As a MSc Football Business student at UCFB, my colleagues and I had the remarkable chance to visit the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of our Football Operation Management module.
With more than 62.000 seats, it is the biggest club stadium in London and the second biggest in the Premier League. Sanjeev Katwaa, Head of Technology at the club, explained to us that it is a “technologically advanced stadium”. It’s the first ground in England to cover all four UK mobile networks and to have full and effective wi-fi coverage. It’s also the first stadium in the Premier League that is 100% cashless, making transactions easier for match day staff and faster for the fans. Through the Spurs App on your phone, you can upload tickets, book a restaurant, buy souvenirs, order and pay for food to collect later, therefore avoiding queues and speeding up the whole sales process.
This arena is designed not only for football, but for other events like music concerts and NFL matches. To facilitate different activities, the stadium contains a retractable football pitch, with a synthetic turf underneath, that breaks into three parts and hides on top of one of the parking areas under the huge south stand. In fact, one of the most interesting parts of the visit was standing in the parking area and understanding how the grass field gets artificial light, is watered and gets trimmed by robots. This makes it possible for the football field to be stored in the car park for approximately ten days.
Inspired by the thriving London street food market scene, the stadium boasts a food court with more than 50 different food and drink options on offer. As well as the traditional pie and hotdog being available, fans can choose from the likes of pizza, Chinese food, fried chicken and grilled American burgers. Premium seat holders can also upgrade to the restaurant experience, with more than four different seated VIP restaurants to choose from.
As for finding a place to drink, it was difficult to judge exactly where the ‘Goal Line Bar’ ended! The counter extended all the way across the Market Place, and at 65 metres, it is the longest bar in Europe. Tottenham are also the first football club to have their own microbrewery, with beer brewed on-site enabling fans to try different ranges of craft beer.
Despite the stadium being deeply rooted in new technology, the stadium is also committed to alleviating its environmental impact. Chairman Daniel Levy says that Spurs have taken the “responsibility to care for our environment very seriously” by making a single-use plastic reduction commitment. This means there are no plastic straws or cutlery – one of the reasons why the stadium is spotlessly clean.
From the vast food court to the ease of cashless payments, faster service, wi-fi connection and environmental concerns, combined of course with a wonderful view of the pitch, these facilities ultimately create a truly unique fan experience. If the fans are happy, even the away supporters, they will almost certainly come back.
You could be at the top of the stand or at the edge of the pitch and the view is unquestionably astonishing, regardless of where your seat is. As a football fan, I can tell you that this is one of the best stadiums in England, if not the world.
