Ten years since London 2012, but the legacy continues…
The London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games were among the most anticipated sporting events the country had ever seen. All eyes turned to London for two weeks as the capital hosted the world’s greatest athletes in what was a summer of unparalleled sporting excellence and a chance to show the world a new Britain. During London’s Olympic Games bid, great emphasis had been placed on leaving a legacy behind, through both the regeneration of East London and by ‘inspiring a generation’ to take up sport. Ten years on, the Games’ commitment to its legacy is clear for all to see, with the summer of 2012 still living fondly in the memory of millions of people today.
For all those who were able to attend the Games, there was a sense of historical sporting moments being played out in front of their very eyes. No one who was present will ever forget what took place in front of 80,000 jubilant spectators at London’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday 4 August 2012, forever known as ‘Super Saturday’. Jessica Ennis-Hill, the poster girl of Team GB, smashed her own British record to win the heptathlon, Greg Rutherford took gold in the long jump and Mo Farah stormed to 10,000m gold, all within the space of 44 minutes, cementing their place among the great British Olympians. Team GB went on to win 29 gold medals and 65 medals in total, making it the most successful British Olympic performance for more than a century.
For those within the hospitality industry the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were of extra significance, as it was agreed that for the first time the Olympics would feature a hospitality programme. In 2008, following a highly competitive tender process, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games awarded us, operating as Prestige Ticketing Ltd, exclusive onsite hospitality rights for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This included the exclusive right to design, market, sell and operate the hospitality programme. Working under the name Prestige Ticketing, our objective was simple; to create a world-class hospitality service for visitors from around the globe. Varying from in-venue lounges to purpose-built facilities, more than 90,000 hospitality packages were delivered, with more than 3,000 guests in attendance each day at the Olympic Park hospitality facility – bringing to life the buzz and excitement which could be felt all over London and the wider country during the Games.
Prestige Ticketing Ltd has since evolved into STH Group – the leading hospitality and travel provider at major global sporting events. As a team, we were thrilled to be a part of the first ever Olympic hospitality programme, making once-in-a-lifetime memories for fans at those iconic Games. Many of our London 2012 team are still a key part of our STH business and look back on those memories fondly, as we do with every sporting event we are proud to be a part of.
In the years following, STH was appointed by the British Olympic Association (BOA) as its official ticketing and travel partner, operating as Team GB Live, creating innovative official travel packages for fans wishing to support Team GB at the Olympic Games. Team GB Live takes fans to the heart of the action, with exclusive access to Team GB and once-in-a-lifetime moments through the athletes, events and the annual Team GB Ball.
The 2012 Games brought the country together as we cheered on athletes that would go on to become Olympic legends. The London 2012 Games left behind a legacy of iconic sporting greatness as well as transforming the heart of East London forever. The moto was to ‘inspire a generation’, which it continues to do as one of the most successful sporting events this country has ever produced both on and off the field.
