Sports Venues Management - Comparison of two sports venues` operational concepts

Content

Introduction

1. Key Facts
1.1 Key Facts The VELTINS-Arena
1.2 Key Facts The Wembley Stadium

2. Operating Concepts – Characteristics
2.1 The VELTINS-Arena
2.2 The Wembley Stadium

3. Conclusion

4. Sources

Illustrations

Illustration 1: Veltins-Arena

Illustration 2: Wembley Stadium

Illustration 3: Seating Options (Veltins-Arena)

Illustration 4: Concerts in the Wembley Stadium

Tables

Table 1: SWOT Analysis

Introduction

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

The VELTINS-Arena and Wembley are 21st 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

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

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Illustration 1: Veltins-Arena (online reference 13)

1.2. Key Facts -The Wembley Stadium (compare Heatley, 2006)

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Illustration 2: Wembley Stadium (online reference 14)

2. Operating Concepts – Characteristics

2.1 The VELTINS-Arena

The Veltins-Arena is a multifunctional stadium in the truest sense of the word: In addition to football matches, other sports venues, concerts, meetings, congresses and conferences and even wedding ceremonials are held there. The true multi-functionality of the stadium was put to a test in May 2004 when the Veltins-Arena hosted a pop-concert, a Bundesliga match and a NFL Europe game within 96 hours (compare online reference 8).^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

The following points are remarkable and unique:

1. Financing: The stadium was financed from private investors. Public funds were not needed for the 191-million-euro-project (compare online references 10 and 12; Schuler, 2007).
2. Exceptional technical features: When no football match takes place, grass is put off for regeneration and to avoid damage by impact of other events^[10], the roof can be closed, seats can be moved etc.(compare online reference 8; Skrentny, 2009; Heatley,2006).

Below, I would like to describe the possibilities of this stadium in order to provide the reader a short insight into the possibilities and the characteristics of this stadium and therefore into the operational concept of this exceptional stadium.

[...]

^[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.

^[4] The Foundation was set up in 1988, derived from fines against artists for overrunning on performance time and noise levels at the stadium and also from donations. The basis of the charity is that this capital sum be invested and that the interest is disbursed each year to young performing arts students in Brent (online reference 6)

^[5] Wembley Stadium cost an estimated 1.175 billion US and was funded by the Football Association, distributions from the National Lottery, the London Development Agency and a series of commercial banks. In 2007 the stadium had long term debts of $ 971 million US and paid $ 72 million US in interest to service those debts (compare Schwarz, Hall, S. & Skibli, 2010).

^[6] bookmarker

^[7] snack food

^[8] building

^[9] travelling

^[10] The playing field of the VELTINS-Arena is much more than just grass. It’s the only playing filed in the world which can be moved for a distance of approximately 340 meters. The principle is simple: a 11.000-ton-bowl is pushed hydraulically like a drawer in and out (compare online reference 8).