Asian Games organizers admit dissatisfaction with ticket sales and logistical problems

The organizers of the Asian Games admitted on Saturday that they were “unsatisfied” with ticket sales after large areas of empty seats appeared in the main stadium and in other facilities in Japan.

The 100-meter race is one of the most prominent events in any Games, but the Mizuho Park athletics stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000 spectators, appeared only about a quarter full on Friday evening during the most famous races.

Even the possibility of Japanese Misaki Morota winning gold in the women's pole vault did not succeed in attracting large numbers of local fans.

The Aichi-Nagoya Games announced that about 60 percent of tickets for eight sports, including football, had been sold, while a similar percentage of tickets for the closing ceremony remained unsold eight days later.

Satoshi Muratti, Secretary General of the Games Organizing Committee, said in response to a question from Agence France-Presse: “We are not satisfied.”

He added: “We will continue to strive to fill the stadiums completely, continue selling tickets, and work to ensure the attendance of people who have actually reserved their seats.”

He explained that more than 90 percent of tickets for the opening ceremony a week ago were sold, but he attributed the presence of large areas of empty seats during the athletes' presentation and the lighting of the Games torch to the non-attendance of some ticket holders.

“In general, I think sales are strong,” he said. However, it was noted that there were noticeable empty seats in some competitions.

He continued: “There are several reasons for this. First, some periods include multiple matches on the same day. "Everyone is focused on the most important match."

He added that tickets given to stakeholders in the Games, such as sponsors, were not always used: “Seats have been allocated but some people cannot attend.”

He added: “As a result, there are already clear empty seats in some competitions, and we find this unfortunate.”

Moratti also apologized for the failures related to accommodation and transportation.

Several delegations had criticized the organizers, with Thailand likening the situation to a game of “chaotic musical chairs,” while South Korea said that “the organizers deserve a failing grade.”

The biggest problem was the lack of rooms for the 17,000 participants, a crisis exacerbated by delays at airports and long waiting hours to board the cruise ship that is being used as a floating hotel.

A traditional athletes' village was not built, as part of cost-cutting measures.

Instead, the missions were housed in temporary container-style housing units, hotels, and the Costa Serena cruise ship.

Transportation services also witnessed disruptions, as athletes’ buses heading to training or competition venues arrived late or did not arrive at all in some cases.

Moratti admitted: “There were errors in accommodation and transportation for various reasons. Whatever the reason, the organizing committee is responsible for providing the service, and I sincerely apologize for these errors.”

He concluded: “Our employees work daily to determine the causes of each error and ensure that it is not repeated.”