Winter 2008-09; welcome to the News & Events section.

Modular Grandstands on the Advance

omorrow’s sports events may break all records — bigger, faster, better, that seems to be the motto. But which systems help to meet future requirements? In terms of stadium construction, modular grandstands will undoubtedly play a greater role. These are temporary and permanent constructions as supplied by NUSSLI, a leading international construction company for events. 

A big advantage of steel constructions is fast installation. It is possible to carry out planning, production and installation of a new grandstand within twelve weeks in the summer and winter breaks between matches. This is a solution which makes many football clubs prick up their ears, as frequently they only know at the end of a season in which league they will be playing next season. With only a few weeks run-up, football association regulations then have to be complied with and new capacities created. In order to master this challenge and save costs, several German clubs are already using steel tubing grandstands. This began with VfL Wolfsburg. The sporting success of the club grew faster in the mid-1990s than the stadium infrastructure. To meet the requirements of the German Football Association, a rapid increase in seating capacity was necessary. The construction of a new conventional concrete stadium would not have been possible at short notice. Therefore a steel tubing grandstand was used for the first time at the VfL stadium in Wolfsburg. 

The Wolfsburg club was followed by many others which used steel tubing grandstands from NUSSLI. Complete stadiums can also be constructed in modular form. The new home ground of SV Wehen Wiesbaden was constructed in modular form in just four months. The BRITA Arena is surely the first football stadium of a professional league based on a modular system. It is presented as a turn-key stadium which compares favourably with large stadiums.
Another benefit is the price. Suppliers such as NUSSLI offer complete grandstands — with or without roofing — to hire or buy. Hire-purchase or leasing models are also possible. 

It is not only football that can benefit from modular grandstand concepts. The steel constructions can be used for various uses — for example for indoor and outdoor sports of all kinds. Experience has shown that a basketball or handball arena with 4,000 to 5,000 seats and the relevant facilities for match organisation, media, sponsors’ and VIP areas can be built within three months from placing of the order to completion. 

The temporary construction of stadiums and halls for sports events can make sense solely because it reduces constantly increasing operating costs. Several purely temporary sports hall complexes will be constructed, for example, for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. 

A further advantage is the fast reaction time. With modular systems, a very flexible and cost-efficient reaction to altered circumstances — promotion of the club, increases in capacity, changes in equipment — is possible at any time. It is also possible to completely rebuild a stadium or move the entire system within a few months. Modular grandstand systems can be adapted to meet all individual customer requirements. 

For further information please visit: www.nussli.com

HOK Sport designed venues play host to major UEFA events in 2011

2011 is shaping up to be a big year as it was announced on Thursday 29 January that two HOK Sport designed stadia, The New Stadium at Lansdowne Road (Aviva Stadium) and Wembley Stadium, will be host to the UEFA Europa and Champions League Finals. 

The 50,000-seat Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, has been awarded the Europa League Final. The stadium is synonymous with a long tradition of exceptional sporting encounters, and will provide an international venue worthy to host a future of sporting excellence. The design is the result of a joint partnership between HOK Sport and Scott Tallon Walker Architects, and is on target for completion in 2010. (A feature on the new Aviva Stadium is set to appear in our Spring '09 edition.) 

London’s Wembley Stadium — completed in 2007 and designed by HOK Sport with Foster + Partners — was announced as the chosen venue for the Champions League Final. Speaking on the decision Roger Maslin, Acting MD of Wembley Stadium said: “It is an honour that Wembley Stadium has been chosen to host the 2011 Champions League Final. The old stadium staged some of the most important games in football history, including five European Cup Finals. Wembley is a world class stadium and will be the perfect stage for the Champions League Final. We look forward to working with UEFA to deliver a superb Final at Wembley Stadium in 2011.” 

Ben Vickery, senior principal of HOK Sport said ‘’We are very proud to know that two of our showcase stadia will be used for such prestigious events as these in 2011.’’ 

Radiant Transforms Stadiums and Arenas

• Radiant leads the industry in solutions that transform stadiums and arenas into best in class venues… Envision a venue with the ability to respond to the needs of the fans as easily as it tracks inventory, cash flow, and staff levels. Radiant’s innovative Quest Point-of-Sale solution makes it all happen.
• Staying ahead of the competition — that’s the key to success for teams and venues alike… It is important to keep up with consumer trends. The Quest Point-of-Sale solution helps venues stay on top of their game, providing the ability to handle numerous cashless payment methods and customer incentive programs, resulting in an increased per cap and loyal fans.

The Quest VersaTerm VX portable series of terminals lets you target high-traffic areas in and around a venue to drive increased 
revenue.

• Radiant’s Quest solution delivers the latest in value-driven sales to fans… A Quest Point-of-Sale solution provides the flexibility to respond to customer trends while boosting sales. With technology that allows fans to order food and pay from their seat, complete purchases via mobile phone and buy merchandise with their “loaded” ticket, the Quest solution sets the industry standard in high efficiency sales. 
• Memory-making plays on the field happen in seconds. Transactions in the stadium should be simultaneous, too… Whether it’s football, basketball, cricket, baseball or rugby, Radiant ensures the best solutions for a world that won’t wait.
• Radiant provides unparalleled service and reliability with the Quest solution… Radiant leads the industry with its Quest venue management solution that transforms a stadium of 80,000 or an arena of 5,000 into a customer-focused venue that improves the fan experience and maximises revenue. No event driven venue is too large or too small to benefit from the results.
• Fans want a winning season, but will your venue give them reason to cheer? … The Quest Point-of-Sale solution by Radiant Systems delivers the technology every venue needs to keep the fans where they want to be — in their seats. 
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