Post by Salem6 on Nov 4, 2003 18:20:18 GMT
TURIN, Italy (AP) -- Television images of rows upon rows of empty seats at Juventus home games are destined to disappear, the team hopes, under a stadium renovation plan revealed by a senior club official Tuesday.
Juventus CEO Antonio Giraudo said a renovated Stadio Delle Alpi "will have a maximum capacity of 41,000 seats."
In July, Juventus signed a 99-year lease with the city of Turin to control the grounds where Delle Alpi stands and refurbish the existing 70,000 facility by reducing capacity and creating a new commercial area with shopping and restaurants.
Construction, which will include removing the athletic track surrounding the field, is scheduled to begin in May or June after the current soccer season has finished.
"A bigger capacity wouldn't make sense," Giraudo said at a meeting of the club's board of directors, citing such factors as Juve's declining number of season-ticket holders and the increasing number of fans following matches on pay TV.
Giraudo said Juventus sold 28,500 passes for this season, compared to 33,000 last season. Juventus has won the Italian league the last two seasons and 27 times overall, more than any other club.
While Juventus is one of the most popular clubs in Italy and throughout Europe, most of its fans live outside Turin.
Torino, which was relegated to Serie B for this season, plans to eventually move into the 35,000-seat Stadio Comunale, which is being renovated for the Turin 2006 Olympics.
Both Juventus and Torino will continue to play at Dell Alpi while it is being renovated.
Also Tuesday, Juventus confirmed the resignation of Saadi Gadhafi from its board. The move had been announced earlier this month.
The son of the Libyan leader was forced to cut his ties with Juventus so he could play for fellow Serie A club Perugia. Although after signing with Perugia in the offseason, Gadhafi is yet to appear in an official match.
Source:-
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/soccer/10/28/bc.eu.spt.soc.juventus.stadium.ap/
Juventus CEO Antonio Giraudo said a renovated Stadio Delle Alpi "will have a maximum capacity of 41,000 seats."
In July, Juventus signed a 99-year lease with the city of Turin to control the grounds where Delle Alpi stands and refurbish the existing 70,000 facility by reducing capacity and creating a new commercial area with shopping and restaurants.
Construction, which will include removing the athletic track surrounding the field, is scheduled to begin in May or June after the current soccer season has finished.
"A bigger capacity wouldn't make sense," Giraudo said at a meeting of the club's board of directors, citing such factors as Juve's declining number of season-ticket holders and the increasing number of fans following matches on pay TV.
Giraudo said Juventus sold 28,500 passes for this season, compared to 33,000 last season. Juventus has won the Italian league the last two seasons and 27 times overall, more than any other club.
While Juventus is one of the most popular clubs in Italy and throughout Europe, most of its fans live outside Turin.
Torino, which was relegated to Serie B for this season, plans to eventually move into the 35,000-seat Stadio Comunale, which is being renovated for the Turin 2006 Olympics.
Both Juventus and Torino will continue to play at Dell Alpi while it is being renovated.
Also Tuesday, Juventus confirmed the resignation of Saadi Gadhafi from its board. The move had been announced earlier this month.
The son of the Libyan leader was forced to cut his ties with Juventus so he could play for fellow Serie A club Perugia. Although after signing with Perugia in the offseason, Gadhafi is yet to appear in an official match.
Source:-
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/soccer/10/28/bc.eu.spt.soc.juventus.stadium.ap/