The European Athletics Championships have come under fire with fans being ‘gouged’ with ‘disgusting’ ticket and refreshment prices in Birmingham.
Star names such as Keely Hodgkinson, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Dina Asher-Smith and Amy Hunt are competing in the first Championships to be held on these shores.
But seats are being flogged for up to £150 while a barbecue pork roll costs a piggish £18.50 at the Alexander Stadium.
Ticket prices are decided by European Athletics in collaboration with the Local Organising Committee.
The fees have been met with half-empty stands, with one supporter branding it a ‘disgrace’.
Even former England footballer Stan Collymore has come out of the woodwork to criticise the pricing, writing on X: ‘No wonder crowds yesterday were poor. Woeful optics.
‘£18+ for a pork roll, £150 for a Cat A ticket. Could have got a £20 ticket for this morning’s session but how many can go on a Tuesday in the school holidays?
The European Athletics Championships have seen tickets priced up to £150 – and have struggled to get bums on seats
The likes of Keely Hodgkinson (pictured), Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Dina Asher-Smith and Amy Hunt are competing
‘Weather is amazing and the sport needs as many eyeballs as possible so kids for a quid!!
‘£150/£100/£70 for the three categories at the weekend is aimed at who? Not families and kids who may want to be athletes!’
It’s not just fans being priced out – athletes’ families and friends are struggling to meet the costs too.
Athletes are not being given any complementary tickets for the events, but UK Athletics are not offering any discounts on this occasion.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes were given at least one free ticket and that is the case at the majority of major championships.
One anonymous athlete told The Times: ‘They could have even offered a discounted rate, so it is a little bit of a surprise, a bit of a shame. It’s a home championships, it would be good to have more family and friends there but it’s sort of the hands we’ve been dealt really.’
Another said: ‘We thought it was maybe a mistake at first.’
The extortionate food and drink prices include £15 for a bratwurst dog, £12 for barbecue loaded fries, and £3.95 for a bottle of water.
An X user wrote: ‘Sorry but this is disgusting and a sure-fire way to turn people off a sport that gets only a couple of opportunities to show itself off each year. European Athletics Championships organisers in Birmingham need to be called out for this price gouging.’
Another said: ‘Such a shame to see so many empty seats. Have watched those temporary stands go up in recent weeks, and yet so few people attending.’
One said: ‘I was there. Half-empty stands were a disgrace. They knew ticket sales were dire, so where was the dynamic pricing model to drop prices, supported by marketing? And where was the back-up of giving tickets to youngsters in athletics clubs and other sports clubs? Embarrassing.’
Another replied to Collymore’s post, saying: ‘That’s a joke. Country is on its knees as it is, how are they getting away with charging those prices expecting to attract families etc.? Ridiculous!’
The European Athletics Championships are taking place from August 10 to 16, with Great Britain putting out a team of 96 competitors.
