The Olympic Games and UEFA Cup Final Propaganda
“We are bidding to host actual events, principally games in the Olympic football tournament. To that end, it is our intention to develop a brand new multi-sport stadium at The Maze.”
David Hanson MP (1)
We have been subjected to a great deal of frenzied propaganda about the hosting of Olympic football in 2012 and the possibility of Northern Ireland bidding for the UEFA Cup Final to be staged at the new stadium.
Firstly, Olympic football in 2012 (2)
Question: Can we attract ‘finals’ matches to the Maze?
Answer: No, 50,000 capacity is required for finals matches. This means that Northern Ireland would only be able to attract ‘preliminary’ matches to any new stadium. A capacity of 20,000 is required for preliminary matches.
Question: Do many fans support events such as Olympic football matches?
Answer: Overall, only 39% of the available tickets were sold for football matches in the Athens 2004 games. In the proposed Maze Stadium, a similar turnout would result in only 16,500 fans.
Question: Could the football events be played in a Belfast stadium?
Answer: Yes, as long as it had a minimum capacity of 20,000.
Question: Is the possibility of hosting Olympic football games a strong reason for building a stadium at the Maze?
Answer: No, considering the above, it is irrelevant.
And the UEFA Cup Final?
Question: Can we attract a ‘Final’ match to the Maze?
Answer: No. Whilst a minimum capacity of 40,000 is needed, the SIB assures us that removable seating and turf will mean that fans will be moved closer to the action for football. However, this design assumes there will be no ‘moat’ around the pitch. New build stadiums need to have a 2.5m wide ‘moat’. (3)
Question: Ok, we’ll stick in a ‘moat’. Can we have the Final now?
Answer: No. There is also a rating system – five stars are needed to host a final and one of the criteria stipulates that the city the stadium is in/near must have enough bed spaces. As the chart below illustrates, the immediate vicinity could only provide enough beds for less than 25% of the capacity which excludes the Maze from being included (4):
Council Area |
Hotel |
Guest House |
B&B |
Self Catering |
Youth Hostels |
Total |
Antrim Borough Council |
830 |
80 |
153 |
41 |
0 |
1104 |
Armagh City & District Council |
317 |
27 |
103 |
13 |
60 |
520 |
Banbridge District Council |
73 |
6 |
57 |
25 |
0 |
161 |
Belfast City Council |
3704 |
170 |
1511 |
167 |
476 |
6028 |
Craigavon Borough Council |
169 |
12 |
93 |
12 |
0 |
286 |
Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council |
172 |
138 |
52 |
34 |
0 |
396 |
Lisburn City Council |
226 |
48 |
189 |
24 |
0 |
487 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8982 |
Question: Is the possibility of applying for the UEFA Cup Final a strong reason for building a stadium at the Maze?
Answer: No, considering the above, it is irrelevant.
(1) http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/141025.pdf
(2) Northern Ireland Tourist Board, October 2005
(3) http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/sport/story.jsp?story=653758
(4) Source: Olympic Programme Commission Report to the 117 th IOC Session, May 2005 - http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_953.pdf
