LONDON (AP) — Wembley Stadium's upper-tier seating was empty for the college football game between Kansas and Arizona State on Saturday, a reflection of the difficulty in filling the U.K.'s largest venue.
Organizers of the inaugural Union Jack Classic were hoping attendance hits 60,000 for the first college game at the stadium, which has a capacity of more than 86,000.
Local fan Paul Goldsack and his teenage son bought tickets in the upper section and were informed via email two weeks ago that they'd be moved into a lower section, closer to the field.
“We were in the cheap seats and then they’ve moved us down into some decent seats,” Goldsack told The Associated Press on his way to the stadium. “As they’re struggling to sell around the top tier, they’ve moved people down. ... So we’ve ended up with some really decent seats."
Organizers didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, but shortly before kickoff, the upper section was empty and no stewards were visible there.
Meanwhile, Goldsack and his son, Jake, were looking forward to the Big 12 Conference matchup. Both wore jerseys of their favorite NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.
“We’ve done the NFL in the U.K. before, kind of got tired of that, in all honesty,” Paul Goldsack said. “They brought the Packers over once. We both went to that. (The Packers are) probably not coming back in a hurry. We’re a bit tired of the teams that they keep sending over here. So this is something different — college game, give it a go, see what it’s like.”
Jake added: “I love American football, it’s a fantastic sport.” The duo is headed to Lambeau Field next month to watch the Packers play the Dallas Cowboys.
Sun Devil fans Jacob Robles and Brisa Salazar visited Iceland first and then continued to London for the game. The Arizona residents attended a pep rally on Friday night and fielded some questions from Londoners.
“They were like, ‘Is this game important?'" Robles said. “The British people are so confused about the pregame activities. It’s foreign to them to do the whole TV show pregame for two hours and then the marching bands, the fireworks. It’s so much more for them than for us.”
Salazar added: “It’s cool that they’re doing a game over here. I like it so far.”
Scarf missing a key word
It's their first time hosting big-time college football, so give them a break. At least one vendor along the pedestrian walkway to Wembley was selling game scarves that said Kansas and Arizona — not Arizona “State.” The cost: 20 pounds ($27).
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Ken Maguire, The Associated Press
