Thousands of empty seats at European Championships in Birmingham as price row erupts

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThere have been a high number of empty seats at the championships (Reuters)Paula Radcliffe and former footballer Stan Collymore have criticised the high ticket and refreshment prices at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham after thousands of empty seats were left visible at the Alexander Stadium. Spectators faced ticket prices reaching up to £150 for Category A seats without concession discounts, alongside steep vendor costs including £18.50 for a BBQ pork roll and chips and £22.50 for park and ride services. On the track, Great Britain's Amy Hunt won 100m glory on the first evening in front of 13,623 spectators, though nearly 10,000 seats remained unoccupied during the opening session. Organisers defended the tournament by stating ticket sales had surpassed targets with weekend sessions near capacity, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy noted that half of all tickets were priced at £30 or under. The attendance controversy comes at a sensitive time for British athletics, as London has formally submitted a bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. In fullEmpty seats and £13.50 for a pork roll – Birmingham 2026 under fire for pricesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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