MANCHESTER, England , May 2 /PRNewswire/ — * 25-foot dinghy flies over Belgium-Iceland match
A large academy stadium raises the question of why
Using the tournament

* A giant arrow points to a more suitable alternative to the 55,000-capacity Etihad Stadium.
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*Research* shows two-thirds of fans outraged by size of stadiums for Women’s Euro 2022

Cheeky Irish bookie Paddy Power is causing trouble again, this time poking fun at the unacceptably plain and undesired stadiums chosen for this summer’s European Women’s Championship.

The bookie launched a giant inflatable dart into the north-west corner of Man City’s academy stadium during Sunday’s Belgium-Iceland match, pointing out that Manchester City’s 55,000-seat Etihad Stadium, just 650 meters away, was free and available in the background. .

A giant bouncy castle measuring 25x11x5 feet, “Has anyone seen a stadium big enough for a Euro match?” carries the tongue-in-cheek message and can be seen by players and fans in the corner of the open stadium when sold out. The match took place before the crowd was reduced to capacity.

Man City’s academy stadium has standing room at both ends (which is not allowed for UEFA matches), meaning the stadium’s normal capacity for matches is reduced to just 5,000 spectators.

Support for the Irish bookie’s latest daring stunt quickly gained momentum on social media, with surprised citizens snapping pictures of the 25ft balloon.

According to a survey* by Paddy Power, two-thirds (67%) of Britons think venue choice is a shame and two-thirds (66%) think stadium choice is detrimental to the development of women’s football.

A spokesman for Paddy Power said: “Women’s football has made great strides in recent years and this tournament is a great opportunity for teams to play in front of record crowds across the country and accelerate that growth.

“Fears of empty seats shouldn’t stop football chiefs from being more ambitious in their choice of stadiums – the Etihad is half empty most weeks anyway!”

UEFA Women’s Euro England 2022 will be held from 6 to 31 July.

Notes to editors

Research conducted by Yolo Research on Wednesday 6 July 2022 using a sample of 1,011 UK respondents.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1856289/Paddy_Power_1.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1856290/Paddy_Power_2.jpg