Allianz Arena
Tue, 30/05/06, 09:40
All change: Allianz Arena reborn as FIFA 2006 World Cup Stadium Munich
Great events usually involve great expenditure and an event like the Opening Match of the FIFA 2006 World Cup deserve to be called a “huge event”. The Allianz Arena is undergoing a suitably dramatic “transformation” into the FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich with effect from 25 May 2006.
From that point Football's Governing World body will be responsible for running the Allianz Arena and the operators of the München Stadion GmbH will pass over complete control of the stadium, which will host the Opening Match between Germany and Costa Rica on 9 June, to FIFA up to and including 13 July. Before the Allianz Arena could lay claim to the title of “World Cup Venue”, a wide range of changes had to be implemented.
FIFA produced a 141 page specification detailing their requirements in the conversion. In Munich alone, 300 workmen have been employed in putting the FIFA guidelines into effect. “The financial expense is huge”, claims the Arena operating officer Jürgen Muth. “Every stadium must ensure that it meets its costs. That is an ambitious target.”
Managing Director Peter Kerspe is confident that the Stadium company will be in the black at the end of World Cup. The Allianz Arena is entitled to a percentage of gate receipts as rent from FIFA. This does, however, include the 100,000 euros cost of replacing the Allianz Arena turf as required by FIFA's policy that all the stadium playing surfaces are to be the same shade of green. In the final analysis the same excellent conditions must be uniformly available.
The world's media is also to experience the best possible working conditions. Dozens of kilometres of cable are to be laid and there will be more than 1,600 media seats in the main stand. On top of that there will be a further 129 commentating positions each with three seats for TV and radio reporters. 4 June will see a juniors game being staged to allow the TV cameras to be tested.
FIFA is also not leaving security to chance either. Walking round the interior of the stadium, permitted at Bayern and 1860 Munich games, will not be possible during the World Cup. The external security perimeter starts at some distance from the Arena and the site will be fenced off. Inside the Arena there will be additional emergency exits in place for the duration of the tournament. “We were fortunate to be able to take the World Cup spatial and technical requirements into account when we were building the Arena”, Muth added.
A 14,000 square metre hospitality area catering for up to 7,000 guests of honour and sponsors has been erected right next to the Arena. The prices charged to the stadium executive box holders does not include the World Cup games. Roughly half of the box holders made use of their pre-public sale rights and are able to use the boxes during the World Cup. However, only official FIFA Partners are allowed to advertise in the stadium.
For that reason advertising on monitors and beer pumps have been removed as well as all other advertising banners and hoardings. The huge “Allianz Arena” letters were removed weeks ago. The padded leather substitutes benches provided by an airline have been replaced with neutral plastic seating. Safety nets, corner flags and goals have been changed to meet FIFA requirements. Let the games begin! It's all systems go at the FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich.
Special internal notice:
Please note that from 25 May 2006 the Allianz Arena will be under the control of football's world governing body FIFA and it is therefore not possible to respond to queries regarding ticketing, admission etc. All the information we have brought together for you can be accessed here. For additional information please visit the official FIFA website. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.
FIFA produced a 141 page specification detailing their requirements in the conversion. In Munich alone, 300 workmen have been employed in putting the FIFA guidelines into effect. “The financial expense is huge”, claims the Arena operating officer Jürgen Muth. “Every stadium must ensure that it meets its costs. That is an ambitious target.”
Managing Director Peter Kerspe is confident that the Stadium company will be in the black at the end of World Cup. The Allianz Arena is entitled to a percentage of gate receipts as rent from FIFA. This does, however, include the 100,000 euros cost of replacing the Allianz Arena turf as required by FIFA's policy that all the stadium playing surfaces are to be the same shade of green. In the final analysis the same excellent conditions must be uniformly available.
The world's media is also to experience the best possible working conditions. Dozens of kilometres of cable are to be laid and there will be more than 1,600 media seats in the main stand. On top of that there will be a further 129 commentating positions each with three seats for TV and radio reporters. 4 June will see a juniors game being staged to allow the TV cameras to be tested.
FIFA is also not leaving security to chance either. Walking round the interior of the stadium, permitted at Bayern and 1860 Munich games, will not be possible during the World Cup. The external security perimeter starts at some distance from the Arena and the site will be fenced off. Inside the Arena there will be additional emergency exits in place for the duration of the tournament. “We were fortunate to be able to take the World Cup spatial and technical requirements into account when we were building the Arena”, Muth added.
A 14,000 square metre hospitality area catering for up to 7,000 guests of honour and sponsors has been erected right next to the Arena. The prices charged to the stadium executive box holders does not include the World Cup games. Roughly half of the box holders made use of their pre-public sale rights and are able to use the boxes during the World Cup. However, only official FIFA Partners are allowed to advertise in the stadium.
For that reason advertising on monitors and beer pumps have been removed as well as all other advertising banners and hoardings. The huge “Allianz Arena” letters were removed weeks ago. The padded leather substitutes benches provided by an airline have been replaced with neutral plastic seating. Safety nets, corner flags and goals have been changed to meet FIFA requirements. Let the games begin! It's all systems go at the FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich.
Special internal notice:
Please note that from 25 May 2006 the Allianz Arena will be under the control of football's world governing body FIFA and it is therefore not possible to respond to queries regarding ticketing, admission etc. All the information we have brought together for you can be accessed here. For additional information please visit the official FIFA website. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.
