Stade Vélodrome

Stade Vélodrome

File:Vue du Stade Vélodrome depuis la Tour France 3.jpg Stade Vélodrome entrance
Full name	Stade Vélodrome
Location	Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France
Coordinates	43°16′11″N 5°23′45″E
Owner	City of Marseille
Capacity	60,013
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1937
Opened	June 1937
Renovated	1984 and 1998
Architect	Henri Ploquin
Tenants
Olympique de Marseille RC Toulon (occasional matches)

The Stade Vélodrome (Template:IPA-fr) is a 60,013 capacity stadium in Marseille, France. It is the home of Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1 and was also a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It is the largest club football ground in France. The stadium is also used regularly by the French rugby union team.

The record attendance for a club game at the Stade Vélodrome was of 58,897, for a UEFA Cup semi-final against Newcastle United in 2004. The stadium also featured as a Football World Cup venue when the 1938 finals were held in France. The first ever match to be played was between Marseille and Torino in 1937. There are plans to increase the capacity to 80,000 and build a roof to cover all four stands, plans that are contingent on a possible sale of the Football Club. The stadium was used for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The French rugby union team started an impressive run of victories at the stadium in the early 2000s. In November 2000 they defeated the All Blacks 42 to 33, the following year defeating Australia by one point. In 2002 one match was played there again, a win over the Springboks, which was followed by a win over England in 2003. However, their run of luck was broken in 2004, when they lost 14 to 24 to Argentina. The venue was used by France in November 2009 when the French played the New Zealand All Blacks. France are not the only rugby team to have used the Vélodrome in recent years. On April 18, 2009, Toulon took their home fixture in the Top 14 against Toulouse to the Vélodrome, drawing 57,039 to see a 14–6 Toulon win that played a key role in the Toulonnais' successful fight against relegation in the 2008–09 season. Toulon would take two home matches to the Vélodrome in the following season.

History

In 1935The architects and Pollack Ploquin are designated to build a stadium in Marseille. Henry Ploquin who has designed three years earlier Stade Municipal Gingham projects to the Olympics and provides for Marseille in addition to stage a sports center. For economic reasons, only Stade Velodrome will be realized. The 28 April 1935[2]The foundation stone was laid by the Velodrome in Marseille Mayor, Dr Ribot, on a site located between downtown and suburban areas of St. Giniez and Sainte-MargueriteOn military grounds of the City[3].

The Velodrome Stadium was inaugurated on 13 June 1937. On this occasion played a friendly match between theOlympique Marseille and Italian of Torino FC which ends with the score of 2 to 1 for Olympians[4].

The 29 August 1937 The second day of France national football championship is taken to the OM toAS Cannes. This is the first official football match at the Velodrome[5].

The Stade Velodrome is so aptly named, cycling competitions will be organized. Over the years, the bleachers replaced the bike path along the ground. This less and less common over the years, remains famous for the fans of Marseille football this track slope that extends the bleachers served giant slide to the latter to invade the pitch at the end of games.

The OM is very long hostile to the Stadium, the "stage of the City Council. For fans of the Olympians between the wars, the real point of the OM is Stadium HuveauneProperty of the OM and whose construction was financed by the stands the fans in the early 1920s. The war put an end to this problem, because at the end of the conflict, OM no longer owns the Stadium Huveaune. Seeking support from the City of Marseille, hitherto absent, Chairman Marcel Leclerc back on the war in the late stages 1960 by redoing the play OM Huveaune. The City Council gives in and accepts the OM then move to the Velodrome.

OM shares the stage during the 1970s with the club Rugby the city, Marseille XIII Rugby League.

1998 World Cup The Stade Velodrome was completely renovated for the 1998 World Cup seeing its capacity increase from 42 000 to 60 013 seats, or 32 miles of bleachers. The Velodrome hosted the final draw which took place on 4 December 1997, the first time the final draw was held in an outdoor venue, as well as seven matches including France's first match vs South Africa, the Quarterfinal between Argentina and The Netherlands, and the Semifinal between Brazil and The Netherlands.

The record attendance for a football game (58,897 spectators) dating back to the reception Newcastle United semi-final return UEFA Cup, May 6, 2004 (2–0).

During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, The Velodrome hosted six games including two quarter-finals: Australia/England which records the attendance record for all sports confinus with 59,120 spectators, and South Africa/Fiji.

Widely criticized and unloved by the Marseilles, including its architecture (no roof, no acoustic resonance), the Stade Velodrome since 2003 is the subject of several projects to modernize it (coverage) and even enlarge. The latest project from 2005, followed by Thomas Longeault, Would cover it and increase its capacity of 60 013–80 500 seats. However, there is nothing concrete though the subject is discussed regularly by both the Mayor of Marseille by leaders of the club.

In July 2009, following an extraordinary council of the City of Marseille at the City Hall renovation project which was the order of the day, several discussions were put to the vote including the launch of the procedure of contract public-private partnership (PPP).

On July 16, 2009, during preparations for a Madonna concert, following the failure of one of the four winches used to hoist the structure of the scene, his 60-ton roof fell, crushing the passage of one cranes and leaving two dead and five wounded.

Average attendances

In 2002 Division 1 was rebranded as Ligue 1. Average attendance for every season since 2000–01.

Season	Average	Division
2000–01	50,755	Division 1
2001–02	50,030
2002–03	48,233	Ligue 1
2003–04	51,785
2004–05	52,996
2005–06	49,731
2006–07	49,005
2007–08	52,600
2008–09	52,276
2009–10	...

1938 FIFA World Cup matches

Date	Time (CET)	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Spectators
5 June 1938	17:00	Italy	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Norway	First Round	18,000
16 June 1938	18:00	Italy	2–1	Brazil	Semi Finals	30,000

1998 FIFA World Cup matches

Date	Time (CET)	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Spectators
12 June 1998	21:00	France	3–0	South Africa	Group C	55,077
15 June 1998	14:30	England	2–0	Tunisia	Group G	54,587
23 June 1998	21:00	Brazil	1–2	Norway	Group A	55,000
27 June 1998	16:00	Italy	1–0	Norway	Round of 16	55,000
4 July 1998	16:00	Netherlands	2–1	Argentina	Quarter Finals	55,000
7 July 1998	21:00	Brazil	1–1 (4–2 pen.)	Netherlands	Semi Finals	54,000

Structure

Stadium Guide

Stadium Guide

1	Tribune Jean Bouin
2	Virage Sud Chevalier Roze
3	Tribune Ganay
4	Virage Nord De Peretti
5	Places for the disabled (258 seats)
6	Press Gallery
7	Loges
8	Rostrum
9	VIP Hall
10	Projectors
11	Local
12	Closets
13	Offices
14	TV Studio
15	Big Screens

The four stands of the stadium are named after athletes (the runner Jean Bouin, the cyclist of the 1920s Gustave Ganay), a historical figure of the plague of 1720 (Turn South Chevalier Roze), and a boxer Marseilles beautiful day, turns North Ray Grassi has been renamed after a bear charismatic (Patrice De Peretti, said "Depe, died suddenly in July 2000).

Future

The Stade Vélodrome will increase its seating capacity by 2016, when France will host the UEFA Euro 2016. It will be called Nouveau Stade Vélodrome (New Stade Vélodrome) and it will continue to host games for Olympique de Marseille. Currently it holds 60,031 spectators, but after its construction it will be able to hold 80,000 (the same capacity as the Stade de France). The expected cost of the expansions is €150 million.

The expansion and modernization of equipment that are part of the French bid to organize Euro 2016. But even if France does not wins this championship, "the project will of course be pursued", says the mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin. The dossier submitted by Gaudin also provides for the creation of a new district.

Construction The municipality has chosen to increase the stadium's capacitywear the stadium from 60 000 to 70 000 seats and the cover, as required by UEFA standards. The project also includes a strong increase of seats benefit, multiple reception areas and media space, better access for the disabled and the rehabilitation of the seat cushions and health.

Approaches The artist's impression above take full account of the specifications to which private groups should meet. Right on the grounds of the Chevalier Roze, we see buildings housing. The esplanade Ganay preserved, fully refurbished. On the left, then to the shops instead of parking the RTM (*), office towers and housing. The round France 3 is kept and the RTM users will benefit from underground car park bigger. Trees and wind turbines have been designed for a new neighborhood HQE (High Environmental Quality).

Cost The project estimate is €150 million. Plans call for the private sector to cover two-thirds of the investment; the remainder will be shared by the Region, the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, MPM and the city of Marseille. The national government will likewise contribute to upgrade the area infrastructure. The city hopes to contribute at least € 20 million.

After numerous studies, the mayor of has selected the contract of partnership arrangements included in the PPP (public private partnership). If the continued operation of the Vélodrome for the municipal control on the basis of its current operations are acquired, remains unclear for the other events, necessary for the private operator to recoup its costs. Indeed, it will be responsible to design, construct, maintain, preserve and enhance the building program support.

Timeframe Partnership agreements must be signed before the end of 2010 for completion in the summer of 2014. During construction, OM will continue to play at the Vélodrome.

Olympique de Marseille "Olympique de Marseille will be closely associated with the project," says Jean-Claude Gaudin. The club will remain a tenant of the stadium. But it is also provided with the specification that the OM is involved, if its leaders want, the consortium funding the project and its operations. Anyway, the club will remain in charge only of its distribution rights, including the ticket. Elected officials want the price of seats for the fans is controlled.

Name "I am not the mayor who will sell the Vélodrome or the one who will change its name," says Gaudin. For the time being, the selling of naming rights has been rejected.

Pictures

• 
  OM-Lille OSC 2004
• 
  OM-LOSC 2004 before the match, viewed from the Virage Nord.
• 
  Photo of the Virage Sud – OM-Lille OSC 2004
• 
  OM-OL 2007, quarterfinal of the Coupe de France

References and external links

• Stadium page on official club website (in French)
• Destination Marseille – rugbyworldcup.com