It’s a Wrap – 2024

January 

We kicked-off 2024 with an interview with Ms. Silvia Davi of Venzia FC on their Winning Formula for An Unforgettable Brand & Fan Experiences.  

Then we had our 10th ESSMA Summit In Amsterdam at the Johan Cruijff ArenA welcoming over 300 stadium and industry experts. Speakers from clubs and stadium across Europe shared their insights and experiences. During this Summit, the first ESSMA Industry awards were held, recognising and celebrating industry’ best initiatives: 

• ? Sustainability Initiative of the Year: Johan Cruijff ArenA 

• ? Safety & Security Initiative of the Year: Racing Club de Ferrol 

• ? Stadium Development, Construction & Renovation Initiative of the Year: Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace 

February 

During the second week of February, we organised the CDES Tour visiting different stadium in Belgium including  

• KV Oostende with their post-game experience: After every match, the VIP catering area is transformed into their own unique ‘night club’ to host a big afterparty 

• KAA Gent with their modern stadium featuring a 360-degree glass facade wrapping all around the stadium and offering amazing views of the city 

• Royal Antwerp FC: showcase their recently renovated stand housing impressive training facilities for its youth players 

• Stayen (STVV): with an indebt tour of the stadium featuring offices that employs more than 1000 people, a hotel with views of the pitch and rooms that can be transformed to private areas during match. ESSMA Offices are also located here 

• Standard de Liège, the club that is best known for its loyal fan base and amazing atmosphere inside the stadium on matchdays.  

 

At the end of February, we organised our first ESSMA Live Matchday Experience at Juventus’ Allianz Stadium. This event included a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium during matchday and witnessing the match. The focus was on key areas such as stewarding, security and facility management providing valuable insights into the operational aspects of a top-tier football venue. 

March 

In March we organised the LNR Tour in Madrid, guiding a group of stadium industry professional from the French Nationale Ligue de Rugby (LNR) on an exhilarating tour through Madrid visiting the home stadium of Atlético de Madrid, now known as Riyadh Air Metropolitano and the ESC LaLiga x NBA Venue.  

April  

In April, we conducted a series of interviews with stadium experts focusing on various aspects of safety to gain deeper insights into best practices and innovative approaches within the industry. 

• Ken Scott, Head of Inspectorate at SGSA on the implementing Safe Standing and Empowering Fans 

• Oscar Malo, Director of Infrastructure at Athletic Club on how safe standing was introduced at San Mamés 

• Matt Lynch, Founder of Moonshot on reimagining stewarding 

• Robin Buchanan, Stadium General Manager at Celtic FC on the implementation, impact and challenges of safe standing at Celtic Park 

These and other interviews were incorporated in our Safety Report published in May.  

 

We also conducted additional interviews covering a range of other topics, providing valuable insights into various aspects of stadium operations and management. 

• Dr. Gaia Pretner, Head of Sustainability at ECA on shaping sustainability at football clubs 

• Alexandre Huber, Head of Venue Operations at UEFA on the preparation of UEFA EURO 2024. 

May 

In May, we published the ESSMA Safety Report, which featured valuable insights gathered from expert interviews and the ESSMA Safety Survey conducted in 2023. 

In preparation of UEFA EURO 2024, we conducted interviews with Industry experts that were readying their stadiums to host UEFA EURO 2024 matches. These discussions provided insights into the strategies and preparations required for this event.  

• Felix Timpe, Head of Match Organisations at Borussia Dortmund 

• Daniel Nolte, Director of Organisation at Hamburger SV 

• Volker Fürderer, Director of Events at Schalke 04 

June 

We published an article highlighting Europe’s best pitches showcasing the exceptional quality and maintenance standards of some of the most impressive pitches of the continent.  

In preparation of UEFA EURO 2024, we conducted additional interviews with Industry experts that were readying their stadiums to host UEFA EURO 2024 matches. These discussions provided insights into the strategies and preparations required for this event. 

• Ulrich Wolter, Chief Relations Office at RB Leipzig 

• Christoph Meyer, Director of Events and Communications at the Olympia Stadium 

We also conducted interviews at the home stadium of French club Amiens SC with Hugo Bourhis, general secretary of Amiens SC and Paul Defoix, Stadium Project Manager. The discussions focused on the implementation of safe standing in France, with specific insights into the efforts and experiences at Amiens SC. 

July 

In July, we shared our first results from the ESSMA Surveys on key topics in the stadium industry including sustainability, fan experience and safety.  

August 

In August we posted the first results of an ASK ESMMA about the true cost of being a fan covering 96 clubs from the 5 biggest leagues in Europe. It focuses on several key expenses of a fan: The average cost of attending a match for season card holders (cheapest season ticket), Parking cost (if available), Food and beverage cost and the price of a replica shirt (without extra’s) 

At the end of August, we posted an article about the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which is part of the European Green Deal. This holds that all companies (clubs/stadiums) are required to disclose their risks and opportunities related to social and environmental issues and the effects of their activities on people and the planet.   

September 

In September, we organised the ESSMA Pitch management workshop brining together pitch managers and other industry experts from across Europe for two inspiring days of knowledge exchange and collaboration. The event was held at Juventus FC and their facilities including the Allianz Stadium and training fields. Topics covered during the workshop included the EU ban on microplastics, the use of red light in turf management, AI & data-driven maintenance strategies, balancing revenue generation with pitch maintenance and protecting the pitch from adverse weather conditions. 

In the lead-up to the ESSMA Summit, we conducted interviews with key industry professionals:  

• Ursi Friedmann, Head of New Stadium Development at Hertha BSC shares the club’s ambitious new stadium project. 

• Julien Hochedez, Stadium Project Manager at Racing Club de Strasbourg on the redevelopment of Stade de la Meinau.  

October 

In October, during the lead-up to the ESSMA Summit, we conducted additional interviews with key industry professionals: 

• Daniela Pinto, Occupational Therapist at FC Porto on their innovative three-stage Sensory Room, INZONE 

• Andreas De Roeck of the Belgian Pro League on navigating sustainability challenges, 

• How Manchester City and Sony are engaging fans worldwide, with their innovative ‘Man City Virtual Ethihad Stadium project.  

• Tom McCann, Venue Director at Arsenal FC on Maximising Stadium Capacity and Fan Experience: Arsenal’s approach to ticketing and fan-first events. 

We also organised the LFP Belgian Training Centre Tour, guiding a delegation of French LFP (Ligue Football Professionnel) clubs on an insightful two-day tour of some of Belgium’s top football training centres. The tour included visits to Club Bruges’ Belfius Basecamp, the National Training Centre in Tubize (Proximus Basecamp) and the KAA Gent Training Centre. 

November 

In the beginning of November, we launched our Stadium Development Database Report. It draws from the expansive ESSMA Stadium Development database, which now includes over 340 projects from 47 countries. The report provides a detailed look at the trends shaping the future of stadium design, construction and technology. With key statistics that reveal the driving forces behind innovation and 12 in-depth case studies showcasing standout projects. 

On 12 & 13 November we organised our second Summit of the year. The 11th Summit, hosted at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano of Atlético de Madrid. During the summit, we welcomed almost 300 stadium and industry experts. Speakers from clubs and stadium across Europe shared their insights and experiences. During this Summit we organised the second ESSMA Stadium Industry awards awarding and celebrating industry’ best initiatives: 

• ?   ️Stadium development initiative of the year: Fulham FC 

• ? Sustainability initiative of the year: Royal Antwerp FC 

• ♿ Accessibility initiative of the year: FC Porto 

• ?️ Fan Experience initiative of the year: Everton FC 

At the end of November, we launched our accessibility report, reflecting on all the accessibility initiatives unveiled at ESSMA in 2024. 

December: 

In December we launched our support program on sustainability, with the support of our partners GSES, KPMG and the Johan Cruijff Arena, clustered in three tracks: 

1. Track 1: GSES System is a universal sustainability rating system for organisation across all sectors and geographies. It integrates globally recognised frameworks and over 550 ecolabels and certification schemes. The GSES platform provides tools to measure, compare and externally verify the sustainability efforts of organisations, products and assets worldwide with complete transparency. Track 1 provides the onboarding on the Green Event Standard reporting tool measuring sustainable impact of events, in cooperation with GSES  

2. Track 2: C-level program on sustainability focusing on ESG strategy and CSRD, guided by KPMG  

3. Track 3: S-level program on sustainability focusing on operational integration, data mgt, stakeholder engagement and best practices, in cooperation with Johan Cruijff ArenA  

In case you wish to participate to the 3 tracks in sustainability, please contact Dimitri Huygen at [email protected].     

We concluded the year by publishing reports and research results on various key topics:  

• Stadium Development: The publication of the Stadium Development Report 

• Sustainability: We shared our ESSMA Research results from the 2024 ESSMA sustainability survey and the publication of the sustainability report 

• Safety & Security: We shared our ESSMA Research results from the 2024 ESSMA safety & security and the publication of the of the safety & security report 

In the beginning of 2025, two additional reports will be published on: 

• Fan Experience & Hospitality: We shared our ESSMA Research results from the 2024 ESSMA fan experience survey and the publication of the of the fan experience & hospitality report  

• Pitch Management report 

Throughout the year 

Throughout the year, we supported 32 ESSMA Members through the ASK ESSMA initiative, a service enabling members to share their questions with our community of experts. ESSMA collects input from members and ESSMA research and compiles it into a tailored reports addressing a wide range of topics crucial to stadium management. This collaborative approach fostered knowledge-sharing and provided practical solutions to industry challenges. 

We also hosted our Mastermind Sessions, which included multiple online meetings and in-person gatherings during the two ESSMA Summits. These sessions brought together stadium industry experts to share knowledge, best practices and challenges on specific stadium-related topics. Insights from these discussions shaped the focus of ESSMA’s research for the following year, guiding surveys and other studies. The findings are then presented at the next ESSMA Summit, fostering continuous learning and innovation within the industry. 

Mark your calendars! We’re excited for 2025 and look forward to welcoming you to London in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 12-13 November for the 12th ESSMA Summit. Don’t miss this opportunity—add it to your agenda!