Great stuff...so why do you need an athletics track around it?

Super Grand Prix,
IAAF World Cup 2006....

give

Great stuff...so why do you need an athletics track around it?

Super Grand Prix,
IAAF World Cup 2006....

Why comparing Athens, Syndey and Atlanta with relatively fresh venues with Rome, London without major events in the last decade.

when u use the word "best" which is very unspecific you do leave room for forumers to interpret this as they wish, so if they wish to weight the actual use of the venues into their description of "best" then so be it, i could claim that telstra stadium is the "best" stadium compared to some others, where as some might say their "best" is berlin olympic stadium....the fact of the matter is athens did not have a sustainability plan, and some not all of its venues are now being left dormant, IMO sydney overall for more reasons that one..its good to have a "weightlifting" or a "badminton" venue as such but its post olympics and the communities need to use these venues, so in that respect saying that a particular city has the best weighlifting venue means nothing, it might be flashy and very good but can its seats be retracted? can it be used for more than one sport? is 10,000 seater venue really neccessary, is the baseball venue being used like the sydney baseball venue is being used a showground??? these are all ways in which people might interpret best....will the world cup in athens be highly attended?? no its a 75,000 seat stadium i dont think it will be filled or be closed to be full on any night, this is why future olympic cities will build stadia that can be reduced to 25,000.....

will the world cup in athens be highly attended?? no its a 75,000 seat stadium i dont think it will be filled or be closed to be full on any night

why wouldnt it?? Athletics have ALWAYS been a hit in greece ever since thousands of years ago when the Olympic games were FIRST invented. Greeks still have a high interest in Athletics and in the 2004 olympics, on EVERY night of the Athletics, the stadium was a sell out. i have the pics to prove it...

this is why future olympic cities will build stadia that can be reduced to 25,000.....


why would they reduce the numbers? Athens olympic stadium gets excellent use and is constantly reached to capacity of within 5-10k seats

Sydney Olympic Park

http://home.exetel.com.au/miliux/olympic%20park-3.jpg

The Superdome is a very busy venue. Check out the site and click event for more details.

http://www.superdome.com.au/superdome.asp

Literally at least 2 events per week.

There is a rave techno party happening at State Sports Centre tonight with 4000+ crowd. Not too crowded for comfort and space.

And for your comfort, Sydney Olympic Park is one of the largest public space in the world after Tiantemmin Square, Beijing.

http://home.exetel.com.au/miliux/Athens%20Olympic%20Park.jpg

This...is not the biggest Park in the world. It's half the size of Sydney's Bicentennial Park.

Sydney Olympic Park will get hundreds of millions of dollars worth of further investment such as apartments, commerical blocks, shopping malls, park and wildlife enrichment...

err... can you please make both elevations the same? look how far out the athens one is... and look at how much more beautiful it is...

What major tournament would you most like to see in your country/city?

World Cup (Football) - 33Bn TV viewers, 2.7M tickets

European Championshps (Football) - 7.9Bn TV viewers, 1.2M tickets

World Cup (Rugby Union) - 4Bn TV viewers, 1.8M tickets

Olympics (Multisport) - 3.9Bn TV viewers, 3.4M tickets

I only listed the 4 biggies and got the viewers/ticket sales from various websites.

Any of the venues in the northern hemisphere would get my vote. Even Atlanta, though they botched up the Olympic games with their commercialism.

Why would anybody want to go to Sydney? Talk about off the beaten track!

WC of course. And I will. Isn't that great?
I already curious to know which teams will play in Hannover.

Wow! - I didn't know that the World Cup in Football was more publically viewed than say the Olympics. Even more surprising to see the Olympics only 4th in that list. Oh well, it's the youth generation coming up behind us, they don't appreciate the traditional sports. They just want to kick a ball about lol

Even from the air the Athens olympic venues design is much better and inspired!...Only Munich can beat it!

Wow! - I didn't know that the World Cup in Football was more publically viewed than say the Olympics. Even more surprising to see the Olympics only 4th in that list. Oh well, it's the youth generation coming up behind us, they don't appreciate the traditional sports. They just want to kick a ball about lol

I'm not sure how much fait I put in TV viewers numbers but I thought I'd put them on anyway. Formula 1 btw claims about 50Bn viewers!

Many people are surprised by the Olympics being so low but most of the sports don't get many viewers. Water Polo, Equestrian, Archery or Softball for example.

Iain1974: it makes sense pal, since thats the accumulated TV audience.

The World Cup lasts one entire month. And many countries literally stop when their teams are playing... like... every Brasil game has at least some 150 million tv viewers in Brasil alone...

As for Formula One... well... its the accumulated audience during one entire season...

They cheat the figures though, including captions shown in news as an audience. As for the Olympics i think they have got the figures slightly wrong, it might not be as widely viewed as the Football World Cup but must have more viewers than the Rugby World Cup.

As for the question in this thread, i'm more excited about the Olympics than hosting a World cup though nothing could beat England being World Champions :).

Iain1974: it makes sense pal, since thats the accumulated TV audience.

The World Cup lasts one entire month. And many countries literally stop when their teams are playing... like... every Brasil game has at least some 150 million tv viewers in Brasil alone...

As for Formula One... well... its the accumulated audience during one entire season...

True enough.

European championships = 250M per game, WC = 540M per game and F1 = 2.7Bn per race. F1 still seems a little high as I doubt there are 2.7Bn people with access to TV in the world.

Olympics

World Cup (Football)

European Championships
World Cup (Rugby)

London or Athens. Sydney and Atlanta have good facilities as well.

True enough.

European championships = 250M per game, WC = 540M per game and F1 = 2.7Bn per race. F1 still seems a little high as I doubt there are 2.7Bn people with access to TV in the world.

If I remember correctly that figure includes anyone who watchs highlights of the race on TV no matter how short(so say a few seconds on some news broadcast).

I'm sure any country were football is the majority sport would rank the WC highest but I'd say the Olympics gains more importance for the host country compaired to merely watching your countrymen/women compete in it elsewhere.

why would they reduce the numbers? Athens olympic stadium gets excellent use and is constantly reached to capacity of within 5-10k seats

In London's case because they want the stadium to become the new national athletics venue and 25,000 is as large as they figure it needs to be unless theres another major athletics event held there in which case Wembley could be used. Stadiums with athletics tracks are not considered suitable for football in the UK so the only way it could be used in that capacity is if they lowered the playing level after the games as with the city of Manchester stadium which would leave it unusable for athletics.

The Olympics IMO. They did so much good for Athens. The fact that they were successful was helpful since now Greece is hosting many more world and European sporting events and Athens is completly modernized. Not to mention that Greece had more tourists this summer than in any time in recent history.

Quite a way away from the pitch though. Not the most engaging viewable experience for watching football?

Yes well it IS an athletics stadium so we have to put up with the pitch. Like Jenventus and the Delle Alpi. I prefer the pure football grounds found in the UK.

World Cup easily :)

when u use the word "best" which is very unspecific you do leave room for forumers to interpret this as they wish, so if they wish to weight the actual use of the venues into their description of "best" then so be it, i could claim that telstra stadium is the "best" stadium compared to some others, where as some might say their "best" is berlin olympic stadium....the fact of the matter is athens did not have a sustainability plan, and some not all of its venues are now being left dormant, IMO sydney overall for more reasons that one..its good to have a "weightlifting" or a "badminton" venue as such but its post olympics and the communities need to use these venues, so in that respect saying that a particular city has the best weighlifting venue means nothing, it might be flashy and very good but can its seats be retracted? can it be used for more than one sport? is 10,000 seater venue really neccessary, is the baseball venue being used like the sydney baseball venue is being used a showground??? these are all ways in which people might interpret best....will the world cup in athens be highly attended?? no its a 75,000 seat stadium i dont think it will be filled or be closed to be full on any night, this is why future olympic cities will build stadia that can be reduced to 25,000.....
Very well said Mo...

Building venues for every sport is fine during the games but if they're left dormant afterwards it's a complete waste. I agree that the best thing about Sydney was that most of the venues built had a use after the games. In fact they were planned that way from the beginning. The showgrounds complex (which you touched on) are a perfect example, like the main ground used for baseball is now used for rugby league and the many halls that held minnow sports like badminton, table tennis etc are now used by the agricultural society for the royal easter show.
Big athletic meets don't come arount too often yet Sydney needed a big multi purpose stadium (without an athletics track). Thats why Telstra was always going to be reconfigured as a football stadium afterwards (which is why it looks better now), and athletics have moved to the smaller venue next to it.

Whether people love or hate the Sydney stadiums, no one can dispute that they were extremely well planned for life after the Olympics.

...its a 75,000 seat stadium i dont think it will be filled or be closed to be full on any night, this is why future olympic cities will build stadia that can be reduced to 25,000.....

well this is nonsense and you know it... londons olympic stadium - which will be great - will be reduced to 25.000 because they already have large stadiums... the new national wembley will have a capacity of 90.000 (?)..

Every country needs a national stadium with high capacity. 75.000 is not too much. It is perfect... The Athens Olympic Stadium had this capacity before the Olympics and it was sold out very often... It doesnt always have to be an international event...

Very well said Mo...

Building venues for every sport is fine during the games but if they're left dormant afterwards it's a complete waste. I agree that the best thing about Sydney was that most of the venues built had a use after the games. In fact they were planned that way from the beginning. The showgrounds complex (which you touched on) are a perfect example, like the main ground used for baseball is now used for rugby league and the many halls that held minnow sports like badminton, table tennis etc are now used by the agricultural society for the royal easter show.
Big athletic meets don't come arount too often yet Sydney needed a big multi purpose stadium (without an athletics track). Thats why Telstra was always going to be reconfigured as a football stadium afterwards (which is why it looks better now), and athletics have moved to the smaller venue next to it.

Whether people love or hate the Sydney stadiums, no one can dispute that they were extremely well planned for life after the Olympics.


Exactly, most of the facilities are well used regularly.

Telstra stadium: rugby league, Australian Football League
Superdome: concerts, raves entertainment, car rallies, circus, basketball, etc
State Sports Centre: basketball, raves, concerts
Aquatic Centre: competitions, championships, regular swimming, diving championships
Showground: Clothing/retail sales, Easter Show, raves,

btw people are not going to flock to athens like they did for the olympic games to say that because the stadium was full on an olympic evening of athletics suggests it will be full during the world cup is absurd...

They'd sooner come to Athens than some place with mud huts and corrugated iron for a roof. Having running water and modern plumbing doesn't hurt either. You keep chopping away, but I don't see any chips flying. Sharpen your axe?? :bash:

AT THIS MOMENT... Athens has the best sport facilities... End of story.

They'd sooner come to Athens than some place with mud huts and corrugated iron for a roof. Having running water and modern plumbing doesn't hurt either. You keep chopping away, but I don't see any chips flying. Sharpen your axe?? :bash:

again ur ignorance is not my worry

The Super Bowl

Definitely the World Cup.

Exactly, most of the facilities are well used regularly.

Telstra stadium: rugby league, Australian Football League
Superdome: concerts, raves entertainment, car rallies, circus, basketball, etc
State Sports Centre: basketball, raves, concerts
Aquatic Centre: competitions, championships, regular swimming, diving championships
Showground: Clothing/retail sales, Easter Show, raves,

eer, i believe you have a question of mine to answer....

for a city;:Olympics

for a country: World Cup

Sydney Olympic Park
http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/3482/homebush3de.jpg
awesome!

What about the "Cricket World Cup."

It is MUCH, MUCH bigger than the rugby world cup.

The Olympics has gone off the rails and is a joke. Couldn't care if they disbanded the whole thing now. It has lost its magic for mine.

Now the World Cup of Soccer is something special. I wouldn't mind having that down under.

We will get it at the expense of old England in 2018 who have already hosted it.

thx for sharing!!

that arena for NY looks great.But why does it feature an atheletics track?
The Mets are a football team right?

Btw.Im also looking forward to see the F1 in South africa :cheers:

Ok this is the Preussag arena in Hannover.(finished 2000)
the capacity is 14.000 to 15.500

its not big compared to its american counterparts,but here in Europe its still a biggie.

http://www.hannover-scorpions.com/bilder/arena.jpg
http://www.3dvision.de/asset_arch/ha-arena-01.jpg
http://www.donges.de/produktgruppen/sport.und.freizeitanlagen/sport.und.mehrzweckhallen/10713_PREUSSAGARENA_H_1.jpg http://www.donges.de/produktgruppen/sport.und.freizeitanlagen/sport.und.mehrzweckhallen/10713_PREUSSAGARENA_H_23.jpg
http://www.casa-statik.de/bilder/Preussag-Arena%20auf%20der%20EXPO%202000%20in%20Hannover.jpg

construction pic:
http://www.donges.de/produktgruppen/sport.und.freizeitanlagen/sport.und.mehrzweckhallen/10713_PREUSSAGARENA_H_M_H3781.jpg

once, and it would be 52 years since we did by 2018.
for a country regarded as the home of football, thats not exactly a lot
and thats compared to a country that struggles to qualify, has a mild interest (not exactly a big sport down under) and is now trying to get in by claiming to be a part of asia!
no offence to australia, but in no way do you deserve to host the world cup more than england.
and back to the topic.... i go for the olympics, as it has shown it can do alot for the city/country in regeneration and tourism terms etc.

thx for sharing!!

that arena for NY looks great.But why does it feature an atheletics track?
The Mets are a football team right?

Btw.Im also looking forward to see the F1 in South africa :cheers:
The NY Mets are a baseball team, and that stadium was originally for the olympics.

Oh my word is that landscaping i see at homebush bay??? silly shudda left it all sandy and attached some australian symbolism to it....

What about the "Cricket World Cup."

It is MUCH, MUCH bigger than the rugby world cup.

The Olympics has gone off the rails and is a joke. Couldn't care if they disbanded the whole thing now. It has lost its magic for mine.

Now the World Cup of Soccer is something special. I wouldn't mind having that down under.

We will get it at the expense of old England in 2018 who have already hosted it.

Well, Cricket is probably the second most popular sport on earth (if we count the number of players) but the CWC only gets 1.2Bn viewers and in SA there were 800,000 spectators which I admit seems rather low. Perhaps the next time it's in India we'll see cricket beat the Football World Cup for spectators.

You're right though. I should have included it.

BTW, enjoying the Ashes? :)

http://www.oaka.org.gr/default.asp
the official website for Athens Olympic Sport Complex (Calatrava s miracle :-))

It will never beat the soccer World Cup for spectators.

1. Football World Cup
2. Olympics

daylight

Everything else.

^^
Everytime I try to click on a link that says 'EVENTS' it doesn't seem to work.

Are there any upcomming events? all I see is an exhibition celebrating the one year anniversary of the games.

Oh my word is that landscaping i see at homebush bay??? silly shudda left it all sandy and attached some australian symbolism to it....

So you're saying a desert landscape in the smack bang of the city? :weirdo:

Any of the venues in the northern hemisphere would get my vote. Even Atlanta, though they botched up the Olympic games with their commercialism.

Why would anybody want to go to Sydney? Talk about off the beaten track!
LOL
You are foolish..............
If Sydney is off the beaten track, then what does that make Melbourne? Guess what?? Melbourne has the biggest Greek population anywhere in the world outside of Greece........... Can't be too far off the beaten track huh? :weird:

So you're saying a desert landscape in the smack bang of the city? :weirdo:


u missed my sarcasm, "some" host cities barely complete venues and have no time for landscaping, what they do is call it an "earth" theme and attach some symbolism to it :)

^^
Mo Rush you can assume that we Greeks ar simply making all this up about the "earth" theme or you can look at the renderings which were made years before the Olympics even took place.

How long do you think it would have take to lay down some Grass over the dirt? A day at most. The organizers at the Olympic complex were finished 3 weeks before the games and could have easily chosen to lay down some grass over the dirt but they didnt since it was not in the plans.

I thought it would be London, but after watching LEAFS FANATIC post, I'm decidelly a Greek suporter now. Fantastic facilities! The Olympics made it all possible, didn't it?

Not at all. The olympic stadium is from 1982 and hosted all these years great world class events(even it was roofless the biggest sport conferrences trusted it a lot of times for hosting first importance events) .the same for Peace and Friendship stadium and for the OAKA indoors.

Football World cup

Guess what?? Melbourne has the biggest Greek population anywhere in the world outside of Greece

Yeah, and try as they might to raise the level of sophistication in the rest of that country, they're outnumbered by the boobs. But I will say this, Melbourne is the one city in that nation that is culturally inspired. Mainly because of the ethnics.

What major tournament would you most like to see in your country/city?

World Cup (Football) - 33Bn TV viewers, 2.7M tickets

European Championshps (Football) - 7.9Bn TV viewers, 1.2M tickets

World Cup (Rugby Union) - 4Bn TV viewers, 1.8M tickets

Olympics (Multisport) - 3.9Bn TV viewers, 3.4M tickets

I only listed the 4 biggies and got the viewers/ticket sales from various websites.

If you base Olympic ticket sales,then consider that Sydney sold nearly 7,000,000 and Atlanta over 8,000,000 tickets.
Think about it...8 Million spectators during a 2 week period.Compare this to the Football World Cup of 2.7Million over 4 weeks in around 10 cities..

To me,the Olympics is HUGE and the Football World Cup is big,but no where near as big as an Olympics.

^ U r racist.

No...the racists were all they who attacked to a small nation like Greece the last years and said that never could organise olympic games.Now this small nation has some of the best stadiums in the world .

Ok here again: the new Arena for Berlin:

After long negotiations it has now been announced that a name-sponsor will be found until the end of the year to secure the financial costs.
After that construction works should begin.
Possible name-sponsors include:O2 and the Deutsche Telekom.
The arena will house 17.000 spec. but it can also go up to 21.000 spec. as the plannings are not totally finished yet.It depends on the budget basically.
The arena will be home to Alba Berlin (Basketball) and the Eisbaeren (Icebears,Icehockey)

here are some pics:

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Basketball_Nord.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Basketball_Sued.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Eishockey_Nord.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Nordwest.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/PerspektiveSued.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Staedtebau.jpg

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/templates/neubau/anschutz_arena/Suedwest.jpg

and this is the future construction site:

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/images/news/berlin_21_06_2005_1.jpg

It has already been cleared.
on the lower left corner you can see a small part of the Ostbahnhof. (East-Trainstation),and just next to the street is the last conserved part of the Berlin-Wall.
By the way: the investor for this project is the american AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) who are also responsible for the O2 dome in London.
The boss of AEG,is the american billionaire Anschutz himself.
Amongst many other clubs he owns is the East-Berlin Icehockey club the "Eisbaeren".They will use this arena whilst their West-Berlin counterpart the "Capitals will have to remain in their old facility.

I found a nice pic of the Cardinals arena in Arizona:
The stadium is 80 percent finished
(Architect:Peter Eisenman)
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/images/news/phoenix_30_08_2005_1.jpg

I found a nice pic of the Cardinals arena in Arizona:
The stadium is 80 percent finished
(Architect:Peter Eisenman)
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_arenen/images/news/phoenix_30_08_2005_1.jpg

The new Cardinals stadium looks fantastic, but the surroundings look boring as hell. Just in the middle of the dessert out of nowhere, without any urban surroundings.

^^
Mo Rush you can assume that we Greeks ar simply making all this up about the "earth" theme or you can look at the renderings which were made years before the Olympics even took place.

How long do you think it would have take to lay down some Grass over the dirt? A day at most. The organizers at the Olympic complex were finished 3 weeks before the games and could have easily chosen to lay down some grass over the dirt but they didnt since it was not in the plans.

yes ive seen the renderings the olympic cauldron was meant to be taller too and the olympic swimming pool was meant to have a roof....lets not believe everything the renderings say...k?

otherwise dont take it too seriously, i just dont like dusty olympic parks, just my opinion, the olympic park had an excellent water feature great entrance and walkway architecture..

yes ive seen the renderings the olympic cauldron was meant to be taller too and the olympic swimming pool was meant to have a roof....lets not believe everything the renderings say...k
What do the cauldron and Olympic pool have to do with it? Those werent done because there wasnt time but the grass was not put in because it was never supposed to be. The Olympic organizers had ample time to lay down a sheet of grass but they did not want to. It wasnt ever in the plans.

otherwise dont take it too seriously, i just dont like dusty olympic parks, just my opinion, the olympic park had an excellent water feature great entrance and walkway architecture..

Thats your opinion. I would have liked some more green but Calatrava didn't and in the end he is the one making the decisions. I still believe that the Athens Olympic Complex is the nicest ever. The Agora, fountains, wall of nations, and great venues are in my opinion amazing.

^That's the only way they could build that stadium: in the middle of a desert. In the States, NIMBYism is a national sport.

Noone modern olympic park can beat the Athens OAKA,u have already see a lot of pics of it and know that is architecturally magnificent.The wall of nations(250m sculpture) is amazing and the generally aestetic style of the area is superb.

u missed my sarcasm, "some" host cities barely complete venues and have no time for landscaping, what they do is call it an "earth" theme and attach some symbolism to it :)


Your such a twat.

There was ample time to put down landscaping if they wanted landscaping. Whether or not the buildings are even done they can still put grass down. The buildings have no effect on landscaping since even if they need finishing works the outside and base of them are already completed. And to lay grass all they need are some immigrants, some grass, and about 2 days.... And since they finished all venues 2 weeks before the games, and it wouldn't have hampered landscaping at all, why wouldn't you believe as intended there was no grass? It was an earth - water - sky theme as depicted in the renderings, hence all the red earth with trees, water and white/blue everywhere.....

So shut up already. (All i see you do is constantlyyyyyyy bash Athens)

If they wanted to have landscaping, it would have been very easy. Just like the Helliniko Complex had:

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/works_in_progress/image/09Aug2004HelComp2_p.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/works_in_progress/image/09Aug2004HelComp1_p.jpg


wooooooowwwwwwww so hard.


Now whether I agree with the theme or not (which I don't) stop being an ass and trying to make it seem as if a city which hosted the games couldn't lay some grass.

Nope.

World Cup is far bigger than the Olympics.

It's only the world's most popular sport!

While the Olympics is mostly sports nobody cares...

^^
Everytime I try to click on a link that says 'EVENTS' it doesn't seem to work.

Are there any upcomming events? all I see is an exhibition celebrating the one year anniversary of the games.


Greek web sites are notorious for never updating, so I wouldn't hold my breath.


It's a pretty good site though (for Greek standards). The pictures are real quality:



Olympic Stadium (some rare VIP/Lounge pics, haven't seen any on the net...)

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/stadium_03b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/stadium_02b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/stadium_06b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/anoixta_gipeda_04b.jpg


Indoor Arena

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/basket_01b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/basket_03b.jpg

http://img173.imageshack.us/img173/2806/basket04b5rv.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/basket_05b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/aqua_03b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/aqua_05b.jpg


Indoor Aquatic Centre

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/aqua_01b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/aqua_02b.jpg



Tennis Centre

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/tennis_05b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/tennis_04b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/tennis_02b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/tennis_03b.jpg



Velodrome

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/velo_01b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/velo_02b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/velo_03b.jpg

http://www.oaka.org.gr/uploads/velo_04b.jpg

At the moment Athens has the best facilties and it is not even close.

In 3 years it will be Beijinig, then it will be London.

And dont forget that football is the highest or one of the highest ticket selling sports in the Olympics.

I'd say the NBA All-Star game. Most people not in the states are probably saying wtf? but you wouldn't believe the celebrity power that game has.

But seriously from a civic standpoint, I think the Olympics does a much better job profiling the host city then the World Cup does (from an American media perspective). It seems the World Cup is all about the football, which there is nothing wrong with. But as a means of hyping up your city to the world, nothing beats the Olympics.

Mo rush ur officially a fuckhead.

u question Calatravas Spectacular landscaping, and, like a fool, suposidly WOW at Sydneys lack of.

Sydney = Shit architecture. Fuking out of charachter venues.
Sydney = Basic Standard everything. nothing special...

Fuck off and dont talk until capetown hosts the shittest olympic of earth,,,,that is if the olympics are still around in 3456 AD (if lucky). Cape town is an aid infested shit hole, were obviously, no one knows true inspired architecture...

Mo rush ur officially a fuckhead.

u question Calatravas Spectacular landscaping, and, like a fool, suposidly WOW at Sydneys lack of.

Sydney = Shit architecture. Fuking out of charachter venues.
Sydney = Basic Standard everything. nothing special...

Fuck off and dont talk until capetown hosts the shittest olympic of earth,,,,that is if the olympics are still around in 3456 AD (if lucky). Cape town is an aid infested shit hole, were obviously, no one knows true inspired architecture...

hahahahahahaah u obviously dont understand sarcasm.....add that to ignorance and you have gained yourself an impressive collection of bullshit for brains...and good night to ur unsustainable empty olympic venues....im sure the can convert them into large halls for "big fat greek" weddings.....

If u point at sky with your finger, an idiot will look at the finger,not at the sky. The same does Mo Rush in this thread..

If u point at sky with your finger, an idiot will look at the finger,not at the sky. The same does Mo Rush in this thread..

You know, I hope the both of you get banned already so we don't have to put up with this endless bullshit.

you dont have to put up with anything....what you can do though is leave this thread and NEVER return if its so Dramatic for you...

im not going to stop sharing my opinion because a few whingers complain about it...

hahahahahahaah u obviously dont understand sarcasm.....add that to ignorance and you have gained yourself an impressive collection of bullshit for brains...and good night to ur unsustainable empty olympic venues....im sure the can convert them into large halls for "big fat greek" weddings.....

catch aids ya bastard...

come on guys leave him alone.... he is just being jealous don't you get it?? And if one day his country gets the olympics (2222 A.D.).... i hope they dont get blasted by any zulu attacks... africa bambata papoo acoomba da baoola aloo time to catch some aids!! And africaman dont you get it?? Don't you understand?? Are there any mental problems ur facing?? This is about "Best Sport Facilities" and from that list, Athens has the best sport facilities right now!!! Is it so difficult to understand?? And I don't really care about polls here... few people really know how things are at this moment... And you just shouldn't tell us what you think cause you have no idea about how things are... MoRush..... END OF STORY. YOU LOSE... eee-eee-eee INSERT COIN NOW... END OF STORY... YOU LOSE

catch aids ya bastard...


Opinions eh?


Opinions or complete insults? I mean what kind of a thing is this to say???


Both of you should be ashamed, and it's astonishing how two racists like yourselves have not been banned yet. You act like lowlifes who cannot properly get their thoughts across without being vulgar.


So many topics destroyed by this shit, when nice conversations could have been had.... yet this nationalistic/racist crap keeps dominating everything.

oh look its "nu spirit" with two posts....now which one of u created that profile just to tell me to insert a coin????? giorgios calm down, i shud not have pressed ur buttons even though we all know which greek buttons to press for some of ya hahahah

Guys leave Mo Rush alone and please stop with the racism. I dont think that it is a case of Mo not liking Athens but simply that he did not know much about the OAKA complex plans. Now he probably realizes that grass werent in the plans for the complex.

Even if he was bashing the Athens Olympics it doesnt give anyone the right to insult his race, and telling him to go get a disease which has killed tens of million of people world wide is simply sick.

We can express our opinions without being racists.

@Christos: Those are some great photos of the luxury suites inside Sypros Louis Stadium, and the other venues. I have never seen those pics before and am really glad you could find them.

There was ample time to put down landscaping if they wanted landscaping. Whether or not the buildings are even done they can still put grass down. The buildings have no effect on landscaping since even if they need finishing works the outside and base of them are already completed. And to lay grass all they need are some immigrants, some grass, and about 2 days.... And since they finished all venues 2 weeks before the games, and it wouldn't have hampered landscaping at all, why wouldn't you believe as intended there was no grass? It was an earth - water - sky theme as depicted in the renderings, hence all the red earth with trees, water and white/blue everywhere.....

So shut up already. (All i see you do is constantlyyyyyyy bash Athens)

If they wanted to have landscaping, it would have been very easy. Just like the Helliniko Complex had:

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/works_in_progress/image/09Aug2004HelComp2_p.jpg

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/works_in_progress/image/09Aug2004HelComp1_p.jpg


wooooooowwwwwwww so hard.


Now whether I agree with the theme or not (which I don't) stop being an ass and trying to make it seem as if a city which hosted the games couldn't lay some grass.

Great post Christos :cheers:

Guys leave Mo Rush alone and please stop with the racism. I dont think that it is a case of Mo not liking Athens but simply that he did not know much about the OAKA complex plans. Now he probably realizes that grass werent in the plans for the complex.
Even if he was bashing the Athens Olympics it doesnt give anyone the right to insult his race, and telling him to go get a disease which has killed tens of million of people world wide is simply sick.

We can express our opinions without being racists.

@Christos: Those are some great photos of the luxury suites inside Sypros Louis Stadium, and the other venues. I have never seen those pics before and am really glad you could find them.


probarbly not.

i found the comment about dusty olympic parks so un appealing. especially from someone who has never visited the site...

oh look its "nu spirit" with two posts....now which one of u created that profile just to tell me to insert a coin????? giorgios calm down, i shud not have pressed ur buttons even though we all know which greek buttons to press for some of ya hahahah

I'm a new guy here... and I dont give a sh*t if you dont believe me. Ohhh and haven't you read the whole message I wrote to you?? So you are saying that you have seen only the "insert coin" thing huh?? Good for you... you don't want to get mad do you?? hahahaha

Sydney = Shit architecture. Fuking out of charachter venues.
Sydney = Basic Standard everything. nothing special...
You're above comments are totally BS. You like to jump down anyone's throat that says anything remotely negative about athens but you don't seem to have any problems with critisizing Sydney every chance you get.

Both cites produced fantasic venues for the games but IMO Sydney went about it a bit smarter. They planned their stadiums for life after the games alot better than previous OG hosts.

Its funny that anyone that doesnt say that "Athens is the best" is completley being branded as "anti-greek" and is subject to racial abuse(South African MoRush)

Time for these Greek fools to GROW UP!

well it always takes two for a fight... ;)

So you have in the one hand a greek or two, full of complexes and "patriotism" which makes them arrogant and kinda.... and in the other hand those which have nothing better to do (perhaps because they find themselves in the same level) then to react to this behavior... Keep on going guys...!!!

I would like to say that the OAKA (Athens Olympic Sport Center) has more green then you can see... It is just very joung green and it needs time to develop... The Sydney Olympic Park is very nice and very green. But those trees had more then 5 years time to develop.. The green and trees in Athens just 1 year... From the architectural aspect Athens winns by far... If it is the best... do not know... This is something that only athletes can say...

well it always takes two for a fight... ;)

So you have in the one hand a greek or two, full of complexes and "patriotism" which makes them arrogant and kinda.... and in the other hand those which have nothing better to do (perhaps because they find themselves in the same level) then to react to this behavior... Keep on going guys...!!!

I would like to say that the OAKA (Athens Olympic Sport Center) has more green then you can see... It is just very joung green and it needs time to develop... The Sydney Olympic Park is very nice and very green. But those trees had more then 5 years time to develop.. The green and trees in Athens just 1 year... From the architectural aspect Athens winns by far... If it is the best... do not know... This is something that only athletes can say...

Great stuff!

Lets keep talking about the venues.The good and the bad.
I get pissed off when someone decides to get racial and gets going about poverty and shit in Africa.

yes..its quite ok to have an opinion to say that Athens or Sydney venues are crap,but really...WTF does AIDS in South Africa have to do with this?

Its complete racial CRAP

Get over it!

Nothing can beat FIFA World Cup .. it is the greatest tournament ever (most watched and spectacle in the World) with more than bilion of TV-watchers. Olimpiade can`t surpass it.

BTW:
With the end of the first sales phase on 31 March fast approaching, applications for 2006 FIFA World Cup™ match tickets continue to flood in. The Organising Committee (OC) is expecting orders to top four million at some point over the Easter holiday period. By midnight on 22 March, the OC had received 545,404 applications requesting 3,945,487 tickets from a total of 191 countries. More than 90 percent of the orders originated within Europe, with 85 percent of these from Germany.

Wow--When people begin wishing horrible deaths (like AIDS) on each other (and each other's respective countrymen) because they disagree on which SPORTS ARENA is better, you know our species has just entered its final days.

lets post fotos for every sport venues separately from every city of this poll,it would be very nice to see and compare.

Great stuff!

Lets keep talking about the venues.The good and the bad.
I get pissed off when someone decides to get racial and gets going about poverty and shit in Africa.

yes..its quite ok to have an opinion to say that Athens or Sydney venues are crap,but really...WTF does AIDS in South Africa have to do with this?

Its complete racial CRAP

Get over it!
Nice post. Lets stop the racism right now.

i agree. i guess that mean you anti greek better leave.. :lol:

Why would the International Olympic Committee want to hold an Olympic games on a continent where AIDS is pandemic and killing other human beings because they belong to a different tribe is a daily occurrence (see Ruwanda)? In most nations of Africa having running water is a luxury and raw sewage is pumped into the rivers. INCLUDING in some parts of South Africa. I know, I've been there.

Australia's Olympic games were rather boring IMO, but at least it's a modern nation. Africa, even South Africa, would be a few bridges too far. Way too far.

And I agree with some of the others in that Mo is infantile in his attitude towards Greece.

Be patient with Mo. He hasn't got a clue what he's talking about with respect to Greece.

:eek2:

Why would the International Olympic Committee want to hold an Olympic games on a continent where AIDS is pandemic and eating other human beings was a daily ritual until a century ago? In most nations of Africa having running water is a luxury and when they urinate/defecate, they often do so in the streets.

Australia was boring, but at least it's a modern nation. Africa, even South Africa, would be a few bridges too far. Way too far.

And I agree with some of the others in that Mo is infantile.
Landos Shut up!

All you are doing is giving Greeks on these forums a bad reputation as racists!

I hope you get banned!

I was wondering if anyone has a list of european indoor stadiums that are similar to their North American counterparts (Georgia Dome, TWA Dome, Sky Dome etc)?

In the UK there is only one that springs to mind, the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales (74k capacity) - as its used mainly for rugby and football its quite hard to find pics of it with the roof closed.

http://www.stadiumguide.com/millenium1.jpg

http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/projects/cardiff/images/millennium_stadium6.jpg

Photos inside the stadium with the roof closed:
http://www.stattoshop.com/stattoshopcouk/graphics/facup2003/stadium_with_roof_closed.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1485000/images/_1487037_cardiff300.jpg

And some more of the stadium:
http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/projects/cardiff/images/millennium_stadium2.jpg

http://www.urbanfreeflow.com/urban_graffiti/jumpbritain/images/h4_mm_gap.jpg

http://www.rakli.fi/uutisia/Lehdisto/Image212.jpg

Football match with the roof open:
http://www.homesoffootball.co.uk/5218_BIRMINGHAM_CITY.jpg

Millenium Stadium - Cardiff (Wales)
Veltins Arena (Arena Auf Schalke) - Gelsenkirchen (Germany)
LTU Arena - Düsseldorf (Germany)
Amsterdam ArenA - Amstedam (Netherlands)
Arnhem Gelredome - Arnhem (Netherlands)
Parken - Copenhagen (Denmark)

More?

I don't see why they get tickets if they still don't know who's going to play....

And it looks like im going to have a tough time finding tickets :(

Zorba, why don't you try using your brain once in awhile instead of your gonads? What did I say that was not factual? Or are you too stupid to read, understand and comment on what I posted?

You're the worst kind of modern Greek-one who has forgotten what the ancient Greeks accomplished and therefore takes no pride in it. As for Mo Rush, he's been one of the biggest flamers on this site since I've been participating and he deserves whatever is directed at him.

I'm through with you. :bash:

Zorba, why don't you try using your brain once in awhile instead of your gonads? What did I say that was not factual? Or are you too stupid to read, understand and comment on what I posted?

You're the worst kind of modern Greek-one who has forgotten what the ancient Greeks accomplished and therefore takes no pride in it. As for Mo Rush, he's been one of the biggest flamers on this site since I've been participating and he deserves whatever is directed at him.

I'm through with you. :bash:

is that poll on whether landos is an idiot still running??

You think AFRICA is ready for the Olympic games and you say I'M the idiot? :weirdo:

No because all we know that Mo is the idiot of the year,there is no poll to take place.

SYdney

Olympic stadiums' uncertain future
By Richard Galpin
BBC News, Athens

It took three days before Greek authorities granted us permission to visit the Olympic site.

But when we reached the security post at the back entrance we were not allowed any further and we had to wait for our police escort to arrive.

As we followed the flashing blue lights, the initial dominant image was row upon row of high-security fencing.

But this was not the Green Zone in Baghdad we were entering. It was a large complex of Olympic venues built for last year's Athens games on the coast overlooking the warm waters of the Saronic Gulf.

Last August, these venues were the centre of world attention as some of the greatest athletes battled for medals in front of the crowds and television cameras.

One year on they stand idle, under lock and key - silent concrete monuments rising incongruously from the runway of what used to be the city's old airport.

Empty and silent

They also stand as testaments to the building frenzy in the months leading up to the opening ceremony.

This ultimately succeeded in making the games look good for the global television audience, but less so for those who were actually here - certainly for the spectators who came to this vast, desolate, incomplete complex.

According to official documents the six venues built on this site known as Hellinikon cost almost $330m.

But since the Games they have only been used for the occasional concert, exhibition or sports event.

The public have for the most part been shut out of these and almost all the other Olympic venues for the past 12 months.

It is now becoming painfully obvious that the Greek government made more than just the one fundamental error of leaving the preparations for the Olympics too late.

It also failed to put together any coherent plan for the future use of almost 30 purpose-built venues after the Olympic band-wagon rolled out of town.

A senior government official once admitted to me that the only plan he had seen prior to the Games simply had "conference centre" marked next to a list of almost every facility.

To make matters worse, the authorities failed to see the wisdom of constructing temporary venues for some sports, as previous Olympic host cities have done.

Everything in Athens is set in concrete, even the facilities for sports which are of minimal interest to the average Greek, such as baseball, softball and hockey.

These are three of the immaculate stadiums now standing idle at the Hellinikon complex.

The Olympics gave Greece a new identity and better recognition
Spyros Cladas, Gen. Secretary Olympic Utilisation

They are top quality buildings each and every one.

At the baseball stadium the sprinklers pump out gallons of water every day to keep the grass in perfect condition.

But the bright blue plastic seats are all empty and nobody knows when or if they will ever be filled again.

"I feel mad," says Liana Kanelli, a Communist member of parliament. "My government asks us to pay 100 million euros [$121m] per year from our taxes [to maintain the Olympic venues] and I don't use them, I don't see them, I don't go there as a viewer or as an athlete.

"Nobody uses them and nobody tells you what's going to happen next year. Wouldn't you get mad?"

It was only in June that parliament passed a bill, called the sustainable development and social utilisation of the Olympic facilities bill, to enshrine in law how they can be used.

For some facilities there are now clear plans.

Apart from holding top athletics competitions, the main Olympic stadium will be used by two football clubs and the adjacent media centre will be turned into museums of sport.

Other venues will be converted into arts academies, golf courses, parks and conference centres.

Olympic finances

The private sector has already been invited to bid for long-term leases for three venues and officials say tenders will be put out for seven more this year.

But the plans remain vague for many facilities including those at the Hellinikon complex.

For five of the six venues, the only uses beyond sport are "cultural events, public dining areas, commercial stores and commercial exhibitions."

The city certainly needed more arenas, but not dozens more.

The uncertain fate of the venues is fuelling public unease about the financial burden of hosting the Olympics.

The total bill including the upgrading of public transport systems is now put at $15bn, three times the original estimate.

Greece is facing difficulties with its budget deficit which shot up to double the permitted level for countries using the euro as their currency.

It must bring the deficit under control next year.

"We spent 13bn euros to hold the Games," says Communist MP Liana Kanelli.

only PArkes....rasund is good too, but this is old stadium

"We spent 13bn euros to hold the Games" ...thats why South Africa will never host the olympics...

"We spent 13bn euros to hold the Games" ...thats why South Africa will never host the olympics...

yes 13bn for 17 days = overpriced... thats all, BBC said it not me....sydney did it for 5bn, quality vs quantity??? yeah a cape town games would spend less, and well we might just do the whole "using all venues after the games" thing....
best sport facilities?? why are people voting london???? its not 2012 yet.....

For security reasond,next olympic cities must spend much motre than Greece..Cape Town would never afford this cost when there are so many hungry children in this country

yes 13bn for 17 days = overpriced... thats all, BBC said it not me....sydney did it for 5bn, quality vs quantity??? yeah a cape town games would spend less, and well we might just do the whole "using all venues after the games" thing....
best sport facilities?? why are people voting london???? its not 2012 yet.....
Mo. There are some things that I would like to point out.

1. That may have been the one thousanth time you have posted that article

2. Very few Olympic hosts have found something to do with all the venues in just a year. This is a process that can take some time. Many of the Olympic stadiums are recieving a lot of use, expecially at the main Olympic complex at OAKA where every venue is being used for something.

-Olympic Stadium: Athletics tournaments, Football games, racing derbies, etc...
-Olympic Indoor Hall: Panathinaikos B.C. Basketball Club, and it is also the home of the Greek National Basketball team.
-Olympic Aquatic Center: Greek League Water Polo, and swimming events
-Velodrome: Practice site for Greek cycling team
-Tennis Center: Greek Tennis Academy

Now as for the Helliniko complex it is really just sitting there with no use. It is frustrating to see that Greece built the best venues ever for some of them to be sitting around.

The thing is that in the coming year all of their fates will be decided, and whether they will be demolished or have some kind of use again. Athens actually handed over the venues and is preparing them for post-Olympic use faster than Sydney did so we are ahead. One year doesnt mean much. We are in the planning stage and many of the venues are already being used.

For security reasond,next olympic cities must spend much motre than Greece..Cape Town would never afford this cost when there are so many hungry children in this country

don't be silly, it was the construction delays not jus the one billion security budget...this is boring now and the aids, starving children in africa, africa is depressed arguement is getting quite lame..

Athens Olympics costs set to hit nearly $20 billion Cdn, minister says

ATHENS (AP) - The cost of the Athens Olympics is expected to rise to 13 billion euros ($19.5 billion Cdn), 18 per cent higher than previously estimated, a government minister who headed games' preparations said Tuesday.

"For all the (Olympic) activities, I believe the total is at 13 (billion)," Deputy Culture Minister Fani Palli-Petralia told private Alpha Radio.

The minister said maintenance costs for Olympic venues totalled 100 million euros ($150 million Cdn) per year. She conceded that there had been "no interest" for two Olympic soccer stadiums, which the government had hoped to lease.

Nearly a year after the Aug. 13, 2004 opening ceremony, the government has still not released the total cost of the Olympics, despite pressure from the European Union.

Palli-Petralia did not say why the cost estimate had risen. Previous estimates by the government had reached 11 billion euros ($16.5 billion Cdn).

Greece had initially planned to spend 4.6 billion euros ($6.9 billion euros), but repeatedly increased the figure following serious construction delays and increased security fears.

The ever-growing bill helped push Greece's budget deficit to 6.1 per cent of gross domestic product last year - more than double the limit set by the EU. The Finance Ministry has promised to reduce the deficit to below three per cent by the end of next year.

Premier Costas Caramanlis' conservative government has argued benefits from the games will be major - but long term. Athens has a brand new transport network, and the country is hoping its vital tourist industry gets a boost from the international attention.

But the main opposition Socialist party on Tuesday accused the government of practising "accounting alchemy," and said a major opportunity had been missed to capitalize on the success of the games.

"The government must, at long last, issue a detailed account of Olympic costs," a party statement said. "The government has managed to devalue the great achievements of the Greek people. This was a successful suicide - unfortunately not only for the government, but for the country and its people."

Zorba, why don't you try using your brain once in awhile instead of your gonads? What did I say that was not factual? Or are you too stupid to read, understand and comment on what I posted?

You're the worst kind of modern Greek-one who has forgotten what the ancient Greeks accomplished and therefore takes no pride in it. As for Mo Rush, he's been one of the biggest flamers on this site since I've been participating and he deserves whatever is directed at him.

I'm through with you. :bash:
You are a racist person. End of story.

You can prove your point without disrespecting Mo Rush's culture, heritage, and race.

I dont agree with a lot of what Mo Rush says. I think that should try to see the Greek side of the story instead of making baseless remarks that arent true at all (like that there isnt much grass at the OAKA complex because there wasnt enough time to lay it down). Still even though I disagree with him I never have used racist remarks like you.

Do you think that you are being "more Greek" by being a racist idiot?

Hopefully a mod will ban you as you only come on these forums to insult other people and dont even make constructive posts that are on subject. Have you even talked about who has the best sports facilities yet or have you been to busy writing about how cannibalism was practiced in South Africa two hundred years ago like that is a reason for them not to get the Olympics.

BTW what the hell do the Ancient Greeks have to do with who has the worlds best sports facilities?! :wtf:

Please every non-Greek on the forums dont take Landos' views to represent the views of all Greeks because they aren't.

Zorba, if you call me a racist one more time, I'm going to request that YOU be banned. I have only stated facts. If you have a problem with those facts, too bad.

I am formally notifying you that I'm bringing your name-calling to the attention of the site administrator. You better shape up, NOW, or you're out of here. You think I am fooling with you? I am not fooling with you.

Mo Rush, you've made a fool out of yourself with your knee-jerk anti-Greek attitude in this forum. Anyone who has participated here for more than a few months knows you never have anything to say thats positive about the Athens games-venues, attendence, organization, whatever.

You're your own worst enemy. Your posts are so infantile and pathological in their attacks that you impress far less people than you think and offend far more than you know.

South Africa would do far better to spend their money on solving their IMMENSE social problems than in trying to land an Olympic Games they can't afford. And I can't believe that many Olympic fans would want to attend the games in a nation where violent crime is such a serious problem. Maybe in a century when you solve those issues, not now.

BTW what the hell do the Ancient Greeks have to do with who has the worlds best sports facilities?!

Gee, I'm sorry I brought the ancient Greeks into a discussion about the Olympic games. We all know the Olympics were invented by a Frenchman about a hundred years ago, right?

Zorba, word of advice: When you don't know what you're talking about, don't. As the old saying goes, "Better to say nothing and run the risk of having men think you're a fool, then open your mouth and remove all doubt!"

Zorba, if you call me a racist one more time, I'm going to request that YOU be banned. I have only stated facts. If you have a problem with those facts, too bad.

I am formally notifying you that I'm bringing your name-calling to the attention of the site administrator. You better shape up, NOW, or you're out of here. You think I am fooling with you? I am not fooling with you.
LOL. I laughed through most of your post. You are going to request I be banned? For what. Trust me you have said a lot worse than me. If you dont shape then you will be out. The mods can read the thread and see who is right.

You are nothing but a racist. You constsntly put down Mos Rush's culture and race. You bring up completly irrelevant things like cannibalism and use them in your arguments. I am reporting you.

Gee, I'm sorry I brought the ancient Greeks into a discussion about the Olympic games. We all know the Olympics were invented by a Frenchman about a hundred years ago, right?

Zorba, word of advice: When you don't know what you're talking about, don't. As the old saying goes, "Better to say nothing and run the risk of having men think you're a fool, then open your mouth and remove all doubt!"
We are talking about THE BEST SPORTS FACILITIES. This may be hard for you to understand since you havent made a constructive post related to the topic yet but the ancient Greeks creating the Olympics has nothing to do with who has the best facilities in 2005!

you know landos you continously dig your own grave here....any criticizm is seen as an attack!!! oh dear i posted an article about venues being locked and not in use...fact of fiction??? im sure BBC just write these articles to amuse themselves...and u want to ban zorba?? i give up really your posts speak for themselves...someone once compiled a collection of ur stupid comments most of them off the topic and trying to defend some facts about the athens games...oh when u reply dont forget to use big words and tie it in somehow with greek symbolism and the ancient greeks who are to blame for venues becoming white elephants

comeon landos suprise me....

Zorba, I have already reported your name-calling to the site administrator. Your additional use of the word "racist" towards me has been noted and also reported. If you can't restrain yourself, we'll see to it that Jan briggs you for a few days to allow you time to reflect on your sins and come up with an apology thats meaningful to me. Don't even think of apologizing before then, I won't accept it unless it's the result of heartfelt reflection-AND contrition.

Mo, everyone knows your game by now. Nobody's fooled.

the world cup brings a lot to the country too, not only new or renovated stadia, but also new streets, traffic-control-systems, renovated or new stations (Lehrter bahnhof, Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof), new hotels, cash flows put into infrastructure as for example new metros...and so on...

Zorba, I have already reported your name-calling to the site administrator. Your additional use of the word "racist" towards me has been noted and also reported. If you can't restrain yourself, we'll see to it that Jan briggs you for a few days to allow you time to reflect on your sins and come up with an apology thats meaningful to me. Don't even think of apologizing before then, I won't accept it unless it's the result of heartfelt reflection-AND contrition.

Mo, everyone knows your game by now. Nobody's fooled.

you really do take this seriously???? oh dear zorba u better watch out....and get ur contrition in order.... :weirdo:

Zorba, I have already reported your name-calling to the site administrator. Your additional use of the word "racist" towards me has been noted and also reported. If you can't restrain yourself, we'll see to it that Jan briggs you for a few days to allow you time to reflect on your sins and come up with an apology thats meaningful to me. Don't even think of apologizing before then, I won't accept it unless it's the result of heartfelt reflection-AND contrition.

I can't believe this is coming from you.

Zorba, I have already reported your name-calling to the site administrator. Your additional use of the word "racist" towards me has been noted and also reported. If you can't restrain yourself, we'll see to it that Jan briggs you for a few days to allow you time to reflect on your sins and come up with an apology thats meaningful to me. Don't even think of apologizing before then, I won't accept it unless it's the result of heartfelt reflection-AND contrition.

Mo, everyone knows your game by now. Nobody's fooled.
lol.............................That is coming from you.

What am I going to apologize to you for? I called you what you are and that is a RACIST. You constantly put down other peoples cultures and countries and have not yet made a prodoctive post or anything related to the subject.

You are the one insulting South Africans and Australians and I am going to get brigged? Give me a break. :weirdo:

Just wondering, how profitable have the last couple of World Cups been?

Zorba, I have already reported your name-calling to the site administrator. Your additional use of the word "racist" towards me has been noted and also reported. If you can't restrain yourself, we'll see to it that Jan briggs you for a few days to allow you time to reflect on your sins and come up with an apology thats meaningful to me. Don't even think of apologizing before then, I won't accept it unless it's the result of heartfelt reflection-AND contrition.

Mo, everyone knows your game by now. Nobody's fooled.

Is this where we are all supposed to laugh now?

Enough of this. All involved please shape up on constructive posting.

The Ashes....game over!

Last for 2 months, grips all and sundry for a week at a time for 7 to 8 hours a day staged every 18 months or so and been going for well over 125 years and your Prime Minister gives 'permission' to the workforce to take time out to enjoy the spectacle.

You can't see it in that picture, but the new hockey arena is just to the north of the Cardinals new stadium, I believe. There will be a development called Westgate City Center which is to have an urban setting.

Qatar set to open world's largest sports dome
Posted: Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Doha

http://www.tradearabia.com/source/2005-09/14/aspire.jpg

Aspire, the academy for sports excellence in Doha, is to host a major event in November to mark the opening of its sports dome, which will be the largest indoor sports dome in the world.

Standing at a staggering 290,000 sq m, the Dome is a landmark development for Qatar and the wider region, and will provide unmatched facilities for training and developing student athletes, as well as offering a venue for major sporting events like the Doha Asian Games in 2006.

The dome has been specifically engineered for excellence, offering state-of-the-art sports science labs and fitness halls under its sloping roof. Facilities within the Dome include a full-sized football field and a five-a-side pitch, a 200m athletics track, an Olympic-size swimming pool and diving pool, a gymnastics hall, a sports games hall, 13 table-tennis courts, three contact sports mats, eight fencing strips and two squash courts.

Attended by a broad range of internationally-famous sporting legends and local dignitaries, a number of activities will also be open to the public, including football master-classes hosted by renowned soccer stars, table tennis competitions and an international youth football tournament.

Running parallel with these activities will be a Sport Science Conference, which will feature keynote speeches from leading sports science authorities, addressing a range of critical subjects in the field of sports development.

Dr Thomas Flock, director general of ASPIRE, said: "The November event will provide Qatar with an international celebration of sport and sporting achievement, centred on the opening of the sports dome.

"Our aim is to use the event to bring together the key elements that will support the development of student athletes within Aspire - world-class facilities, international sporting talent and high levels of engagement from the people of Qatar."

Dr Flock added: "The ASPIRE dome will be a landmark for the sporting world, and provides a source of inspiration for athletes, here in Qatar and across this region, inspiring talented children and developing their skills to enable them to perform on the world's stage. "

The event will run from November 17 - November 19, 2005, at the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar. -TradeArabia News Service

what is the capacity in terms of people?

There aren't many. Generally European stadiums have roofs over the stands but are not enclosed - in contrast to the US "all or nothing" approach when it comes to stadium roofs.

Didn't know Millenium had a retractable roof...

Parken has a retractable roof???!

I don´t think Parken has a retractable roof.

Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt has a retractable roof aswell

I don´t think Parken has a retractable roof.

Wrong,

http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/perbrun/sto_sport/lukpark.jpg

Millenium Stadium - Cardiff (Wales)
Veltins Arena (Arena Auf Schalke) - Gelsenkirchen (Germany)
LTU Arena - Düsseldorf (Germany)
Amsterdam ArenA - Amstedam (Netherlands)
Arnhem Gelredome - Arnhem (Netherlands)
Parken - Copenhagen (Denmark)

More?

I wouldn't call any of them an "indoor arena" (as per the title of this thread) - they're all stadia with a retractable roof...

Just wondering, how profitable have the last couple of World Cups been?

Depends how you count 'profits'

FIFA's definition isn't the same as everyone elses.

Well, for 'Arenas'...
MEN Arena, Manchester, UK - 17,250 seats
National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, UK - 13,000 seats
Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, UK - 12,500 seats
Wembley Arena, London, UK - 11,500 seats (currently being re-developed along with Wembley Stadium)

I don´t think Parken has a retractable roof.
It does actually...

edit- sorry, ill try again with my own host, hopefully they will work now...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/cphdude/taget2.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/cphdude/taget1.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/cphdude/lukpark.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/cphdude/5c.jpghttp://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/cphdude/4c.jpg

umm, in terms of money?

pictures dont work

umm, in terms of money?

no as in what items are included as incomes and expenses by fifa's definition...profit is not money! the athens games apparently made a profit......

Perths new Arena (used for concerts, tennis, basketball etc.)
i
Old plans \/ , a new design is being done atm.

http://www.dhw.wa.gov.au/stadium/images/stadium2.jpg
http://www.dhw.wa.gov.au/stadium/images/stadium1.jpg

I think there is indoor arena in Moscow, annual Kremlin Cup in tennis is played there.

wow, would have never guessed Parken had a retractable roof!

was it added later, or was it built with it?

The roof at Parken comes out of the redevolped end stand doesnt it?

http://www.dbu.dk/data/dbu/imagedb/4261.jpg

wow, would have never guessed Parken had a retractable roof!

was it added later, or was it built with it?
Yea, the roof was added after, in 2001, for the Eurovision Song Contest. The roof is 100 x 120 meter, and weighs about 550 tons. It takes about 20 minutes to role out...

http://wowturkey.com/tr63/Kemal_A_olimpiyat.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr63/Kemal_A_olimpiyat.jpg

http://wowturkey.com/tr63/Kemal_A_olimpiyat.jpg

A great stadium in a great country man I love Turkey :)

Olympic stadium in Rome
http://tinypic.com/dw4753.jpg

San Siro Stadium in Milan
http://tinypic.com/dw4789.jpg

Delle Alpi Stadium in Turin
http://tinypic.com/dw4dqb.jpg

San Paolo stadium in Naples
http://tinypic.com/dw4dxk.jpg

Palermo stadium
http://tinypic.com/dw4e1f.jpg

Reggio Calabria
http://tinypic.com/dw4e2f.jpg

Olympic Stadium in Rome
http://tinypic.com/dw4753.jpg

San Siro Stadium in Milan
http://tinypic.com/dw4789.jpg

Delle Alpi Stadium in Turin
http://tinypic.com/dw4dqb.jpg

San Paolo stadium in Naples
http://tinypic.com/dw4dxk.jpg

Palermo stadium
http://tinypic.com/dw4e1f.jpg

Reggio Calabria
http://tinypic.com/dw4e2f.jpg

I like this one of the main stadum in Pyongyang:
http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/7011/googleearthimage17nd.jpg

Didn't know Millenium had a retractable roof...
The millennium Stadium's claim to fame is that with the roof closed it becomes the largest indoor arena in Europe.

I wouldn't call any of them an "indoor arena" (as per the title of this thread) - they're all stadia with a retractable roof...
What difference does it make? A stadium with a retractable roof makes a lot of sense, it means that it has the benefits of both and can hold a much wider range of events.

Ok here is a news update:

The Westfalenstadium in Dortmund will definitely have another name from the start of the next season.
the debt-ridden club hopes to get at least 5 million euros a year out of the deal.
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/images/news/dortmund_19_09_2005_1.jpg


And here are the new proposals for the new stadium in Dresden.
choose your favourite :)

HBM Proposal (the dutch company which also realised the Veltins arena,Gelredome and the Ostseestadium in Rostock)
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/images/news/dresden_20_09_2005_1.jpg
others:
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/images/news/dresden_20_09_2005_2.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/images/news/dresden_20_09_2005_3.jpg
my favourite:
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/images/news/dresden_20_09_2005_4.jpg

1. 32,000 (24,650 seats) 37,5 Mil. €
2. 30,000 (25,000 seats) 30 Mil. €
3. 31,000 (25,000 seats) 33 Mil. €
4. 40,500 (35,000 seats) 60 Mil. €

new arena for Lodz/Poland (13.000) construction is about to start

http://www.uml.lodz.pl/news/jotpegi/203391_hala07.jpg http://www.uml.lodz.pl/news/jotpegi/203391_hala05.jpg http://www.uml.lodz.pl/news/jotpegi/203391_hala01.jpg
http://www.uml.lodz.pl/jotpegi/hala_03.jpg http://www.uml.lodz.pl/jotpegi/hala_02.jpg http://www.uml.lodz.pl/jotpegi/hala_01.jpg

Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.

http://www.videoflyrec.com/fotillos/bernabeugoogle.JPG

Do you have time to spare? Well, we're having a World Cup (host country) bidding competition at GamesBids.com. You'll make bid books and technical plans and we vote on who's the best! Come and join us!

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3614/signature14zl.jpg

Official Website of the FIFA World Cup Bidding Competition (http://www.freewebs.com/fifacontest)

Contest Discussion Central: http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?;act=SF;f=36

England. End of.

here some pics

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/9180/m5km.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/259/m19os.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4778/m21lw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4155/m38ma.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8125/m49ln.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8726/m52cs.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/4011/m69bv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2725/m77ku.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6514/m92ab.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.gerproinca.com.ve/vista.jpg
http://www.gerproinca.com.ve/vista01.jpg[/QUOTE]

http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/4835/s32g0zl.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/9038/s33g1on.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/6416/s37g7rc.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/6927/s38g4ix.gif (http://imageshack.us)

:D

me gusta el estadio. especialmente las bancas y el techo. le doi un 8.

I like the stadium, especially the benches and the roof. i give it an 8.

Frankfurt will probably built a new arena.

The "superdome" is supposed to house up to around 15.000 spectators.
Construction works could start early next year.

Some developments in the Netherlands (football)

new stadium FC Groningen (13th position eredivisie) capacity 20 000

pics from dutch forum

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/6379/dcp00389ei.jpg

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/5659/dcp00408pp.jpg

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/3756/dcp00418gi.jpg

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/6186/dcp00426vp.jpg

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/6576/dcp00617bi.jpg

It'll be taken in use january 2006

Under construction: new AZ stadium (2nd in eredivisie) capacity 13 500

http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/image/1004.735-770-525-1.jpg

http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/image/1004.738-770-525-1.jpg

http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/image/1004.743-770-525-1.jpg

http://www.azfanpage.nl/fotoalbum/albums/bouw-stadion/normal_IMG_7704.jpg

http://webcam.kooimeerplaza.nl/

expansion of the Abe lenstra stadium.
home of the SC Heerenveen footbal club
when it is finisched the capacity is 27000

http://www.feanfans.nl/sportstad/tekeningen.htm

guys i think i am gonna have to watch the game from the crap stand.

i am flying on saturday from athens to watch the game between greece and denmark....

i hope at least i wont be far away from the action cause i see 3 stages on the stand right?

my ticket sais raekke 6 number 145 zone gul indgand D24 have nooo clue what it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

guys i think i am gonna have to watch the game from the crap stand.

i am flying on saturday from athens to watch the game between greece and denmark....

i hope at least i wont be far away from the action cause i see 3 stages on the stand right?

my ticket sais raekke 6 number 145 zone gul indgand D24 have nooo clue what it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Række" means "Row" and "Indgang" means "Entrance"

http://www.fck.dk/klub_info/oversigt/stage1.gif

So you will be close to the pitch behind the goal.

http://www.fck.dk/klub_info/oversigt/d21.jpg

those new dutch stadiums look great!

some new pics from Kaiserslautern

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20050921/100.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20050921/140.jpg http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20050921/240.jpg http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20051002/160.jpg http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20051002/190.jpg http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20051002/210.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20051002/220.jpg http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/fritz_walter_stadion/20051002/240.jpg

btw: heres a short video about the pitch in the AOL-arena

http://wstreaming.zdf.de/zdf/300/051005_rasen_hamburg_h15.asx

@ checker. Your link doesn't work :rant: ;)

Nice pics of the Fritz Walter stadion.

I went there with Spurs six years ago. Had a fantastic time for the best part of 90 minutes. Thousands and thousands of Spurs fans all over the ground, making a hell of a noise until two late goals by Kaiserslautern!

Looks like they've done / are doing an enormous amount of work on the stadium since then. The facilities used to be very basic. What's the capacity when finished? Seem to remember it was about 40,000 before.

Best thing about the stadium, in my opinion, is its spectacular location. It's situated in the middle of the city at the top of a hill. You can see it from just about anywhere, especially when it's lit up for a night game.

Include football, basketball, hockey, baseball, or any other. What are the jewels of North American sports stadium in your eyes?

These would be mind.....

1. Wrigley Field
2. SeaHawks Stadium
3. Camden Indoor Stadium (Duke)
4. American Airlines Arean (Dallas Mavs). Great exterior
5. Fenway Park
6. Reliant Stadium (Houston Texans)
7. SBC Park? (San Fran Giants)
8. Soilder Field (Bears)
9. PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates)
10. Arrowhead Stadium (K.C. Chiefs)

Honerable mention goes Maple Leafs Gardens, Boston Garden, and Chicago Stadium. The new can never match the charchter of the old.

Here is a top 5 from me

Invesco Field at Mile High
Reliant Stadium
SeaHawks Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Soldier Field

Lambeau Field... before the renovation (now it's as cozy as a 5-star hotel and mall complex.)

Yankee Stadium... also, before the renovation (before the 70s it was a MONSTER and looked soooooo cool.)

You are all crazy.... THIS IS THE LIST OF TOP 10!

1. Yankee Stadium
2. Tie Maple Leaf Gardens
2. Tie The OLD Montreal Forum
4. Orange Bowl
5. Wrigley Field
6. Lambeau Field
7. Boston Gardens
8. Rose Bowl
9. Superdome
10. Skydome

We're crazy, you have the Orange Bowl in the top 10.

Top 10 in the US still in use (In no order):
Yankee Stadium
Fenway Park
Wrigley Field
SBC Park
Rose Bowl
Ohio Stadium
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Allen Fieldhouse
Madison Square Garden
Lambeau Field

Soldier Field, Reliant Stadium, Yost Arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, The Palestra, Neyland Stadium are all good too along with many other's I'm for sure forgetting.

As far as Canada, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Montreal Forum were the best, and the Skydome was a marvel so it's definitely up there too. I think the saddledome is cool looking too.

Nice lists. The orange bowl should never be in the top 10 of any list, heck, not even the top 100. Maimi cant even fill that thing up for a BIG game.

Mine are:

10. SBC Center (San Antonio Spurs - Pro Basketball)

http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/sec_112.jpg

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursnetsgame6/images/SBCwin.jpg

9. Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers - Pro Baseball)

http://images.ea.com/sports/games/2005/mvp/screenshots/ballparks/losangeles.jpg

8. Ohio Stadium (Ohio State University Buckeyes - College Football)

http://www.collegegridirons.com/bigten/images/ohio101.jpg

http://www.collegecharlie.com/files/ohio_stadium2.jpg

7. Qwest Field (Seattle Seahawks - Pro Football)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/sports/seahawks/stadium/cover04.jpg

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/mitig_traf_cong/images/seahawks_stadium.jpg

6. Ghallager Iba Arena (Oklahoma State University - College Baskeball)

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/oklahoma/stillwater_arena.jpg

5. Invesco Field (Denver Broncos - Pro Football)

http://www.stadiumguide.com/nfl/invesco1.jpg

http://www.dessodlw.com/releasearea/released_xml/media_xml/00000000/03000000/03080000/0498.jpg

4. Notre Dame Stadium (Notre Dame University Fighting Irish - College Football)

http://www.ticketcity.com/images/venue/notredamestadium.gif

(Touchdown Jesus)
http://palindrome.phys.nd.edu/~palindrome/Pictures/Notre_Dame/Blue_Gold_Game/I_Mean_Touchdown_Jesus.JPG

3. Neyland Stadium (University of Tennessee Volunteers - College Football)

http://www.collegegridirons.com/sec/images/neyland151.jpg

http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/vignettes/Vignet162.gif

2. Reliant Stadium (Houston Texans - Pro Football)

http://www.photofile.com/Photos/Albums/Stadiums/NFL/Images/Reliant_Stadium.jpg

http://www.musco.com/newsev/images/Reliant-Stadium_endzonelg.jpg

1. Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs - Pro Baseball)

http://gallery.cs.uchicago.edu/albums/album18/DSCN1201.jpg

http://digitalballparks.com/Wrigley_-_Scoreboard_V2T.jpg

Here is a top 5 from me

Invesco Field at Mile High
Reliant Stadium
SeaHawks Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Soldier Field


That would probably be my list as far as Pro football goes. I think those you listed are definatly the most aethecilly intreasting if not great looking. Lambeau and Arrowhead would also get on my list since they are "old school" (which isn't hard to be hard school in the NFL) and great atmosphere

I feel that 3/4 of the Seahawks stadium looks good but the other 1/4 looks strange and well in my opinion crap.

I still like Olympic Stadium looks from outside, in Montréal.

Does your city have large precincts where several stadia and training facilities are located? Post away. :)


Here's Melbourne Park (pic originally posted by Grollo, newspaper scan):
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/rectangular.jpg

MCG (huge one north of train lines)- 100,000 capacity by the end of the year - cricket, Aussie rules, anything else that they can fit a large crowd in.
Olympic Park (stadium with athletics track) - 20,000 capacity - athletics, rugby, soccer
Rod Laver Arena (roofed stadium on left) - 15,000 - tennis, concert venue
Vodafone Arena (roofed stadium on right) - 10,000 - tennis, concert venue, netball, cycling, other sports

The white rectangular stadium is a 25,000 capacity proposal to finally provide a real stadium with a rectangular pitch (without an athletics track in between). The government's doing a bit to speed up the approval process.

Rowing and waterskiing on the river too.

Transport facilities - Richmond station is at the right, it is a bit far but there are special trams run for events. It's only a couple of minutes out of the CBD too. There's a freeway too, but not any parking for it.

Not much dates before the 1980s, it's pretty much just Olympic Park Stadium - everything else is brand new or has been refurbished.

How can everyone miss Raymond James, it has a pirate ship!
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/PHO/AAFX017.jpg
http://samsportsline.com/photos-coworkers/photo-sb-2001.jpg
http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/usf-athletics/Sports/football/facility/rayjay.gif
http://www.genesiswave.com/images/Events/BuckShip01.jpg

I hope you guys had fun.... :)

The only place in NYC proper is Flushing Meadows, which is home to the USTA Ctr and Shea Statium.

http://mikesjournal.com/Shea%20Stadium.jpg
http://www.terraserver.com/samples/images/Shea2500.jpg
http://www.globaltennisdesign.com/images/aa_park_72.jpg
http://www.globaltennisdesign.com/images/aa_stadium_72.jpg
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/thenetwork/news/1999/09/03/pageone_newyorktennis/stadium.jpg
http://www.aiami.com/aiami_design_awards/design_award_2000/thumbnails/wt_da00_steel_tennis_center.jpg
http://www.billcotter.com/misc/nywf-unisphere-from-ny-now.jpg

The only other sporting precint I know of in the NYC area is the Medowlands Sports Complex, which located near East Rutherford, NJ.

http://www.terraserver.com/posters/terraserver_thumbnails/Meadowlands-thumbnail.jpg
http://www.beaglebass.com/roads/2001_east_usa/I-95%20ramp%20at%20NJ3%20Meadowlands.JPG
http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/cities/newyork/images/meadowlands.jpg
http://www.skylinepictures.com/New_York_Jets_Meadowlands_ny86_large.jpg
http://www.decembersrose.com/Images/enlarged/WTC%20Meadowlands%20enlarge.jpg
http://www.osunyc-alumni.org/pic/meadowlands.jpg
http://theplumbuttchronicles.typepad.com/photos/jet_game_101004/000_1058.JPG
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/coAerial.jpg
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/bigMAerial.jpg
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/Aerial2.jpg

Australia is lucky to have some great sporting precincts.Both Sydney and Melbournes' are a legacy of what the Olympic Games can provide.

Not much better going around than

Sydney Olympic Park

http://home.iprimus.com.au/dantm/stad/sydneyolympic%20park.JPG


Telstra Stadium -83,000 Capacity
Sydney Superdome-20,000
Sydney Showground-20,000
Athletics Centre-15,000
Aquatic Centre-12,000
Tennis Centre-10,000
The Dome-10,000
Hockey Stadium-10,000
State Sports Arena-4,000
Woodchopping Stadium-2,000
+ numerous Indoor Showground pavillions that can and have been converted to Sports Arenas.

ATHENS:

OAKA Olympic Complex:

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8081/oakaworks361rf.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/7207/539078rk.jpg

Spyros Louis: 73 000
Sports Hall: 18 000
Velodrome: 9 000
Tennis Centre 8 000


Helleniko Sports Complex

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/works_in_progress/image/09Aug2004HelComp1_p.jpg

Indoor Arena
Fencing Hall
Basball Centre
Softball Stadium
Canoe/Kayak Centre
Olympic Hockey Centre
Faliro Coastal Zone

http://www.athens2004.com/Images/Multimedia/images/24Jul2004Falir1_p.jpg

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/5985/500516ql.jpg

Peace and Friendship Stadium (15 000)
Sports Pavilion (8 000)
Olympic Beach Vollyball Centre (10 000)

The only other sporting precint I know of in the NYC area is the Medowlands Sports Complex, which located near East Rutherford, NJ.

http://www.terraserver.com/posters/terraserver_thumbnails/Meadowlands-thumbnail.jpg
http://www.beaglebass.com/roads/2001_east_usa/I-95%20ramp%20at%20NJ3%20Meadowlands.JPG
http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/cities/newyork/images/meadowlands.jpg
http://www.skylinepictures.com/New_York_Jets_Meadowlands_ny86_large.jpg
http://www.decembersrose.com/Images/enlarged/WTC%20Meadowlands%20enlarge.jpg
http://www.osunyc-alumni.org/pic/meadowlands.jpg
http://theplumbuttchronicles.typepad.com/photos/jet_game_101004/000_1058.JPG
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/coAerial.jpg
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/bigMAerial.jpg
http://www.meadowlands.com/images/Aerial2.jpg

These pictures remind me of The Sopranos, for some reason.

hmmm...lets see..here's 10. Not in any particular order, just the order that I thought of them.

Yankee Stadium
Wrigley Field
Fenway Park
Neyland Stadium
Rose Bowl
Notre Dame Stadium
Camden Yards
Lambeau Field
Ohio Stadium
Raymond James Stadium

Honorable mention goes to Bronco Stadium at Boise State University for its blue turf. Birds crash into it thinking its water.

http://www.broncosports.com/photos/brstadium.jpg

Did that show actually take place near the Meadowlands?

What's the capacity when finished? Seem to remember it was about 40,000 before.

The capacity of the Fritz-Walter-Stadion will be 48500 (full-seater)! 16363 seating places will be able to transform into standing places at a ratio of 1:1.

Btw. Here’s a current High-Res Webcam-Overview (http://www.mad-monkey.de/schwenker/betze-ausbau/webcam_uebers_1280x960.html) of the construction progress!

Hi all,

This is the Srivijaya Stadium in Palembang (the capital city of South Sumatra Province), Indonesia:

http://img449.imageshack.us/img449/1475/palembangsriwijayastadion23ot.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

enjoy;)

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/9577/palembangstadion66fk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/6634/palembangstadion47jx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/8263/palembangstadion32oy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/7332/palembangstadion16pq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Enjoy:)

1. Nat Bailey Stadium (Vancouver)
2. safeco field (seattle)
3. Gm place (vancouver)
4. air canada centre(toronto)
5. Yankee stadium(NY)
6.Minute Maid Park (houston)
7. fenway park (boston)
8. saddledome (calgary)
9.Prince George Multiplex (Prince George)
10.Prospera Place (Kelowna)
i havent been to many stadiums so my list might not look like much

Riverbank State Park, in Manhattan, isn't that big, but it has been known for local sporting events that has been going on here.

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/forgottentour18/riverbank1.jpg
http://www.forgotten-ny.com/forgottentour18/riverbank2.jpg
http://www.yesbasket.ch/images/riverbankgroup.jpg
http://www.newyorkled.com/parks/riverbank02.jpg
http://www.themeltingpotnyc.com/mainwebsite_html/Images/events/Last%20Chance/images/Mellting%20Pot%20Event%20-%20Riverbank%20State%20Park%20-%20Benny%20Cabria%20&%20S_jpg.jpg
http://www.themeltingpotnyc.com/mainwebsite_html/Images/events/Last%20Chance/images/Mrs_-Mercado-and-Diane_jpg.jpg
http://www.slamjamwbc.com/SlamJam/images/pic42.gif
http://www.slamjamwbc.com/SlamJam/images/pic41.gif
http://www.skatecity.com/nyc/nyc_pix.cgi?o=p&p=riverbank_01
http://www.nyc24.org/2003/issue2/story3/images/river.jpg
http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/6953/riverbank083tg.jpg
http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/7897/riverbank096sj.jpg
http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/201/riverbank107bj.jpg
http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/1023/riverbank117nk.jpg

These pictures remind me of The Sopranos, for some reason.

Well, The Sopranos is taped in exactly that area of New Jersey, and many scenes have been taped in the Meadowlands.

BID PROFILE AND FACT SHEET - 2014 OLYMPIC WINTER BIDS


Bid: 2014 Winter Olympics

When IOC Chooses Winner: July 2007, Guatamala City

Bid Status: Applications were submitted July 28, 2005.

Bid Documents: TBA


Announced 2014 Bid Cities:

Almaty, Kazakhstan
http://www.almaty2014.kz/

Borjomi, Georgia

Jaca, Spain

PyeongChang, South Korea
http://www.pyeongchang2014.org/html/main.html

Salzburg, Austria
http://www.salzburg2014.com/

Sochi, Russia
http://www.sochi2014.com/

Sofia, Bulgaria


2014 Bid Timeline:

April 17, 2004 Bulgaria NOC nominates Sofia for 2014 bid.
Dec. 30, 2004 South Korea NOC nominates PyeongChang over Muju for 2014 bid.
Jan. 24, 2005 Austria NOC nominates Salzburg over Innsbruck for 2014 bid.
May, 2005 IOC sends invitation to bid for 2014 Games to NOC's and makes Candidature Acceptance Procedure and Questionnaire available.
June 22, 2005 Georgia Olympic Committee announces bid for 2014 Games.
July 14, 2005 Russian Olympic Committee announces Sochi's bid for 2014 Games.
July 20, 2005 Spanish Olympic Committee announces Jaca's bid for 2014 Games.
July 21, 2004 Kazakhstan Olympic Committee announces bid for 2014 bid from Almaty.
July 28, 2005 Deadline for NOC's to nominate and submit application for bid cities.
August 16, 2005 Deadline for bids to submit signed Candidature Acceptance Procedure and application fee (USD$150,000).
Sept., 2005 IOC seminar for applicant cities.
Feb. 1, 2006 Deadline for applicants to submit questionnaires.
June 21-23, 2006 IOC to select initial short list of 2014 candidates.
June 23, 2006 Candidature Procedures and Bid Book questionnaire to be distributed to short listed candidates.
July 10, 2006 Signed Candidature Procedures and candidate fees due to IOC.
January 10, 2007 Candidature File (bid books) due to IOC.
mid-Feb. to mid-April, 2007 IOC evaluation site visits to candidates.
One month prior to election IOC releases evaluation report.
July 7, 2007 Election of 2014 host city in Guatamala.


Withdrawn 2014 Bids (had been in planning stages):

Andorra la Vella, Andorra - (Was under review, missed 2010 short-list)
Grenoble, France - (Mayor Declared February 26, 2002)
Harbin, China - (Announced plans to re-bid on November 1, 2002 - after 2010 elimination)
Innsbruck, Austria - Lost national nomination to Salzburg January 23, 2005
Munich, Germany - (Reported Feb. 18, 2005)
?tersund and 흏e, Sweden - Withdrawn after government funding failed
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina - (Media reports, it would be 30th anniversay of 1984 Games in Sarajevo)
Tromsoe, Norway - (According to January 18, 2005 report.)
Turkey - (Announced by Tourism Minister July 14, 2005)
Zurich, Switzerland - (Zurich withdrew bid Sept. 14 2004 after Swiss NOC nominated Zurich over Davos March 29, 2004)


I found this website provides great information about Olympic bid and IOC news in detail. Thank you Gamesbids.com

http://www.gamesbids.com/english/bids/2014.shtml

Salzburg for sure.

I would go for PyeongChang South Korea. Salzburg mgiht be the best city but Austria has hosted it a bunch of times before.

My 2nd choice would be Spain. If those other places have the facilities though I would give them a serious thought. I really don't know if they do though.

With the IRB decision on the 17th of November, which country will take the honours and host the 2011 rugby world cup. The 2007 World cup will be held in France. Have your say and vote for your favourite.....

South Africa has held the WC recently and NZ would need to co-host it with Australia but seeing the 2005 tournament was held here, I can't see that happening.

...but I can see the IRB going out on a limb and awarding it to Japan.

Well its a shame that NZ hasn't held the rugby world cup yet, as it is our most talked about sport... but at the end of the day its all about $$$ and NZ doesn't have the population to create so much $$$ as other countries such as Japan.

But NZ is totally capable of hosting the cup by itself... and im sure the stadiums would be all sold out

I think Japan will have the world cup in 2011... even though i would like NZ to have it :cheers:

100,000 seat arena for the finals...

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/suedafrika/soccer_city/100.jpg

60,000 Kings park stadium

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/suedafrika/kings_park_stadium/100.jpg

venue for 95 rugby world cup final upgraded to 75,000

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/suedafrika/ellis_park_stadium/100.jpg

the world famous rugby venue, newlands stadium

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/suedafrika/newlands/100.jpg

all stadia completed by early 2009 for soccer world cup..

7 stadia already existing
4 planned
no new stadia to be built for 2011 rugby world cup

^^Nothing wrong with your stadiums MO. SA has the best collection of stadia in the rugby world but I just can't see the IRB passing up a chance to hold them in Japan.

btw...if SA win there's no way the RWC final will be played at soccer city instead of Ellis Park. That would be criminal...

^^Nothing wrong with your stadiums MO. SA has the best collection of stadia in the rugby world but I just can't see the IRB passing up a chance to hold them in Japan.

btw...if SA win there's no way the RWC final will be played at soccer city instead of Ellis Park. That would be criminal...

well its what francois pienaar says not me.... a packed 100,000 seater is tempting though :) and the media facilties at soccer city would be awesome....so would the transport links

Oz votes for Japan because it is in the same timezone as us and rugby football needs to start spreading it wings.

NZ and SA can always host the world cup another time.

I hope for the games to be held at least somewhere near sea level. :)

I would go for either Sochi or Almaty.

I posted this exact same poll six months ago and had about three replies total :)

New Zealand's stadia aren't nearly good enough, and they don't have the hotel accomodation required, so I'm torn between Japan and SA - probably slightly favouring Japan because they haven't had it yet...

Well its a shame that NZ hasn't held the rugby world cup yet, as it is our most talked about sport...

Er, does 1987 ring any bells??

But NZ is totally capable of hosting the cup by itself... and im sure the stadiums would be all sold out

Given their small size, that wouldn't be much of a surprise :)

Have it in the USA.

Japan
Japan is the sole country in Asia who has got all the 5 Rugby World Cup's till now. (Asian champion for decades)
Japan team may be weaker than NZ and SA, but Rugby is quite popular in Japan (especially, in highschools and colleges).

I hope for the games to be held at least somewhere near sea level. :)

LOL

cooooooooooooooop ^_^

I think Salzburg or Pyeonchang are the frontrunners, maybe Pyeongchang a little more ahead, because 2006 will be in Italy.

Japan
Japan is the sole country in Asia who has got all the 5 Rugby World Cup's till now.
Japan team may be weaker than NZ and SA, but Rugby is quite popular in Japan (especially, in highschools and colleges).

Crowds are up in Japan. I rememebr reading they get about 8-9,000 per game. Better than the Celtic League although some way behind Stade de France's 80,000 last weekend in Paris.

Japan's stadiums for 2011

Sapporo Dome (mobile roof)
http://www.taisei.co.jp/jisseki/image/LRG/T085536.jpg
Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium
http://www.makukouzou.or.jp/photos/212.tokyo_stadium.1.jpg
Oita Dome (mobile roof)
http://www.takenaka.co.jp/majorworks/expert/entertain/gif_b/32-2_b.jpg
http://j-blood.hp.infoseek.co.jp/stadium/oita_bigeye.JPG
Yokohama Stadium (one of the biggest stadiums in Asia, and known for the final match of 2002 FIFA World Cup)
http://www.takenaka.co.jp/majorworks/expert/entertain/gif_b/8b15.jpg
Saitama Stadium (also used in the semi-final of FIFA 2002)
http://www.makukouzou.or.jp/photos/213.saitama_stadium.1.jpg
Niigata Stadium
http://www.kajima.co.jp/project/works/content/project/image/niigata-stadium.jpg
Shizuoka Stadium
http://www.kajima.co.jp/project/works/content/project/image/shizuoka-stadium.jpg
Miyagi Stadium or Sendai Stadium
http://www.kajima.co.jp/project/works/content/project/image/miyagi-stadium.jpg
http://www.makukouzou.or.jp/photos/112.sendai_stadium.1.jpg
Kobe Stadium (mobile roof)
http://www.city.kobe.jp/cityoffice/30/043/misaki/kws3.jpg
http://kouhou.city.kobe.jp/kids/data/kb/kb02/kb020211.jpg
Osaka Nagai Stadium
http://www.makukouzou.or.jp/photos/nagai_grand.jpg
Toyota Stadium
http://image.blog.livedoor.jp/n-86916312/imgs/3/4/349f625c.JPG

every stadium has at least 40,000 seats.

South Africa can't host both WC 2010 and RWC 2011.
I think NZ is the best choice.

I would love it to be in NZ but I doubt we would win it.

My Favourite is NZ Closely Followed by Japan.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How is it possible to determine number of teams of each confederation qualified for WC ? I think that the best thing to do is to consider all WC championships since 1966.

1- The results
Year...Winner.......Finalist..........Third.............Fourth..........
1966......England......Germany........Portugal.........USSR
1970......Brazil..........Italy.............Germany........Uruguay
1974......Germany.....Netherlands....Poland...........Brazil
1978......Argentina....Netherlands....Brazil.............Italy
1982......Italy...........Germany........Poland...........France
1986......Argentina....Germany........France...........Belgium
1990......Germany.....Argentina.......Italy..............England
1994......Brazil..........Italy.............Sweden..........Bulgaria
1998......France........Brazil............Croatia...........Netherlands
2002......Brazil..........Germany.......Turkey............Korea

2- The Ranking
Rank.Team.......Won..2nd...3rd...4th
1-.....Brazil............3......1......1.......1
2-.....Germany.......2......4......1
3-.....Argentina......2......1
4-.....Italy............1......2.......1.......1
5-.....France.........1..............1........1
6-.....England........1.......................1
7-.....Netherlands..........2................1
8-.....Poland..........................2
9-.....Sweden........................1
........Portugal.......................1
........Croatia.........................1
........Turkey..........................1
13-....URSS (Russia)........................1
........Uruguay.................................1
........Belgium..................................1
........Bulgaria..................................1
........Korea.....................................1

3- The analysis
- As we see, Europe and south america won each 5 WC since 1966.
- But, if we considere the 17 team that reached semi-finals, there are 13 European, 3 south American and 1 Asian.
- Netherlands is the only one finalist that never won WC: this should change as soon as possible.
- Europe get only 14 place for 52 teams when SA get 4,5 place for 10 teams: thats a bit strange. If we except Brasil and Argentina, the average level of SA is not higher than African or Asian one.
- IMO, Europe should get 17 teams, America (COMEBOL and CONCACAF) 6 only, Africa 5, Asia and Oceania 4. But it's my opinion only.

Japan would be cool. How much does it cost to host it. Could NZ really not afford it? When did SA host last? I think it'd be cool in Canada...

Japan would be cool. How much does it cost to host it. Could NZ really not afford it? When did SA host last? I think it'd be cool in Canada...


South Africa hosted in 1995, NZ can afford it, it just places much strain on their limited hotel rooms and so forth...Japan could host it..but i think rather 2014, its a bit too early to go to japan....

How about USA?
Plenty of good stadiums, maybe it 2011 could be for rugby what 1994 was for football in America.

How about USA?
Plenty of good stadiums, maybe it 2011 could be for rugby what 1994 was for football in America.

japan, sa and NZ are the only bid cities....the announcement is due novemeber 17,

No matter who wins, i still remember the 95 rugby world cup :) was amazing....


http://www.gilesridley.com/rugbypics/newr-10a.jpg

http://www.gilesridley.com/rugbypics/epj-01.jpg

THE FINAL

SOUTH AFRICA 15 NEW ZEALAND 12

http://www.gilesridley.com/rugbypics/epj-02.jpg

http://www.gilesridley.com/rugbypics/kpd-03.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39170000/jpg/_39170609_95pienaar300.jpg

South Africa hosted in 1995, NZ can afford it, it just places much strain on their limited hotel rooms and so forth...Japan could host it..but i think rather 2014, its a bit too early to go to japan....

NZ has good figures interms of accomodation. Millions of Australian tourists visit New Zealand every year. what makes you think this would cause strain?

1995 was fantastic. Do they have a statue of Joel Stransky outside of Ellis Park now? That droppie was superb.

Great to see the Blacks go to water yet again when it mattered.

I personally support Japan,

By the way,IS Rugby globally popular sports like football ?

Does Rugby WORLDCUP commercially make a good profits ?
How many countries have interests in this sports.?

No offence,just out of curiosity.
Thank you.

Yes by continent lotation and last bidding history,I think Pyeongchang is ahead

- Netherlands is the only one finalist that never won WC: this should change as soon as possible.

I agree.. 2006 sounds like a nice year

I think that Europe should get 16, North and South America should be combined and get 7, Asia and Oceania should be combined and get 5, Africa should get 4. Qualifying in North America is always the same teams so combining with South America would make it more interesting. Same for Asia/Oceania.

The hosts and champions should qualify automatically and these places should be taken from their continent's places.(So this time Europe would have 15 + Germany and The Americas would have 6 + Brazil)

I personally support Japan,

By the way,IS Rugby globally popular sports like football ?

Does Rugby WORLDCUP commercially make a good profits ?
How many countries have interests in this sports.?

No offence,just out of curiosity.
Thank you.


Yes, the IRB will benefit most if the world cup is held in south africa or japan as revenue made will be high....the sport is globally popular....about 72 countries have an official team...ill find out more exact details

1.Karaiskaki-Athens, Greece
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/griechenland/neo_stadio_karaiskaki/100.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/griechenland/neo_stadio_karaiskaki/160.jpg

2.Philips Stadion-Eindhoven, Holland
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/niederlande/philips_stadion/140.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/niederlande/philips_stadion/400.jpg

3.Geledrome-Arnheim, Holland
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/niederlande/gelredome/110.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/niederlande/gelredome/130.jpg

4.Stade Maurice Dufrasne-Liège, Belgium
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/belgien/stade_sclessin/sclessin_panor_02.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/belgien/stade_sclessin/z_sclessin_aussen_02.jpg

5.Volkswagen Arena-Wolfsburg ,Germany
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/deutschland/vfl_wolfsburg/images/heim_05.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/deutschland/vfl_wolfsburg/images/aussen_08.jpg

6.MSV Arena-Duisburg, Germany
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/deutschland/msv_duisburg/images/blick_110.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/deutschland/msv_duisburg/images/aussen_170.jpg

7.Estádio Aveiro Municipal- Aveiro, Portugal
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2004/estadio_aveiro_municipal/images/innen_23.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2004/estadio_aveiro_municipal/images/luft_01.jpg

8.Municipal Dr. Magalhães Pessoa-Leiria, Portugal
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2004/municipal_dr_magalhaes_pessoa/images/innen_13.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2004/municipal_dr_magalhaes_pessoa/images/luft_01.jpg

9.Stade de Genève-Geneve, Switzerland
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2008/stade_de_geneve/images/180.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2008/stade_de_geneve/images/260.jpg

10.Wals-Siezenheim-Salzburg, Austria
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2008/em_stadion/images/rb110.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionguides/euro_2008/em_stadion/images/140.jpg

St. Mary\'s Stadium - Southampton, England
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/england/st_marys_stadium/100.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/england/st_marys_stadium/140.jpg

12.White Hart Lane-Tottenham, England
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/england/white_hart_lane/130.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/england/white_hart_lane/160.jpg

13.Lokomotiv Stadium- Moscow, Russia
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/russland/lokomotiv/100.jpg
http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/stadionlisten/russland/lokomotiv/110.jpg

I think you foregot these lot.

Walkers Stadium
http://www.groundhopping.de/leicesg1.jpg

Pride Park
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/Derby30.jpg

Riverside Stadium
http://www.icdev.co.uk/expats/desktops/teesside/riversidestadium800.jpg

Upton Park
http://www.fussballfanzine.de/images/artikel/big/boleyn.jpg

Paul Lewis: Weird World Cup if Japan wins

23.10.05

Those still with warm fuzzy feelings about New Zealand bringing back the 2011 Rugby World Cup must have felt like they'd eaten week-old sushi when they saw the Japanese bid.

Regular readers of this column may recall my initial scepticism that the New Zealand bid would bring home the bacon. There can be no doubt about its worthiness, nor the clever angle that Chris Moller and Jock Hobbs are pursuing in their road trip.

New Zealand, they are saying, is an example of a smaller country which could be priced out of ever holding the Cup again - yet it is one of the strongholds of the game. It is a persuasive and compelling argument and plays on the fact that the International Rugby Board [IRB] will not always base its hosting decision solely on money.

But what money Japan are offering - a guaranteed profit of 100m, with at least 20 of the world's biggest corporations lining up behind the Japanese bid, shouting: "Take our money; take ours". No, the 2011 World Cup decision will not be made solely on money. The IRB will be able to point to all manner of other reasons why they should accept the money - I mean, the bid. They will advocate the need to foster the game in countries outside the big five. They'll point to the fact that a country like Japan has never held the Cup before; they will also point to the fact that 100 million quid goes a long way to raising the health levels of the game globally.

The plain fact is that the World Cup in Japan will be nowhere near as good, nor as much fun, as if it were held in New Zealand. Or South Africa. Not that the Japanese won't do it well. They will. But you can see tickets to the World Cup being hard to sell.

Japan is major bucks expensive and you can see likely tourists wondering about the trip. Some years ago, after an All Black tour of Japan, I take some time off and struck out on my own for a wee holiday. Silly boy. Once the use of corporate credit card was gone, the full weight of Japan fell on me like a sumo wrestler.

Two nights in only a reasonable hotel and I was approaching penury. Finding a backstreet bowl of noodles required a call to my bank manager. Finally, I remembered the words of a friend of mine who has her own travel writing business. Go to the love hotels, she said, much cheaper.

Love hotels, if you don't already know, are the places where Japanese couples go to, er, discuss the economy. They are rented by the hour and come in all sorts of bizarre shapes, sizes and themes.

They are plentiful because many Japanese live in extended families and don't have anywhere to monitor inflation. One I ended up in was a hideous purple and pink affair with gossamer curtains over the bed and the walls decked out with shields, swords and coats of arms and a suit of armour in the corner. Quite what Japanese couples did with or made of this when discussing the economy, I can't say. Do you want the drawbridge up or down, darling?

Virtually no one speaks English and we Kiwis are so useless when it comes to other languages that our Japanese is limited to "Subaru" or "udon". Making yourself understood can be a nightmare in a country where no-one wants to give offence and therefore finds cunning ways of not answering you, rather than offer a direct refusal.

This led to many puzzling conversations in the love hotels. Large, hairy foreigner wants room on his own. This apparently conjured up all manner of indigestible images for mine hosts and they spent a lot of time smiling and nodding but actually doing naff-all until I left, frustrated.

Finally, however, I cracked it and the dubious delights of the love hotels were mine. They were clean, cheap and mostly hideous and, once you found someone who understood that you didn't want to indulge in a marathon of onanism, some adventurous Japanese souls bent the rules and let me stay there.

But to get back to the point - you knew I would eventually, didn't you? A World Cup in Japan will be a strange affair. The host nation will likely not survive the pool play, so who will then go to the cavernous grounds to see the rest play?

Even if the Japanese arrange rent-a-crowds, they will mostly be puzzled old darlings who won't have a clue and will wave their flags at the wrong moments. Even that doesn't really matter. The IRB will still be too hard pressed to go past the 100 million quid.

Which means our bid is doomed. But we probably need to carry it through so we regain the credibility we lost in the 2003 debacle. This may be the one we have to lose so we win the next one.

In the meantime, the NZRU and Government can get on with the business of finding a way to build the one major stadium we need to host a World Cup.

Karaiskaki.

@Kuvvaci: What about Fenerbache's stadium.

close tie between lokomotiv stadium and Volkwagen Arena, but I 'll go for the german one, because apears to have the stands closer to the pitch, plus the exterior design is awesome.

I dont like those red details on Lokomotiv Stadium... But its modern! had a great roof!

The towers witch supports the roof is nice! /\

Karaiskaki.

@Kuvvaci: What about Fenerbache's stadium.
its 52.500

IMO VW Arena

BTW
what about the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf?

http://www.stadionwelt.de/stadionwelt_stadien/templates/neubau/fotos/wankdorf/20050601/100.jpg

Sercna it's still (u/c)

30.000 ppl stadiums are very close to eachother, so it's hard to choose, details are important...

BTW I could forget some of them. sorry for this for now

30.000 ppl stadiums are important... Because 30.000 capacity is minumum limit for an EURO also any club has not a 30.000 ppl stadium economically it can't be strong.

For World Cup minimum capacity is 40.000

for European finals CL. or UEFA it is 50.000

:D
Stade de Suisse Wankdorf is finished

min. capacity for UEFA-Cup Final is 30,000 ;)