Keepmoat Stadium

Keepmoat Stadium
Black Bank, The Moat
Full name	Keepmoat Stadium
Location	Stadium Way, Lakeside, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England DN4 5JW
Coordinates	53°30′35″N 1°6′50″W / 53.50972°N 1.11389°W / 53.50972; -1.11389Coordinates: 53°30′35″N 1°6′50″W / 53.50972°N 1.11389°W / 53.50972; -1.11389
Built	2006
Opened	Official Opening: 3 August 2007
Owner	Doncaster Council
Capacity	15,231 (Can be extended to 25,000)
Tenants
Doncaster Rovers (2007–present) Doncaster RLFC (2007–present) Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. (2007–present)

Stadium seating area layout

Keepmoat Stadium at night

Stadium during a match

Keepmoat Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doncaster, England, with a capacity of 15,231. It cost approximately £32 million to construct and mainly used by Doncaster Rovers Football Club, but is also used by Doncaster Rugby League Club and Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies Football Club.^[1]

It held its first sporting fixture on 27 December 2006, with the rugby league match between Doncaster and Sheffield Eagles.

The official opening of the Keepmoat Stadium was on 3 August 2007, with Doncaster Rovers playing a Manchester United XI in front of a crowd of 13,080. United won the game 2–0.^[2]
At the Stadium Business Awards 2010 the stadium received the award for the Best Matchday Experience.

Facilities

The stadium itself is sponsored under a long-term contract by Keepmoat, a company specialising in council housing. They have the rights to the naming of the stadium.^[3]

Stands

The main Stadium consists of 4 main stands. These are as follows: -

East Stand

The East Stand is currently sponsored by "Success Doncaster". The area of the East Stand towards the South East corner is the Families area and is known as the Doncaster Free Press Families Stand.

West Stand

This is the main Match Day Reception Area and is now sponsored by KAT Communications.

South Stand

The South Stand is currently sponsored by "Polypipe". For Doncaster Rovers matches this is the stand which could be described in football terms as the 'Kop' where the team Drum and Brass band are located.

North Stand

The North Stand is currently sponsored by "Case Construction". The North stand area closest to the East Stand is the usual location of visiting fans. Depending on the numbers of visitors, the availability of seats in this area are expanded Westwards to meet demand.

Capacity

The all-seater stadium holds 15,231 spectators,^[4] 5,000 more than Belle Vue, with improved legroom and disabled access.^[5] Amongst the facilities in the new stadium is a new fans' bar, created to ensure fans have a place where they can enjoy pre-match drinks.

The pitch itself incorporates a system of synthetic fibres interwoven with natural grass.^[6] This helps to maintain the pitch's integrity and prevents the playing surface from deteriorating throughout the course of the season. The pitch however does not have an under-soil heating system in-place despite being a modern construction.^[7] This has resulted in the postponment of a match within the first year of full operation.^[7]

Adjoining sports complex facilities and stadia

A mini-stadium is situated beside the main stadium, featuring a six-lane running track and a 500 seat stand. The mini stadium is used by Doncaster Rovers Belles, Doncaster Rovers reserves, Doncaster Athletics Club, Doncaster RLFC's academy team, and the Doncaster Mustangs American football team.

With these facilities in place, the Keepmoat has been picked as a potential training venue for athletes training in athletics for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.^[8]

Football

The first game played by Doncaster Rovers in the new stadium was on 1 January 2007 against Huddersfield Town, whom they beat 3–0.^[9] The game also saw the first three red cards in the new stadium.^[10] Doncaster Rovers' centre forward Mark McCammon was the first player ever to score on the new pitch.

Doncaster's first loss at the stadium came 5 days later at the hands of Bolton Wanderers when they defeated the Rovers 4–0 in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup.^[11]

On 14 January 2007, Doncaster Rovers Belles' first match in the main stadium resulted in a 5–2 defeat to Leeds United, before a crowd of 1,797.^[12] Vicky Exley was the first Belle to score on the new pitch.^[13]

The highest ever attendance at the Keepmoat stadium was 15,001 for the visit of Leeds United.^[14] The Rovers also achieved attendances of over 14,800 at the Keepmoat Stadium in games against Sheffield Wednesday F.C and Newcastle United F.C

Rugby League

The opening game played by Doncaster in the new stadium was against Sheffield Eagles, to whom they lost 16–10 in front of 5,400 spectators. Sheffield Eagles (and former Dons') Richard Newlove was the first player to score try at the new stadium.^[15]

On Sunday 27 July 2008 the stadium hosted a semi-final of the Rugby League Challenge Cup between Hull and Wakefield Trinity. Hull beat Trinity 32–24.

The stadium hosted the opening match of the 2009 Gillette 4 Nations on Friday 23 October between co-hosts England and France attracting a crowd of 11,529.

The stadium hosted a semi-final of the Rugby League Challenge Cup between Castleford and Leeds on Sunday 7 August 2011 at 15:15.

Other events

There has also been a variety of other events held in the Keepmoat Stadium, including two concerts in July 2007 featuring Ronan Keating, Bryan Adams and McFly. In July 2008 there was also a show by Elton John and his band. In September 2008, the stadium was used to host the BAFL (British American Football League) finals known as "Britbowl".^[16] In mid June 2009 opened its facilities to accommodate corporate events and private functions, the first of which being the marriage reception of Wesley and Claire Vaughan, June 2009.

In November 2010, darts superstar Dennis Priestley held a darts exhibition at the Keepmoat Stadium

See also

• Belle Vue, Doncaster Rovers' former home.

References

1. ^ ""Keepmoat Stadium" new name for centre-piece of £32million Lakeside Sports Complex". Stadium Management Company, Doncaster. 2006-11-20. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. http://web.archive.org/web/20071008040303/http://www.smc-doncaster.co.uk/press/091106.html. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
2. ^ "A taste of things to come". Doncaster Today. 2007-08-09. http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/rovers?articleid=3101104. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
3. ^ "Doncaster announce stadium name". BBC South Yorkshire. 2006-11-21. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/6170858.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-17. 
4. ^ "Doncaster Rovers – Keepmoat Stadium". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2007-06-27. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/aroundthegrounds?articleid=2984467. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
5. ^ "Doncaster Rovers". National Association of Disabled Supporters. http://www.nads.org.uk/?page=89. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
6. ^ "Feature: Media Information Architecture Week Yorkshire". Architecture Week. http://www.architectureweek.org.uk/feature.asp?FeatureID=49. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "United 'left in the dark' by Rovers". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2008-02-16. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/leedsunited/United-39left-in-the-dark39.3785953.jp. Retrieved 2008-02-17. 
8. ^ "Olympic training venues – Yorkshire". BBC Sport. 2008-08-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/7275084.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 
9. ^ "First day at Keepmoat". BBC South Yorkshire. http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/image_galleries/doncaster_rovers_keepmoat_john_ennis_gallery.shtml?3. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
10. ^ "Doncaster vs Huddersfield". Huddersfield Town Official Website. 2007-01-01. http://www.htafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10312~32925,00.html. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
11. ^ "Doncaster Rovers Match Report – Doncaster Rovers 0 – Bolton Wanderers 4". Doncaster Rovers Official Website. 2007-01-06. http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10329~36472,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-10. 
12. ^ Tony Leighton (2007-01-15). "Belles ring changes at new home". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/jan/15/womensfootball.sport. Retrieved 2010-11-15. 
13. ^ Tony Leighton (2007-01-14). "Leeds deny Donny on stadium debut". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/6261375.stm. Retrieved 2011-08-02. 
14. ^ "Doncaster Vs Leeds united". Doncaster Rovers Official Website. 2008-04-01. http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10329~38664,00.html. 
15. ^ "Eagles spoil Dons' opener at Keepmoat". Doncaster Today. 2006-12-28. http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/doncaster-star-sport?articleid=1947571. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
16. ^ http://www.bafl.org.uk/artman2/publish/BritBowl_46/index.asp

External links

• Official site
• Stadium events