GLENDALE - University of Phoenix Stadium (63,400)

[PHXbevo]

mmm, not really, they are more of the pub-to-game crowd. Baseball stadiums are more urban than football stadiums now that you made me think of it.

[rantanamo]

Have to keep in mind the schedules of each sport. Baseball is played ~80 times per year at each park. Things are more lived in. It makes total sense to put a baseball stadium in an urban area. It will bring plenty of foot traffic for a good portion of the year. Businesses can locate around the ballpark and do great business. Major arenas are the same way, as between hockey and basketball an arena will see 90-100 dates at the least when you consider concerts, shows, etc. Both are good for people going to restaurants before and after games. People love to live near them. That's why they are great urban investments for cities to make. Development usually follows if a developer can take advantage. Football on the other hand, only has 8 dates per year. Then there are only a few concerts, large church gatherings, dirt bikes, etc, etc that are large enough for such venues, so having 20 dates per year is a big deal unless its part of a convention center. That usually requires the venue to be indoors. Having so few dates at the venue does much less for surrounding business. The crowds are usually so large that people don't want to live near. Its simply not worth it to open a restaurant for EVENTS. That is what football games are. Events, where other sports with more games are simply games except for big rivals or special playoffs or famous opponents. Tailgating is part of that big event. Most important for football stadiums is connectivity. Can it be reached, and how easily can it be reached. Can I get home easily, or to activity centers easily. A lot of us want these venues downtown, but they are really sort of an urban black-hole. If the MLS was currently large enough to fill, or get close to filling these places, then you'd have a reason to be more urban.

[Kampflamm]

Why are there no stands behind the endzone?

[CharlieP]

Originally Posted by eddyk

What the heck are sticks? ^

Sticks are broken bits of trees.

"The sticks" is another way of saying "the back of beyond" or "the middle of nowhere"...

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

^I read the same about Reliant, but what European Soccer stadiums?

I don't think the outside of the Reliant looks espeically european but the inside with the complete bowl, the steep stands and the roof does look more european than most american stadiums to me.

[rantanamo]

Complete bowl is not a European invention, nor is it more common to Europe than anywhere else, nor are steep stands. The roof has absolutely no resemblance to European roofs. For one it is actually connected to the building itself, meaning no gap between the structure and the building. It is also a two part flat roof with a flat 4 part sliding retractable. Resembles nothing in Europe that I have seen.

The stands are a horseshoe shape just like many others around the world. I imagine there will be convertable stand system in this space. Especially since they need 75,000 capacity to host the Superbowl. The closed end should provide a great noise advantage if Arizona ever becomes a good football team.

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

Complete bowl is not a European invention, nor is it more common to Europe than anywhere else, nor are steep stands. The roof has absolutely no resemblance to European roofs. For one it is actually connected to the building itself, meaning no gap between the structure and the building. It is also a two part flat roof with a flat 4 part sliding retractable. Resembles nothing in Europe that I have seen.

I didnt say it was idential to any european stadium just more similar than your average NFL stadium. Deep symmetrical stands are far more common in europe than the open endzones/large sidestands you often see on NFL stadia and anykind of total coverage roof is also closer than normal.

[rantanamo]

The last generation of NFL stadiums were pretty much all complete bowls with steep second and 3rd tiers(first are almost never deep anywhere in the world). The "fan" stadiums are more of a late 90s fad, of which not that many were even built. Paul Brown, Tampa, Gillette and Adelphia are the "fans". Most are indeed bowls and are symmetrical with a couple of horseshoes thrown in. The roof is not total coverage and doesn't resemble the awnings that you mostly see. Nothing European about it. Its a stadium like any other in the world.

[Bigmac1212]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

Why are there no stands behind the endzone?

It would be difficult for the field to move in with a full stadium in the way. Especailly with American Football being the primary occupant...

[Kampflamm]

Schalke has a retractable field and they have a complete ring around the field.

[rantanamo]

latest update

[MoreOrLess]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

Schalke has a retractable field and they have a complete ring around the field.

I'd guess that increased the building cost for that area of the ground though where as in the US there seems to be more of a prefferance for sidestands than there is in Euorpe so it makes sense for then to build larger sidestands rather than a more expensive bowl. I'd assume that for a superbowl they'd bring in the pitch then build temporary stands behind it that wouldnt that wouldnt need to allow for its entry.

[PHXbevo]

bingo

[rantanamo]

....so it makes sense for then to build larger sidestands rather than a more expensive bowl.....

Bowl = cheaper than building tall risers and upper decks. Its all up to economics. Side seats have a better view and are therefore more expensive. So when left with the choice, build on the sides and make the money back faster. There's a "lip" over the retractable field entrance that seats can be built over. But let's face it. For regular season, these are the Cardinals. No need for extra seats. If this was the Cowboys or Redskins you'd see seats over that section because of the need for seats.


anyways, more pics













the playing field

[dewback]

Seems like a poor man's Allianz arena in the middle of the desert to me.

[rantanamo]

poor man's?

[asohn]

^ Ouch!

As for me, I like it.

[dewback]

Well, compared with the design of the Allianz arena, it really looks subpar. Sorry, perhaps poor man was a term too critical for this stadium.

[rantanamo]

You might not care for barrell cactus or the stainless steel exterior, but I don't really see anything similar about the two that would make it a "poor man's" Allianz. It will be one of the world's most modern stadiums just like Allainz. I like the Allianz bowl better but the exterior, plazas and walkways, retractable roof and retractable field of this one.

Interesting vs. though they are nothing alike except for being stadiums

cost:$340 million US(Allianz) vs $355 million US(Arizona)
capacity: 66,000(Allianz) vs 63,000, expandable to 73,000(Arizona)
bowl:4 tier(3 seating, 1 luxury boxes) bowl for Allianz vs 6 tier(4 seating, 2 luxury boxes) horseshoe for Arizona
boxes: 106 VIP boxes accommodating 1,374 guests(Allianz) vs Total of 88 luxury suites on two levels (seating for approx. 1,500 patrons)
Roof: Fixed "bird fabric" covering seats(Allianz) vs Retractable "bird fabric"(Arizona)
Pitch: 238 feet x 364 feet(Allianz) vs 234 x 403 feet(Arizona)
Video screens: two 24x45 ft,16:9 ratio at 288x512 resolution(Allianz) vs 32 feet high by 145 feet wide and 27 feet high by 81 feet wide (Arizona)

You may not like the design, but Arizona's stadium is no poor man's anything. Like Allianz it will be among the world's best upon completion.

[hngcm]

why is the pitch in Arizona much longer?

Soccer field is 120yards, so is a football field.