Seb Coe: Birmingham Empty Seats Won’t Affect London 2029 World Athletics Bid

Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, has downplayed concerns that sparse crowds and criticism over ticket pricing at the European championships in Birmingham could jeopardize London’s bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. Speaking candidly about the bidding process, Coe emphasized that the British capital boasts a proven track record of filling stadiums for major athletics events, even as organizers navigate early-week attendance challenges.

How Birmingham’s Sparse Crowds Fuel Debate Over London’s 2029 World Championships Bid

Earlier in the week, empty seats at the European championships in Birmingham became a primary talking point across the sport. Critics pointed fingers at high ticket prices and the marketing strategies deployed for the event. Despite the sluggish start, the final four days of the championships are tracking close to a complete sellout, offering some relief to event organizers.

European Athletics firmly backed the local organizers amidst the initial criticism. On Friday, the organization expressed delight that the competition still managed to secure peak television audiences, exceeding two million people alongside a 20% market share on the BBC.

Sebastian Coe Defends London’s Track Record of Packed Stadiums

When pressed on whether the optical challenge of empty seats in Birmingham might cast a shadow over London’s campaign for 2029, Sebastian Coe was quick to differentiate between the two cities. According to Coe, the UK capital operates on an entirely different scale when it comes to drawing paying fans to track and field.

It’s horses for courses, he stated, highlighting the city’s past successes. We had London in 2012, London in 2017, London will point to having sold out Diamond League five months before the event took place … I think back to 2017 in London, we started on a Friday night and we had the advantage of Mo Farah being the centrepiece.

Addressing the hurdles faced by Birmingham earlier in the week, Coe noted that scheduling played a major role in the early attendance figures. I think it was a challenge, Coe said. It’s always a challenge starting a championship on a Monday morning … local circumstances, middle of the summer, pretty hot out there, not a lot of covering in the stadium, I think there will be a whole series of things.

The 2029 Evaluation Process and the Race Among Host Contenders

The decision on who will host the 2029 world championships rests with the World Athletics Council next month, and Coe confirmed he will not hold a vote on the matter. Instead, an independent evaluation panel will review a series of established metrics across all competing bids before submitting a formal recommendation.

Four cities remain in the running for the 2029 event: London, Munich, Nairobi, and Rome. Outlining the selection mechanism, Coe explained, The council will hear the case, the evaluation panel will give a preference to the council. He added, It’s a pretty coherent process, and it takes the beauty parade element out of it, but it still gives the council the opportunity to properly interrogate beyond the work of the evaluation.