Stockhorn Arena

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Stockhorn Arena
Exterior view of the Stockhorn Arena
Earlier names

Arena Thun (2011-2014)

Data
place SwitzerlandSwitzerland Thun , Switzerland
Coordinates 612 841  /  177073 coordinates: 46 ° 44 '41 "  N , 7 ° 36' 24"  O ; CH1903:  612 841  /  177073
owner Arena Thun cooperative
opening July 9, 2011
First game FC Thun - 1.FC Cologne 2-2
surface artificial grass
capacity Seats: 8,426 Standing
: 1972
Total: 10,398
playing area 105 m × 68 m
Societies)

The Stockhorn Arena is a football stadium in the city of Thun ( Canton of Bern ). The venue, completed in 2011, is the home of FC Thun . The arena, which is provided with artificial turf, not only serves as a football stadium, but can also be used for cultural events, various other sporting events, as well as for congresses , banquets and exhibitions. The capacity for sporting events is 10,000 spectators.

Location & transport links

Thun is known as the “gateway to the Oberland”. The most important traffic connections to the Bernese Oberland run through here. Thun is connected to the Swiss national road network by the A6 with the motorway connections Thun North and Thun South. The Stockhorn Arena is in an ideal location for traffic, on a site right next to the Thun Süd exit. The Panorama Center was built between the motorway and the stadium. Its underground car park with 900 parking spaces can also be used by stadium visitors. There is also a gas station in the immediate vicinity. Those arriving by public transport can use bus line 3. On match days, extra buses run from Thun train station to the Stockhorn Arena and back. The match ticket entitles you to travel on public transport.

General information

Stadium capacity

The stadium in Thun has a capacity of around 10,000 spectators for sporting events. There are around 7,600 seats, 350 business and 2,000 standing places for home fans. The Stockhorn Arena is one of the smallest Raiffeisen Super League venues but also one of the most modern. The population of Thun is 43,783 people (as of December 31, 2013), which means that the arena can accommodate around 23% of the city's population. For other events and concerts, up to 20,000 spectators can be admitted. The stadium's glazed VIP zone ( lounge ) extends over an area of ​​around 735 m² and features a gourmet kitchen, among other things. There are also enough well-equipped spaces available for media professionals in the Stockhorn Arena, namely for 25 representatives from the print media as well as 25 TV or radio stations.

artificial grass

In the old Thun stadium Lachen was still played on natural turf, which, however, had made the headlines more and more often because of its condition, which could hardly be described as playable . In connection with the playing field in the immediate vicinity of Lake Thun , one often spoke of a field , although those responsible did everything to remedy the consequences of heavy rain and snowfall, high groundwater levels and floods. Opposing coaches often complained that the situation was irregular. Based on the experience gained with natural turf , but also for economic reasons, the decision was made to lay artificial turf in the new arena . This decision was made by the cooperative together with the property developer HRS / ARCO Real Estate. The choice fell on the latest generation of high-quality artificial turf, which is recognized by UEFA and FIFA . The artificial surface enables the stadium operators to operate the Stockhorn Arena successfully from a financial point of view, as the artificial turf can be loaded and used as required for additional events without affecting the game. In Thun they went the opposite way to Bern. There, the artificial turf that had been used for many years was replaced by natural turf, so that it could again be a regular venue for the Swiss Cup finals or international matches for the national team . The artificial turf in the Stockhorn Arena was completely renewed for the first time in summer 2016. At the same time, the drainage under the lawn was optimized.

Events

In the Stockhorn Arena not only football matches of FC Thun are played, the U21 national team also uses the stadium repeatedly. In September 2013 the Arena Fest took place for the first time - a two-day music event that is organized every two years. Another event that will be held again in 2014 is the classic car show on the Esplanade . Due to its compact size, the Stockhorn Arena is also ideal as a venue for business events and congresses. Arena Thun AG is responsible for the acquisition and organization.

Coat usage

The Stockhorn Arena is referred to as a stadium with a jacket , although it is not a jacket in the classic sense. Inside the arena building there is a VIP zone with a restaurant as well as the press conference room (87 m², space for 65 media professionals), the stadium TV studio, the players' and referee booths and other areas that are not open to the public (e.g. . a gym and sauna for the players). In addition, only the offices of FC Thun AG and Arena Thun AG are located within the stadium. The use of the shell is almost exclusively limited to the shopping center built in the immediate vicinity of the stadium , which is part of the extended building complex . On November 7, 2009 it was announced that Liegenschaften-Betrieb AG (LiB-AG), a subcontractor of Migros , which at that time was still YB sponsor, had acquired this property. To realize the Panorama Center, as the shopping mall was called due to the view of the Stockhorn chain over the Niesen to the Eiger , Mönch and Jungfrau , investments of 150 million francs were necessary. In addition to Migros, the 15,000 square meters available include companies such as OBI , Denner , H&M , Media Markt , Tally Weijl and Ochsner Sport . Further offers include restaurants, a health center, a fitness studio and other services.

management

Since the completion of the Thun stadium, there have been numerous changes in management and structures, as the parties involved have always had different views on the strategies.

Arena Thun cooperative

The actual owner of the Stockhorn Arena is the Genossenschaft Arena Thun (GNFS) (which was called the Genossenschaft Fußballstadion Thun-Süd until the 3rd General Meeting of December 2, 2012). The founding meeting took place on February 15, 2008 in Thun. A week later, the cooperative was added to the commercial register and its establishment was published on February 28, 2008 in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce No. 41. The GNFS was responsible for all tasks related to the construction of the stadium (cooperation with investors and planners , obtaining building permits, etc.). It also created the operating concept that was valid at the beginning and planned the establishment of the operating company Arena Thun AG.

Arena Thun AG

Arena Thun AG (ATAG), which was founded on March 25, 2010 under the name Stadion Thun AG, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Arena Thun cooperative. The marketing of the Stockhorn Arena and, initially, the FC Thun was one of the main tasks of ATAG. At the beginning, she was responsible for the entire stadium operation and consequently also for the implementation of the club's football games. Increasing tensions between Arena Thun AG and FC Thun AG led to an agreement on July 25, 2012 to mix the boards of the two independent stock corporations. Two members of the board of directors should be named, who have a seat in both FC Thun AG and Arena Thun AG, and a president each, who only heads his company and has the casting vote. But this concept was not successful either. At the beginning of March 2013 it was announced that Arena Thun AG will hand over all tasks related to the football club's game operations to FC Thun AG from July 1, 2013, including marketing and ticketing. Since July 2013, Arena Thun AG has therefore only been responsible for the organization and implementation of a large number of other events .

FC Thun AG

The Thun football club has no shares in the Stockhorn Arena. He only has a right of use. From the opening of the stadium up to and including the end of the 2012/13 season, the club had no tasks whatsoever in connection with the home games. Since the FCT was not able to generate any income through the ticketing either, it was remunerated by Arena Thun AG with an annual amount that was redefined depending on the gross profit of the arena. The less money the arena took in total, the less was available for sport. For this reason, FC Thun AG saw the eligibility to play in the Super League in jeopardy and pushed for adjustments to the arena, which took effect on July 1, 2013. Since then, the football club has been responsible for marketing and ticketing itself again, but Arena Thun AG has to pay rent again.

prehistory

Carlos Reinhard, the first chairman of the board of directors of the Arena Thun cooperative, was a former member of the board of directors of FC Thun AG (formerly FC Thun Betriebs AG). He held this mandate from May 2007 to June 2008 and thus had a double mandate from February 2008 (establishment of the cooperative) to June 2008 (new elections FC Thun AG) . During this time, both parties concluded an agreement according to which the cooperative could have bought a third of the share capital of 10,000 shares (i.e. 3,334) from FC Thun for CHF 500,000. In an additional contract drawn up later, it was stipulated that the shares would not be sold for the time being, as the cooperative, as a potential buyer, could not be sure at the time whether FC Thun AG would be able to avert the threatened bankruptcy at the time .

The elected in May 2008 Board of Directors (BoD) of FC Thun AG wanted to achieve that the investors, the cooperative and the FC Thun AG three possible parity represent forces and tried at the General Assembly in 2008 to counter a rise of the cooperative by a voting power limitation be introduced should. At future general meetings it would otherwise have been easy for the cooperative to reject changes to the statutes of FC Thun AG, for which the board would have required a two-thirds majority . In these efforts by the board of directors, the investors, as representatives of the cooperative, saw a breach of contract. They had agreed to give FC Thun a loan of one million francs per season for three years . It was only thanks to this sum that the first team was able to continue playing at the beginning of 2008. In return for this financial support, the investors secured themselves current and future player rights and insisted on being able to influence other decisions accordingly. On the occasion of the general assembly on October 28, 2008, the shareholders of FC Thun AG finally approved a compromise negotiated by the parties involved : According to the contract, the Thun-Süd football stadium cooperative was able to acquire 30 percent of the shares in FC Thun AG. Almost a year later, on October 22nd, 2009, the building permit for the stadium in Thun-Süd was available, and thus, as announced by the investors, the loan was converted into a donation .

history

construction

Public funding of a new stadium for FC Thun to replace the Lachen stadium was rejected by voters in 2006. The project was therefore financed by the company HRS. Following the signing of the contracts in 2007 and the rezoning of the planned building site in 2008, which was approved in a vote, construction began in spring 2010 and was completed in the summer of next year. The same applies to the Panorama-Center shopping center included in the project .

opening

On July 9, 2011, the Stockhorn Arena was inaugurated with a friendly match between FC Thun and 1. FC Köln . The Cologne team did their pre-season preparation in Austria, and before that they made a short stopover in the Bernese Oberland. The game played in front of 8,000 spectators ended in a 2-2 draw. Milivoje Novakovič from Cologne scored the first goal in the new stadium after just under five minutes. Dennis Hediger (72nd) and Milaim Rama (78th) scored the first goals for Thun . As part of an open day , visitors this weekend also got an insight into the stadium infrastructure.

Due to the great logistical challenge, it was decided not to combine the opening ceremony with a concert. This was made up for at the beginning of September. The well-known Swiss dialect rocker Gölä attracted 20,000 spectators to the first big show in the Stockhorn Arena. Other performers were Polo Hofer and Hanery Amman and the Thun blues musician Philipp Fankhauser . Last but not least, Florian Ast appeared as a guest musician with Gölä.

Surname

During the construction phase, the new FC Thun venue was named "Football Stadium Thun Süd", based on the nearby motorway exit. Even before the stadium was completed, those responsible for the arena tried to find a name sponsor. However, the amount of the required sum and the desire for a long-term commitment (at least 8-10 years) deterred potential buyers. Since the search was unsuccessful, the stadium was given the neutral name "Arena Thun".

In February 2014 Stockhornbahn AG acquired the naming rights to the FC Thun venue. The contract, which takes effect immediately, has a term until 2025. The contracting parties have agreed not to disclose the financial framework. The postponed christening and inauguration of the Stockhorn Arena took place during the league game against FC Aarau on the weekend of December 12th / 13th. April 2014.

Noise dispute

Because the permitted noise level was exceeded by two decibels , a dispute broke out between the stadium builders and some Thun citizens in the summer of 2012. FC Thun, as a party not directly involved, was restricted to a maximum of 6,000 visitors due to the dispute. The dispute has now been resolved and the restriction lifted.

In Switzerland, the German sports facility noise protection ordinance is used, in which 50 decibels are considered permissible (for comparison, an average lawnmower: 70 decibels). Measurements by the noise acoustics / laser technology department of the canton police showed that the value was just adhered to with 6000 spectators. However, if the stands are sold out, the value is exceeded by around two decibels. Because the Thun governor at the time only granted the stadium operators a provisional operating license when the arena was opened - including the requirement to implement additional noise protection measures should it be too loud - the HRS asked the HRS to close the gap between the stadium upper floor and the grandstand roof. The company did not follow this request on the grounds that most of the noise escaped through the roof.

When assessing noise pollution, the average spectator at FC Thun is also relevant. This was 4792 people in the 2010/11 season, 6100 in the following season and 5328 in 2012/13, which shows that the noise level would only have been exceeded in exceptional cases. Specifically: the only games in which the average attendance of FC Thun significantly exceeds the mark of 6,000 spectators, and a nearly sold-out stadium and thus the noise level is to be expected, are the derbies against the Bernese Youngboys (YB ). The stadium was sold out at the direct encounter on December 10, 2011, and 9118 spectators visited the arena for the game on May 13, 2012.

After FC Thun had already played two home games in the 2012/13 season without protests against the missing noise barriers , and the home game against the Young Boys was coming up (September 27, 2012), some Thuners obtained a super-provisional injunction (issued by the building, traffic and energy department), due to which no more than 6000 tickets for the Bern Derby could be sold. Because the Thun government governor subsequently failed to publish a revocation of the audience restrictions ordered by him and a project change regarding noise protection measures, the Justice, Community and Church Directorate (JGK) handed the dossier over to the government governor of Bern-Mittelland in March 2013 after the complainants Residents had made a rejection request. The restriction was lifted for the Europa League play-off game against Partizan Belgrade on August 29, 2013, as well as for the three home games in the group stage. On December 13, 2013, an agreement was finally reached in the noise dispute.

gallery

  • inside view

  • Exterior view (detail with logo, fan car and information board)

  • Detail view of the logo

  • Exterior view (detail with logo)

  • Exterior view (detail with logo)

  • panorama

panorama

and display information about the image
Exterior view of the Stockhorn Arena

Web links

Commons : Stockhorn Arena  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  • Arena Thun cooperative
  1. ↑ a b Arena Thun. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, archived from the original on September 21, 2013 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  2. ↑ The new stadium is called “Arena Thun”. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, March 17, 2011, archived from the original on November 20, 2011 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  3. ↑ Artificial turf in the new stadium in Thun. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, December 2, 2010, archived from the original on November 20, 2011 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  4. ↑ a b Foundation of Stadion Thun AG and search for CEO. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, February 6, 2010, archived from the original on September 21, 2013 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  5. ^ GV decides on a new name. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, July 25, 2012, archived from the original on September 21, 2013 ; accessed on February 26, 2014 (press release). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  6. ^ Founding of the Thun-Süd Stadium Cooperative. (No longer available online.) Gnfs.ch, archived from the original on April 4, 2012 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gnfs.ch
  • FC Thun AG / Arena Thun AG
  1. ↑ Directions. fcthun.ch, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  2. ↑ Events Stockhorn Arena. (No longer available online.) Arenathun.ch, archived from the original on March 2, 2014 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.arenathun.ch
  3. ^ Opening game FC Thun - FC Köln. fcthun.ch, July 10, 2011, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  4. ↑ The Thun arena is now called the Stockhorn Arena. (No longer available online.) Arena Thun AG, February 20, 2014, archived from the original on March 2, 2014 ; accessed on February 26, 2014 (press release). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.arenathun.ch
  • Media (print / online media, radio, TV)
  1. ↑ The field of FC Thun. (No longer available online.) Swiss television , March 6, 2011, archived from the original on March 3, 2014 ; accessed on February 26, 2014 (video report). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.srf.ch
  2. ↑ Fabian Ruch: Interview with Ilja Känzig. Berner Zeitung , December 31, 2010, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  3. ↑ Thun will soon be playing on artificial turf. (No longer available online.) In: blick.ch. Si sports information , December 2, 2010, archived from the original on December 6, 2010 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 .
  4. ↑ Main sponsor Migros leaves YB and joins Thun. (No longer available online.) Blick.ch, January 14, 2011, archived from the original on January 17, 2011 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 .
  5. ↑ Michael Gurtner: Migros gets into the stadium. In: Berner Zeitung . November 7, 2009, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  6. ↑ Roland Drenkelforth / Roger Probst: After the resignation of the board of directors, a long war of positions threatens. In: Berner Zeitung . December 23, 2011, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  7. ↑ Michael Gurtner: Strehl is the strong man of the new Stadion AG. Berner Zeitung , March 27, 2010, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  8. ↑ Michael Gurtner: The boards of directors of FC Thun and Arena are mixed up. Thuner Tagblatt , July 26, 2012, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  9. ↑ a b Alexander Wäfler: FC Thun wants to judge it itself. Berner Zeitung , March 7, 2013, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  10. ↑ a b c Alexander Wäfler: Struggle for power in the stadium. Berner Zeitung , October 24, 2008, accessed on February 26, 2011 .
  11. ↑ Alexander Wäfler: «Something does not match». Berner Zeitung , December 4, 2008, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  12. ↑ A statement and a compromise. blick.ch, October 28, 2008, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  13. ↑ Christian Zingg: The resurrection in the new stadium. SDA / Der Bund , July 6, 2011, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  14. ^ Michael Gurtner, Berner Zeitung : Events in the new Thun Süd stadium. January 15, 2011, accessed April 8, 2011 .
  15. ↑ David Oesch: The Büezer came sang and won. Berner Zeitung , September 5, 2011, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  16. ↑ Michael Gurtner: With Arena Thun into the future. Berner Zeitung , March 18, 2011, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  17. ↑ Michael Gurtner: The Thun stadium becomes the Stockhorn Arena. Berner Zeitung , February 21, 2014, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  18. ↑ Roger Probst / sgt / maz / tku: Gloomy prospect: Thun-YB in the half-empty stadium. In: blick.ch. Berner Zeitung , September 14, 2012, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  19. ↑ Marco Zysset: Much ado about the lack of noise protection. In: blick.ch. Berner Zeitung , September 15, 2012, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  20. ↑ Stefan Geissbühler: A maximum of 6,000 fans are allowed in the Thun Arena. Berner Zeitung , January 27, 2013, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  21. ↑ Stefan Geissbühler, Michael Gurtner: Bern takes over in the Thun noise dispute. Berner Zeitung , March 6, 2013, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  22. ↑ Gabriel Berger, Michael Gurtner: No audience restrictions in the Europa League. Berner Zeitung , September 4, 2013, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  23. ↑ Roger Probst: East facade is glazed - roof not. In: Berner Zeitung . December 14, 2013, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  • Various
  1. ^ SFV: Sports facility - Stockhorn Arena
  2. ^ City of Thun. (No longer available online.) Wanderland.ch, archived from the original on March 5, 2016 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.wanderland.ch
  3. ↑ a b c Omid Arami: Factsheet Arena Thun . HRS Real Estate AG, Bern 2011.
  4. ↑ population statistics. thun.ch, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  5. ↑ Gamesheet Switzerland-Liechtenstein U21. (No longer available online.) Transfermarkt.ch, archived from the original on March 2, 2014 ; Retrieved February 26, 2014 .
  6. ↑ Specialty shops & restaurants. panorama-center.ch, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  7. ^ Stadium Thun AG. moneyhouse.ch, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  8. ↑ Summer schedule FC Köln. fc-koeln.de, accessed on May 14, 2011 .
  9. ^ Opening of the Thun arena. eclipse-net.ch, July 9, 2011, accessed on February 26, 2014 .
  10. ↑ From the ticking of the clock to the jackhammer . In: Die Welt , August 14, 2004
  11. ↑ audience statistics . weltfussball.com, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  12. ↑ Game scheme December 10, 2011. weltfussball.com, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  13. ↑ Game scheme May 13, 2012. weltfussball.com, accessed February 26, 2014 .
  14. ^ Arena Thun: Agreement in the noise dispute. jgk.be.ch, December 13, 2013, accessed on February 26, 2014 (media release).