How to see the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 for free
Even if you don't manage to pick up a ticket to an event, there are still ways to watch the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games events. And they won't cost you a penny!
The initial batch of tickets for the Commonwealth Games 2014, which starts this week, were snapped up quickly in October last year. 2.3 million applications were made for just one million tickets.
Extra tickets which were put up for sale last month were also in high demand, with the organisers of Glasgow 2014 saying the secondary ticket sale had “generated unprecedented demand”.
But there are still ways to watch the Games and get into the spirit of the event if you don't manage to get hold of a ticket.
Free Games events
There are three entirely free events taking place during the Games.
The first is the Glasgow 2014 Marathon, which will take place on Sunday 27th July. The race will start and finish in Glasgow Green, covering a route through the city that leads past what Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, calls “iconic landmarks [which will provide] a magnificent backdrop for the athletes”.
On Thursday 31st July, the Time Trial cycling event will take competitors across a 40km route (30km for women), starting and finishing at Glasgow Green. The cyclists will head out of Glasgow into the surrounding countryside and through nearby towns and villages, which presents a great opportunity to see the event without entering the inevitably crowded city centre.
Finally, on Sunday August 3rd, the cycling Road Race takes place within the city limits. Men will complete 12 laps (168km) of the course, and women seven laps (98km). The route will see the riders head past landmarks like Glasgow Cathedral and The People’s Palace.
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'Live sites' like the London Olympics
As Glasgow Green, Merchants Quay and the Kelvingrove Bandstand undergo a collective £2 million renovation project, plans have been announced to create 'live zones' at these locations, where people will be able to watch the closing and opening ceremonies as well as action from major events.
These mean you'll be able to cheer on your favourites without a ticket, surrounded by other like-minded sports fans.
I won’t be in Glasgow
Of course, many people will be unable to get to Glasgow. We can’t all be there.
The BBC is covering the 2014 Commonwealth Games on TV and radio, so you should be able to keep up to speed throughout the eleven days the Games are taking place. A much cheaper alternative than going to Glasgow that will get you into the party spirit could be to host an evening watching them at home with friends.
Or maybe you fancy going for a run, swim or cycle (or all three) to celebrate the events?
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If you have a ticket
The tickets to the Games entitle you to use local public transport for free, for the full day on which your event occurs. Don’t pay twice, just present your Games ticket. Be sure to get the best out of your day of free transport by visiting landmarks around the city instead of paying to get to them on another day.
This will be particularly useful if your event took place in the morning, as you’ll then have the rest of the day to explore Glasgow for free.
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