Creating a multifunctional stadium: focusing on multiple sports or adding commercial revenue?
Stayen and Noevir Stadium are both known for their multifunctional venue facilities. However, the two venues have a very different approach. While Vissel Kobe focuses on the coexistence of football and rugby, Stayen creates a multifunctional venue by focusing on additional non-matchday revenue streams.
Mr. Roland Duchâtelet (Stayen) and Mr. Takayuki Kikuchi (Vissel Kobe) both shared their insights during ESSMA Spotlight.
Stadium facts
Non-matchday use at Stayen
As Stayen is a multifunctional venue with a focus on additional commercial facilities, it is an attractive place for people in the Sint-Truiden region to visit. Its multifunctional facilities include a 20.000 m2 shopping center, 5.000 m2 office space, a hotel, several hotels and cafes, parking lots, etc.
“Our main challenge is finding a good understanding with all parties involved from an organizational point of view.”
In total, 2.23 million people visit Stayen on a yearly basis. Only 200,000 of these visits are linked to matchdays, while over 1 million people visit the offices and in-venue shops. Their main revenue streams derive from non-matchday commercial facilities. In addition, as the pitch is artificial, it is a unique selling point when organising events.
Coexistence between football and rugby
With the combination of football and rugby, the pressure on Noevir Stadium’s hybrid pitch is substantial. According to Mr. Kichuchi, the combination is possible thanks to three important pillars:
- The cooperation with the groundsteam: the same team for both sports, frequent meetings and finding the balance
- The cooperation with Kobe City and all involved sports organisations
- Stadium-specific rule settings including a minimum of 14 days between rugby matches, a maximum of 150 ‘pitch’ minutes and whether or not to close or open the roof
“As women’s football will become more and more professional and with a new rugby league in 2022, more matches will need to be played on the pitch, which will be challenging.”
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