by Larry Eder
Hampden Park, photo by Claus Andersen
This summer, as most of you know, I have been traveling the world in search of the perfect athletics meeting. I have seen many great moments, and some amazing competitions. In terms of attendance, the best I have seen so far this summer has to be the Commonwealth Games.
Why, one might ask?
Well, they were promoted, ticket prices were not outlandish and sports fans and track fans comingle to watch the Commonwealth Games.
42,000 fans in the Hamden Park stadium. It cost a reported $30 million to place the track in this football only facility (from 1908-1951, a track had been situated in Hamden Park).
At the Diamond League in Glasgow two weeks before, there had been about 6000 people a day. The DL meeting seemed a bit like: if we hold it, they will come.
Unless meetings are promoted and the pricing is at a value that makes sense for the consumer, then, ticket sales flounder.
The European tickets in Zurich, an expensive city already, were not cheap. Even so, seats were between 15,000 and 19,700 per night session and 12-15,000 per morning sessions.
The tickets were 95 Swiss Francs for a one day.
What if, major events did ticket sales that were reduced for four or more in a group or family, and that also filled the stadium?
Keep it simple. Fill the stadiums, give them away if you have to, but please, fill the stadiums at major events.
