets. The rest are reserved for sponsors, special programs such as the Olympic Club and the stadium or sold overseas.
In a mailout due to be distributed throughout Australia by the middle of next year, members of the public will be encouraged to choose a Games "package" across a range of sports to increase ticket sales and boost public participation.
"I think you will see us trying to make it user-friendly," SOCOG's marketing manager, Mr Moore, said. "And that demands us thinking in groups of tickets rather than just a single ticket."
Despite official optimism about SOCOG's revenue forecasts, a senior Olympic figure raised concerns about the gathering economic gloom and its impact on the Games.
In a recent budget revision, which is yet to be made public, Games organisers had increased forecast ticket revenue by about AUS$100 million.
"How SOCOG is going to get AUS$200 million in sponsorship and AUS$600 million in tickets is a big, big bloody ask," the Olympic figure said last week.
Another Olympic source argued that the ticket prices could be defended in relation to international events such as the World Cup. Tickets to the World Cup final were reportedly advertised in Australia between AUS$2,163 and AUS$2,704.
Reuters
