Movement Strategies attended the Stadium Business Design and Development Summit in Manchester.
The recent Stadium Business Design and Development Summit in Manchester brought together global leaders to discuss the evolution of sports and entertainment venues.
Representing GHD’s Movement Strategies team, Simon Ancliffe (Movement Strategies Founder and GHD Principal) and Gaila Comesaña González (Crowd Movement Consultant) participated in the event, contributing to discussions and gaining insights into emerging trends.
Key themes included the following:
· 60,000 capacity stadia: The demand for venues with over 60,000 capacity is rising. Movement Strategies has supported capacity increases for iconic venues such as Anfield, the Etihad Stadium and the FCB Camp Nou, as well as new build like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. We help stadia remain operational during construction and minimise loss of seats.
· Safe standing areas: Many Premier League teams have implemented or are considering how to implement standing areas at their stadia. We have conducted research studies within the seated viewing accommodation of a UK venue to analyse and understand the standing behaviours of spectators across a variety of event types, and the implications of this.
· Women’s football facilities: The number of women and girls who play football has increased by 56% since 2022. There is now growing investment in purpose-built venues to support the game’s growth, as well as using existing stadia (currently used principally by Men’s teams). New guidelines are under development, but to be robust will require extensive research and data collection activities.
· Enhanced fan zones: Fan Zones are pre-match spaces offering entertainment, food and retail opportunities. As many of these areas are located ‘pre-turnstile’, there are operational, security and safety considerations that apply here that are different to those within the venue hosting the competition.
· Innovative F&B hospitality: From contactless /frictionless services and casual Food and Beverage options to premium options such as pitch-side hotel rooms, venues are focusing on elevating and differentiating the fan journey. Our Movement Strategies team has worked on the implications of different service offers for different client groups for venues including the O2and the Wimbledon Championships.
· Elite performance centres: Multifunctional facilities combining training, rehabilitation and academy programmes are increasingly seen as vital investments by clubs. These facilities also support academy players and community engagement efforts.
The summit reinforced the importance of adaptability, collaboration and innovation in stadium development.
Movement Strategies continues to shape these advancements, aligning its contributions with the evolving expectations and needs of diverse audiences and clients.