City of Manchester Stadium
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Built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the City of Manchester Stadium (also known as COMS, Eastlands, The Blue Camp and Sportcity) is located in Manchester, England. It is a 48,000 capacity all seater stadium with two tiers all the way round the ground and third tiers to the two side stands. It cost £90 million to construct.
Manchester City Council agreed a 250 year lease of the stadium to Manchester City Football Club in exchange for their old stadium Maine Road. As part of the deal, Manchester City Football Club will pay 50% of the revenues of ticket sales over 34,000 seats (The capacity of Maine Road) to the council as part of a rent on the stadium.
History
As built for the Commonwealth Games the stadium had a capacity of 38,000. There was a single lower tier running around all of the athletics track apart from one end (the current middle tier); second tiers to the two sides (now the third tiers) and a temporary stand at one end. Before Manchester City F.C. moved in the track was removed and the pitch lowered to make way for the current lower tier, and the old lower tier was extended around the end where the temporary stand had been. This extensive work took a year and added twelve thousand seats. Manchester City moved to the new ground for the 2003/04 season. The work to change the stadium from the Commonwealth Games stadium to the 'football' stadium cost £35 million, which was paid for by Manchester City Football Club.The COMS boasts the widest pitch in English football, and entry is gained by electronic smart card rather than the traditional manned-turnstyle. The advanced entry system means the stadium can allow 1200 people in every minute around all entrances.
The stadium recently became the 50th stadium to host an England international match when England played Japan on June 1 2004, and is rated as a 4 star stadium by UEFA, meaning it is eligible to host the UEFA Cup final.
The stadium is home to B of the Bang, the tallest sculpture in the UK, built to commemorate the success of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
On October 30 2004, the COMS played host to a Rugby League match between Great Britain and Australia in the Tri-Nations series.
The stadium was also built for attracting concerts to the stadium and is one of the UK's biggest concert venues. The maximum capacity for concerts is 60,000 and in the summer of 2004 it held its first concert, a performance by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The stadium has also hosted 2 concerts by U2 and 3 concerts by Oasis. In the summer of 2006, the stadium will host concerts by Bon Jovi and Take That.
Details
Address
- City of Manchester Stadium
- Sportcity
- Rowsley Street
- Manchester
- M11 3FF
Phone numbers
- Telephone No: 0870-062-1894
- Main Fax: 0161-438-7999
- Ticket Office: 0870-062-1894
- Ticket Office Fax: 0161-438-7810
Records
Record Attendance At The City Of Manchester Stadium:: 47,304 v Chelsea, 28 February, 2004 (Premier League)Average Attendances
(Premier League):
- 2003-04: 46,384
- 2004-05: 45,192
External links
- [Description and photos on footballgroundguide.co.uk]
- [Satellite Photo of City of Manchester Stadium]
- [Stadium information and pictures on stadiumguide.com]
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Germany|width="33%"|Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion
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England|Anfield |
Italy|Stadio San Nicola
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