sport.wikisort.org - Stadium

Salford City Stadium (referred to as the AJ Bell Stadium for sponsorship purposes)[4][5] is a rugby league stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell, England,[6] built to replace Salford rugby league club's ground the Willows for the 2012 season. Sale Sharks rugby union club have also played at the stadium since the 2012–13 season.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2016)

AJ Bell Stadium

AJ Bell Stadium
Full name	AJ Bell Stadium
Former names	Salford City Stadium
Location	1 Stadium Way Barton-upon-Irwell M30 7EY
Coordinates	53°28′10″N 2°22′30″W
Owner	City of Salford Community Stadium Ltd.
Executive suites	12-20 person hospitality boxes and 1 banqueting suite (up to 750)
Capacity	12,000[1]
Record attendance	11,247 (Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers) 27 December 2014[2]
Field size	122m x 86m
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Electronic
Construction
Built	2010–11
Opened	2012
Construction cost	£26 million[1]
Architect	AFL Architects
Structural engineer	SKM
Main contractors	Buckingham Group[3]
Tenants
Rugby League Salford Red Devils (2012–) Rugby Union Sale Sharks (2012–) Football Manchester United FC Reserves (2013–14) American Football Manchester Titans (2014)
Website
www.ajbellstadium.co.uk

Development and financing

In 2005, Salford City Council approved plans for the Reds to move from the Willows to the brownfield site at Barton.[7]

The stadium was originally to be developed by Red City Developments, with construction to be complete for the start of the 2009 season.[8] However, RCD went into administration in July 2008.[9]

Salford City Council formed a joint venture company with Peel Group[1] to develop and deliver the £16 million stadium,[3] which is part of the a £26 million development[3] close to the Manchester Ship Canal and the M60 motorway.

Planning permission was granted in March 2010 for a 15,000-capacity stadium.[10]

Sale Sharks confirmed their move to the stadium in April 2012,[11] signing a 25-year lease.[12]

In 2013, Peel Group and Salford City Council each lent £600,000 in emergency funding to the stadium. The council is still owed £20 million for building the stadium, and is already owed £1.5m by the Salford City Reds who play at the stadium.[13]

In 2014, SCC and Peel lent a further £410,724 to the stadium.[14]

AJ Bell Stadium

On 13 September 2013, it was announced that investment platform AJ Bell had secured a nine-year stadium naming rights partnership with Sale Sharks Rugby Club. The deal saw Salford City Stadium re-branded and renamed AJ Bell Stadium.

Facilities

The stadium capacity (since inception} has accommodated a crowd of 12,000. However, with further construction, the space exists to expand the capacity to 20,000 spectators..[3] The stadium has areas designated for standing supporters. This partial-standing design is similar to the Halliwell Jones Stadium, home of Warrington RLFC.

There are four stands:

• West Stand (main stand) including changing rooms, media centre, hospitality boxes, banqueting suite; capacity 4,500
• Places2Be Stand (North) – all-standing, usually the away end; capacity 2,500
• Printerland.co.uk Stand (East) - all seating, capacity 2,500
• AO Stand (South/THE SHED)– all-standing, home to hardcore Reds fans; identical to the North Stand, capacity 2,500

The seats in the West and East Stands are red (for Salford) and blue (for Sale).

The development also includes offices, player facilities, concessions, community resources and two community outdoor sport pitches, a gym and the Sale Sharks Club Shop.

Events

Rugby league

The Reds played their first league game at the new stadium against Castleford on 4 February 2012; Castleford won 10–24.[15]

The 2012 Challenge Cup Semi Final was held at the stadium on 15 July 2012 – Warrington beat Huddersfield 33–6.[16]

The 2012 Autumn International Series Final took place at the stadium on 11 November 2012, attendance was 7,921.[17]

On 7 November 2013 the stadium hosted the Rugby League World Cup match between Scotland and USA. A crowd of 6,041 watched Scotland beat the USA 22 – 8.[18]

Summary

List of test and International tournament matches played at AJ Bell Stadium since its opening in 2012.[19]

Game#	Date	Result	Attendance	Notes
1	11 November 2012	England  def.  France 48–4	7,921	2012 Autumn International Series Final
2	7 November 2013	Scotland  def.  United States 22–8	6,041	Played as part of the 2013 World Cup

Rugby union

Sale Sharks' first game at the stadium was a friendly on 24 August 2012 against Leinster Rugby, which ended 10–10.[20] Their first competitive game was against Saracens on 8 September 2012. The score was Sale 16–23 Saracens and the attendance was 7,451.

The stadium served as one of the two venues for the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[21] England beat Ireland 45-21 in the final at the stadium.

Other sports

American football

Manchester Titans American Football Club held a trial game at the Stadium against Crewe Railroaders on 1 June 2014. It was stated that they could hold future fixtures inside the stadium if the trial was successful.[22] The Titans beat the Railroaders 69–0 and the attendance was 1,349.[23]

Association football

For the 2013–14 season, Manchester United have announced their under-21 team will be playing all their home games at the stadium.[24]

The stadium also hosted England women's Euro 2013 qualifying match against the Netherlands on 17 June 2012.[25][26]

Attendances

Salford Red Devils					Sale Sharks
League	Fixtures	Average Attendance	Highest	Lowest	League	Fixtures	Average Attendance	Highest	Lowest
2012 Super League	12[lower-alpha 1]	4,442	6,891	2,380	2012–13 Premiership	11	6,291	8,783	4,307
2013 Super League	13	3,125	5,383	1,989	2013–14 Premiership	11	6,350	10,092	5,372
2014 Super League	13	4,738	7,102	2,903	2014–15 Premiership	11	6,660	11,247	4,753
2015 Super League	11	4,167	6,561	1,972	2015–16 Premiership	11	6,152	7,687	4,236
2016 Super League	11	3,625	5,089	1,958	2016–17 Premiership	11	6,202	8,828	4,299
2017 Super League	11	4,480	6,527	2,678	2017–18 Premiership	11	6,274	10,050	4,510
2018 Super League	11	2,966	5,568	2,248	2018–19 Premiership	11	6,586	8,535	5,290
2019 Super League	14	3,676	5,393	2,368	2019–20 Premiership

Notes

References

External links

• AJ Bell Stadium official website
• Salford City Reds get new Barton stadium go-ahead BBC Sport, 19 August 2010
• 2012 – The Future of History Salford City Reds

Preceded by The Willows 1901–2011	Salford Red Devils home ground 2012–present	Succeeded by current
Preceded by Edgeley Park 2003–2012	Sale Sharks home ground 2012–present	Succeeded by current

На других языках

---

[de] AJ Bell Stadium

Das AJ Bell Stadium ist ein Rugby- und Fußballstadion im englischen Barton-upon-Irwell, Metropolitan Borough City of Salford. Die Sport- und Veranstaltungsstätte ist seit 2012 die Heimat des Rugby-League-Clubs Salford Red Devils (Super League) und des Rugby-Union-Clubs Sale Sharks (Aviva Premiership Rugby). Im Jahr darauf stieß Manchester United Reserves als dritter Stadionnutzer hinzu.[1]

---

- [en] AJ Bell Stadium

---

[fr] AJ Bell Stadium

L'AJ Bell Stadium, anciennement Salford City Stadium est un stade de rugby de Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, Angleterre, qui jouxte Salford et Manchester. Il est le domicile des Salford City Reds, le club local de rugby à XIII , et des Sale Sharks, un club voisin de rugby à XV depuis 2012. Il remplace respectivement The Willows (Salford) pour les "Red Devils", et Edgeley Park (Stockport) pour les "Sharks".

---

---