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Aviva Stadium

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Aviva Stadium

An ariel view of the stadium
Location 62 Landsdowne Road
Dublin, Ireland
Owner Irish Rugby Football Union
Football Association of Ireland
Operator New Stadium Ltd.
Capacity 51,700 (rugby union,
association football)
49,000 (American football)
65,000 (concerts)
Type Outdoor
Surface Perennial Ryegrass
Naming rights Aviva (2009-present)
Construction information
Broke ground March 2007
Opened May 14, 2010
Cost €410 million
($410 million USD)
Architech Populous (HOK Sports)
General contractor Sisk Group
Tenants
Ireland national rugby team
(2010-present)
Ireland national football team
(2010-present)

Emerald Isle Classic (NCAA) (2012)
Lingus College Football Classic (NCAA) (2022, 2023)
Stadium name
Aviva Stadium (2009-present)

Website
avivadtadium.ie

Aviva Stadium is an Irish sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland. The stadium is home to the Ireland national rugby union team and Republic of Ireland national football team and frequently hosts collegiate american football games. Aviva Group Ireland signed a 10-year deal for the naming rights in 2009. The stadium, located adjacent to Lansdowne Road railway station, officially opened on 14 May 2010. The stadium is Ireland's first, and only, UEFA Elite Stadium and in 2011, it hosted the Europa League Final. It also hosted the inaugural Nations Cup, as well as the regular home fixtures of the national rugby team, national football team and some home fixtures for Leinster Rugby from August 2010 onwards.

Unlike its predecessor, which was solely owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the current stadium is controlled by the IRFU and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) through a 50:50 joint venture known as the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company (LRSDC). The joint venture has a 60-year lease on the stadium;[1] on expiry the stadium will return to the exclusive ownership of the IRFU.[2]

Facilities[]

Aviva Stadium from North Stand

Inside the stadium

The stadium is a bowl shape with four tiers on three sides of the ground; the lower and upper tiers being for general access, the second and third levels feed the second tier for premium tickets and the fourth tier for corporate boxes. The northern end of the stadium, due to its proximity to local housing, incorporates only the lower tier of the bowl. The North Stand is to be the away stand for football internationals. There is one basement level and seven storeys of floors including ground level. The premium level holds 10,000 spectators, while the box level holds 1,300.[3] The remaining 38,700 seats are shared between the top and bottom tiers. The capacity of the stadium was criticised even before its opening for being too small, particularly in light of the large supporter attendance figures for Irish rugby internationals and soccer internationals at Croke Park since 2007.[4] The stadium's roof is designed to undulate in a wave-like manner so as to avoid blocking light to local residences.[5]

History[]

The stadium was officially opened on 14 May 2010 by then Taoiseach Brian Cowen.[6][7][8]

In 2011, the stadium won a British Construction Industry Award.[9]

Events[]

American football[]

Aviva Stadium, American football pitch dimensions

The stadium in American football configuration for Navy vs. Notre Dame in 2012

On 1 September 2012, the stadium hosted an American college football game billed as the Emerald Isle Classic between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen. Notre Dame won 50-10.[10]

The 2016 Aer Lingus College Football Classic was announced as a matchup between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Boston College Eagles to be played on 3 September 2016. This game will mark Georgia Tech's first game played overseas. Georgia Tech finished the 2014 football season with an 11-3 record and ranked in the Top Ten.[11]

References[]

  1. ↑ [1] [dead link]
  2. ↑ "Vincent Hogan: Aviva — the most expensive second home in history", Independent.ie. Retrieved on 24 November 2014. 
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named StadInf
  4. ↑ "Kevin Myers: 'New stadium is an irreversible and huge tragedy for Irish sport'", Independent.ie. Retrieved on 24 November 2014. 
  5. ↑ Harrison, Shane. "Gates open at new national stadium", BBC News, 14 May 2010. Retrieved on 14 May 2010. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010. 
  6. ↑ Lansdowne Roar to live on at Aviva. RTÉ Sport (14 May 2010). Retrieved on 24 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "BBC News — Gates open at new national stadium", BBC News. Retrieved on 24 November 2014. 
  8. ↑ "Sport-Dublin opens new Aviva stadium after three years", Reuters. Retrieved on 24 November 2014. 
  9. ↑ Winners 2011 (2011). Retrieved on 14 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Notre Dame, Navy to face off in Ireland in 2012", Sports Illustrated, 21 September 2010. Retrieved on 21 September 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. 
  11. ↑ Jackets to Open 2016 Football Season in Ireland. ramblinwreck.com.

External links[]

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