Euro News
Estadio
opening of the “Tivoli Neu Stadion” (pictured) at Innsbruck this Summer. Built next to the old Tivoli, which is
famed for its spectacular Alpine backdrop, the new stadium has 17,000 spaces in a continuous single tier under
the obligatory cantilever, with space to add a second tier in
the unlikely event that more than 17,000 want to watch FC
Tirol-Milch Innsbruck every week.
In Portugal, First Division stadia are being equipped
with bar code readers at turnstiles, which reads a strip on
the standardised match ticket. Aside from a useful anticounterfeit measure, the purpose of the readers is not
immediately apparent, as although all stadia are allseaters, very few clubs bother with named seats. Attendance figures are also not routinely revealed, with the
sporting press being left to make its own estimates if it wants to print a figure. The next issue of Groundtastic
will feature a round-up of recent developments in Portugal
Same ground, Two capacities
including dramatic changes at the National Stadium near
Many grounds in Austria and Germany now give Lisbon.
two figures for capacity – one for domestic Dutch outfit Roda JC Kerkrade have moved from the relagames, and a lower one for matches under the
auspices of UEFA or FIFA. This is because the tively mundane surrounds of the Kaalheide into the new
domestic Leagues still allow a portion of the 20,000-seat Parkstad Limburg Stadion, sited on the ‘De
ground to be given over to standing room, a Locht’ industrial estate which is reached via the A76 and N281
concession won by well-organised supporter roads to the South of the town. Roda’s new home is certainly
groups.
better looking than most of the new generation of cheap and
To convert to all-seater status, most clubs functional stadia in Holland. The roof is made of vaulted sechave installed ingenious fold-away seats, which tions of white canvas-like material, whilst the corners are
have been on the market for several years but
raised like a tent and tethered to the leaning floodlight towers.
are now finding a niche.
The best example of this kind of installation is Cheap and functional is certainly applicable to the Vast &
Goed Stadion, the new home of RBC Roosendaal, newly
probably in the new South Stand of the Westpromoted to the top flight. A modest total of 5,000 seats is
falenstadion, home of Borussia Dortmund.
As a terrace, it holds an astonishing 25,000 fans, sheltered under an equally modest all-round cantilever roof,
but can convert to 10,500 seats in a matter of
but it is likely that this is just the first phase of the stadium’s life
hours for European fixtures.
and expansion will follow.
Moving East, and Liverpool had the honour of being the first
side to play under the Czech Republic Cup
Holders Slovan Liberec’s new floodlights in the
UEFA Cup in November. The decision to erect
the four corner-towers at Slovan’s picturesque U
Nisy Stadion (named after the River Nisa that
flows through the Bohemian town) demonstrated
the club’s desire to stage the biggest game in the
club’s history in Liberec rather than moving it to
Prague. U Nisy, which holds 6,808 fans, has
been the scene of major redevelopment in recent
seasons and our picture shows the ground before the lights went up.
Into Norway, and news of the dominant Rosenborg Trondheim club’s plans to further develop the Lerkendal Stadion. Having just won their ninth League title on the trot, Rosenborg have revealed models of the
planned 25,000 seat stadium based on the design of the existing Adidas Stand that opened in 1995. This
has two tiers and a raised section of the roof in the centre, and will get three free-standing clones around the
Groundtastic
page 64
Issue 23