Olympics: Empty Seats

[Caribeing]

Why so many empty seats at all the events why don't they sell tickets cheap to encourage people in,dressage today had so many empty seats and it was lovely to watch so many events poorly attended!

[jno]

it's one thing to have Home County types pouring into Greenwich Park to watch equestrian events in 2012, but just how many Brazilians do you think are besotted by dressage? I shouldn't think it's the talk of the favelas.

[Smowball]

I asked my husband this and his answer was that the people who live locally simply can't afford them

[rockyracoon]

Lots of seats are empty across a lot of the events. Shame for the competitors but as Smow says it's doubtful that a lot of the locals can afford the tickets.

[rockyracoon]

Lol, I used the word lot a few times didn't I? Must expand the ole vocabulary

[Playbill]

They are probably all watching it on BBC TV: it's on every channel, every day, all day.

[Caribeing]

Agree snowball they cannot afford it but wouldn't it be great to give free passes better to have the stadiums filled creates more atmosphere not only dressage which I know isn't everybody's favourite but other events are empty as well!

[Jan1957]

Most of the Brazilians are too poor but I do think that the organisers could have given some of the tickets free to locals, not sure how many would be interested in dressage though. It is an acquired taste.

[Caribeing]

Most events poorly attended as suggested free tickets would have been welcomed by the locals even holidaymakers whom I'm sure would have been delighted to attend any event!

[bednobs]

I think it has something to do with the fat tht Brazil just isn't a "sporting" nation. They f course like soccer, but thats about it

[EDDIE51]

I think they would have to do more than give the tickets away, to get the poorest locals into the stadium they would have to pay them to attend.
If your only source of income is picking rubbish from the tips to find things to sell or eat you can't afford the time off to watch a load of foreigners playing a game you do not understand. Most of the 'slum dwellers' have no income of any kind and rely on begging and scavenging. They are 'poor' beyond our understanding of the word! There has been huge criticism of Brazil for spending $Billions on the Olympics when many of it's citizens are among the poorest on Earth.

[Smowball]

It's such a shame when these athletes have trained for years to look on at all those empty seats

[Lynn_M]

Alternatively, you could pay people to attend the events. You may even get a full house, should the payments be enough

[naomi24]

I seem to recall there were empty seats at events at the London Olympics too and I get the impression that many of the seats at any event anywhere are filled with Olympic tourists rather than locals. It stands to reason that more popular events will be ... more popular.

[jourdain2]

It would be better to give free admission after about 20 mins. of the start of events such as dressage i.m.o. Dujardin and horse were absolutely awesome. Almost perfection, still a bit stunned by it.

[jourdain2]

jno - just seen your first reply. What do you mean 'Home Counties ' people?
Dressage is hugely popular in many areas (and it is growing). I'm in Yorkshire. My niece rode dressage for the North of England. You are stereotyping, I'm afraid.

[zebo]

The last thing they want in the dressage is all the seats being filled by late comers shuffling in. The question of the poor attendance has been clear through almost all events and I don't know the solution, many have been put off going from other countries by all the horror stories and the local population cannot afford the prices or have little interest in sports other than football.
By the way the "Home Counties types", whatever are they? That hair-shirt must be really itchy. Tickets for the Greenwich Park events were like gold-dust, I thought they'd be easy to get as the Park is very big, no luck though, and I'm only a Norfolk type.

[Lynn_M]

Maybe the would-be spectators are afraid of getting mugged by the locals, as has happened to some of the competitors

[EDDIE51]

I am sure that over 90% of all the spectators are from outside Brazil.
Brazil is a country where a few are extremely wealthy and the masses are dirt poor. I know this is true of most countries to an extent but the difference in Brazil is larger than almost anywhere else.
The rich have little interest in the Olympics and the 'masses' can't afford even the cheapest seats.

[DTCwordfan]

Apparently, they asked 20 thousand Brazilians to act as tele-cast extras to fill the venues - and then they asked a thousand Americans......

[Baldric]

///and it was lovely to watch so many events poorly attended!///

I doubt the organisers thought that!