When I first started running back in the 1980s, track meets in Europe were always jammed with spectators. We're talking SRO. It seemed to be a given that T&F was a huge deal in Europe, drawing crowds not unlike what the USA saw at games for ball sports.
With that in mind, it seems like they're getting pretty sparse crowds for the WC sessions. Is it the world economy, or has the popularity of T&F declined even in Europe?