Crystal Palace National Sports Center
| Crystal Palace National Sports Center | |
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| The athletics stadium | |
| Data | |
| place |
 Crystal Palace , London , United Kingdom
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| Coordinates | 51 ° 25 '8.6 " N , 0 ° 4' 7.7" W |
| start of building | 1964 |
| surface | Natural grass |
| capacity | 15,500 seats |
| Events | |
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The Crystal Palace National Sports Center is a large sports and athletics stadium in Crystal Palace , a borough of London , United Kingdom .
history
The sports center was built in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park near the former Crystal Palace , the landmark of the Great Exhibition that burned down in 1936 . The center was also the main part of the former Crystal Palace Grand Prix course. It is one of the five largest sports centers in England and is operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited.
The athletics stadium has a capacity of 15,500, which can be temporarily increased to 24,000. The complex also includes a 50-meter swimming pool, which was the only one in the British capital until the London Aquatics Center was completed for the 2012 Olympics .
Soccer
Today's athletics stadium was the home of the English football club Crystal Palace until its relocation in 1915. The FA Cup finals were played in the stadium from 1895 to 1914 . The stadium had the largest attendance in its history at the 1913 final between Aston Villa and Sunderland AFC , when 121,219 fans squeezed into the stadium. Between 1897 and 1911, the English national football team played five international matches in this stadium.
rugby
On December 2, 1905, the very first game of the England rugby union team was played against New Zealand , which the New Zealanders won 15-0. Until the late 1980s, the Fulham RLFC rugby club played in the sports center.
Cricket
From 1898 to 1908, the London County Cricket Club, which existed in those years, played its games in the stadium. The club had many world-class players at the time and played in the first English cricket league from 1900 to 1904 . After the donors got out, the club was dissolved in 1908.
basketball
In the sports center there is a basketball hall for 3,500 spectators. The London City Royals team from the UK's highest league is currently playing in the hall. In previous years it was also the home ground of the London Towers as well as the Crystal Palace basketball team.
Motorsport
The Crystal Palace Race Circuit was the main part of today's area. Parts of the racetrack can still be admired in the area today. The racetrack opened in 1927. The first race for motorcycles took place on May 21, 1927. The route was 1.6 km long and went through the park. Until the demolition in 1974, Formula 2 , Formula 3 and Formula 1 races that were not part of the World Championship were held on the track.
Web links
- visitlondon.com: Crystal Palace National Sports Center (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ London City Royals join British Basketball League . In: London City Royals . ( londoncityroyals.com [accessed November 2, 2018]).