Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Fenerbahçe Saraçoğlu Stadyumu
nickname =


UEFA
location = Kadıköy, İstanbul, Turkey
broke_ground = 1907
opened = 1907
renovated = 1999 to 2006
closed = Open
demolished = N/A
owner = Fenerbahçe SK
operator =Fenerbahçe SK
surface = Grass
construction_cost = Unknown
architect = Zehra Aksu, Adnan Aksu
former_names = Silahtar Ağa Sahası
Papazın Çayırı
Union Club Sahası
İttihat Spor Sahası
Fenerbahçe Stadı (1933-1998)
tenants =
Fenerbahçe SK
seating_capacity =
50,509 [ [http://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageID=394&stadID=86 TFF Stadium Statistics] ]

Fenerbahçe Saracoğlu Stadium ( as /ʃycɾy saɾat͡ʃoɣɫu/ in Turkish) is a football stadium in the Kadıköy district of İstanbul, Turkey, and is the home venue of Fenerbahçe S.K.. It was inaugurated in 1908, renovated between 1999 and 2006 and currently increased in capacity. On October 4, 2006, after numerous inspections by the UEFA, Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was selected to host the 2009 UEFA Cup Final. [ [http://www.fenerbahce.org/eng/detay.asp?ContentID=718 Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium selected for 2009 UEFA Cup Final] ] Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium has gone through a complete rebuilding process which involved each stand being demolished and rebuilt in turn. Each stand has been built closer to the pitch, getting the fans closer to the action on the field. This style of stadium has never before existed in Turkey, as the stands are usually separated from the pitch by a running track.

The "Maraton" stands can hold up to 14,500 supporters. This tribune includes "Boxes" (or Lodges) which are rented out from the club on a yearly basis. These boxes are fully-equipped with TV’s, Internet, work and meeting areas, dining facilities and many other luxuries; as the first and most luxurious of their kind in Turkey. Facing Maraton tribune, is the "Fenerium" tribune (named after the official fan-shop chain of Fenerbahçe) with its 15,000 seating capacity and the luxurious "1907" zone. There also are equally luxuries boxes and lodges here. Apart from the boxes section of this tribune, every single seating has an LCD monitor on the behind of the chairs, for every supporter to follow the game from the live coverage and catch the replays. With each remaining tribunes at the behind of each goal, namely "Migros" and "Telsim" (named after the sponsors of the each tribune's construction projects), each having a total of 10,500 seats, the total official capacity of the stadium is 50,509. [ [http://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageID=394&stadID=86 TFF Stadium Statistics] ]

History

Before Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadyumu was built, the field was known as "Papazın Çayırı". The field however, became the very first football pitch of Turkey, where the first league games of Istanbul Football League were all held successively. In 1908, local teams of the league needed a regular soccer field, so this land was leased from the Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II for 30 Ottoman gold pounds a year. The total construction cost was 3,000 Ottoman gold pounds. The name was changed to the "Union Club Field" after the club who made the highest donation for the construction.

The "Union Club Field" was used by many teams in İstanbul, including the owner, Union Club (which changed its name to "İttihatspor" after World War I), Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş. However, it had lost its importance when a bigger venue, the "Taksim Stadium", was built in 1922, inside the courtyard of the historic "Taksim Topçu Kışlası" (Taksim Artillery Barracks), which was located at the present-day Taksim Gezi Parkı (Taksim Park).

In 1929, the club which owned the stadium, İttihatspor, was shut down by the CHP government, in which Şükrü Saracoğlu was a member. Thus, the ownership of the stadium passed to the state, but the field was immediately leased to Fenerbahçe. Later, in 1933, Fenerbahçe purchased the stadium from the government for 9,000 TL; when Şükrü Saracoğlu was the President of Fenerbahçe. [ [http://www.fenerbahce.org/kurumsaldetay.asp?ContentID=25 Fenerbahçe Official Web Site - Club History] ]

The name of the field was changed to Fenerbahçe Stadium, and this made Fenerbahçe SK the first football club in Turkey to own its stadium, with the help of the Şükrü Saracoğlu government. In the following years, Fenerbahçe SK renovated the stadium and increased its seating capacity. By the year 1949, Fenerbahçe Stadium was the largest football venue in Turkey, with a seating capacity of 25,000.

The name of the stadium was changed once more in 1998, becoming Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, named after Fenerbahce's legendary chairman and Turkey's 6th Prime Minister Şükrü Saracoğlu. In 1999, the latest round of renovations and capacity increasing projects started. The tribunes on the four corners of the stadium were torn down one at a time, as the Turkish Super League seasons progressed, and the entire renewal and construction project was finalised in 2006, with the immense efforts of the Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım and the team's board of directors. Since the completion of the enlargement and renewal works in 2006, the stadium is now the most attractive, effective and advanced stadium of Turkey.

Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium is one of the two stadiums of Turkey which fulfilled the 5-star criteria of UEFA. It is continuing to be the only Turkish stadium with 5-stars, which belongs to a specific club.

For 2008-2009 season, over 28.000 seasons ticket sold by the date of 14.Jun.2008 ( 2 months before the start of season )

New Project

Proposed design of the stadium Depending on Aziz Yıldırım statements; it was planning to redound capacity of stadium up to 60.000 seats (by adding new seats and lodges to Telsim and Migros)and having the top of the stadium closed. But it is hunged up because of the UEFA 2009 Final Match in Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium. Now it is planning to finished by the year 2010.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.sukrusaracoglu.net/ Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40+59+15.46+N+29+02+12.49+E&ie=UTF8&ll=40.987714,29.036865&spn=0.003418,0.010729&t=k&om=1 Satellite Photo of Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium]
* [http://www.fenerbahce.org/stadyum/eng/index.asp Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium Official Website]
* [http://www.fenerbahce.org/stadgezi/ Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium's interior view from all seats]