How many people actually paid $15 to watch an all-comers meet? What was the paid attendence?
How many people actually paid $15 to watch an all-comers meet? What was the paid attendence?
6.
attendence was 5960
Let me repeat the question, "What was the paid attendence?
Road to Beijing wrote:
Let me repeat the question, "What was the paid attendence?
6!
I am not sure, but the attendance listed might be the paid attendance with a larger total number in the stands. I have no direct knowledge, just some comments that the stands were pretty full.
So it was 6 then?
Guessing by the math used in this forum, I would guess 6.7 paid.
It was no flop. The $15 side of the track was about 3/4 full I'd say. And the $10 GA side was well over half full. Everyone I know paid - weren't a lot of freebies floating around.
I would say that the vast majority of people there payed to get in. There was a very long line for tickets when we got there, which was about 20 minutes before the start. Maybe it wasn't the biggest meet, certainly nothing compared to any of those Euro meets but for the US it was really good to have something, and we should be supporting them for putting something like this on. I have never had the chance to go to a real meet before, so this was a fun experience, as it was only about an 8 hour drive away. The more we support events like this, the bigger the chance we shall have more bigger and better meets here in the US. So no, this meet was anything but a flop. Generated some interest, was good for the junior athletes, and good for some solid "B" athletes. Not every meet can be an IAAF golden league.
I'm sure there were sponsor tickets floating about, but I also know people like Don Kardong who traveled from Spokane to watch the meet along with members of the Central Catholic track team who went to watch. No free tickets for them.
I would call it a success when you get 5900+ people to a midweek track meet with a few national class runners. I would also call it a success when there is a picture and headline above the fold in the Oregonian Sports section. Track got better press than NASCAR did in Sports today and that is better than it would have been two years ago. There was also a second story on Rebecca Noble on the 3rd page of Sports, so not just one story but two.