Content

Content   

Introduction   1

1.  Key Facts  2

1.1  Key Facts The VELTINS-Arena  2

1.2  Key Facts The Wembley Stadium  3

2.  Operating Concepts - Characteristics  4

2.1  The VELTINS-Arena  4

2.2  The Wembley Stadium  9

3.  Conclusion  12

4.  Sources  13

II

Illustrations/Tables

Illustrations

Illustration 1: Veltins-Arena 2

Illustration 2: Wembley Stadium 3

Illustration 3: Seating Options (Veltins-Arena) 6-7

Illustration 4: Concerts in the Wembley Stadium 10

Tables

Table 1: SWOT Analysis 12

III

Introduction

Introduction

Operational concepts of similar sports venues as - for example - football stadiums can be very different. For this reason, concepts of two famous football stadiumsthe VELTINS-Arena and the Wembley Stadium - will be compared in consideration of different characteristics in this essay.

The VELTINS-Arena and Wembley are 21 ^st century state-of-the-art-venues: Both venues are multifunctional spaces with an extraordinary operational concept, what is - in this time - necessary to stay competitive. Despite that, the VELTINS-Arena and Wembley differ in many aspects, which will be treated in this essay.

First, key facts as size, surface, owner, operator, capacity or dimension will be listed to get a short first overview of the two stadiums being compared later. In chapter 2, operational concepts will be described and compared: Information about holding companies, operating company, organizational structure, utilization concept, home teams, sponsors, marketing activities and other important facts will be shortly presented. In the concluding paragraph, operational concepts of the two selected venues will be evaluated and discussed.

1

Key Facts

1. Key Facts

1.1. Key Facts The Veltins-Arena (compare Skrentny, 2009)

Full Name: Veltins-Arena

Location: Gelsenkirchen/Germany

Architects: HPP, Hentrich, Petschnigg

and Partner

Owner: Schalke04

Operator: Schalke04

Opening: 2001

Capacity: max. 78,437

- 61,673: seating and standing room

(national matches)

- 54,142 seating room (European

and international matches)

- 61,114 to 78,437: spectator tier

incl. interior space wie up to 14.426

seating or up to 17.323 standing

room (i.e. concerts)

¹ Only two stadiums have a chapel inside: Camp Nou and the VELTINS Arena

² In the Schalke Museum and Arena Infocenter visitors learn everything about the club and its building project.

³ Lasting about 75 minutes, the guided tours of the VELTINS-Arena take in all the areas of interest in Europe's most

state-of-the-art stadium, including the promenade walkways, stands, sliding pitch, press room, chapel, dressing

room, business area etc.

2