London Diamond League up to 10 times cost of other cities, BBC finds

In October, UKA reported a profit for the first time since 2017, two years after it faced the risk of bankruptcy amid historic financial issues.

Under the terms of governing body UKA’s 50-year lease to the London Stadium, athletics events can be held there for one month a year, with West Ham fixtures, concerts and other sporting events taking place the rest of the time.

It costs £3m to move the seats each time from football to an athletics layout – but this all falls to London Stadium and taxpayers, not UKA, meaning this is not one of the costs behind the London Diamond League ticket prices.

Many GB athletics stars love the venue, often praising the size of the crowd and atmosphere as well as its London 2012 legacy.

Tristan Jamieson, 29, a club athlete, is travelling from Bristol to this year’s London Diamond League after he paid £40 for an upper tier ticket, but he is now having second thoughts about future years.

“I’m from a very low-income household and I paid the price… I thought that was reasonable, but without knowing what other countries were pricing,” he said.

“I would much rather get a cheaper flight to Rome.”

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