Football stadiums

[Polak]

I was wondering whether to start a topic on favourite football stadiums, or just football stadiums in general. I decided to go for the 2nd one, because it makes it a wider discussion, where you can talk about your favourite and least favourite football stadiums, but also stadium talk generally, such as the renaming of stadiums to their sponsors etc.

I wanted to start by saying how much of a shame it is that so many stadiums are being knocked down and replaced with more modern, but also more boring ones [in my opinion].

Examples of this happening to stadiums I really liked, are Stade de Gerland [not knocked down but no longer used by Lyon]. I liked it much more than their current ground, that has more seats, but is also less unique.



Then there is the Vicente Calderon from Atletico Madrid, that had a nice South American style flavour to it. Now they have the Wanda Metropolitano, that again, is more modern and has more seats, but doesn't seem as atmospheric to me.



One more example for now is Highbury stadium. Again, it was changed for one with a lot more capacity and renamed after the sponsor [Emirates], but Highbury had something unique about it that can't be replicated. With one of the narrowest pitches ever and the fans sitting almost on top of the pitch, it had much more atmosphere about it than the Emirates stadium does. Arsenal also reached their only CL final ever playing at Highbury and have not been domestic champs since the move. I liked that clock behind the goal too.

[greenbay]

My favorite football stadiums have long gone. As they all were either demoslished or fully renovated in the past years, especially before the 2006 WC. While in the past every stadium was unique, today they do more or less look all the same here in Germany. Boring stuff...

[Polak]

My favorite football stadiums have long gone. As they all were either demoslished or fully renovated in the past years, especially before the 2006 WC. While in the past every stadium was unique, today they do more or less look all the same here in Germany. Boring stuff...

Exactly. I feel the same. The uniqueness of stadiums is disappearing. What were your favourite stadiums that have gone?

[greenbay]

My alltime favorite. Bökelbergstadion, the former home of Borussia Mönchengladbach.



Because of the steepest stands, I've ever been to. You couldn't be closer to the pitch, even if showing up late, and therefore being stuck at the top of the stand. Nothing for people with fear of height.

[Polak]

Do you know the capacity of the previous Mönchengladbach ground?

[greenbay]

About 35,000. Most of them on standing terraces. The stadium itself was situated in a residential area, not like these modern arenas in the outskirts. And that was why it was abandonned like 10 years ago. When the first stands were erected, about 100 years ago, the ground was in the middle of nowhere. Then for decades, residential areas developed in the vicinity. In modern days, the neighbours, all having moved there, after the stadium was already there for decades, went to the courts to fights the plans for increasing the capacity because of the extra noise.

[EarlofBug]

My alltime favorite. Bökelbergstadion, the former home of Borussia Mönchengladbach.



Because of the steepest stands, I've ever been to. You couldn't be closer to the pitch, even if showing up late, and therefore being stuck at the top of the stand. Nothing for people with fear of height.

Great post! Thanks

[AnelZ]

In modern days, the neighbours, all having moved there, after the stadium was already there for decades, went to the courts to fights the plans for increasing the capacity because of the extra noise.

I just hate that. If the stadium or something similar was already there for years then other development then it shouldn't get screwed in the future by it and forced to move out.

I'm happy that Grbavica stadium doesn't have that problem now when it is being almost built anew although also being surrounded by the city which wasn't that much of a case some 70 years ago. I would love for our stadium to keep the south stand as it is as it makes part of the identity of the stadium and rather move towards plans for the west main stand but the club already issued that the south stand is the next project. I'm jus lt imagining three modern stands and the old-school south stand which is basically concrete stands on a hill side.

[subway14]

I like stadiums that look like this

[Polak]

Ah, it seems you look the spherical square.

By the way Subway, whose stadiums are those?

[fillow]

Saransk WC stadium (FC Mordovia)
Allianz Arena (Bayern)
Beijing Olympic Stadium? not sure

[subway14]

Saransk WC stadium (FC Mordovia)
Allianz Arena (Bayern)
Beijing Olympic Stadium? not sure

you are right

[BurningStorm]

Some updates in the Bayern stadium after 1860 München went back to the Grünwalder Stadion.

Before:



Now:

[Polak]

So they gave it a Bayern paint job. I didn't even realise that they didn't have one before.

[subway14]

I like stadiums that look like this

also Baku Olympic Stadium is quite nice