The city is filling empty Pan Am seats by handing out thousands of tickets to everyone from underprivileged youth to sports teams to city councillors.

Toronto2015 partnered with the Toronto Foundation to donate nearly 10,000 tickets for city distribution to youth through charitable organizations.

The city also received 700 free tickets from Pan Am because of its "gold level" status as a host city with events on all 16 days of the games, said spokesperson Mike Kirkopoulos.

About 8,000 tickets went to Hamilton minor soccer and another 1,700 to City Kidz. Others were distributed to local aboriginal groups, schools near the Pan Am stadium and two each for children in the Gage Park youth street soccer program.

City councillors also got two tickets each per match — although not for the sold-out gold medal men's soccer final. Typical game crowds have ranged from a few thousand to 11,000, although an early match pitting the Canadian men's team against Brazil came close to filling the 22,500-seat stadium.

"Having a great display of council and community support at the Games was determined to be an important element for us as a host city," said Kirkopoulos, adding councillors were also able to apply for stadium accreditation to attend games as part of a co-ordinated economic development push to woo international business.

"This is our stadium, so it is helpful to have councillors there promoting the community, promoting the stadium and promoting Hamilton."

Council's code of conduct forbids members from accepting freebie tickets for concerts or events run by private businesses, except under specific exemptions. For example, councillors rejected an offer of free Kanye West tickets in February offered through Global Spectrum, which runs FirstOntario Centre for the city.

But in this case, the city is an event co-host and the councillors are encouraged to attend in their "official capacity" as "local ambassadors," said Kirkopoulos.

Realistically, councillors who spoke to The Spectator said attending all games is impossible and most indicated they were giving away a majority of their free tickets.

Coun. Matt Green, whose ward includes the stadium, said he was trying to "regularly attend games" and testing his Spanish language skills on international Games and business delegates.

Otherwise, he's distributing tickets — including unused ones from other councillors — to residents and groups in the stadium precinct. "Youth soccer teams, store owners, people I run into walking down the street, I'm asking if they'll consider going to a game," he said.

Glanbrook Coun. Brenda Johnson said she's managed to attend three games so far and is otherwise giving away tickets "as a way to say thanks" to local volunteers.

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Downtown Coun. Jason Farr said he has attended one game so far with his son, Jake, and has given the majority of his tickets to the downtown "Supie" program to hand out.

Couns. Aidan Johnson, Sam Merulla, Scott Duvall, Doug Conley and Tom Jackson have yet to make it to a match, but all are distributing their tickets to ward residents and community groups.