Stadio Olimpico: The New Home of Italian Rugby

LeeroyJones

For the time being anyway, Italy will play their home fixtures in the Stadio Olimpico

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/rugby/wires/07/12/2080.ap.rgu.italy.stadio.olimpico.0073/



Shame to see the atmospheric Stadio Flaminio go, the running track at the Olimpico will make the atmosphere difficult to replicate. However, it is good to see the game develop in Italy to the level where a 75,000 stadium is required!

Blut2

Hopefully the tickets will be priced very reasonably for the new stadium - itd be an awful shame to have another Edinburgh-in-Murrayfield situation develop. Big empty stadiums have an awful habit of killing the atmosphere.

ambid

Blut2 wrote: »

Hopefully the tickets will be priced very reasonably for the new stadium - itd be an awful shame to have another Edinburgh-in-Murrayfield situation develop. Big empty stadiums have an awful habit of killing the atmosphere.

At the risk of heresy, it's the same with Croke Park tbh. I was there for an All Ireland semi a couple of years aho which had a 40,000 attendance in an 82,000 stadium. Awful atmosphere.

rockman15

the problem in italy is the vast majority of rugby fans are located in the northern end of the country. getting to rome is a serious pain in the ass. 7 hours by train from milan. Why they just wont let them have a division 2 soccer stadium i have no idea. The Stadio Olimpico is just that as it is! Doubt they will see it at max capacity.

the FIR have a great grassroots network though, which is primarily club driven, unlike UK and Ireland. Hopefully this will translate in a decade and the crowds will fill out.

thomond2006

It's a shame they can't use the San Siro.

Stev_o

Ireland offically has the smallest stadium capacity in the Six Nations now =/