ROME (AP) — The ancient Roman Colosseum will be the venue of gladiator fights — albeit staged — for the first time in two millennia under a $1.5 million sponsorship deal with Airbnb that aims to promote “a more conscious tourism.”
But some visitors to the monument Thursday, as well as housing activists, were skeptical about the value of the arrangement, citing ongoing controversies in many cities over the role of short-term rental platforms in fueling overtourism and limiting affordable housing for residents and students.
Under the deal announced by Airbnb and the Colosseum on Wednesday, the sponsorship by the short-term rental giant will cover the renewal of an educational program inside the ancient Roman amphitheater covering the history of the structure and gladiators.
Eight of the platform's users and their plus-ones will be able to participate in faux gladiator fights after the Colosseum's closing time on May 7-8, taking the same underground route used by gladiators in ancient Rome to reach the arena. People can apply for the experience on Nov. 27 at no cost, and the “gladiators” will be chosen by lottery.
The superintendent of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, Alfonsina Russo, told The Associated Press that the deal is in conjunction with the release of Ridley Scott's new film “Gladiators II," which opened in Italy on Thursday.
Russo characterized the sponsorship arrangement as one of the many such deals to help finance projects at the park.
The Italian fashion brand Tod's, for example, has funded a multimillion renovation of the Roman monument, including a cleaning, replacing the locking system of arches with new gates and redoing the subterranean areas.
Alberto Campailla, the coordinator of the Nonna Roma nonprofit organization that focuses on housing and food for the poor, called the campaign with Airbnb “a disgrace,” and a form of “touristification.”
Airbnb and other platforms offering short-term rentals “are literally driving people out of not only the city center, but also the outskirts and suburban neighborhoods,” Campailla said.
Tourists from other European cities grappling with overtourism also took issue with the deal.
“It seems to me that the purpose of the Colosseum today is to be a tourist attraction, but not to create an amusement park within it,” said Jaime Montero, a tourist visiting from Madrid. “In the end, tourism eats the essence of the cities, here in Rome, as in other capitals.”
Visiting from Naples, Salvatore Di Matteo saw the deal as “yet another takeover of the territory” by big companies.
"If they start to touch sacred monuments such as the Colosseum here in Rome, it is obviously something that should make us think and is, in any case, a bit worrying," he said.
The Colosseum is the most important and largest amphitheater constructed by the ancient Romans. Built in the 1st century, it was the center of popular entertainment, hosting hunts and gladiator games, until the 6th century.
Colleen Barry contributed from Milan.
FILE - Tourists walk by the ancient Roman Colosseum as it's reflected in a puddle, in Rome, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, file)
BERLIN (AP) — Patrik Schick scored a hat trick and injury-hit Bayer Leverkusen overcame a scare before beating Heidenheim 5-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt all won, too, but Bayern Munich remains unbeaten and already has a commanding lead with just under a third of the season played.
Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeneß promised the club's fans last week that the title will be returning to Munich after last season's trophy-less aberration.
And it's hard to argue with the 72-year-old former Bayern president with Frankfurt his team's closest challenger, six points behind. Leipzig is eight points back, Leverkusen nine, and Dortmund 10 after 11 games played so far.
Leverkusen announced before kickoff that Jonas Hofmann will be out for the rest of the year with a right thigh injury from training, adding to an injury list including Victor Boniface, Amine Adli and Nordi Mukiele.
Heidenheim then stunned the defending champions when Marvin Pieringer won the ball from Piero Hincapie for Niklas Dorsch to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Mathias Honsak surged past three Leverkusen defenders and shot inside the far post 11 minutes later.
Exequiel Palacios pulled one back in the 30th, two minutes before Schick equalized with a deft chip over the Heidenheim goalkeeper. Florian Wirtz crossed for Schick’s second in the 52nd and substitute Arthur crossed for his hat trick in the 71st.
Granit Xhaka completed the scoring before celebrating by sucking his thumb and making a baby gesture.
Leverkusen's injury concerns increased with Jeremie Frimpong limping off before the break and Martin Terrier going off late with an apparent hand injury.
Dortmund beat visiting Freiburg 4-0, easing the pressure on Nuri Sahin after four league defeats already this season. The visitors finished the game with nine players.
Dortmund was without Serhou Guirassy because of illness.
Before the match, Freiburg fans had protested against the home team’s sponsor, the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, with banners referring to the company with an expletive, and another saying, “No war on people, war on the federations!”
The sponsorship deal is set to be a major topic at Dortmund's AGM on Sunday.
Mario Götze scored on his 100th Frankfurt appearance in a 1-0 win over visiting Werder Bremen.
The German midfielder rifled the ball in before the break after a good layoff from Hugo Ekitiké.
Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush worked hard but was unable to add to his 11 league goals so far this season.
Jacob Bruun Larsen scored late for Hoffenheim to beat Leipzig 4-3 in coach Christian Ilzer's debut. Ilzer‘s team came from behind three times to prevail.
It's Leipzig's fourth straight game without a win and third away defeat in a row.
Stuttgart enjoyed a 2-0 win over Bochum, and Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Bremen's Milos Veljkovic, left, and Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike fight for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen in Frankfurt Main, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Tuta, left, and Bremen's Senne Lynen fight for a header during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen in Frankfurt Main, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)
Hoffenheim's scorer Tom Bischof celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)
Stuttgart's scorer Justin Diehl, left, and his teammate Ermedin Demirovic, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and VfL Bochum in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Wolfsburg's Maximilian Arnold, center, celebrates after the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP)
Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu saves by Dortmund's Maximilian Beier during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Felix Nmecha celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, right, celebrates after scoring with his teammate Julian Brandt during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, right, celebrates after scoring with his teammate Felix Nmecha during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, right, and his teammate Florian Wirtz celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, right, and his teammates celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, front right, and his teammate Arthur Augusto, left, celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)
