Korea takes pride in having built some of the best soccer stadiums in the world. Ten brand new arenas were constructed for the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted with Japan, and all drew praise from the myriad of visitors that enjoyed the tournament.
Ten years on, however, and it is clear that just because a stadium is fit for one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious sporting events, it does not mean it is the ideal home for a K-League team.
Last season, all 10 World Cup stadiums were occupied by K-League teams, but in the 2012 season, that figure will be reduced to nine as one club moves to a smaller stadium that is, in theory at least, more suited to its needs.
Sungui Arena Park
Incheon United last weekend hosted a match at Sungui Arena Park, located in the old town area of the port city 40 kilometers west of Seoul. The compact soccer-only arena has a capacity of just over 20,000, in stark contrast to the 52,000-capacity Munhak Stadium, home to the team since it was formed in 2004. Munhak was where Park Ji-sung scored his famous goal against Portugal in 2002 but, since then, the sight of seats filled with fans has been rare. Incheon’s average attendance over its years in the cavernous arena has dwindled to below 10,000.
“There was nothing wrong with the stadium as such. It was built for the World Cup and is a modern and well-designed stadium,” said the team’s marketing manager Lee Jong-min. “For Incheon United, however, it was on the big side. The new stadium has been built just for soccer and we hope that it will be much easier for the fans to build a good atmosphere.”
Signs are that the move has excited fans of the club, which is looking forward to a ninth season in the K-League. Anticipation in the city with a population of around 2.5 million is rising, according to Lee. “People have been coming to take pictures of the construction work since it started. Away fans are also looking forward to visiting. There is a lot of interest all around,” he said.
One feature of most large stadiums in Korea that is disliked by soccer fans is an athletic track. Most fans feel the track separates them from the action on the field. In many of the most popular soccer leagues in the world, especially the English Premier League, there is very little space between the supporters and the players on the field, making for an exciting atmosphere. Sungui Arena Park does not have an athletic track.
Incheon United was lucky because of the club’s long and excellent relationship with the city. The metropolitan government owned land that, in the 1930s, was home to sports stadiums in the old downtown area. The city gave part of this land to Hyundai Construction on the proviso the company build a soccer stadium as well as apartments. The downturn in the real estate market caused a postponement in constructing the apartments but, after some complications, the stadium was eventually finished last year.
Kwon Sung-jin, the deputy general manager of the K-League, believes the move is an important one, both in practical and symbolic terms for both club and league. “I think that Incheon will certainly see a growth in the number of spectators this season but it depends on the time after that,” Kwon said. “A new stadium offers new opportunities and new challenges but they have to be handled well. We won’t be able to see if the move is a success for some time but we all hope that it goes well.”
Kwon acknowledges that more soccer-specific stadiums are desirable but explains the practical reasons behind the addition of running tracks. “It is a result of the fact that stadiums in Korea belong to local governments and they want to ensure that a number of sports are available in one location.”
Lee is happy to recommend such a move to other K-League clubs. Teams such as Daegu FC, Gwangju FC, Busan I’Park and Daejeon Citizen struggle to fill even 20 percent of seats in the colossal World Cup stadiums in those cities. All will be watching the Incheon experiment.
It remains to be seen what happens to Munhak Stadium. The 10 arenas built for the 2002 tournament have not all been successful. Seoul World Cup Stadium is a model and makes a healthy profit of around 12 billion won ($11 million) per year. Of the provincial cities, Gwangju makes around a third of that while Jeonju and Suwon stay just in the black. The other six stadiums all operate at a loss.
Lee Yong-san, the chairman of Seoul Stadium Management Corporation, puts the success of Seoul World Cup Stadium down to meticulous planning that took account of the industries and businesses close by. “As soon as the World Cup finished, the Seoul City quickly remodeled the facilities on offer to open a cinema complex, a sauna and wedding convention hall,” he said. There is also a 24-hour giant supermarket on site.
In the end, though, only Incheon United and its fans will be able to judge how successful the team’s move is, as Lee Jong-min explains. “It feels like a second beginning for us and there is a good feeling and optimism for the future. Now we just want to get started.”
It didn’t start too well for the club in its new home as Suwon Bluewings won 2-0 in the March 11 game, but it really is just the beginning for Incheon United. (Yonhap)
source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr
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