European Athletics Championships

[JustGiveMeReason]

Is anyone else watching ?

I don't follow the Diamond League but do enjoy watching the European / World Championships and Olympic and Commonwealth Games Athletics.

Great to see so many of our athletes performing so well. Shame they got the ticketing and marketing so badly wrong.

Can anyone explain why
a) Some of the German team seem to be wearing Australia colours
b) Why we don't have a team kit ?

I get the different styles - some want to wear shorts and a t-shirt, some a vest, some run in their underwear or a swimming costume - their choice and whatever makes them comfortable but what I don't understand is why all the GB&NI team aren't in the same colours ?
I've just been watching this morning's coverage and some of our athletes are in blue, some are wearing purple, and Jake Wightman is wearing a white vest with blue shorts.

We went to 3 sessions, two evenings and one morning during the week. We were in the cheap seats- lowest two bands for all sessions. Despite it apparently being not full we resold a spare ticket for all 3 sessions through the official resale website. But only in one session did anyone actually turn up and sit next to us. A fair few people were clearly sitting/standing in other areas to get a better view. We used the shuttle buses and weren't there Saturday so all worked well. The morning session was very hot if you were in direct sun and I think this probably impacted attendance.

@clary Most of us know the seats were not all £150 but some were and that’s too high. £99 is always a better look psychologically. I do think morning sessions were going to be hot and no school dc around of course. That was no one’s fault but it meant marketing should have been stronger.

The BBC tried to cover it up but some athletes didn’t think it was great. There’s no escaping that. The optics were poor and it makes a difference when we bid for future competitions. The attendance was much less than I expected and there should be an inquest into why because for the future of big athletics meetings, using this stadium, it matters.

Also these stadiums for athletics are white elephants in terms of use. Look at football stadiums and how much they are used? Completely different but we know athletics and football don’t mix in the same stadium. Therefore one athletics home is a better solution but athletics thinks it needs more. It’s a sport which gains interest once a year at most plus a diamond league meeting. It’s just what it is.

OK @MeetMeOnTheCorner we agree about some things here (it's a shame there were not more people at the events esp in the morning; £150 is a lot for one evening of athletics (I didn't pay that in Brum haha tho plenty paid a lot more in Paris 2024)) but the athletics stadia in GB are not white elephants so please stop saying that. They are well used and very important for the future of a sport that at grassroots level involves thousands of YP in keeping active.

And the same old annoying presenters on BBC showing their white teeth and fab 50's bodies after years of retiring. For me they are glorified and i normally turn sound off and wait for the events to begin 😀

@clary They are rarely full! If this was any normal business, they would be closed. They don’t atttact the punters like football stadiums do and are heavily subsidised. One stadium for athletics has a useful purpose for multi uses, even though it’s difficult, but one used very occasionally for a minority sport and club sport that attracts few punters is a white elephant by any reasonable definition. £72 million was spent on this stadium by Brum city council and they own it. Does it make money for council tax payers or is it a drain on resources? I suspect the latter.

@MeetMeOnTheCorner

The stadium is also a conference centre, has Birminghams only dedicated gymnastics centre, martial arts centre, hosts West Brom women's team, has a fitness/centre

You are focusing too narrowly on one sport in a multi sport facility. As its been an athletics centre since the 1970s and has secured funding for upgrades, Im sure the business model stacks up

Do you know what @MeetMeOnTheCorner I believe Alexander Stadium does not make money. So according to you it should be closed, because when a major champs is staged there it is not full?

So never mind that it is used regularly for many events that involve athletes competing at all levels (from the UK champs via English Schools to club events like the YDL meets). Never mind that it is the home of one of the UK’s premier clubs, Birchfield Harriers (Matt H-S’s club) and that many young athletes train there every week. Better shut it. We don’t want young people to access athletics and keep fit when we could build something else on the site that would make money.

Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow was not sold out for any of the Commonwealth Games athletics sessions either, except the last night (we were there for the final seven sessions). And that holds only 11,000. Should that be closed as well?

I mean I am a capitalist, broadly (to the horror of my DD). But I am fundamentally against the closure of sports stadia, whether football grounds (which btw are not always sold out. I don’t know if you have been to a League Two match lately?) or athletics stadia, or tennis courts or cricket grounds or anything else. Knocking down Don Valley was a big mistake IMO. Athletics tracks across the country are in danger – in Sheffield and Nottingham to name but two. That’s not in any way a good thing.

Anyway. And breathe. Who knew I felt so strongly!

Yes but who can actually afford all of this and why does athletics need so many stadiums? Just fill a couple with major championships because, guess what, the uk doesn’t get them very often. Why be so wedded to tax payers paying for your sport? Yes, I go to lower league football and they are private companies and most don’t make a profit but they don’t get Brum council or anyone else bailing them out. Athletics is not that special! But it thinks it is.

Ok I am just going to answer this one: why does athletics need so many stadiums?

Because people will not drive their 10-11-12-13yo 100 miles to train for athletics. Any more than they will for a cricket match, tennis training, golf practice.

There are athletics stadia all over the country. There is at least one in most big cities and lots of towns. Some universities have them. A quick google suggests there are about 400 all-weather track stadia. They are regularly used (like the Alexander Stadium) for training several times a week, for competitions all year including locally based leagues, national leagues, schools events, comps for younger athletes, comps for masters, para events. Not just for a major champs or events once or twice a year.

You want there to be only two?

I should add that although I guess athletics is my main sport, I am a fan of lots of sports. And I don't think athletics should get special treatment. I am all for public support for people to play and watch and get involved in all kinds of sports. Footy, cricket, tennis, swimming, rowing, netball, boccia, wheelchair basketball, you name it.