Investigation launched into absent fans
Commonwealth Games bosses insisted on Saturday that ticket revenue had reached the million-dollar mark, but an investigation is underway to unravel the mystery of the missing fans.
The first week of the 11-day showpiece has seen many sports played out in front of virtually empty or half-filled arenas while there has been a barrage of complaints over ticket booths closed or over-zealous security deterring potential spectators.
“Something is not right,” admitted Mike Fennell, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
“We have asked for a thorough report and we hope to have it by Sunday morning.
“There has been some improvement [in attendance] but it can be better. We are keeping the pressure on the organising committee to see what can be done to improve it.”
Organizing committee Secretary General Lalit Bhanot said that ticket sales have generated almost a million dollars and that almost 55,000 tickets were sold on Friday.
However, he admitted that there was an issue with tickets not taken up by sponsors or their guests.
The Hindustan Times claimed that 3,000 tickets marked as “complimentary” had been given away to a scrap paper dealer.
“Corporate people are not coming,” said Bhanot. “Therefore we are issuing more tickets to ensure better attendance.”
Brit some comments from BBC coverage today..
BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce
On Twitter: The best moment of the Games so far - India's 4x400m team winning a sensational gold. Quite an incredible noise, as loud as you've ever heard at athletics.
"I've never ever heard noise like that in an athletics stadium," says BBC commentator Steve Cram.
At the badminton: It's got to be tough to be England's Rajiv Ouseph right now. He's playing an Indian, with the crowd roaring deafeningly at every point for their man
BBC Sport's Martin Gough
At the hockey: It's absolutely frenzied here. If one eardrum burst after the second Indian goal, I've gone completely deaf with the third. India have been energised, both by the crowd and with increased confidence.
That's from Athletics, Hockey and Badminton.
Fans are there if India have a chance.
Saw Mihir Bose on BBC last night and he was scathing in his feelings about the CWG...
Interesting article
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Negative-publicity-of-CWG-unfair-say-foreign-journalists/articleshow/6728515.cms
We have to pacify ourselves :O)
You're missing the point.. Since we're head of the commonwealth, theoretically , all medals belong to us..
lol brit..
Watch the medal tally, great battle for second spot between India and England, India edging out England at the moment :)
WK calls up the CWG committee and asks - "What time does the cycling start ?"
The CWG spokesman says - "what time can you get here sir ?"
Watching India play Pakistan in Hockey right now, needless to say, the stadium is jam packed and plenty of noise.. Great environment and it helps that India are leading 6-2 :)
They are too busy feeding those cows and gods with the left over tickets...
Dear memphis7,
"" Try to post fact things ""
Mod, pls dont give permission tis kind of people to play
our friendly ground..
many venues at the Asian Games in Doha were pretty much the same. The tickets were sold out, when you tried to buy additional tickets, but when you went inside the stadium, there was hardly a handful of people :-(
lol Brit, I didn't do it and I will not do it again :P
Check the post between 7:33 & 7:39 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/live/9076879.stm
How many times do I have to tell you not to send anonymous text messages..
From the live text on BBC's website.
An SMS sent by someone who has been to the games..
"Been to many events. After a slow start, here is the crowd info: aquatics - full; archery - full; athletics - 10,000-30,000; badminton - full; boxing - full; cycling - unsure; gymnastics - very decent; hockey - full; Lawn bowls - sparse; netball - none (not syrprising as no-one knows the sport); rugby - capacity crowds expected; shooting - full; squash - unsure; table-tennis - full; tennis - full; weightlifting - almost full; wrestling - full. Seems media has branded the games a failure before the start and now are looking to prove themselves right."