Industry update: more on SMART & Sustainability, fan involvement and stadium renovation

Read more on SMART & Sustainability at Chelsea FC and during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, fan involvement at Ajax AFC and the stadium plans of FC Bayern München and Everton FC in this short industry update by ESSMA.

Fan Experience & Hospitality

• Ajax AFC give fans the opportunity to send in their design for the 2018/2019 season tickets. In less than a week, the club already received over 4,500 designs. A top 10 will be chosen by players and the winner will be announced before the game against AZ Alkmaar on April 29.
• OGC Nice organised a ‘speed meeting’ to celebrate the renewal of their partnership with Nice Start(s) Up. Sponsors and partners of the club had the chance to exchange ideas and innovations with other companies.

Construction & Development

• FC Bayern München will redesign their stadium seating to red and white as the club is now the sole owner of the Allianz Arena. Season ticket holders will be able to purchase the old seats between 5 April and 19 April. The remaining seats will be sold during a public sale in May.
• The first of four workshops around the design of the new Everton FC stadium was held by Architect Dan Meis. Meis highlighted the importance of consulting fans regarding the design and getting them as close as possible to the action during match day. Furthermore, he presented the seating plan of Bramley-Moore and explained the initial designs of the stands.

SMART & Sustainability

• Chelsea FC is hosting another tech hack as they look back on a successful first edition. The tech hack is a chance to work alongside the club, share and exchange knowledge with them and present solutions. Companies can send in an application to be selected to take on the challenge considering this time’s topic ‘SMART stadia’.

• Preparations for the Beijing 2022 are progressing and venue constructions are on schedule. The upcoming Winter Olympic Games will rely on the legacy of Beijing 2008 and new venues will be built with sustainability in mind. The ‘Climate Protection System’ will save energy and reduce climate influence by combining the landscape, racing track and sun shield roof.