Livestream and highlights of ESSMA’s first Spotlight session on Venue Services!
Yesterday, ESSMA kicked off the second ESSMA Spotlight edition with a Venue Services session. During the session, we learned more about SBV Excelsior’s unique stadium project and current trends in MLS stadiums.
Integrating four residential towers into the stadium design
Unlike many other clubs, SBV Excelsior wants to build a small and compact stadium, upgrading from 4,500 to 7,000 seats. In addition, the stadium plans are quite unique: it will be a multifunctional real estate development. With more than 500 apartments built on top of the stadium, the club wants to generate more income through the rental of these apartments according to Marco Hoogerbrugge - Project Manager at SBV Excelsior.
"By adding 45,000 m² of housing to the stadium, we want to be financially stronger and less dependent on the performance of our football team."
Current trends in MLS stadiums
Brent Delgado - Vice President of Operations at MLS - shared with us four trends he currently sees in the development of Major League Soccer stadiums. This is what we learned:
Instead of building stadiums in suburban areas, clubs are building their stadiums in more downtown and urban areas.
Stadiums are being designed to have more field-level premier clubs and seats, comparable to “court-side” seats at NBA games.
More stadiums are also being designed with safe-standing areas as the clubs believe this improves the atmosphere inside the stadium.
Football-specific stadiums are becoming more multifunctional with certain spaces inside the stadium available for receptions, meetings and more.
Join us for our Pitch Services session later today at 2PM CEST!
This afternoon we will be joined by Geoff Webb, Jason Booth and Daniel Bradley from The Grounds Management Association as well as John Ledwidge - Head of Sports Turf & Grounds at Leicester City FC - to learn more about pitch data, daily training centre maintenance, the impact of climate change and more!