Matthew Hudson-Smith, the Olympic silver medallist from Wolverhampton, has broken his silence on the sparse crowds at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, urging fans and media not to "bash" the sport but to champion it instead.
The 31-year-old claimed his third European title in the 400m at the Alexander Stadium on August 12, 2026, finishing in 44.17 seconds, just 30 minutes from his home. Yet his victory was watched by only 14,098 spectators in a stadium with a capacity of 23,000, with numerous empty seats visible in the temporary stand bearing his name and throughout the venue.
Organisers have said they are "delighted" with the turnout, but the empty seats have been noticed on national television, and the event has faced criticism over steep ticket costs in certain sections and pricey food and beverage offerings.
Hudson-Smith's call for positivity
Speaking after his gold medal victory, Hudson-Smith compared the attendance to other major sporting events, saying: "Was it the Super Cup today? Like Birmingham (Aston Villa) against PSG? It's on us as a sport to promote it you know. At the end of the day, we need to promote the sport with the times so people come."
He acknowledged that more spectators could have attended but refused to complain: "Could there have been more? Yes. But I'm not going to complain. On the TV we are very negative – actually really, really negative – we need to be more positive and speak about what we can do and not just bash."
Hudson-Smith, who spent his formative years training on the track, believes the sport must do better at promoting itself, including athletes like himself taking greater responsibility. He said: "We can't keep bashing the sport, we need to uplift the sport and athletes. It's very hard to step onto the track and perform. At the end of the day, there is always going to be one winner, it's life."
Ticket prices and attendance concerns
The event, which is part of the 27th European Athletics Championships, has faced criticism over ticket prices, with evening sessions costing up to £150. European Athletics remain optimistic the event will create a "special atmosphere" but have appealed for more people to purchase tickets, anticipating that sales will pick up as the week progresses.
Hudson-Smith believes greater positivity could attract more attention to the sport, potentially boosting both crowds and participation levels. He continued: "We have to be more positive, we have to promote it in a way that's more modern with the times, use social media, be uplifting with the athletes."
Promoting athletics in schools
He also highlighted the need for better talent identification and school sports programmes, saying: "There are a lot of talented people in the UK, especially Birmingham. In Birmingham, it is a very hard sport. I know everyone wants to be a footballer, I wanted to be a footballer myself and I transitioned to track."
"It's about talent ID, sports in school. It's not just on track but on the whole curriculum and everyone to improve and branch out and there might be someone out there that can be the next Romell Glave, Adam Gemili and bring the sport to new heights so it's on everyone including myself."
The empty seats at the Alexander Stadium have been a recurring issue during the opening three days of competition, and Hudson-Smith's comments come as organisers look to boost attendance for the remainder of the championships.
