The future of stadiums might be no stadium at all
In a look at the wider world of football, we look at the potential future of stadiums.
The experts seem to be angling for a less-is-more kind of situation where the stadium of the future is concerned. Architects have been in competition to build bigger and more impressive stadiums than the last one, but some of them are looking to go smaller and then even smaller.
A smaller, more versatile and durable stadium seems to be the way to go. Smart Space has great ideas on how to use space economically to achieve great results. Major stadium projects are big budget undertakings that require as much as a billion dollars. This is despite the fact that many of them are in use about 20 times per year.
A Pop-up Stadium
The idea of a ‘no stadium’ stems from a centuries-old horse race event that happened in Piazza del Campo in Tuscany. The Piazza was not a stadium. Rather, it was a grand public space in the middle of the town. However, twice a year, it would be converted into a stadium with thousands of equestrian enthusiasts thronging it to watch the race.
This pop-up stadium notion would well with events such as the Olympics and the World Cup which happen every few years. Oftentimes, the host countries may not have the means to make proper use of the magnificent stadiums that are built at huge costs to hold the events.
A concept by Architect Dan Meis suggests a building that morphs from an arena supporting one sport (say, baseball) to one that supports another (say, basketball) in its season. This would not only provide a solution but also help to save millions of dollars.
The Transformable Stadium
This type of stadium has been a reality in Japan for years. One design forwarded has a huge section of the seats‒plumbing and mechanical connections inclusive‒rising up and sliding back about seventy meters smoothly. It certainly gives one a futuristic vibe. In a location where land is not readily available to put up new stadiums is unavailable, this idea could really catch on.
Why Smaller Stadiums are Practical
Any team has its millions of fans. Football teams for instance have millions of fans across the country. However, only a fraction of these fans make to attend a live game. Smaller stadiums therefore make sense especially since these expensive venues have become more of a media production. It is alleged that at least two-thirds of the NFL league funding is derived from the media.
Many fans are barely invested in experiencing NFL the traditional way with the hustles of team production or even having a personal game-day stadium action.
The dream is to create stadiums that are multipurpose or pop-up stadiums for the season that they are needed. After the event, the space can resume previous uses and that way, no space or money goes to waste. Some stadiums such as the Colosseum today serve as tourist attractions because they have become obsolete.
The stadium of the future therefore stands to serve more than one purpose in order to save space as well as time. The no stadium notion will therefore come to life as quite a number of such stadiums are set to come up in the coming years.