# Good One- or Two-Sided Stadiums



## EquestrianClaret (Dec 31, 2011)

I often wonder why, when building small stadiums, all four sides around a field of play are constructed to a low level, rather than just one or two sides to a higher level. 

By only developing one or two sides, it allows for future expansion of new grandstands and for better sightlines for spectators in a 'proper' grandstand.

FC Braga's stadium is an excellent example only developing two sides of the ground: 











On a smaller scale, there's also FC Basel's Rankhof stand/stadium











Any other good examples you are aware of?


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## Scba (Nov 20, 2004)

I'm not sure how good it is, but Youngstown State's stadium is an extreme example


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## tom77 (Jul 27, 2011)

*ETO Park*

Győr, Hungary


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

^ really nice.


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## Szatek (Nov 30, 2010)

Nice stadium. What is the capacity? I wonder if they aren't afraid that the ball will break windows in club building after unfortunate shot during the match


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## howert659865 (Nov 11, 2012)

I'm not sure how good it is, but Youngstown State's stadium is an extreme example


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

EquestrianClaret said:


> I often wonder why, when building small stadiums, all four sides around a field of play are constructed to a low level, rather than just one or two sides to a higher level.


You want to have stands all around the field to create better atmosphere.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

^ but if you spread people instead of letting them group in larger units, they will not be able to make such a loud noise (IMO).


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

alexandru.mircea said:


> ^ but if you spread people instead of letting them group in larger units, they will not be able to make such a loud noise (IMO).


But if you have an arena which is covered all around the field, the noise will stay and bounce around inside and create better atmosphere.

I will always prefer enclosed arena in front of arenas with one or two big stands.


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## Leedsrule (Apr 6, 2010)

b5254 said:


> But if you have an arena which is covered all around the field, the noise will stay and bounce around inside and create better atmosphere.
> 
> I will always prefer enclosed arena in front of arenas with one or two big stands.


To be honest, I went to Woking vs Gateshead last Saturday at Gateshead. They play in a massive stadium for the size of the club so only one stand was open, with away fans seggrigated into one end of the stand. With all the spectators from both teams on one side the atmosphere was suprisingly good, more so than other places ive been where all the fans are spread out.

Whats better, a 20k capacity all enclosed stadoium that sees crowds of 8k a match on average or a similar stadium but without ends, only holding 12k but all the 8 thousand fans are on 2 sides rather than spread out over 4?


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## Rev Stickleback (Jun 23, 2009)

I think we tend to feel a bit uneasy about empty sides. 

It's just not what we are used to, and consequently we feel grounds like Oxford or Bournemouth look unfinished. You almost notice what's missing more than what's there.

The sense of enclosure gives a ground intimacy. That stadium in Braga, for example, works because of the cliffs at each end. If both ends were just open, like a car park, it would be hugely inferior.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

b5254 said:


> But if you have an arena which is covered all around the field, the noise will stay and bounce around inside and create better atmosphere.
> 
> I will always prefer enclosed arena in front of arenas with one or two big stands.


Depends on the size of the stadium. If it's fairly large (from 14-15k on, let's say) and has a proper roof, it is enough of a cauldron to make the sound bounce like you say.

But for a 10k stadium it is very difficult. For example, here's my home club's stadium: 










When they built the stand behind the goal (which you can see in the the pic most to the right) I would have rather preferred to have the main stands enlarged, so we get larger groups of people together. 

An example of a 12k stadium that solves this problem very well:










It is quite expensive for a small club to build such a fancy roof, though. More often than not, such stadiums will look like this:










and they will have no reverb effect.


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

alexandru.mircea said:


> Depends on the size of the stadium. If it's fairly large (from 14-15k on, let's say) and has a proper roof, it is enough of a cauldron to make the sound bounce like you say.


Well, regarding arenas with below 10 000 seats, you may be right. 

But even small arenas can be great with an enclosed design.

A Swedish example. Myresjö Arena, which holds 10 000 seats, and 2000 standing.















































I think that enclosed arenas creates a more intimate experience when watching the games. You don't see trees or stuff that can take your attention away from the game. It's all about what's happening on the field.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

^ that really does look like a brilliant stadium!


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## JJG (Aug 4, 2010)

b5254 said:


> You want to have stands all around the field to create better atmosphere.


Unless you're in high school..... or lower level colleges.


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## carnifex2005 (May 12, 2010)

JJG said:


> Unless you're in high school..... or lower level colleges.


Or the CFL. All the old stadiums in the CFL had no end zone seats because the end zones were pretty far away from field (compared to the NFL). The replacements for those stadiums are starting to go away from that though.

Here's McMahon Stadium in Calgary...










Seats 36,000.

The new Ottawa and Hamilton stadiums will have no end zone seating as well.


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## Moridin2002 (Aug 8, 2011)

JJG said:


> Unless you're in high school..... or lower level colleges.


I think its an american thing to have stadiums for your colleges and high schools.
In Europe, school sports arent as developed as in USA. 
Here if you are into sports, you join the local clubs youth teams or academy.

It is a shame though. The high school and college sports in USA often pack a mass of people wich is cool and also the rivalry between the different universities and Schools is something that dont exist here in Sweden atleast on the same level. And many stadiums have its own charm


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## JJG (Aug 4, 2010)

Moridin2002 said:


> I think its an american thing to have stadiums for your colleges and high schools.
> In Europe, school sports arent as developed as in USA.
> Here if you are into sports, you join the local clubs youth teams or academy.
> 
> It is a shame though. The high school and college sports in USA often pack a mass of people wich is cool and also the rivalry between the different universities and Schools is something that dont exist here in Sweden atleast on the same level. And many stadiums have its own charm


Well that is true, and I often forget that. Especially here in Texas, high school stadiums can be very lively even intimidating for their size. 

Here's three examples of two-sided high school stadiums in the Lone Star State:

Berry Center & Stadium / Cypress, TX









Grande Communications Stadium / Midland, TX









Farrington Field / Fort Worth

















(No, I will NOT include the $60 Million stadium in Allen because it has endzone seating. Doesn't count.)


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

JJG said:


>


Could it be more depressing?


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## JJG (Aug 4, 2010)

b5254 said:


> Could it be more depressing?


... what?


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

JJG said:


> ... what?


I don't know. It just feels very cold and not very welcoming. Just two concrete stands and a field. No intimacy at all.


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## JJG (Aug 4, 2010)

b5254 said:


> I don't know. It just feels very cold and not very welcoming. Just two concrete stands and a field. No intimacy at all.


... it's an American city high school stadium that was built in the 1930's. What do you expect?

(btw, it has a track as well)


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

JJG said:


> ... it's an American city high school stadium that was built in the 1930's. What do you expect?
> 
> (btw, it has a track as well)


I don't care how old it is, it is still dull. Maybe they could at least have made some modernization to it?


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## en1044 (May 4, 2008)

High school stadiums require zero frills. They are simply a place for a crowd to sit. Nothing else.


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

en1044 said:


> High school stadiums require zero frills. They are simply a place for a crowd to sit. Nothing else.


Ok...but it's bbboooring.


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## en1044 (May 4, 2008)

Ok?


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## Darloeye (Jun 15, 2010)

icard:


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## Moridin2002 (Aug 8, 2011)

I think its cool that high schools even have small stadiums and lets not forget all the amazing college stadiums. Those are gigantic and that they always are packed are awesome.

Here is a typical swedish "idrottsplats" It´s often the only place with an athletics track and a proper football field in smaller towns. :lol:










This was the usual plan when building a football field in most of the smaller towns in Sweden. You can see that it all is like a small shitty sport complex with an ice hockey arena in the background.


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## JJG (Aug 4, 2010)

b5254 said:


> I don't care how old it is, it is still dull.,


:no: 



> Maybe they could at least have made some modernization to it?


For WHAT? It's a HIGH SCHOOL stadium. There is no reason to make any real major modifications or renovations other than the typical replacement of seats, track, field, and maybe restrooms. That's it. None of that takes away from the historical value an importance of the stadium.


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## rantanamo (Sep 12, 2002)

maybe he doesn't understand that it is pre-University aged kids playing there. Like 16,17 and 18 year olds. There is already question if they should be built at all. So you only see frills in the wealthier communities or in larger districts that can attract lots of events.


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## Leedsrule (Apr 6, 2010)

*Netanya Stadium*

Capacity- 13 800
Country- Israel
City- Netanya
Clubs- Maccabi Netanya FC
Construction- 2005-2012
Cost- 60 mln $
Design- GAB Architects

Decision to build a new stadium for Netanya was made back in 2003 as the outdated Sar-Tov Stadium was impossible to expand with plot constraints in the strict centre. That’s why new stadium with triple the capacity of its predecessor, was planned for southern outskirts, just next to highway no. 2.

Groundbreaking took place in 2005, but delays led to the first stage being done no sooner than October 2012. That’s when two covered stands alongside the pitch were created, accommodating 13,800 people (with 36 skyboxes). Room for two end stands has been left with second phase envisaged to raise capacity to 24,000.

Apart from games by Maccabi Netanya (first one played on November 4, 2012) games of Euro 2013 (U21 category) have been granted to this stadium.
















































More pictures here.


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## EquestrianClaret (Dec 31, 2011)

^^^^

The Israeli one looks well designed. It's interesting to see how the "empty" ends are dealt with. 

Braga has the advantage of being on the side of a hill (a cliff on one end, a view of the area to the other). 

Thanks for the contributions so far - and an interesting debate with some good example of why to build all four sides.

**********************************

*Temporary Expansion?*

Another reason to build only one side or two sides would be to allow for temporary expansion. 

For example, the Athens' Olympic Equestrian Complex built single permanent stands for their two arenas, allowing temporary modular stands to fill the other three sides. The legacy of the Athens games is another matter, but a useful thing to allow should you only have occasional need for a big stadium, but still want to have the option.


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## b5254 (Nov 20, 2010)

JJG said:


> For WHAT? It's a HIGH SCHOOL stadium. There is no reason to make any real major modifications or renovations other than the typical replacement of seats, track, field, and maybe restrooms. That's it. None of that takes away from the historical value an importance of the stadium.


High school? I thought it was a college stadium at least.

Well, then I shouldn't complain. It fills it's purpose.


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## dinamo_zagreb (Dec 23, 2011)

EquestrianClaret said:


> On a smaller scale, there's also FC Basel's Rankhof stand/stadium


This one is just jawdropping.

Would be nice if someone provide me with something similar, I'd really appreciate it.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

The Bastia stadium is a good compromise. They could have built it up all around but chose instead to enhance the two main stands. It looks very imposing now (for a 16k stadium) and the atmosphere is tremendous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4BPIXbzBFM&feature=related


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## prahovaploiesti (May 28, 2011)

EquestrianClaret said:


> FC Braga's stadium is an excellent example only developing two sides of the ground:


Good example, but Braga's stadium couldn't be built in another way due to the lack of space. It has been carved out of a rock at the site of a former quarry.


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## lwa (Aug 2, 2010)

Quite common in rugby - where watching from behind posts isn't as desirable as it is in football. Can think of quite a few examples, particularly in France and Italy. A coupleof exampes:

Ravenhill, Belfast:


















Parc des Sports Aguilera, Biarritz:

















Stadio di Monigo, Treviso:


















Although Ulster announced just ths morning that Ravenhill's capacity will be icreased to 18,000 by bulding stands at either end...


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## fenerty (Jul 29, 2007)

carnifex2005 said:


> Or the CFL. All the old stadiums in the CFL had no end zone seats because the end zones were pretty far away from field (compared to the NFL). The replacements for those stadiums are starting to go away from that though.


I'm fairly certain BC Place was the first pro football stadium in Canada to contain seats that wrapped around both ends. Nearly every other stadium in Canada had endzone grandstands around at most, only one end. 

I recall reading news clippings from around the time of the construction of Winnipeg Stadium in 1953 and they boasted of how nearly all the seats were between the goal lines. Because the CFL field with endzones is so large (150 x 65), endzone seating was always seen as second-rate, and it was presumed that people would rather sit high along the sidelines as compared to low in the endzones.

Somewhere along the line that started to change. My feeling is that watching NFL games on TV gave Canadian football fans the impression that endzone seats were a sign of the "big time", because virtually every NFL stadium has seating in both ends. It creates an impressive wall of people wherever the TV cameras point. Of course, it makes good sense for the NFL given that their field is smaller and endzone seats are more desirable.

So now, Canada is now witnessing the construction of the first football-only stadium with seating around both endzones in Winnipeg. This is breaking new ground in the CFL, and Regina will be doing something very similar in another couple of years. One thing I can tell you is that I don't think I'd be lining up to buy seats down low in those endzones... those might be a hard sell.


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## hngcm (Sep 17, 2002)

^^^ That looks nice! Any more renderings?

As for as enclosing stadiums ago, I think you need at least 3 sides closed in (horseshoe). 

Something like BMO Field, main stand, secondary stand, and small stands on either side that can easily be replaced.


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## chibimatty (Oct 6, 2010)

I like what they've done to the ground in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It used to have one stand and the rest was an embankment, but when they redeveloped it, they decided to bolster the sideline views instead of just a bowl all the way round.


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