How to Build an Athletic Fence with Sports Sheeting

How to Build an Athletic Fence with Sports Sheeting

Whenever you read or hear about a professional team exploring the possibility of relocating to another town, the desire for a new arena is often the principal reason. A sparkling new stadium full of modern amenities attracts fans in droves — and that generates significant revenues for the group and the local businesses that surround the facility such as pubs, restaurants, hotels and retail shops. The NFL’s Oakland Raiders are the latest example of a game’s team making a move in search of greener pastures. Playing from the antiquated Oakland Coliseum, which was constructed over 50 years back, the group generated a mere $69 million in stadium revenues in 2015, according to Forbes magazine. By comparison, the Dallas Cowboys, playing at the immaculate, state-of-the-art AT&T Stadium, raked in over $440 million. Unable to get financial support to construct a new stadium in Oakland, the team’s possession sought and received approval from the league to move to Las Vegas, where it will play at a recently assembled 65,000-seat domed stadium (price tag: $1.9 billion) tentatively scheduled for completion in 2020. Annual revenue forecasts for the new facility range from $250-$350 million.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE SPORTS STADIUM

While the origins of this sports arena can be traced to the early Greeks, the first modern facilities were constructed in the mid-to-late 19th century. These game venues were designed with practicality in mind — the aim was to hold as many spectators as possible, and amenities were virtually non-existent. Most of these early structures were single-purpose facilities constructed mainly of wood, several of which were destroyed by fire. Goodison Park, a Liverpool, England soccer stadium that opened in 1892, was the first sports facility to feature a concrete-and-steel construction. The trend of single-purpose stadiums lasted through much of the 20th century. Facilities such as Fenway Park in Boston, which opened in 1912, and Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and Wrigley Field in Chicago, both of which were completed in 1914, were specifically built for baseball. Designed to blend into the surrounding city areas, these facilities featured relatively little seating capacities and provided fans with a romantic, up-close ballpark experience that nearly made them feel as though they were part of the activity.

THE BIRTH OF THE MULTIPURPOSE STADIUM

The post-World War II migration of Americans from the city to the suburbs together with the growth in popularity of professional football resulted in the arrival of the multipurpose sports arena concept, which served as the model for those facilities constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. Designed for both soccer and baseball, these circular, symmetrical concrete facilities were typically constructed in suburban locations and offered easy access by interstate highway. Spacious parking lots were required to accommodate the heavy vehicle traffic, since these facilities were inaccessible via the towns’ mass transit systems. Examples of this multipurpose stadium concept included Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.; Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia; Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh; Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium; and Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. The Houston Astrodome, which opened in 1965, was the world’s first multipurpose stadium to feature a domed roof and an artificial turf field.

THE RETURN TO THE SINGLE-PURPOSE STADIUM CONCEPT

While multipurpose stadiums offered the benefit of practicality and flexibility, the uninspired cookie-cutter design featured in the majority of these facilities eventually fell out of favor with spectators, particularly old-school baseball fans who longed for a return to the local ballpark feel and look. This led to the development of the retro-classic concept inspired by older facilities such as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. The first of this retro-classic ballparks was Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Completed in 1992, Camden Yards rests on the site of an old B&O railroad yard in South Baltimore and comes with a sprawling, 1,100-foot-long, eight-story refurbished railroad warehouse for a backdrop. Other stadiums motivated by the Camden Yards model include Progressive Field in Cleveland, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, AT&T Park in San Francisco and Miller Park in Milwaukee. These facilities combine the retro look and feel with all the modern features and amenities required to meet the requirements of the 21st-century sports fan. These brand new baseball stadiums include expansive scoreboards and video replay screens, as well as natural grass or artificial turf fields which are softer than artificial turf.

CURRENT AND FUTURE STADIUM DESIGN TRENDS

While the traditional stadium design catered to families, modern stadiums to appeal to the 18-to-34-year-old demographic. These younger individuals view going to a sporting event as a whole entertainment experience that entails far more than watching a ball game. The design of newer facilities typically incorporates features such as pedestrian malls, entertainment plazas and concourses located outside the arena that allow fans to dine, shop and socialize before and after the match. Today’s facilities also feature numerous seating environments that extend well beyond the standard stadium seat in the middle of a crowded row of spectators. Premium seating options include private suites which resemble living rooms and can accommodate 10-15 fans. These suites include a private entrance from the arena concourse and also have features such as buffets, bars, television monitors and computers with Internet access. Some stadiums even provide field suites located in the front row which place fans directly on top of the activity. Stadium amenities also have come a long way, concerning the variety of food options. Along with the hot dog, beer and bag of peanuts, many stadiums provide a broad range of high-end cuisine and craft beers and wine to cater to a younger, more upscale crowd. Menu options at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, widely considered the crown jewel of NFL facilities, include everything from chicken fried quail into a brisket sandwich on pretzel bread smothered in melted onions, piquillo peppers and melted cheddar cheese. While the prevalence of single-purpose stadiums continues, there are signs of an eventual return to the multipurpose idea. Based on John Rhodes, Director of Sports, Recreation and Entertainment in the London office of HOK, the architectural company largely responsible for producing the Camden Yards concept, the multipurpose design was gaining traction across Europe over the last ten years. Rhodes suggests there is a growing shift toward creating more civic-type facilities which can host a wide range of sporting and community events. Sustainability has also become a vital element in all new arena projects to comply with LEED requirements. In a recent StarTalk Radio episode, Stadiums of the Future, Neil deGrasse Tyson dives into modern arena designs and technology with co-hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice and Benjamin Brillat of IBM Sports. Bejamin Brillat discusses how these improvements start right from when the stadium is just a hole in the floor. They bury the conduit from the concrete rightbefore it gets poured. Future designs won’t only change how fans experience a game, but it might also change the sport.