Criticism as thousands of seats empty at Europeans Athletics Championships
The European Athletics Championships in Birmingham faced criticism after thousands of seats remained empty during the event. Fans and attendees cited high ticket prices and poor scheduling as primary reasons for the low turnout.
Why it matters
High-profile sporting events are struggling to balance premium pricing with accessibility, impacting the atmosphere and commercial viability of international championships.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Amy Hunt won the women's 100m final on Monday evening but the stadium was nowhere near full
Nearly 10,000 seats were empty at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium for the European Athletics Championships on Monday evening.
A crowd of 13,623 watched as Britain's 24-year-old sprinter Amy Hunt stormed to her first senior international title , in a stadium that has a capacity of 23,000.
Athletics supporters blamed ticket prices, with some describing them as "extortionate", while others said the empty seats were "disappointing".
Birmingham 2026 organisers said they were "delighted" with ticket sales, which have "far surpassed" their targets with "Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions approaching sell-out, with several other sessions close to capacity".
It is Britain's first time hosting the championships in their 92-year history.
On Monday, Category A tickets for the home straight cost £150 with no concessions for juniors.
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