Poor Crowds

  • Thread starter Fall Out Boy
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I've noticed the poor crowds at the outdoor events so far, and Tony Squires has just raised it on his show.

The IOC has to be disappointed to see events with less than 100 people in the crowd, and less than 1000 turn up to watch the home country's national team (female) play soccer.
 
Yes, I have been thinking the same thing. In Sydney it seemed just about every seat was filled for every event whether it be a session of heats or preliminaries or finals. a bit dissapointing for the athletes to be competing in there ultimate event with little support.
 

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And we're not the only ones to have noticed.

Empty stadiums set off alarm bells

20:24 | 15 Aug 2004

IOC officials, worried by the television images being flashed around the world of athletes competing in near empty stadiums, have told the Athens Games organisers to give tickets away for free if necessary.

On the first full day of competition, weightlifter Nurcan Taylan became the first Turkish woman to win an Olympic gold medal, but her feat was achieved in a near empty stadium.

Tennis superstars Venus Williams and Andy Roddick, used to playing to packed courts, began their Olympic quest to vacant stands.

Organising officials tried to play down the crisis, saying that they knew at the beginning of the Games some events would be badly attended because they were not popular sports in Greece.

"As we move on it will be much, much higher," said spokesman Michalis Zacharatos. "We are very pleased with our ticket sales."

But the International Olympic Committee knows its brand image is damaged by the sight of near empty stadiums.

At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the then IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch told the Korean organisers to fix the situation and within 24 hours the main stadium was packed every day as school children and soldiers out of uniform were shipped in.

Four years ago in Sydney, free tickets were given away at the start of the Games after IOC complaints that there were not enough people in the stands.

"It is very important for the IOC that when people throughout the world watch the Games on television, they see filled stands. It reinforces the claim that the Olympics is the world's biggest sporting festival," said an international marketing expert here for the Games.

"Hugh blocks of vacant seats suggests the opposite and the IOC is very conscious of its image."

In a bid to increase sales, 35 new ticket offices have been opened, making it easier for the public to buy them.

So far 2.9 million tickets have been sold out of a target of five million.

In Sydney, 9.5 million tickets were sold.

IOC officials, at a meeting with Greek organisers, suggested ways that the spectator numbers could be increased, including giving tickets away to volunteers.

Athletics begins next week and the IOC wants a packed stadium for the most televised event of the Games.
 
On SEN tonight, they said there has apparently been a religious holiday over the past couple of days. Officials have promised that people would be back in town, attending the Games pretty soon.

You would hope so - it was embarassing that the host nation's womens football team, in their match with the Aussies the other day, played in front of what looked like an empty stadium.
 
Its hard not to notice.

I was unaware of Sydney not selling enough tickets. However, since they seem to have sold twice the number of tickets as Athens was expecting, I dont see why the IOC is in any way suprised.

Bring em to Melbourne, I say. Melbourne fixes all.
 
puddingfactor said:
On SEN tonight, they said there has apparently been a religious holiday over the past couple of days. Officials have promised that people would be back in town, attending the Games pretty soon.
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If this is the case then most of the people in charge of schedualing wouldnt have passed year 12.

Now that I think about it, its probably possible.
 
Would of thought the Olympics being held back in Greece would of seen people flock to the stadium. it was interesting seeing a lot of events with hardly anyone there, there doesn't seem to be many tourists going to the games either. Would of thought there would of been a bigger amount of Australians making the trip over, and a bigger amount of others aswell.
 

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From what Ive heard the two biggest problems are.

1. People who bought tickets long ago pulling out at the last minute due to possible terrorist threats.

2. The Hotel network in Greece has not been greatly increased due to the games. There has been a fair amount of talk about Greece not having enough accomodation to support these games. In Sydney, we had a lot of new Hotels open and also made a fair amount of "make shift" accomodation available. In Greece people are apparently staying hours away from the venues in some cases.
 
ThomasR said:
Harsh - it still draws more than RL.
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Funny Bloke :rolleyes:
Did u watch the 50,000 sellout game yesterday in Brisbane between the Broncos & Bulldogs? And the NRL are averaging 15 thousand per game 7 games a week 26 rounds a year. And Average over 30,000 for the finals! Not upto AFL standards and no one ever claims they are but their good enough for us! We don't rely on gate takings to survive unlike the AFL teams!
 
LebaneseForces said:
Funny Bloke :rolleyes:
Did u watch the 50,000 sellout game yesterday in Brisbane between the Broncos & Bulldogs? And the NRL are averaging 15 thousand per game 7 games a week 26 rounds a year. And Average over 30,000 for the finals! Not upto AFL standards and no one ever claims they are but their good enough for us! We don't rely on gate takings to survive unlike the AFL teams!
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Nup. You bleed pensioners dry in clubs instead. ;)
 
Is RL in the Olympics now?

Anyway, I can't believe that every event I have watched has such low crowds, other than the road race. Wish I could have gone to these olympics, given the history and what seems to be a well staged event where you would actually be able to get tickets to any event you wanted - and probably free at that!
 
LebaneseForces said:
Funny Bloke :rolleyes:
Did u watch the 50,000 sellout game yesterday in Brisbane between the Broncos & Bulldogs? And the NRL are averaging 15 thousand per game 7 games a week 26 rounds a year. And Average over 30,000 for the finals! Not upto AFL standards and no one ever claims they are but their good enough for us! We don't rely on gate takings to survive unlike the AFL teams!
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Oh, ******** off, I don't want to read that ******** here.
 
scmods said:
******** off to the Rubgy board ****************.
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Hey it wasn't me that brought up Rugby LEAGUE on this thread first you idiot! Don't bag out League here and i won't talk about it! You ********ing got a problem with that?
 
LebaneseForces said:
Funny Bloke :rolleyes:
Did u watch the 50,000 sellout game yesterday in Brisbane between the Broncos & Bulldogs? And the NRL are averaging 15 thousand per game 7 games a week 26 rounds a year. And Average over 30,000 for the finals! Not upto AFL standards and no one ever claims they are but their good enough for us! We don't rely on gate takings to survive unlike the AFL teams!
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Isn't it sad to see someone dissing AFL on an AFL Message Board?
 
captain-boomer said:
Isn't it sad to see someone dissing AFL on an AFL Message Board?
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Last i saw this is a thread for the Olympics and there is a Rugby League board...
When someone disses Rugby league ill respond. Simple!
 
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