Bielefelder Alm

Coordinates: 52°01′55″N 8°31′00″E / 52.03194°N 8.51667°E / 52.03194; 8.51667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

SchücoArena
Bielefelder Alm
View of the East (Main) Stand
Map
Full nameBielefelder Alm
Former namesStadion Alm
LocationBielefeld, Germany
Coordinates52°01′55″N 8°31′00″E / 52.03194°N 8.51667°E / 52.03194; 8.51667
OwnerArminia Bielefeld
Capacity27,332[1]
Field size105m x 68m
Construction
Built1926
Opened1 May 1926
Renovated1996–2008
Tenants
Arminia Bielefeld (1926–present)
Germany women's national football team (selected matches)

Bielefelder Alm (German pronunciation:

football stadium in Bielefeld, Germany which is home of the football club DSC Arminia Bielefeld and mostly used for the club's matches. Formerly named Stadion Alm [ˈʃtaːdi̯ɔn ˈʔalm], it is currently known as SchücoArena [ˈʃyːkoːʔaˈʁeːnaː] due to a sponsorship deal with the Bielefeld-based window, door, and façade manufacturers. The stadium currently has a capacity of 27,332 following the most recent major renovations completed in 2008. Alm means mountain pasture, or simply pasture, in German. Various legends exist relating to the initial conditions of the stadium and pitch
which gave the Alm its name.

History

Origin and Early Years (1926-1970)

Arminia Bielefeld utilized a variety of locations around the city to play home matches since their founding in 1905. The first Arminia matches took place at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz, the present day Kesselbrink, in Bielefeld. Thereafter, the club briefly played at a ground off of the former Kaiser Street, or Kaiserstraße in German, currently known as August Bebel Street. In 1910 the club moved to a new ground known as the Pottenau Sportplatz.[2] The Pottenau ground was intended for 4,000 spectators, but a few thousand additional spectators were able to view matches without paying admission on the adjacent railway embankment.[2]

Following the Arminia's

Victoria Hamburg.[5]
Roughly 2,000 spectators attended the inaugural match which Hamburg won 5:1.

The new ground was initially referred to as the Stadion an der Melanchthonstraße.[2] The exact origin of the Alm name is the subject of various legends.[6] The word Alm in German means mountain pasture.[7] The most well supported[5][6] theory for the origin of the name came from club member Heinrich Pehle. In the early years of the ground, Pehle said, "It looks like [a] pasture here!", referring to the poor quality and uneven surface of the pitch. The grass coverage was sparse and puddles covered the entire pitch during the Alm's early years in the late 1920s.[5] An alternative origination of the Alm name came from former player and club director Karl Demberg, who said, "Let [our opponents] come, we will make them fold on our pasture!"[4] Engelbert Strauch claimed that, per the terms of the lease, Lohmann's cattle could still graze on the pitch while matches were not being played, thus giving the Alm its name.[2] Arminia Bielefeld considers the Pehle quote as the most plausible origination of the Alm name.[6]

Aerial image of the Bielefelder Alm in 1939.

The Alm did not have any facilities or changing rooms for the players or match officials in its early years. Nearby pub on Stapenhorststraße known as Schutze provided changing rooms and showers for the squads.[2] Named after proprietors Else and Wilhelm Schütze, the pub was later renamed to Haus Wiegand after later owner Günter Wiegand.[8] Only one cold water shower was available for players and match officials. The pub was used as the ground's changing room until the 1960s. In 1983 the pub was renamed Tinneff after Arminia's 1920s championship left winger Walter "Tinneff" Röhe, a regular at the pub.[9] The original pub building was damaged by a fire in 2007 and the pub did not reopen thereafter. The building was demolished in 2015 for the construction of a new multi-use property.

Space for up to 20,000 spectators was provided by a manmade mound surrounding the pitch.[6] The ground remained unchanged from its initial configuration for roughly three decades. In 1954, the city of Bielefeld undertook a number of modifications to modernize the ground, including the purchase of adjacent properties for the development of two alternate pitches, as well as the construction of concrete terracing. In addition, the playing surface conditions were improved by the installation of a grass pitch.[5]

Expansion for the Bundesliga (1970-1996)

In the 1960s the club played in the

1966-67 Regionalliga season, Bielefeld was at the top of the table. Rumors arose in the local media that, should Bielefeld be promoted to the Bundesliga, the Alm would not be suitable for the first tier. In the event of promotion, the club would need to play its home matches in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion in nearby Herford.[5]

Following Bielefeld's promotion to the Bundesliga in

Hertha BSC Berlin in the stadiums first ever night match,[5] with goals being scored by Gerd Kohl and Zoltán Varga.[11]

The ground was expanded to a capacity of 35,000 following Bielefeld's return to the Bundesliga in

North-Rhine Westphalian club Schalke 04, and had an attendance of 34,882 spectators.[12] The near capacity crowd witnessed a 3:2 victory for Arminia with Bielefeld's goals scored by Christian Sackewitz, Norbert Eilenfeldt, and Hans-Werner Moors.[13]

Rebuilding (1996-2008)

In 1996 rebuilding work began, first the North Stand was rebuilt and then the West Stand, bringing capacity to 22,512. In 1999 the South Stand was rebuilt increasing capacity to 26,601, and in June 2007 the capacity reached 28,008 following completion of the East Stand. The East Stand features a state-of-the-art glass roof that contains

photo voltaic
elements built into the glass (as opposed to mounted on it) that generate electricity for the club.

Recent History and Sale (Since 2008)

The construction costs of the new Haupttribune rising from the planned 11 million to 19 million euros was a significant contributor to Arminia's near

Gauselmann AG. However, the club will retain all rights such as rental incomes and naming rights.[15]

Schüco Arena is included in the video game Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, due to lack of licensing rights appearing as "Blautraum Arena". It is also in FIFA 22 and FIFA 23, as part of the Bundesliga licensing deal with EA Sports.

The SchücoArena viewed from the West Stand during May 8th, 2011 match between Arminia Bielefeld – Karlsruher SC

Other uses

2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

In 2008 FIFA and the German Football Association announced the nine host cities for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Bielefeld had applied to be one of the host cities for the tournament, however, Leverkusen was selected in lieu of Bielefeld. Following Bielefeld's rejected application to host matches during the 2011 tournament, DFB Executive Theo Zwanziger committed that Bielefeld would be invited to host matches of the Germany women's national football team in the future.[16] The Alm was selected to host several matches of the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, including a semifinal, the third place match, and the final.

Group Stage

13 July 2010 Brazil  0–1  North Korea Bielefelder Alm
11:30 Report Ho Un-byol 69' Attendance: 10,065
Referee: Saša Ihringová (England)
13 July 2010 Sweden  2–1 New Zealand New Zealand Bielefelder Alm
14:30 Göransson 56', 67' Report Wilkinson 33' Attendance: 10,065
Referee:
Carol Anne Chenard (Canada
)
16 July 2010 Brazil  1–1  Sweden Bielefelder Alm
15:00 Rafaelle 53' (pen.) Report Göransson 36' Attendance: 6,630
Referee: Hong Eun-ah (Korea Republic)
16 July 2010 North Korea  2–1 New Zealand New Zealand Bielefelder Alm
18:00 Yun Hyon-hi 12'
Kim Un-Hyang 65' (pen.)		 Report Armstrong 90' Attendance: 6,630
Referee: Mercy Tagoe (Ghana)
21 July 2010 Japan  3–1  England Bielefelder Alm
15:00 Nakajima 20'
Kishikawa 74', 78'		 Report Duggan 83' (pen.) Attendance: 5,420
Referee: Mercy Tagoe (Ghana)
21 July 2010 South Korea  0–1  United States Bielefelder Alm
18:00 Report Leroux 21' Attendance: 5,420
Referee: Bibiana Steinhaus (Germany)

Quarterfinal

24 July 2010 Sweden  0–2  Colombia Bielefelder Alm
11:30 Report Rincón 11'
Ariza 22'		 Attendance: 4,735
Referee: Hong Eun-ah (Korea Republic)

Semifinal

29 July 2010 Colombia  0–1  Nigeria Bielefelder Alm
18:30 Report Orji 2' Attendance: 7,040
Referee: Christina Pedersen (Norway)

3rd Place Playoff

1 August 2010 South Korea  1–0  Colombia Bielefelder Alm
12:00 Ji So-yun 49' Report Attendance: 24,633
Referee: Bibiana Steinhaus (Germany)

Final

1 August 2010 Germany  2–0  Nigeria Bielefelder Alm
15:00 Popp 8'
Ohale 90+2' (o.g.)		 Report Attendance: 24,633
Referee:
Carol Anne Chenard (Canada
)

DFB Pokal Matches

Individual first round matches of the

SC Paderborn and VfB Fichte Bielefeld
have played first round cup matches at the Alm.

2001-02 DFB Pokal

SC Paderborn v Bayern Munich
27 August 2001 SC Paderborn1–5 Bayern Munich Bielefelder Alm
20:30 Karpowicz 89' Report
(in German)		 Jancker 6'
Santa Cruz 23'
Zickler 51', 71'
N. Kovač 65'		 Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Jürgen Aust (Cologne)

2008-09 DFB Pokal

9 August 2008 VfB Fichte Bielefeld1–8 Borussia Mönchengladbach Bielefelder Alm
15:30 Önen 66'
 Report
(in German)		 Marin 7', 11', 17' (pen.)
Colautti 9', 24'
Rösler 19', 54'
Brouwers 36'
 Attendance: 8,100
Referee: Babak Rafiti (
Hannover
)

2019-20 Regionalliga Promotion Playoff

During the

2019-20 Regionalliga promotion playoff at their home ground, the Sportclub Arena.[18] After a 2:2 draw away to Lok Leipzig from the Regionalliga Nordost, Verl drew 1:1 at the Alm and was promoted to the 3. Liga due to the away goals rule
.

Second Leg

SC Verl v 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig
30 June 2020 SC Verl 1–11. FC Lokomotive LeipzigBielefelder Alm
16:00
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Arne Aarnink (Nordhorn)

Records

The highest attendance recorded at the Bielefelder Alm is 36,000 set on 11 November 1978 against

1978-79 Bundesliga, while the lowest recorded average attendance[a] was 2,320 during the 1990-91 Oberliga Westfalen.[20] The since 2004 official SchücoArena name is the third longest running sponsored football ground name in Germany, behind BayArena and Volkswagen Arena.[21]

On 23 March 2024, the Westphalian Cup record attendance of 18,173 was set at the Alm in the semifinal between Arminia and Preußen Münster.[22] The prior record attendance for the competition of 11,778 was also set at the Alm, between the same two sides in the 2011-12 Westphalian Cup final.[23]

Transport

Picture of the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle underground station with a Bielefeld Stadtbahn train passing through..
The Rudolf-Oetker-Halle underground station serves the Alm.

The stadium is directly served by bus and the Bielefeld Stadtbahn light rail operated by moBiel, the Bielefeld city public transport agency. Bielefeld Stadtbahn Line 4 stop Rudolf-Oetker-Halle is nearest the stadium and recommended for individuals seated on the southern and eastern stands. Stop Graf-von-Stauffenberg-Straße is recommended for those seated on the western and northern stands. Away fans are recommended to use Line 3 stops Wittekindstraße or Nordpark.[24]

The Bielefeld Central Station is served by regional and intercity trains of the Deutsche Bahn.[25] All Bielefeld light rail lines, including Line 3 and 4, stop underground adjacent to the station. The Jahnplatz, Bielefeld's city center and bus hub with the same name, is also served by all light rail lines. Light rail trips from the Jahnplatz to the stops near the stadium take approximately 4 minutes, whereas trips from the Central Station take approximately 2 minutes.[26] All Bielefeld light rail lines travel via both the Jahnplatz and Central Station stops.

Since the 2016/17 season, all Arminia single match and season tickets are valid public transport tickets throughout the local bus, light rail and limited regional rail services. Ticket holders may travel on public transit without paying an additional fare up to three hours before kickoff until three hours after the end of the match.[24]

Stadium parking is provided at Bielefeld University. Bielefeld Stadtbahn line 4 provides transportation from the University to the stadium. 310 monitored bicycle parking spaces are provided adjacent to the south stand at the Schotterplatz.[24]

Notes

  1. ^ Seasonal attendance averages are not available for all seasons until the 1966-67 season.[20]

References

  1. ^ "SchücoArena".
  2. ^ a b c d e f Arminia Bielefeld: 100 Jahre Leidenschaft (in German). in4media. 2005.
  3. ^ "Tabellen der Jahre 1906 bis 1945". Blaue Daten (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  4. ^
    ISBN 3-89533-479-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Von der Alm zur Arena". Bundesliga.com (in German). ESPN. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d "Der DSC - Historie" (in German). Arminia Bielefeld. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Cambridge Dictionary". Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Noch so'n Tinnef" (PDF). arminia.de (in German). Arminia Bielefeld. p. 8. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Neubau ersetzt alte Arminen-Vereinskneipe". Neue Westfalische (in German). Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Alle Ligaplazierungen seit Gründung des Vereins". Blaue Daten (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Bundesliga Schema - Bielefeld v Hertha". Kicker (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Die Bielefelder Alm – Tradtition trifft Moderne". liga3-online.de (in German). Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Bundesliga Schema - Bielefeld v Schalke". Kicker.de (in German). Kicker.
  14. ^ "Verdacht der Untreue bei der Arminia". Kicker (in German). Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Arminia schließt Sanierung mit Stadionverkauf erfolgreich ab und ist netto-finanzschuldenfrei" (in German). arminia-bielefeld.de. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  16. ^ Nine Host Cities announced. FIFA.com. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  17. ^ "VfB Fichte bereitet sich auf Pokalspiel vor". Radio Bielefeld (in German). Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Aufstieg zur 3. Liga: Rückspiel in Bielefeld statt in Verl⁣". SC Verl (in German). SC Verl. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Zuschauerrekorde". Blaue Daten (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Zuschauerschnitt seit 1962". Blaue Daten (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  21. ^ "SchücoArena: Die kultige Alm von Arminia Bielefeld im Porträt". Sport90 (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Bielefeld besiegt Münster und zieht ins Westfalenpokal-Finale ein". WDR (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Schon jetzt klar - neuer Zuschauer-Rekord im Halbfinale". Revier Sport (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "SCHÜCOARENA - Anfahrt". Arminia Bielefeld. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Bielefeld HBF". Bahnhof.de. Deutsche Bahn. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Fahrplanauskunft". moBiel (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2024.

External links

Preceded by
Estadio Bicentenario Municipal
La Florida
 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Final Venue
2010 		Succeeded by
National Olympic Stadium
Tokyo
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