Mexico City stadiums emptied in wake of swine flu threat

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Apr 27, 2009

[MEXICO] Three Mexican First Division games were played in empty games because of the swine flu epidemic has gripped Mexico City. Mexican soccer federation officials banned fans from the three games -- Pachuca-Cruz Azul, played in Pachuca on Saturday, and UNAM-Guadalajara at the Olympic Stadium and Club America-UAG at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Sunday -- on the recommendation of health officials to avoid large concentrations of people in which the virus could spread.

The move cost UNAM an estimated $500,000 in lost ticket revenues. It also lost an unspecified amount in lost concessions.

"Yes, it affects us," UNAM sports director Mario Trejo told Milenio TV on Saturday, "but ... it is more important to prevent the spread of the disease. We don't want to stress the economic element as if it were the most important, because it's not. Health is more important ... preventing a death. We don't want to give the idea to our fans that we are more worried about this than about their health."