Why not retractable roof?

Bogga

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
1,817
Location
Sweden
Sorry if my search skills wasn't good enough. Only thread I could find was 13 years old...

Some games when you watch from home, it all looks so green, the pitch looks great and you wish you were there. Then they focus on a player and it looks like a giant is taking a piss at him. Last game vs Burnley for example, our players kept slipping like they were playing in sneakers. And it's not like it's a well kept secret that England gets its fair share of rain...

So retractable roof, why doesn't any of the arenas over there have one?
I could understand if the smaller clubs can't afford it. But the bigger clubs should be able to. Yet no club have done this? Some arenas can have some obstacle, but not everyone? Googled "Old Trafford retractable roof" but didn't get any wiser...

Please enlighten me :)
 

Adnan07

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 28, 2014
Messages
35
Location
India
I think the new real madrid and barcelona stadiums will have retractable roofs.
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,202
My fairly uneducated guess is that you probably have to design them from scratch to support a retractable roof. Most grounds in England have been built up in congested streets with multiple extensions over time and wouldn't be able to take one. Not to mention the cost, there are hardly any in Europe, just Cardiff and Wembley in the UK I think.
 

MrPooni

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
2,423
My fairly uneducated guess is that you probably have to design them from scratch to support a retractable roof. Most grounds in England have been built up in congested streets with multiple extensions over time and wouldn't be able to take one. Not to mention the cost, there are hardly any in Europe, just Cardiff and Wembley in the UK I think.
Wembley doesn't have a retractable roof for the pitch.
 

simonhch

Horrible boss
Joined
Aug 17, 2010
Messages
14,368
Location
Seventh Heaven
Supports
Urban Combat Preparedness
My fairly uneducated guess is that you probably have to design them from scratch to support a retractable roof. Most grounds in England have been built up in congested streets with multiple extensions over time and wouldn't be able to take one. Not to mention the cost, there are hardly any in Europe, just Cardiff and Wembley in the UK I think.
What about center court at Wimbledon? They added that post construction I believe. Obviously much smaller span, but I recon it's totally doable. We'd just have to pull down the atrocious roof we currently have, which would be aces.

Never going to happen though.
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,202
What about center court at Wimbledon? They added that post construction I believe. Obviously much smaller span, but I recon it's totally doable. We'd just have to pull down the atrocious roof we currently have, which would be aces.

Never going to happen though.
Google does answer this question... seems I wasn't a million miles off:

In club football covered stadia are an enormous cost for a relatively limited return, as it stands every seat position in all-seater stadiums are required to be protected from rain, therefore we are only dealing with the players. In my opinion part of the English game is the full range of seasons that we play through and I think if you remove that, you eliminate an element of intrigue and skill from the game. Additionally most English stadiums have been renewed over the last 30/40 years and would find it technically challenging and very expensive to change the current roof structures to opening mechanisms.
http://stadiumdb.com/news/2017/03/interview_will_we_see_a_retractable_roof_in_premier_league

With OT we'd probably have to build over the railway in order to level the roof off.
 

Bogga

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
1,817
Location
Sweden
Our national arena which some of us visited in May last season has a retractable roof. But of course the arena is quite new and was built from scratch with that in mind.

Considering we should be expanding, I for one think the possibility of adding it if possible should be done.
 

Bogga

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
1,817
Location
Sweden
If not for the effects/impact of the weather, there are other areas that would be good with a retractable roof...

Cause I'm still baffled that there hasn't been any terrorist attacks by using drones. Or are there other security measures up there?
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
Was the reason of poor surface quality of Burnley, due to roof or other factor, considering pitch condition at Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, City etc., are reasonably good. Drainage and under-soil heating are basic facility now, plus high quality turf and management. I suspect Burnley was deliberate in creating this potato field environment, just like what Chelsea did to Barca a few years ago - to stop them from playing passing football.
 

Bogga

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
1,817
Location
Sweden
Was the reason of poor surface quality of Burnley, due to roof or other factor, considering pitch condition at Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, City etc., are reasonably good. Drainage and under-soil heating are basic facility now, plus high quality turf and management. I suspect Burnley was deliberate in creating this potato field environment, just like what Chelsea did to Barca a few years ago - to stop them from playing passing football.
I'm in no way an expert on the area so perhaps there are lots of ways to work around the problems rain brings. Perhaps it would just be a massive cost for a problem that's already been solved...
 

Seven Seas Sardines

Full Member
Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
3,088
Location
Bolivia til 2024
Sorry if my search skills wasn't good enough. Only thread I could find was 13 years old...

Some games when you watch from home, it all looks so green, the pitch looks great and you wish you were there. Then they focus on a player and it looks like a giant is taking a piss at him. Last game vs Burnley for example, our players kept slipping like they were playing in sneakers. And it's not like it's a well kept secret that England gets its fair share of rain...

So retractable roof, why doesn't any of the arenas over there have one?
I could understand if the smaller clubs can't afford it. But the bigger clubs should be able to. Yet no club have done this? Some arenas can have some obstacle, but not everyone? Googled "Old Trafford retractable roof" but didn't get any wiser...

Please enlighten me :)
Should be in the General Forum!
 

Mike Schatner

Devil's advocnut
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
2,639
Location
Jacksonville (32218), Florida
Retractable roofs would present a problem growing strong healthy grass in the UK. Usually that style of stadium has a relatively small aperture for the roof opening. That severely limits the sunlight and wind at pitch level. The groundsmen had a lot of issues getting the pitch healthy at Old Trafford when they filled the corners in, and again when the stadium was extended.

Plus I think playing on a cold wet evening in Stoke is all part of the romance of the EPL, and English game in general.
 

Bogga

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2011
Messages
1,817
Location
Sweden
D e lugnt mannen!
Skönt att höra :D

Retractable roofs would present a problem growing strong healthy grass in the UK. Usually that style of stadium has a relatively small aperture for the roof opening. That severely limits the sunlight and wind at pitch level. The groundsmen had a lot of issues getting the pitch healthy at Old Trafford when they filled the corners in, and again when the stadium was extended.

Plus I think playing on a cold wet evening in Stoke is all part of the romance of the EPL, and English game in general.
Those famous nights in Stoke... I'm still curious how Messi would do over there in January :lol:
 

matherto

ask me about our 50% off sale!
Joined
Nov 3, 2009
Messages
17,509
Location
St. Helens
Was the reason of poor surface quality of Burnley, due to roof or other factor, considering pitch condition at Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, City etc., are reasonably good. Drainage and under-soil heating are basic facility now, plus high quality turf and management. I suspect Burnley was deliberate in creating this potato field environment, just like what Chelsea did to Barca a few years ago - to stop them from playing passing football.
It's January in the North of England, stop being so dense.
 

SirAF

Ageist
Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
37,563
Location
I hate football in the rain, so would be all for roofs..
 

worcesterred

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
1,082
If not for the effects/impact of the weather, there are other areas that would be good with a retractable roof...

Cause I'm still baffled that there hasn't been any terrorist attacks by using drones. Or are there other security measures up there?
I'm not sure about the continent but in the UK stadiums are fitted with giant lasers so that this can be avoided.
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
I think the new real madrid and barcelona stadiums will have retractable roofs.
They desperately need it for those 20 rainy days a year that they get. I'll never know how they managed so far without them.
 

Pace Abuser

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
1,722
If rain doesn't stop play, why solve the problem of rain?

I've watched football many times at stadia and never once realised rain to be affecting the game significantly, even when it's been lashing it down. Variables like weather are what add romance and drama to the league season.
 

Adam-Utd

Part of first caf team to complete Destiny raid
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
39,954
Sanchez or a retractable roof?
 

James Peril

New Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
3,576
I expect the new Spurs Superdome has a retractable roof and that it sure is something Kane looks forward to experiencing?
 

MadMike

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
11,607
Location
London
If rain doesn't stop play, why solve the problem of rain?

I've watched football many times at stadia and never once realised rain to be affecting the game significantly, even when it's been lashing it down. Variables like weather are what add romance and drama to the league season.
Really? Like really, really?

You've never seen games where people slip and slide all over the place? Or water puddles forming that the ball gets stuck in? Or footballers that can't see shit because of rain in their eyes? Not to mention the times games had to be abandoned because of waterlogged or snowy pitches.

Light rain is fine. Torrential rain or heavy snow is quite problematic. 50 years from now they'll be looking back on today's open stadia the same way we look back on those 60-70s stadia with pitches muddier than pig sties.
 

Pace Abuser

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
1,722
Really? Like really, really?

You've never seen games where people slip and slide all over the place? Or water puddles forming that the ball gets stuck in? Or footballers that can't see shit because of rain in their eyes? Not to mention the times games had to be abandoned because of waterlogged or snowy pitches.

Light rain is fine. Torrential rain or heavy snow is quite problematic. 50 years from now they'll be looking back on today's open stadia the same way we look back on those 60-70s stadia with pitches muddier than pig sties.
No, I haven't, because modern pitches in the EPL have quality drainage facilities. When was the last time you seen an epl game in which the pitch was water logged?
There will be some variance in the game because of the rain but no where near substantial enough to warrant indoor games, infact it adds to the gruel of a season, qualities required, and the subsequent achievement of winning the league.

It's not a discussion in the media like goal line technology or var because it isn't really seen as a problem by the vast majority.
 

Dave89

Full Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
17,553
The cost would be huge. Sky sport estimate it to be about 2 weeks of Sanchez wages.
 

Sarni

nice guy, unassuming, objective United fan.
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
57,439
Location
Krakow
My fairly uneducated guess is that you probably have to design them from scratch to support a retractable roof. Most grounds in England have been built up in congested streets with multiple extensions over time and wouldn't be able to take one. Not to mention the cost, there are hardly any in Europe, just Cardiff and Wembley in the UK I think.
The national stadium in Warsaw has one but you need to lock it a day in advance before the game so if it starts pouring on the day of the game, you can't do anything about it anymore. Safety procedures I think.

Ajax stadium definifely has one, and Schalke's.
 

KTP_ZA

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2017
Messages
97
Cost would be immense particularly when you consider the complications of retrofitting a new long span roof structure that has moving parts onto an existing stadium.

The cost/benefit wouldn't be close enough to consider imo because there is rarely a need for a dry pitch. OT drainage is so good that you don't get a waterlogged pitch

You also have to factor in the loss of revenue from when actual construction works are being performed etc.

Life cycle costs then go up as the roof will need inspection/maintenance more often/
 

Alfie Robson

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
43
Location
California
Football is made to be played in the rain. The only time a retractable roof should be used is when it’s actually not raining, so they can turn the roof sprinklers on.
 

2mufc0

Everything is fair game in capitalism!
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
16,992
Supports
Dragon of Dojima
No need for this, playing in the rain is part and parcel of the game.
 

Corey

Full Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2012
Messages
333
Cost would be immense particularly when you consider the complications of retrofitting a new long span roof structure that has moving parts onto an existing stadium.

The cost/benefit wouldn't be close enough to consider imo because there is rarely a need for a dry pitch. OT drainage is so good that you don't get a waterlogged pitch

You also have to factor in the loss of revenue from when actual construction works are being performed etc.


Life cycle costs then go up as the roof will need inspection/maintenance more often/
Good points, although presumably they would do the renovation in the Summer in order to minimise disruption and lost revenue .
 

buchansleftleg

Full Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
3,704
Location
Dublin, formerly Manchester
Grass needs airflow to thrive as well. The growing lamps they use at Old trafford have made it a better pitch but it was terrible for years when they first filled in the corners and put the cantilever roof on.

Adding a roof would not be worth it either. These days the biggest threat to a game being called off is whether Trafford council have gritted the pavements outside if a big snowfall happens.

The pitch will be fine it's the fans that struggle!