JJB Stadium
Encyclopedia
The DW Stadium is a sports stadium in Wigan
, Greater Manchester
, England, that is home to Wigan Athletic
football club and Wigan Warriors
rugby league
club.
Built and opened in 1999, it is named after its main sponsor, DW Sports Fitness, and managed by the independent Wigan Football Company Limited.
Its current capacity is 25,138—seated in four single-tier stands—and its record attendance was in 2008 when 25,133 people watched Manchester United
play Wigan Athletic in the title-deciding match of the 2007–08 Premier League
season.
and completed in August 1999. Wigan Athletic had spent the previous 67 years playing at Springfield Park
, and their first match at the stadium was a friendly against Morecambe
, just before the stadium's official opening.
The stadium's inauguration was marked with a friendly between Wigan Athletic and neighbours Manchester United
, who were then reigning European Champions
, Premier League title and FA Cup
holders, with United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson
officially opening the stadium.
The first competitive football match there took place on 7 August 1999, with Wigan Athletic facing Scunthorpe United
in a Division Two match. Simon Haworth
scored twice, including the first competitive goal at the new stadium, as Athletic triumphed 3–0.
The first away team to win a competitive football match at the stadium was Wigan Athletic. A first round FA Cup
tie against non-league Cambridge City
was played there due to City's ground being deemed unsuitable to host the tie. Wigan played in their changed strip and used the away dressing room since it was technically a 'home' game for Cambridge City. A Stuart Barlow
brace secured the win for Wigan.
Wigan Warriors
moved to the stadium a month after it opened, once they had played their final home game of the 1999 regular season at Central Park
. After their former ground was sold, the possibility of ground sharing with Bolton Wanderers F.C.
at the modern Reebok Stadium
was presented, however, the new stadium in Wigan was chosen instead. Their first game at the stadium was a play-off match against Castleford Tigers
, which they lost, on 19 September. Wigan did not lose a competitive match at the stadium in 2001.
Whilst the Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic flourished in the new stadium (Wigan Athletic in particular would achieve significant success, rising up the English football pyramid
to the Premier League by 2005), the fortunes of Orrell R.U.F.C.
could not have been more different. Dave Whelan and Maurice Lindsay
decided to invest heavily in the club, with the aim of having the club play in rugby union's Guinness Premiership
at the then-JJB Stadium. After failing to win 2004's National Division Two, Whelan pulled a large amount of investment from the club, to a more modest GB£
30,000 a year. This was the beginning of Orrell's demise, as players left during the summer of that year and the club were consequently relegated the season after. Ownership eventually passed from Lindsay back to the club's members, but by this point, Orrell had sold their former Edge Hall Road
ground to Dave Whelan's company, Whelco Holdings, and therefore had no assets apart from their rebuilt clubhouse following a fire in 2002. Orrell never settled at the JJB Stadium, and were eventually de-professionalised at the end of the 2006–07 season.
On 7 March 2005 Greater Manchester
police announced that they would stop policing Wigan Athletic matches at the stadium from 2 April. This move would almost certainly have resulted in the stadium's safety certificate being revoked, effectively forcing the team to play behind closed doors. The move was part of an ongoing dispute between the police force and Dave Whelan surrounding GB£300,000 in unpaid policing costs. The police's decision would not have affected Wigan Warriors, whose games are stewarded instead of policed. The situation was temporarily resolved on 8 March with both sides reaching an agreement that would allow Athletic to play at the ground until the end of the season. Four months later, Wigan Athletic, facing the prospect of playing their home games in the Premier League in an empty stadium, grudgingly paid the money they owed to the police. The club successfully appealed against the payments in court and won damages from the police.
On 10 November 2007 JJB Stadium was the venue for the last ever game of the Great Britain national rugby league team
, a 28 - 22 victory over New Zealand
.
On 7 September 2008, Wigan Warriors revealed plans to take their Super League
Play-Off against Bradford Bulls
to a neutral venue. The controversial relocation was forced due to a fixture clash, with a match between football clubs Wigan Athletic and Sunderland to take place less than 24 hours after the Super League match. Whelan, who controlled Wigan Athletic, refused permission for the Warriors to stage their elimination at the stadium, citing concerns over the playing surface. The game was relocated to Widnes Vikings
home ground, the Stobart Stadium
. In the same season, JJB Sports announced they would not continue to sponsor the Wigan Warriors, leaving them without a main shirt sponsor.
The stadium's average attendance has increased significantly since its opening in 1999. The Wigan Warriors' average attendance has increased by 32.5% from its first full season at the stadium in 2000, and Wigan Athletic's average attendance has increased by 181.2% from the 2000–01 season. The highest recorded attendance for a rugby league match is shared between three fixtures; the Wigan Warriors' fixture against St Helens RLFC on 25 March 2005; Game 4 of the 2005 Tri-Nations series between Great Britain
and Australia on 6 November; and Game 5 of the 2004 Tri-Nations series between Great Britain and Australia on 13 November at 25,004 each. The highest recorded football attendance at the stadium was Wigan Athletic's home fixture against Manchester United on 11 May 2008—the final day of the 2007–08 Premier League season
—with 25,133 fans attending. This is the stadium's highest recorded overall attendance to date, and was the match where Manchester United were crowned Premier League champions for that season.
In March 2009, Dave Whelan acquired a chain of fitness clubs from JJB Sports
. In the process, Whelan used the business to set up a new venture, DWSportsfitness and announced that the stadium name would change to the DW Stadium in August. Whelan also announced that at the same time the stadium was renamed, its ownership would pass from himself to Wigan Athletic. Concerns about the future of the Wigan Warriors were arrested in the same announcement, as Whelan extended the lease on the stadium by 50 years for the rugby league team. Before Wigan Warriors' match against Leeds Rhinos
in July 2009, both clubs were given the opportunity to rename one stand, with the intention of renaming them in honour to a recognised player from each club's history. The rugby league club were granted the East Stand, which they renamed 'The Boston Stand' in tribute to the Welsh winger Billy Boston
, As Wigan Athletic had spent many years in the lower leagues it was recognised that most of their players were not known at national level, so the West Stand was renamed 'The Springfield Stand' after the club's former ground.
The stadium design is based on cantilevered, prefabricated steel roof and terrace structuring. It is an all-seater arena with a seating capacity
of 24,826. The stands are rectangular and both the northern and southern stands have supporting steel girders suspended from beneath the roof. The four stands are of approximately the same height, however the stadium is not totally enclosed, leaving four exposed corners.
At both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors matches, away supporters are situated in the North Stand behind the goal. Occasionally, during games which attract low away support, the 5,418 capacity North Stand is closed altogether, and the away fans who attend are put into an alternative stand. The eastern stand, known as 'The Boston Stand', and the western 'Springfield Stand' run across the longer sides of the pitch. The Boston Stand is the largest, capable of seating up to 8,238 fans and holding an electronic scoreboard. The Springfield Stand contains the stadium's vital facilities; four dressing rooms, benches, a doping control room and a treatment room for the players, as well as four executive boxes, ten radio commentary points and a designated TV studio, in addition to holding 6,100 fans. The North Stand and South Stand have a seating capacity of 5,418 and 5,412 respectively. The stadium also has facilities and access for up to 278 fans with disabilities, with facilities for partially-sighted fans. The seats are a mixture of both resident teams' main colours—red and blue. The stadium is fully compliant with safety guidelines for a sports ground.
The pitch is large enough to conform with both FIFA
and the standard rugby league requirements, at 110 by 60 m (120.3 by 65.6 yd). This leaves an in-goal area just 5 metres (5.5 yd) deep for rugby matches. It is mostly made of natural grass, with 2% of the pitch composed of synthetics to provide stability. The ground has irrigation, and an under-heating system to resist icy weather.
moved from Central Park
to the stadium in 1999 after the end of Super League IV
's regular season. Since moving to the new stadium, Wigan Warriors' success in rugby league
has not been as high as it was at their old Central Park ground, however the good times do seem to be back for the club after they won the Super League Grand Final
and League Leaders shield in 2010 under the guidance of coach Michael Maguire
and chairman Ian Lenagan
.
Attendances have generally risen for the Wigan Warriors since the start of the 2002 season, averaging around 14,000 over the three seasons from 2006 to 2009. Aside from Grand Finals, the largest Super League attendance was recorded at the stadium in 2005 when Wigan Warriors played their local rivals, St Helens RLFC.
This match is also the highest home attendance in the Wigan Warriors' history at the stadium. The twenty thousand mark has been broken ten times since moving to the new stadium in 1999—eight times against St Helens RLFC, once against local rivals Warrington Wolves
in the opening round of the 2008 Super League XIII
season, and once in July 2009 against the Leeds Rhinos
following a campaign advertising the game as the 'Big One'. In 2010, the Warriors were officially the biggest supported team in the Super League.
success has improved considerably since their move to the stadium from Springfield Park
in 1999. Since 2000, Wigan Athletic have climbed up two divisions and now play in the Premier League.
Rising success on the pitch has been met with increased attendances. Promotion into the Premier League meant that in their first season of English top-flight football, Wigan Athletic's average home attendance almost doubled from the season before. Over three times more fans attended matches at the stadium during Wigan's 2007–08 season in the Premier League than had attended in the 2001–02 season when Wigan Athletic were in the Football League Second Division. Wigan Athletic's average home attendance for 2007–08 was the lowest out of all 20 teams in the Premier League, failing to make the top 30 English clubs in terms of attendance. The same season saw the highest ever attendance at the stadium, when 25,133 people witnessed Wigan play Manchester United
on the final day of the season.
Wigan Athletic's average attendance was again the lowest in the league for the Premier League 2008–09
season. Premier League attendances fell on average by around 426 per club during the 2008–09 season. Wigan Athletic's home attendance fell by more than this, with their average attendance for the 2008–09 season falling by 633 from the season before. The highest attendance at the stadium for this season was a match between Wigan Athletic and Arsenal F.C., in which 22,954 people were counted. This attendance was 2,357 fans lower than the highest attendance in the season before.
As well as the fixtures for the two domestic teams, the stadium is a venue for international rugby league. Since the stadium's construction in 1999, it has been an ever-present venue whenever the Rugby League Tri-Nations
series has been played in England. Its first involvement came during the 2004 series
, where the home Great Britain and Ireland national team
defeated the Australians
24–12, with Terry Newton
and Andy Farrell both scoring in their home town of Wigan. The venue was again selected for the 2005 series
, and again the match was between Great Britain and Australia—this time the home team lost 6–20—with Greater Manchester
born Adrian Morley
scoring Great Britain's solitary try. Both matches were complete sell-outs, each having attendances above 25,000. The match in 2004 was the third highest attendance of the series, coming behind a match at the City of Manchester Stadium
between Great Britain and Australia, and the series final between the same two teams at Elland Road
.
In addition to the Tri-Nations, the stadium has also played host to visiting nations during their European tours. Australia played Great Britain in front of a sell-out crowd during the 2001 Kangaroo Tour
, with the home side losing 8–28. Australia narrowly defeated Great Britain again in 2003 at the stadium, winning by a margin of four points during their 2003 European Tour
. New Zealand
have also played at the stadium during their tours. In 2002, a try scored in his home town by Martin Gleeson
helped Great Britain to defeat the 'Kiwis' 16–10. The visitors lost again during their 2007 tour, this time 28–22 in a closely fought game in which Wigan-born second-rower Sean O'Loughlin
featured.
The stadium is yet to host a Rugby League World Cup
fixture, even though the event in 2000
was hosted by other English venues including Barrow Raiders
' New Craven Park
, St Helens RLFC's Knowsley Road
and Leeds Rhinos
' Headingley Stadium
. The stadium has hosted the World Club Challenge
twice, in 2000
, between St Helens and the Melbourne Storm
and in 2011
when Wigan
took on St. George Illawarra Dragons.
, west of the Miry Lane industrial estate. The stadium's car parks are situated around the canal, and can hold up to 2,500 cars.
Next to the stadium's South Stand lies the Robin Park Arena, which is operated by Wigan Sports Development Unit and is capable of seating 1,000 spectators. The arena is mainly used for athletics, as well as functions for: North West Counties Football League
side Wigan Robin Park, and Wigan Athletic Reserves. The arena was formerly used by the Wigan Warriors' junior academy, before they moved to Edge Hall Road
to join the reserve side. Robin Park Sports Centre is situated directly opposite the Stadium and Arena.
The main road serving the complex is the A49, running west-bound 750 metres (820.2 yd) south of the stadium. Both of Wigan's train stations, Wigan Wallgate
and Wigan North Western
lie 1.3–1.6 km (0.807784557644749–0.994196378639691 mi) east of the stadium.
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England, that is home to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
football club and Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club.
Built and opened in 1999, it is named after its main sponsor, DW Sports Fitness, and managed by the independent Wigan Football Company Limited.
Its current capacity is 25,138—seated in four single-tier stands—and its record attendance was in 2008 when 25,133 people watched Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
play Wigan Athletic in the title-deciding match of the 2007–08 Premier League
Premier League 2007–08
The 2007–08 Premier League season was the sixteenth since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008...
season.
History
The stadium was built by Alfred McAlpineAlfred McAlpine
Alfred McAlpine plc was a British construction firm headquartered in London. It was a major road builder, and constructed over 10% of Britain's motorways, including the M6 Toll...
and completed in August 1999. Wigan Athletic had spent the previous 67 years playing at Springfield Park
Springfield Park (Wigan)
Springfield Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home ground of Wigan Athletic F.C. until the club moved to the new JJB Stadium after the 1999 season. At its largest, the stadium held 40,000...
, and their first match at the stadium was a friendly against Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
, just before the stadium's official opening.
The stadium's inauguration was marked with a friendly between Wigan Athletic and neighbours Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, who were then reigning European Champions
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, Premier League title and FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
holders, with United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
officially opening the stadium.
The first competitive football match there took place on 7 August 1999, with Wigan Athletic facing Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in a Division Two match. Simon Haworth
Simon Haworth
Simon Owen Haworth is a Welsh former footballer. He won five caps for the Wales national football team during his career.-Club career:...
scored twice, including the first competitive goal at the new stadium, as Athletic triumphed 3–0.
The first away team to win a competitive football match at the stadium was Wigan Athletic. A first round FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie against non-league Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
was played there due to City's ground being deemed unsuitable to host the tie. Wigan played in their changed strip and used the away dressing room since it was technically a 'home' game for Cambridge City. A Stuart Barlow
Stuart Barlow
Stuart Barlow is a retired English football forward. He is best remembered for scoring the winning goal in an FA Cup fifth round replay win against Premiership Southampton in the 2000-01 season...
brace secured the win for Wigan.
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
moved to the stadium a month after it opened, once they had played their final home game of the 1999 regular season at Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
. After their former ground was sold, the possibility of ground sharing with Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
at the modern Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
was presented, however, the new stadium in Wigan was chosen instead. Their first game at the stadium was a play-off match against Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
, which they lost, on 19 September. Wigan did not lose a competitive match at the stadium in 2001.
Whilst the Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic flourished in the new stadium (Wigan Athletic in particular would achieve significant success, rising up the English football pyramid
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
to the Premier League by 2005), the fortunes of Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell R.U.F.C.
Orrell Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union team from the Orrell area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester.The club were founded in 1927, holding a place in the top-tier of rugby union from 1986 to 1997.-1927–1939:...
could not have been more different. Dave Whelan and Maurice Lindsay
Maurice Lindsay
Maurice Lindsay CBE was a Scottish broadcaster, writer and poet. He was born in Glasgow.After serving in World War II he became a radio broadcaster, also editing the 1946 anthology Modern Scottish Poetry, and writing music criticism. He later was Programme Controller at Border Television.His...
decided to invest heavily in the club, with the aim of having the club play in rugby union's Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
at the then-JJB Stadium. After failing to win 2004's National Division Two, Whelan pulled a large amount of investment from the club, to a more modest GB£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
30,000 a year. This was the beginning of Orrell's demise, as players left during the summer of that year and the club were consequently relegated the season after. Ownership eventually passed from Lindsay back to the club's members, but by this point, Orrell had sold their former Edge Hall Road
Edge Hall Road
The Co-operative Community Stadium is the Wigan Warriors Rugby League club's high performance training complex and the home ground of the Wigan Warriors Senior Academy and Junior Academy teams and the former home ground of Orrell R.U.F.C.. The ground is located in the Orrell district of the...
ground to Dave Whelan's company, Whelco Holdings, and therefore had no assets apart from their rebuilt clubhouse following a fire in 2002. Orrell never settled at the JJB Stadium, and were eventually de-professionalised at the end of the 2006–07 season.
On 7 March 2005 Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
police announced that they would stop policing Wigan Athletic matches at the stadium from 2 April. This move would almost certainly have resulted in the stadium's safety certificate being revoked, effectively forcing the team to play behind closed doors. The move was part of an ongoing dispute between the police force and Dave Whelan surrounding GB£300,000 in unpaid policing costs. The police's decision would not have affected Wigan Warriors, whose games are stewarded instead of policed. The situation was temporarily resolved on 8 March with both sides reaching an agreement that would allow Athletic to play at the ground until the end of the season. Four months later, Wigan Athletic, facing the prospect of playing their home games in the Premier League in an empty stadium, grudgingly paid the money they owed to the police. The club successfully appealed against the payments in court and won damages from the police.
On 10 November 2007 JJB Stadium was the venue for the last ever game of the Great Britain national rugby league team
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, a 28 - 22 victory over New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
.
On 7 September 2008, Wigan Warriors revealed plans to take their Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Play-Off against Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
to a neutral venue. The controversial relocation was forced due to a fixture clash, with a match between football clubs Wigan Athletic and Sunderland to take place less than 24 hours after the Super League match. Whelan, who controlled Wigan Athletic, refused permission for the Warriors to stage their elimination at the stadium, citing concerns over the playing surface. The game was relocated to Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
home ground, the Stobart Stadium
Halton Stadium
The Stobart Stadium Halton is a rugby league stadium in Widnes, England. The Widnes Vikings play their home games there as do Everton Reserves...
. In the same season, JJB Sports announced they would not continue to sponsor the Wigan Warriors, leaving them without a main shirt sponsor.
The stadium's average attendance has increased significantly since its opening in 1999. The Wigan Warriors' average attendance has increased by 32.5% from its first full season at the stadium in 2000, and Wigan Athletic's average attendance has increased by 181.2% from the 2000–01 season. The highest recorded attendance for a rugby league match is shared between three fixtures; the Wigan Warriors' fixture against St Helens RLFC on 25 March 2005; Game 4 of the 2005 Tri-Nations series between Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and Australia on 6 November; and Game 5 of the 2004 Tri-Nations series between Great Britain and Australia on 13 November at 25,004 each. The highest recorded football attendance at the stadium was Wigan Athletic's home fixture against Manchester United on 11 May 2008—the final day of the 2007–08 Premier League season
Premier League 2007–08
The 2007–08 Premier League season was the sixteenth since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008...
—with 25,133 fans attending. This is the stadium's highest recorded overall attendance to date, and was the match where Manchester United were crowned Premier League champions for that season.
In March 2009, Dave Whelan acquired a chain of fitness clubs from JJB Sports
JJB Sports
JJB Sports plc is a United Kingdom sports retailer. It currently operates 251 stores in the UK and Ireland.- History :The sportshop chain was founded in 1971, when ex-footballer Dave Whelan acquired a single sports shop in Wigan. The original store was established by JJ Broughton in the early...
. In the process, Whelan used the business to set up a new venture, DWSportsfitness and announced that the stadium name would change to the DW Stadium in August. Whelan also announced that at the same time the stadium was renamed, its ownership would pass from himself to Wigan Athletic. Concerns about the future of the Wigan Warriors were arrested in the same announcement, as Whelan extended the lease on the stadium by 50 years for the rugby league team. Before Wigan Warriors' match against Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in July 2009, both clubs were given the opportunity to rename one stand, with the intention of renaming them in honour to a recognised player from each club's history. The rugby league club were granted the East Stand, which they renamed 'The Boston Stand' in tribute to the Welsh winger Billy Boston
Billy Boston
William John "Billy" Boston MBE is a former Wales and Great Britain professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer. Boston is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and was, along with Shaun Edwards the first to be voted into the Wigan Hall Of Fame...
, As Wigan Athletic had spent many years in the lower leagues it was recognised that most of their players were not known at national level, so the West Stand was renamed 'The Springfield Stand' after the club's former ground.
Structure and facilities
| Stand | Capacity |
|---|---|
| North Stand Nameless |
5,418 |
| East Stand The Boston Stand |
8,238 |
| South Stand Nameless |
5,412 |
| West Stand The Springfield Stand |
6,100 |
| Total | 25,168 |
The stadium design is based on cantilevered, prefabricated steel roof and terrace structuring. It is an all-seater arena with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 24,826. The stands are rectangular and both the northern and southern stands have supporting steel girders suspended from beneath the roof. The four stands are of approximately the same height, however the stadium is not totally enclosed, leaving four exposed corners.
At both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors matches, away supporters are situated in the North Stand behind the goal. Occasionally, during games which attract low away support, the 5,418 capacity North Stand is closed altogether, and the away fans who attend are put into an alternative stand. The eastern stand, known as 'The Boston Stand', and the western 'Springfield Stand' run across the longer sides of the pitch. The Boston Stand is the largest, capable of seating up to 8,238 fans and holding an electronic scoreboard. The Springfield Stand contains the stadium's vital facilities; four dressing rooms, benches, a doping control room and a treatment room for the players, as well as four executive boxes, ten radio commentary points and a designated TV studio, in addition to holding 6,100 fans. The North Stand and South Stand have a seating capacity of 5,418 and 5,412 respectively. The stadium also has facilities and access for up to 278 fans with disabilities, with facilities for partially-sighted fans. The seats are a mixture of both resident teams' main colours—red and blue. The stadium is fully compliant with safety guidelines for a sports ground.
The pitch is large enough to conform with both FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and the standard rugby league requirements, at 110 by 60 m (120.3 by 65.6 yd). This leaves an in-goal area just 5 metres (5.5 yd) deep for rugby matches. It is mostly made of natural grass, with 2% of the pitch composed of synthetics to provide stability. The ground has irrigation, and an under-heating system to resist icy weather.
Wigan Warriors
Wigan WarriorsWigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
moved from Central Park
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
to the stadium in 1999 after the end of Super League IV
Super League IV
-End of season mergers:Huddersfield managed to avoid relegation again despite finishing bottom due to the merger with Sheffield Eagles to form Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants. Also at the end of this season Gateshead Thunder and Hull Sharks were merged to form Hull F.C...
's regular season. Since moving to the new stadium, Wigan Warriors' success in rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
has not been as high as it was at their old Central Park ground, however the good times do seem to be back for the club after they won the Super League Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
and League Leaders shield in 2010 under the guidance of coach Michael Maguire
Michael Maguire (rugby league)
Michael Maguire is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Australia's National Rugby League . After serving as assistant coach of the Melbourne Storm under Craig Bellamy, in 2009 he became the head coach of...
and chairman Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan is a Business entrepreneur, theatre producer and shareholder of Harlequins RL & Oxford United FC as well as chairman and owner of Wigan Warriors-Early life:...
.
| Year | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|
| Average | Highest | |
| 1999 [SL] | 13,374 | 13,374 (vs. Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'... ) |
| 2000 [SL] | 11,329 | 19,186 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2001 [SL] | 11,803 | 21,073 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2002 [SL] | 10,480 | 18,789 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2003 [SL] | 11,217 | 21,790 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2004 [SL] | 13,333 | 20,052 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2005 [SL] | 13,894 | 25,004 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2006 [SL] | 14,464 | 18,358 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2007 [SL] | 16,040 | 24,028 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2008 [SL] | 13,955 | 19,958 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2009 [SL] | 14,080 | 22,232 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| 2010 [SL] | 15,181 | 22,701 (vs. Warrington Wolves) |
| 2011 [SL] | 17,193 | 24,057 (vs. St Helens RLFC) |
| SL = Super League Super League Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from... |
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Attendances have generally risen for the Wigan Warriors since the start of the 2002 season, averaging around 14,000 over the three seasons from 2006 to 2009. Aside from Grand Finals, the largest Super League attendance was recorded at the stadium in 2005 when Wigan Warriors played their local rivals, St Helens RLFC.
This match is also the highest home attendance in the Wigan Warriors' history at the stadium. The twenty thousand mark has been broken ten times since moving to the new stadium in 1999—eight times against St Helens RLFC, once against local rivals Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in the opening round of the 2008 Super League XIII
Super League XIII
Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and...
season, and once in July 2009 against the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
following a campaign advertising the game as the 'Big One'. In 2010, the Warriors were officially the biggest supported team in the Super League.
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic'sWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
success has improved considerably since their move to the stadium from Springfield Park
Springfield Park (Wigan)
Springfield Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home ground of Wigan Athletic F.C. until the club moved to the new JJB Stadium after the 1999 season. At its largest, the stadium held 40,000...
in 1999. Since 2000, Wigan Athletic have climbed up two divisions and now play in the Premier League.
| Year | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|
| Average | Highest | |
| 2000–01 [L2] | 6,861 | 10,048 (vs. Bristol City F.C. Bristol City F.C. Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City... ) |
| 2001–02 [L2] | 5,771 | 7,783 (vs. Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers F.C. Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system... ) |
| 2002–03 [L2] | 7,288 | 12,783 (vs. Oldham Athletic F.C.) |
| 2003–04 [L1] | 9,526 | 20,669 (vs. West Ham United F.C. West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... ) |
| 2004–05 [C] | 11,155 | 20,745 (vs. Sunderland F.C.) |
| 2005–06 [PL] | 20,610 | 25,023 (vs. Liverpool F.C. Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... ) |
| 2006–07 [PL] | 18,159 | 24,726 (vs. West Ham United F.C.) |
| 2007–08 [PL] | 19,046 | 25,133 (vs. Manchester United F.C. Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... ) |
| 2008–09 [PL] | 18,413 | 22,954 (vs. Arsenal F.C. Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
| 2009–10 [PL] | 18,006 | 22,113 (vs. Arsenal F.C. Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... ) |
| PL = Premier League, C = Football League Championship Football League Championship The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League... L1 = Football League First Division Football League First Division The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship.... , L2 = Football League Second Division Football League Second Division From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams... |
||
Rising success on the pitch has been met with increased attendances. Promotion into the Premier League meant that in their first season of English top-flight football, Wigan Athletic's average home attendance almost doubled from the season before. Over three times more fans attended matches at the stadium during Wigan's 2007–08 season in the Premier League than had attended in the 2001–02 season when Wigan Athletic were in the Football League Second Division. Wigan Athletic's average home attendance for 2007–08 was the lowest out of all 20 teams in the Premier League, failing to make the top 30 English clubs in terms of attendance. The same season saw the highest ever attendance at the stadium, when 25,133 people witnessed Wigan play Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on the final day of the season.
Wigan Athletic's average attendance was again the lowest in the league for the Premier League 2008–09
Premier League 2008–09
The 2008–09 Premier League season was the seventeenth since its establishment in 1992. Manchester United became champions for the eleventh time on the penultimate weekend of the season, defending their crown after winning their tenth Premier League title on the final day of the previous season...
season. Premier League attendances fell on average by around 426 per club during the 2008–09 season. Wigan Athletic's home attendance fell by more than this, with their average attendance for the 2008–09 season falling by 633 from the season before. The highest attendance at the stadium for this season was a match between Wigan Athletic and Arsenal F.C., in which 22,954 people were counted. This attendance was 2,357 fans lower than the highest attendance in the season before.
Other events
The stadium's numerous lounges provide a venue for small musical acts to perform, and the stadium plays host to minor bands and tribute acts. They are also available to book for private parties. During match days, bands may provide pre-match entertainment on the pitch.As well as the fixtures for the two domestic teams, the stadium is a venue for international rugby league. Since the stadium's construction in 1999, it has been an ever-present venue whenever the Rugby League Tri-Nations
Rugby League Tri-Nations
The Rugby League Tri-Nations was a rugby league tournament involving the top three nations in the sport: Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand...
series has been played in England. Its first involvement came during the 2004 series
2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations
-Tournament standings:-Final:-Non-series Tests:During the series, Australia and New Zealand played additional Tests against France.-----Additional Matches:...
, where the home Great Britain and Ireland national team
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
defeated the Australians
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
24–12, with Terry Newton
Terry Newton
Terry Newton was an English international rugby league player. He played for Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and was one of a handful of players to feature in each of the first 15 seasons of Super League...
and Andy Farrell both scoring in their home town of Wigan. The venue was again selected for the 2005 series
2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations
New Zealand 38 defeated Australia 28 New Zealand 38 (C. Toopi 3, N. Cayless, N. Vangana, B. Webb tries; S. Jones 7 goals) defeated Australia 28 New Zealand 38 (C. Toopi 3, N. Cayless, N. Vangana, B. Webb tries; S. Jones 7 goals) defeated Australia 28 (B. Tate 2, M.Gasnier 2, M. King, A. Johns...
, and again the match was between Great Britain and Australia—this time the home team lost 6–20—with Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
born Adrian Morley
Adrian Morley
Adrian Morley is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Europe's Super League...
scoring Great Britain's solitary try. Both matches were complete sell-outs, each having attendances above 25,000. The match in 2004 was the third highest attendance of the series, coming behind a match at the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
between Great Britain and Australia, and the series final between the same two teams at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
.
In addition to the Tri-Nations, the stadium has also played host to visiting nations during their European tours. Australia played Great Britain in front of a sell-out crowd during the 2001 Kangaroo Tour
2001 Kangaroo Tour
The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was almost abandoned due to the events of September 11, 2001. The tour was initially cancelled by the ARL but after strong public opinion in both Great Britain and Australia, it went ahead, though the only games played were the three tests, marking the first Kangaroo Tour to...
, with the home side losing 8–28. Australia narrowly defeated Great Britain again in 2003 at the stadium, winning by a margin of four points during their 2003 European Tour
2003 Kangaroo Tour
The 2003 Kangaroo Tour was a six-match tour by the Australia national rugby league team of France, Wales and England. The last three matches were all Tests against Great Britain...
. New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
have also played at the stadium during their tours. In 2002, a try scored in his home town by Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson is an English professional rugby league footballer, who plays for Hull in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he previously played for Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants, St. Helens and Warrington...
helped Great Britain to defeat the 'Kiwis' 16–10. The visitors lost again during their 2007 tour, this time 28–22 in a closely fought game in which Wigan-born second-rower Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , and /, he has played his entire career to date with Wigan, with whom he won the 2010 Super League XV...
featured.
The stadium is yet to host a Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
fixture, even though the event in 2000
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
was hosted by other English venues including Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
' New Craven Park
Craven Park (Barrow)
Craven Park is a rugby league stadium in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is the home of Barrow Raiders rugby league team.Craven Park was built in 1931, largely as a result of the efforts of supporters of Barrow RLFC, 500 of whom volunteered to construct the ground...
, St Helens RLFC's Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road
Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves...
and Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
' Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
. The stadium has hosted the World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
twice, in 2000
2000 World Club Challenge
The 2000 World Club Challenge was contested by 1999 NRL season premiers, the Melbourne Storm and 1999 Super League champions, St Helens. The match was played on 22 January at JJB Stadium, Wigan before a crowd of 13,394. The Melbourne Storm defeated St Helens 44 - 6.-Teams:-Match details:...
, between St Helens and the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
and in 2011
2011 World Club Challenge
The 2011 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XV champions, Wigan Warriors, and 2010 NRL Premiers, the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
when Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
took on St. George Illawarra Dragons.
Surroundings
The stadium's surroundings are mostly urban, as it is located in the north of Wigan's Robin Park retail complex in the western suburb of Newtown, on the south bank of the Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
, west of the Miry Lane industrial estate. The stadium's car parks are situated around the canal, and can hold up to 2,500 cars.
Next to the stadium's South Stand lies the Robin Park Arena, which is operated by Wigan Sports Development Unit and is capable of seating 1,000 spectators. The arena is mainly used for athletics, as well as functions for: North West Counties Football League
North West Counties Football League
The North West Counties Football League is a football league in North west of England. As of 2011, the league covers Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Southern Cumbria, Northern Staffordshire, the High Peak area of Derbyshire, and the far west of West Yorkshire. In the past, the...
side Wigan Robin Park, and Wigan Athletic Reserves. The arena was formerly used by the Wigan Warriors' junior academy, before they moved to Edge Hall Road
Edge Hall Road
The Co-operative Community Stadium is the Wigan Warriors Rugby League club's high performance training complex and the home ground of the Wigan Warriors Senior Academy and Junior Academy teams and the former home ground of Orrell R.U.F.C.. The ground is located in the Orrell district of the...
to join the reserve side. Robin Park Sports Centre is situated directly opposite the Stadium and Arena.
The main road serving the complex is the A49, running west-bound 750 metres (820.2 yd) south of the stadium. Both of Wigan's train stations, Wigan Wallgate
Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The station is on 2 lines, the Manchester-Southport Line and the Manchester-Kirkby Line. It is north west of Manchester Victoria...
and Wigan North Western
Wigan North Western railway station
Wigan North Western railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town centre of Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.It is a moderately-sized station on the West Coast Main Line. It is operated by Virgin Trains, and is also served by Northern Rail...
lie 1.3–1.6 km (0.807784557644749–0.994196378639691 mi) east of the stadium.