PARENTS have hit out at the ticketing arrangements for the next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, complaining that the four-ticket limit for the majority of sporting events will exclude larger families.
Anyone applying for popular competitions, including swimming, diving, athletics and track cycling will be allocated a maximum of four tickets per event, forcing parents with three or more children to either leave someone behind or forego the event altogether. The opening ceremony is also limited to four tickets per household.
Dave Brennan, a cycling campaigner from Torrance in East Dunbartonshire, said he was very disappointed that he, his wife, their two sons aged eight and six, and three-year-old daughter, would not be able to attend any of their preferred events as a family.
He said: "We took them to the [track cycling] world cup at the velodrome [in November last year] and they absolutely loved it, so we promised to do our best to get tickets for the Commonwealth Games. I was very disappointed when I looked at the ticketing information and discovered they were limiting ticket allocations to four.
"My wife Philippa said, 'Well, who's not going then?' We've got a hard decision to make because it's difficult for just one parent to look after three young children, and we don't want the event to be disrupted for other spectators. But how do you leave one child out?
"I fully understand they have to have a limit but in my experience it's normally six for these types of events. Families of five aren't really that unusual."
Mr Brennan said that although one of the key objectives of the Games was to inspire children and young people to take part in sport, the ticket limit will in fact mean many are excluded. "It's a terrible shame," he added.
Paul Climie, a GP from Partick, Glasgow, said he was disappointed his three children – two boys aged 13 and 11 and a six-year-old daughter, who are all keen swimmers –were unlikely to see their favourite events. He said the family faced leaving someone at home if they secured tickets for their preferred swimming or athletics events.
Dr Climie added: "After all the big posters in Glasgow appealing to children, it appears families are not a major priority in the ticketing arrangements. My three kids were looking forward to the athletics and swimming events. However for these events, and for the opening ceremony which they fancied too, the ticket limit is set at four tickets per application, with only one application per household stated in the terms.
"So after all the emphasis on engaging young Glaswegians, we are unable to go to the popular events as a family. I do hope this is not to avoid large numbers of concession seats being taken up by children at events expected to sell well, or that seats at these events are at a premium because there can be corporate sales.
"I realise there are always winners and losers in any system of ticket allocation, but one which penalises families seems counter to what I thought the Games were meant to be about."
Another father-of-three, Robert Jones, said he had been planning to spend a few days in Glasgow "enjoying sport and spending lots of money" with his family but would now go for a weekend in London instead.
Increased ticket allocations are available for sports such as badminton, squash, table tennis, gymnastics and hockey.
A Glasgow 2014 spokeswoman said: "Glasgow 2014's ticketing programme aims to ensure as many families as possible attend the Games. Ticket limits have been applied to make sure more people have a better chance of obtaining tickets and also to deter against unlawful resale.
"Ticket limits range from four, eight to ten per household depending on the type of event and anticipated demand and – with prices starting at just £15 and more than 70% of Games tickets available to the public – we hope as many people as possible can come and enjoy the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games experience."
The Herald is a media partner of the Games.
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