Where is everybody? Track and field starts at the Olympics - but virtually nobody turns up [tr]

UK Daily Mail ^ | August 12, 2016 | Shekhar Bhatia

[C19fan]

There was further disaster for the Rio Olympics today when the much anticipated track and fields events began to a near empty stadium. The 46,931-seater stadium was a swathe of empty blue seats and booths stocked with tickets were largely quiet. Rio 2016 has been plagued by a lack of interest from the Brazilian public and security fears have prevented an influx of American fans and other foreigners. Anti-government protests which have focused on the Olympics and the dire Brazilian economic situation have also hampered interest in the games.

[C19fan]

#RioSucks. Perhaps if they had an event of some middle class Rio people running from muggers out of the favelas that would attract a crowd. Or which favela thug is the fastest with the punch, shoot and grab jewelery.

[T-Bone Texan]

A haiku:

They all got the runs
Explosive diarrhea
Got feces in mouth!

[Catmom]

Or who’s running fasted to the toilet with diarrhea from all the germs in the water.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

I bet if they held the Olympics in the middle of a maximum security prison, or in the middle of a waste treatment plant, no one would come either. That, in essence, is what they have done here.

[T-Bone Texan]

A haiku:

When I say the words
"Excretions of favela":
Talkin' 'bout people

[dfwgator]

Have the Olympics in a Turd World Country. What could possibly go wrong?

[bgill]

Like, uh, the Olympics is sooooo like last millennia.

[libertarian27]

Wow, looks like a Hillary Rally!

They should cover sections of empty stands with big banners, like they do at NASCAR races.

[T-Bone Texan]

A haiku:

Dead body in street
There were 3 more in the bay
Are there not police?

[Squantos]

Word got out it was a Hillary rally probably ...

[T-Bone Texan]

A haiku:

Poop in the water
E. coli in that green pool
They get gold in "fail"

[grania]

I can’t watch it this year. I think the final straw was the NBA and other elite living on a cruise ship, while other athletes risk their lives in the village (from disease and what appears to be dangerous surroundings). It is just too much.

[bgill]

their was a polite ripple of applause from the sparse crowd

There is a shortage of competent reporters and editors.

[trisham]

Have some Mac and Cheese.
I hear it strengthens the soul.
Don't forget to stir.

[bankwalker]

... need some of those running girls in the short shorts ...

[T-Bone Texan]

Look in bay to see
What favela ate last night
Hint: there's lots of corn

[W.]

Greek folks ain’t gots no money fo’ dat!

[littleharbour]

I used to be a huge follower of the Olympics but lost interest with all of the doping, IOC corruption and rigged judging. I respect the efforts of the minor sports where the participants compete for their dedication to the sport but not the high profile sports where the goal is lucrative endorsements. I have no interest in enriching the likes of Bolt by I reading the rating. I didn’t want a single event in 2012 and haven’t watched one in 2016.

[discostu]

Because track and field is stunningly boring to watch live. 14 second races followed by 5 minutes setting up the next race is just the kind of thing that begs to be edited for TV. All the events have bad action::setup ratios.

[Billthedrill]

$6-20 isn't a lot of money for an American sports fan. If you're a resident of a favela, it's enough to eat on for a month. That might be part of the problem.

But come on, when the swimming pools turn bright green and nobody knows why, or a triathlete loses time due to hitting a floating turd, might that be part of the problem too?