NAC Stadion
Encyclopedia
NAC Stadion was a multi-use stadium
in Breda
, Netherlands
. It was used mostly for football matches and hosted the home matches of NAC Breda
. The stadium was able to hold 20,000 people and opened in 1940. The stadium's capacity was gradually reduced to 10,850 in the nineties, due to security reasons. The stadium was closed in 1996 when the Rat Verlegh Stadion
opened.
enquired whether NAC Breda
was interested to move back to Breda, after playing for almost 10 years in the neighboring village Princenhage
due to a conflict with the city council . The city of Breda zoned a large area southwest of Breda as a leisure area, in which a park, a swimming pool and a football stadium should be built. NAC agreed to move back to Breda and in 1939 the construction of the new area started. The stadium would have one main pitch with a wooden main stand of 800 seats, standing stands surrounding the whole pitch, two training grounds and the stadium would be built at the Beatrixstraat, named after Princess Beatrix. The construction finished in September 1940 and the stadium was inaugurated on 6 October 1940, with the match NAC Breda - FC Eindhoven
(0-0). Due to the German invasion and the Dutch capitulation in May 1940, the Germans renamed the Beatrixstraat to Speelveldstraat. When Polish troops liberated Breda in 1944, Speelveldstraat was renamed back to Beatrixstraat.
. After that match, the NAC board decided to play the home matches on a Saturday evening. This led to the introduction of the term ‘Een Avondje NAC’ (English; An Evening NAC). In this period a group of fanatic NAC fans merged and located themselves on a stand. Their fierce support lead to an attraction of youngsters, who also fanatically supported NAC. This fierce support lasts till now and is known in The Netherlands as an Avondje NAC. An Avondje NAC is a flamboyant mix of Burgundian fun, beer, fanaticism and love for the club and ensures that during home matches the atmosphere in the stadium is intimidating. Especially in the seventies and the nineties of the last century the Avondje NAC reached national and international publicity. Former FC Barcelona
coach Johan Cruijff once compared the atmosphere during the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid
with the Avondje NAC .
NAC investigated, together with the city council of Breda, the scenario to expand the main stand across the length of the pitch and to turn the stadium into an all seater stadium. This would lead to a stadium with the capacity of 8,000 seaters. Renovation of the new stadium however was too costly and inefficient and the stadium’s security could not be improved. Therefore, in 1993 NAC Breda announced to build a new stadium.
In mutual agreement with the City of Breda, the grounds near the Lunetstraat in Breda were allocated as the new stadium zone. The new stadium, now called the Rat Verlegh Stadion
has a capacity of 17,750 places. The grounds of the stadium at the Beatrixstraat were allocated as residential zones. NAC’s last official match in the Beatrixstraat was on 28 April 1996 against Feyenoord, which NAC lost in front of 10,850 spectators with 0-3. On 12 May 1996 NAC held a friendly match against former NAC players, after which the stadium was demolished on 13 May 1996.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It was used mostly for football matches and hosted the home matches of NAC Breda
NAC Breda
NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...
. The stadium was able to hold 20,000 people and opened in 1940. The stadium's capacity was gradually reduced to 10,850 in the nineties, due to security reasons. The stadium was closed in 1996 when the Rat Verlegh Stadion
Rat Verlegh Stadion
The Rat Verlegh Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Breda, The Netherlands. The stadium is the home of the association football club NAC Breda . It was formerly known as FUJIFILM Stadium and Mycom Stadium , named after two former NAC sponsors...
opened.
Stadium construction
In 1939 the city council of BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
enquired whether NAC Breda
NAC Breda
NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...
was interested to move back to Breda, after playing for almost 10 years in the neighboring village Princenhage
Princenhage
Princenhage is a neighbourhood in the southwest of the city Breda in the Dutch province of North Brabant.Until 1942, Princenhage was a separate municipality. The original name of the municipality was "Haage", which was changed to "Princenhage" in 1819....
due to a conflict with the city council . The city of Breda zoned a large area southwest of Breda as a leisure area, in which a park, a swimming pool and a football stadium should be built. NAC agreed to move back to Breda and in 1939 the construction of the new area started. The stadium would have one main pitch with a wooden main stand of 800 seats, standing stands surrounding the whole pitch, two training grounds and the stadium would be built at the Beatrixstraat, named after Princess Beatrix. The construction finished in September 1940 and the stadium was inaugurated on 6 October 1940, with the match NAC Breda - FC Eindhoven
FC Eindhoven
FC Eindhoven is a Dutch football club based in Eindhoven, North Brabant. They current play in the Eerste Divisie , and are one of two professional clubs which are based in the city of Eindhoven, the other one being PSV Eindhoven....
(0-0). Due to the German invasion and the Dutch capitulation in May 1940, the Germans renamed the Beatrixstraat to Speelveldstraat. When Polish troops liberated Breda in 1944, Speelveldstraat was renamed back to Beatrixstraat.
Expansions and improvements
In the fifties professional football was introduced in The Netherlands. In the first years of professional soccer, NAC played two times the Championship Competition and NAC’s popularity grew. The NAC board decided to reconstruct the main stand to a concrete stand and to expand the total number of seats to 1300 seats. The new stand was opened in September 1957. In 1960 NAC expanded the stand behind the goal of the Beatrixstraat and in 1969 NAC reconstructed the entire stand crossing the long side of the field. The stand was completely replaced by a newer and larger grandstand. At this moment the stadium reached its record capacity of 20,000.Het Avondje NAC
In 1975 NAC Breda purchased a light system, which would enable NAC to play their matches in the evening. The system was introduced on 27 December 1975, when NAC played a friendly against Fortuna DüsseldorfFortuna Düsseldorf
' is a German association football club based in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the second tier of German league football, the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga...
. After that match, the NAC board decided to play the home matches on a Saturday evening. This led to the introduction of the term ‘Een Avondje NAC’ (English; An Evening NAC). In this period a group of fanatic NAC fans merged and located themselves on a stand. Their fierce support lead to an attraction of youngsters, who also fanatically supported NAC. This fierce support lasts till now and is known in The Netherlands as an Avondje NAC. An Avondje NAC is a flamboyant mix of Burgundian fun, beer, fanaticism and love for the club and ensures that during home matches the atmosphere in the stadium is intimidating. Especially in the seventies and the nineties of the last century the Avondje NAC reached national and international publicity. Former FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
coach Johan Cruijff once compared the atmosphere during the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
with the Avondje NAC .
Renovation or movement
In November 1991 NAC Breda’s board officially communicated that it researched the possibilities to either renovate the NAC Stadium located at the Beatrixstraat, or to build a new stadium in Breda’s city borders . In the same time the stadium capacity was limited to 12,000, due to security reasons.NAC investigated, together with the city council of Breda, the scenario to expand the main stand across the length of the pitch and to turn the stadium into an all seater stadium. This would lead to a stadium with the capacity of 8,000 seaters. Renovation of the new stadium however was too costly and inefficient and the stadium’s security could not be improved. Therefore, in 1993 NAC Breda announced to build a new stadium.
In mutual agreement with the City of Breda, the grounds near the Lunetstraat in Breda were allocated as the new stadium zone. The new stadium, now called the Rat Verlegh Stadion
Rat Verlegh Stadion
The Rat Verlegh Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Breda, The Netherlands. The stadium is the home of the association football club NAC Breda . It was formerly known as FUJIFILM Stadium and Mycom Stadium , named after two former NAC sponsors...
has a capacity of 17,750 places. The grounds of the stadium at the Beatrixstraat were allocated as residential zones. NAC’s last official match in the Beatrixstraat was on 28 April 1996 against Feyenoord, which NAC lost in front of 10,850 spectators with 0-3. On 12 May 1996 NAC held a friendly match against former NAC players, after which the stadium was demolished on 13 May 1996.