Arsenal to apply for five-star status

[PsychedelicCeltic]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2006773,00.html


Arsenal will use tonight's international friendly match between Brazil and Portugal at the Emirates Stadium as an opportunity to publicise the club's immediate readiness to stage a Champions League or Uefa Cup final.

It was no secret that the 60,000-seat arena was built with the aim of accommodating major international fixtures but the haste with which Arsenal have championed their cause - this is the second game involving Brazil within six months of the stadium's first competitive match - means that a bid is likely to be submitted to Uefa's executive committee sooner than expected.

And food for thought:

Clubs that have won the European Cup at home:

1957 Real Madrid 2-0 Fiorentina
1964 Internazionale 1-0 Benfica

Shockingly Inter's 1-0 win is the last time a club has won the tournament at home.

[RealMadGunner]

Good news .. Which other 5* staduims are there in England ?! OT ?

[antifan]

Good news .. Which other 5* staduims are there in England ?! OT ?
Old Trafford is the only one right now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Stadia_List

But Wembley will open eventually, and will likely kill our chances of ever hosting a CL Final.

[Gooner_for_Life]

Old Trafford is the only one right now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Stadia_List

But Wembley will open eventually, and will likely kill our chances of ever hosting a CL Final.

Do you think the FA (or whoever will own Wembley) will lodge rival bids in the same year that we would?

Also it said we are pushing for certification, do you think the owners of Wembley will try to push it through or just apply whenever it comes time?

[antifan]

Do you think the FA (or whoever will own Wembley) will lodge rival bids in the same year that we would?

Also it said we are pushing for certification, do you think the owners of Wembley will try to push it through or just apply whenever it comes time?
I'm sure Wembley will be all over it. They need the revenue even more than we do because all they have is a few England games a year. And because UEFA rotates countries (and the next three CL finals are already set) we will be in direct competition with Wembley when it comes time to host a game in London. Wembley will obviously have the edge because of their enormous 90,000 seat capacity. Our best hope for major international games will be a European Championship or World Cup in the future. We might get a UEFA cup final too, who knows. But i can't see the Emirates ever hosting a CL Final, unfortunately. I'm not sure how the certification process works, but our stadium obviously meets the criteria, and i'm sure Wembley does as well.

[michaec]

If we don't manage to get a Champions League final in the next couple of years, I doubt if it will happen. This is pobably what is behind the rush to get certified now. As Anti says, Wembley will be the first choice of UEFA when selecting an English stadium for the final, once it's open and certified I can't see any way they'll go anywhere else in this country.

[topcatcole]

I'm sure Wembley will be all over it. They need the revenue even more than we do because all they have is a few England games a year. And because UEFA rotates countries (and the next three CL finals are already set) we will be in direct competition with Wembley when it comes time to host a game in London. Wembley will obviously have the edge because of their enormous 90,000 seat capacity. Our best hope for major international games will be a European Championship or World Cup in the future. We might get a UEFA cup final too, who knows. But i can't see the Emirates ever hosting a CL Final, unfortunately. I'm not sure how the certification process works, but our stadium obviously meets the criteria, and i'm sure Wembley does as well. Don't forget the Olympics. They might be "regionalized" like they were in the US.

IIRC correctly the major certification criteria is 50.000+ seating capacity. I'm sure the design was done with this in mind. Given all the internationals that are being hosted I would guess the certification is just a formality.

[Bluto11]

from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Stadia_List

Criteria for UEFA 5 Star rating
Minimum capacity of 50,000 (5-star venues) / 30,000 (4-star venues) – individual seats with backrests. (Venues that still have individual seats without proper backrests will still continue to be accepted. In future, however, closer attention will be paid to this aspect, and which will influence the committee’s decision regarding the addition of venues to these list categories.)
Pitch dimensions of 105 x 68 m. The field of play must be in pristine condition and be prepared accordingly for a final (quality of grass, irrigation, smooth surface, etc.).
Protective fences around the field of play are not acceptable. Venues which have such installations will not be included on the list.
Sufficient room around the field of play for advertising boards and at least 18 TV cameras. In addition, there must be enough room between the goals and the first row of spectator seats behind both goals for a maximum of 150 photographers.
First-rate dressing-rooms for both teams and the referees (equal size and furnishings for both teams, spacious, bright and clean).
Suitable and appropriately equipped drug-testing room.
Floodlighting of a minimum intensity of 1,400 lux (eV) in the direction of the main camera, and of 1,000 Lux (eV) towards the other areas of the stadium, plus an efficient emergency power supply able to provide, without interruption, the same luminous light intensity as the main lighting.
Modern security installations (access monitoring system, adequate PA system, etc.).
A permanent TV surveillance system in colour that is able to monitor the movement of spectators, as well as their behaviour inside and outside the stadium. This installation must also be able to produce still shots of any troublemakers, which can then be distributed immediately to the security officers / stewards in the stadium.
Clear signage that everyone can understand inside and outside the stadium, as well as in its immediate vicinity.
Suitable covered seats for disabled spectators and their accompanying persons (minimum of two sectors with at least 50 places each). The areas for disabled spectators must be adequately equipped with toilet facilities and a refreshment bar.
Acceptable sanitary facilities for spectators (both sexes) in terms of numbers, cleanliness and standards. Toilets without seats will no longer be accepted for spectators of either sex.
Provision of first-rate media facilities in terms of camera positions, working places, TV studios, etc., in accordance with the “UEFA Guidelines for Media Facilities”.
Adequate first-class facilities must be provided for VIPs, including a minimum of 150 places in the Honorary Tribune VIP box.
International airport(s) able to cope with the huge extra demands of a UEFA final (capacity for up to 60 charter flights per day in addition to the normal, scheduled flights)
Adequate hotel accommodation. For UEFA and its partners, at least 1,000 five-star hotel rooms (UEFA Champions League) / 500 rooms (UEFA Cup) are needed. In addition, enough other hotel accommodation in all types of category must be available.

[Cannon]

from wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Stadia_List
Toilets without seats will no longer be accepted for spectators of either sex. Glad that was taken care of....:confused:

[topcatcole]

Glad that was taken care of....:confused: They were quite common on the continent at one time-just a hole in the floor and sometimes an indentation to put your feet in for proper aiming!

[Detlef]

I note that "adequate traffic control and transportation to/from stadium to city center" is not one of the criteria. If it were, Istanbul would not have hosted the 2005 CL Final.....stuck in traffic for at least one hour before/after game. :mad:

[topcatcole]

I note that "adequate traffic control and transportation to/from stadium to city center" is not one of the criteria. If it were, Istanbul would not have hosted the 2005 CL Final.....stuck in traffic for at least one hour before/after game. :mad: Neither are large parking areas (car parks for our brethren across the seas). If this was a requirement they would have to play all of their games in the US!! :D

[Detlef]

I was really appalled when we were in Istanbul...there was one main road to and from the stadium to the city center. No train system like the Tube or some sort of light rail. Eventually you had people urinating on the side of the road, zipping up their pants and being able to find their taxi/coach because it had hardly moved. :o

[michaec]

I was really appalled when we were in Istanbul...there was one main road to and from the stadium to the city center. No train system like the Tube or some sort of light rail. Eventually you had people urinating on the side of the road, zipping up their pants and being able to find their taxi/coach because it had hardly moved. :oSome of a party I was with did this on the FDR heading to downtown New York on St. Patrick's Day a few years ago the traffic was so bad. After a feed of pints before getting into the taxi there was no other option, it's not a problem confined to Turkey!

[GriffinGunner]

a) The rating will be nice even if just for promotion of any events at the facility. Since Wembley was already a concept I'd have to think the Arsenal Board were not counting on out-bidding them for select events.

b) Curious: What aspect of Celtic Park is preventing it from 4 or 5 star status?

[topcatcole]

b) Curious: What aspect of Celtic Park is preventing it from 4 or 5 star status? The original question said England. We Scots* are very particular about those kinds of things!! :D








* OK, so it was a few generations ago!!

[GriffinGunner]

The original question said England. We Scots* are very particular about those kinds of things!! :D

I meant the UEFA listings in general, not just the ones in England. The Wikipedia site lists Ibrox and Hampden Park but not Celtic Park. My grandfather, a Celtic fan from Edinburgh, would be remiss if I didn't at least ask why they were left out! ;)

[Detlef]

My grandfather, a Celtic fan from Edinburgh, Shouldn't he support Hearts or Hibs if he's from Edinburgh? :confused:

[antifan]

I meant the UEFA listings in general, not just the ones in England. The Wikipedia site lists Ibrox and Hampden Park but not Celtic Park. My grandfather, a Celtic fan from Edinburgh, would be remiss if I didn't at least ask why they were left out! ;)
Its probably the seats on toilets thing thats stopping them. ;)

[PsychedelicCeltic]

a) The rating will be nice even if just for promotion of any events at the facility. Since Wembley was already a concept I'd have to think the Arsenal Board were not counting on out-bidding them for select events.

b) Curious: What aspect of Celtic Park is preventing it from 4 or 5 star status?
The South Stand is a complete dump that Celtic have yet to redevelop.