Cheap and cheerful (Frankenstadion (Nuremberg))

Member Name: Belgian999

Product:	Frankenstadion (Nuremberg)
Date:	11/12/01 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fully covered, cheap tickets, good atmosphere

Disadvantages: Running track means the pitch looks miles away

Nuremberg regained their place in the top flight of German football this season, and I recently travelled down to this famous town to catch a Bundesliga game against Schalke 04. The Frankenstadion has improved hugely in recent years, and when the stadium is full it can be one of the most atmospheric venues in the league. Nuremberg are one of the oldest and most famous of Germany’s football clubs, and their nickname is simply ‘The Club’, which gives something of an idea of the respect they engender.

There is a special relationship, a ‘Fanfreundschaft’, between the supporters of Nuremberg and Schalke, which certainly contributed to the great atmosphere inside the ground. Fixtures between the two clubs are always eagerly awaited as a large crowd and plenty of noise are guaranteed – and this year’s match did not disappoint. Before kick-off, fans of both teams paraded huge flags sporting club crests and colours around the pitch perimeter, flares were let off and chants echoed around the stadium. As the teams took the field, the entire home end, seats and terrace alike, held aloft pieces of coloured card to form a massive mural that read ‘FCN+S04’, with both teams’ colours beneath. Spectacular stuff, and probably the best atmosphere I’ve experienced at a Bundesliga game in the past 2 years!

The ground itself is fully covered (which is still something of a rarity for German stadia) and has a pretty impressive capacity of nearly 45000, including room for 9000 standing spectators on the end terraces. The only problem (and a familiar gripe of mine) is that the pitch is surrounded by a running track, which is double width in front of the main stand. I cannot abide this arrangement, as it means that most of the spectators seem to be a huge distance from the action, but for once it did not have too detrimental an effect on the atmosphere.

The ground is fully enclosed, with two tier stand
s on all four sides and the corners filled in – although it is easy to see that this was not done in one go as the roofs of the stands are constructed quite oddly, with a short section angled upwards and translucent panelling tacked onto the front and angled down to cover the forward seats. The top rows of the corner stands are also slightly lower than those in the ends and the main stand, but the filled corners do help to keep the noise generated by the crowd from dissipating. The terraces are on the lower tier at each end, meaning that the chants and songs echo around under a low roof, to great effect! The home fans take the whole of the Nordtribüne, while visiting supporters are placed at the opposite end – this match was probably an exception, but Schalke filled the away end and the atmosphere in their sections was excellent, helped no doubt by the 3-0 win!

The stadium is situated on the southern side of the city and is extremely easy to get to as well – Nuremberg (Nürnberg) is easily reached from all parts of Germany by train and by road. The A3, A6, A9 and A73 motorways converge there, and the stadium is clearly signposted from all exits. One strange point to mention is that it is right next to the old Reichsparteitagsgelände, the huge parade ground used by the Nazi party for their political rallies in the 1930s. Car parking is plentiful within walking distance of the ground, but it is a little strange to wander through the woods and pass areas of concrete terracing that were laid 70 years ago for NSDAP members to stand on as the troops marched past.

There are plenty of food and drink stalls selling goods at reasonable prices all along the stadium concourse, and in common with most German clubs, ticket prices in Nuremberg are extremely cheap (at least in comparison to the Premier League). Terrace tickets cost just 17DM (with reductions for students, the unemployed, and children up to 13), while the most expensive seats in th
e main stand will set you back 80DM, which is about 25 quid at current exchange rates. All in all, I can’t find anything to complain about with my trip to the Frankenstadion, as it is easy to get to, cheap to get in, there is cover on all four sides and the atmosphere was excellent – what more can you ask for?

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