Skagerak Arena
Encyclopedia
Skagerak Arena is a football
stadium located in Skien
, Norway
. It was formerly called Odd Stadion, and was built in 1923 as the home ground of Odd Grenland Ballklubb
. The stadium is often referred to as Falkum, being situated in that area of Skien.
The stadium is currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment process, begun in November 2006, which will produce a modern all-seater venue by April 2008. Part of the finance Odd Grenland needed for the project was obtained through the lease of the stadium's naming rights to the club's main sponsor since 1995, the Norwegian power company
Skagerak Energi
. The stadium will therefore be known as Skagerak Arena until at least 2017.
Capacity is expected to be 13,500 when the stadium is completed. The pitch has been rotated 90 degrees in order to free up space. As is increasingly common in Norway, the new surface is artificial
. The old main stand is now an end stand, incorporated into the new structure as the only surviving feature of the old stadium.
Three new two-tiered stands are under construction. The east and west stands will each have a capacity of 4,300 while the south end will seat 3,000. Construction of the west stand had progressed far enough by April 2007 to allow spectators on the lower tier for the first home match of the season, on 15 April. Total capacity will at first be 6,000 but will increase gradually throughout 2007. The old stadium had a capacity of about 8,600, of which 5,600 were seated.
The venue has hosted Norway national under-21 football team
matches three times, playing 0–0 against Portugal
on 9 May 1979, 2–1 against Romania
on 18 August 1998 and 3–1 against Scotland
on 19 August 2003.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
stadium located in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It was formerly called Odd Stadion, and was built in 1923 as the home ground of Odd Grenland Ballklubb
Odd Grenland B.K.
Odd Grenland is an association football club from Skien, Norway. Originally the football section of a multi-sports club, founded in 1894 nine years after the club's founding, all other sports than football were discontinued and the club became dedicated to football only. It got its current name in...
. The stadium is often referred to as Falkum, being situated in that area of Skien.
The stadium is currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment process, begun in November 2006, which will produce a modern all-seater venue by April 2008. Part of the finance Odd Grenland needed for the project was obtained through the lease of the stadium's naming rights to the club's main sponsor since 1995, the Norwegian power company
Electrical power industry
The electric power industry provides the production and delivery of electric energy, often known as power, or electricity, in sufficient quantities to areas that need electricity through a grid connection. The grid distributes electrical energy to customers...
Skagerak Energi
Skagerak Energi
Skagerak Energi is a Norwegian utility company. The company's main focus is production and distribution of electrical power and other energy, in addition to business areas related to this...
. The stadium will therefore be known as Skagerak Arena until at least 2017.
Capacity is expected to be 13,500 when the stadium is completed. The pitch has been rotated 90 degrees in order to free up space. As is increasingly common in Norway, the new surface is artificial
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. The old main stand is now an end stand, incorporated into the new structure as the only surviving feature of the old stadium.
Three new two-tiered stands are under construction. The east and west stands will each have a capacity of 4,300 while the south end will seat 3,000. Construction of the west stand had progressed far enough by April 2007 to allow spectators on the lower tier for the first home match of the season, on 15 April. Total capacity will at first be 6,000 but will increase gradually throughout 2007. The old stadium had a capacity of about 8,600, of which 5,600 were seated.
The venue has hosted Norway national under-21 football team
Norway national under-21 football team
The Norwegian national under-21 football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national football team of Norway for players of 21 years of age or under at the start of a UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship campaign...
matches three times, playing 0–0 against Portugal
Portugal national under-21 football team
The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation . They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future...
on 9 May 1979, 2–1 against Romania
Romania national under-21 football team
The Romania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
on 18 August 1998 and 3–1 against Scotland
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
on 19 August 2003.