Alfheim Stadium
Encyclopedia
Alfheim stadion is the home ground of the Norwegian Premier League
football
club Tromsø I.L.
It is located in Tromsø
, Norway
.
, being 110 metres long and 70 meters wide. It is also the northernmost Premier Division stadium in Norway, making its under-soil heating a necessity.
Alfheim had natural grass until 2006. However, the condition of the pitch, especially during the winter months, received considerable criticism from sports pundits and visiting managers. Usually in October, when the Eliteserie is in its last rounds, winter sets in in Tromsø. This, along with the wear and tear from football matches and practicing sessions, caused the grass to disappear and reduced the pitch to a muddy field. To make up for this, Tromsø I.L. installed artificial turf
at the stadium during the 2006 World Cup in Germany
. Funding for the turf came from contributions to the club from several businesses in Tromsø, including 7.5 million NOK from an anonymous donor. The artificial turf laid in 2006 was replaced with a new one in June 2010 after taking much criticism.
The East stand is an all seated covered stand which can accommodate about 2000 people. This stand was built in the mid-eighties and is the oldest stand at Alfheim. It houses the clubs offices. At the back of the stand there is a row of executive boxes. Some controversy surrounded the East Stand during the 2004-season
. Ringnes
, a Norwegian brewery
, complained about the clubs S.K. Brann
and Tromsø I.L.
being sponsored by the breweries Hansa Borg and Mack Brewery
respectively. Advertising for alcohol
is illegal in Norway. The result of this complaint for Tromsø I.L. was that the club had to remove all advertisements for Mack, including the seating arrangement on one of the stands that spelled out Mack. The seats were changed, making the stands spell out Tack in stead. Tack is a play on words, since it resembles the word Takk, Norwegian for "thank you", a gesture from Tromsø I.L. thanking Mack for the co-operation through a great deal of years. Ahead of the 2005-season
, the former Mack-stands had been renamed to the Coop-stands, being sponsored by the Norwegian convenience store
chain Coop.
The West Stand was rebuilt during the 2005-season, meaning both sides now are seated and covered. Before the rebuilding the West Stand was an uncovered wooden stand. The West Stand has a capacity of approximately 4000, making it the largest stand at Alfheim. There are three media gantries suspended from the roof of the West Stand.
Straddling the middle of the south end and running for two thirds of the length is an uncovered family stand which seats approximately 600 people. Ahead of the 2011 season this stand replaced most of the 1500 capacity temporary uncovered stand. A part of the old stand remains next to the family stand towards the east stand and is given to the visiting team supporters, leaving them with the worst facilities at Alfheim. The old South Stand was closed for matches in European cup tournaments due to safety regulations imposed by UEFA
.
Until August 2007 there was a temporary uncovered stand at the north end which ran for about two thirds of the pitch, this was dismantled to allow place for a stage during a music festival. The north end is now filled with advertising hoardings. In 2010 the scoreboard and stadium clock at the north end were replaced with a large video screen i the north east corner. Set back from the pitch at the north end is TIL-huset, a building that previously housed the teams changing rooms.
on 15 August 1990 (quarter final
in the Norwegian Cup
)
, Galatasaray
, and Red Star Belgrade
have all experienced losing to Tromsø I.L. at Alfheim.
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
football
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...
club Tromsø I.L.
Tromsø I.L.
Tromsø Idrettslag is a Norwegian professional football team founded in 1920, and based in Tromsø. They play their home games at Alfheim Stadium. Tromsø I.L...
It is located in Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, 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...
.
The pitch
The artificial grass pitch at Alfheim Stadium is the biggest in NorwayNorway
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...
, being 110 metres long and 70 meters wide. It is also the northernmost Premier Division stadium in Norway, making its under-soil heating a necessity.
Alfheim had natural grass until 2006. However, the condition of the pitch, especially during the winter months, received considerable criticism from sports pundits and visiting managers. Usually in October, when the Eliteserie is in its last rounds, winter sets in in Tromsø. This, along with the wear and tear from football matches and practicing sessions, caused the grass to disappear and reduced the pitch to a muddy field. To make up for this, Tromsø I.L. installed artificial turf
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...
at the stadium during the 2006 World Cup in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Funding for the turf came from contributions to the club from several businesses in Tromsø, including 7.5 million NOK from an anonymous donor. The artificial turf laid in 2006 was replaced with a new one in June 2010 after taking much criticism.
The stands
Norwegian Premier League 2004
The 2004 season of the Norwegian Premier League began on April 12, 2004 and ended on 30 October 2004.26 games are played with 3 points given for wins and 1 for draws...
. Ringnes
Ringnes
Ringnes is the largest brewer in Norway.-History:Ringnes AS was founded in 1876. The company's brewery in the Grünerløkka district of Oslo produced its first beer in 1877. The brewery was founded by brothers Amund and Ellef Ringnes together with financial director Axel Heiberg...
, a Norwegian brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
, complained about the clubs S.K. Brann
S.K. Brann
SK Brann is a Norwegian football club, founded September 26, 1908, from Bergen. Brann has been in the Norwegian Premier League Tippeligaen since 1987 and play their home matches at Brann Stadion where they had a record-breaking 17,310 in average attendance in the 2007 season...
and Tromsø I.L.
Tromsø I.L.
Tromsø Idrettslag is a Norwegian professional football team founded in 1920, and based in Tromsø. They play their home games at Alfheim Stadium. Tromsø I.L...
being sponsored by the breweries Hansa Borg and Mack Brewery
Mack Brewery
Mack Bryggeri is a brewery in Tromsø, Norway. It is also considered the world's northernmost brewery and coca cola factory.-History:Mack Bryggeri was founded during 1877 in Tromsø by Ludwig Markus Mack , son of a German immigrant, businessman and local politician...
respectively. Advertising for alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
is illegal in Norway. The result of this complaint for Tromsø I.L. was that the club had to remove all advertisements for Mack, including the seating arrangement on one of the stands that spelled out Mack. The seats were changed, making the stands spell out Tack in stead. Tack is a play on words, since it resembles the word Takk, Norwegian for "thank you", a gesture from Tromsø I.L. thanking Mack for the co-operation through a great deal of years. Ahead of the 2005-season
Norwegian Premier League 2005
The 2005 season of the Norwegian Premier League began on April 10, 2005, and was concluded with the last of 26 rounds played on October 29. 3 points were given for wins and 1 for draws....
, the former Mack-stands had been renamed to the Coop-stands, being sponsored by the Norwegian convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
chain Coop.
Straddling the middle of the south end and running for two thirds of the length is an uncovered family stand which seats approximately 600 people. Ahead of the 2011 season this stand replaced most of the 1500 capacity temporary uncovered stand. A part of the old stand remains next to the family stand towards the east stand and is given to the visiting team supporters, leaving them with the worst facilities at Alfheim. The old South Stand was closed for matches in European cup tournaments due to safety regulations imposed by UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
.
Until August 2007 there was a temporary uncovered stand at the north end which ran for about two thirds of the pitch, this was dismantled to allow place for a stage during a music festival. The north end is now filled with advertising hoardings. In 2010 the scoreboard and stadium clock at the north end were replaced with a large video screen i the north east corner. Set back from the pitch at the north end is TIL-huset, a building that previously housed the teams changing rooms.
Records
Record Attendance: 10,225 v RosenborgRosenborg B.K.
Rosenborg Ballklub is a Norwegian football club from the city of Trondheim, currently playing in the Norwegian Premier League. With 22 league titles and nine Norwegian Cup titles, the club is the most successful in Norway and has dominated Norwegian football since the start of the 1990s...
on 15 August 1990 (quarter final
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
in the Norwegian Cup
Norwegian football cup
The Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
)
Average attendances
- Norwegian First Division
- 2002: 2,941
- Norwegian Premier League
- 2003: 4,413
- 2004: 5,698
- 2005: 5,064
- 2006: 5,068
- 2007: 6,050
- 2008: 5,482
- 2009: 5,176
- 2010: 4,696
Fort Alfheim
Because of Tromsø I.L.'s good home record in many seasons in the Eliteserie (e.g. 10 wins in 13 matches in the 2004-season), Alfheim Stadium has been given the nickname Fort Alfheim, building on the image of Alfheim Stadium as being impregnable. Chelsea F.C.Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
, and Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
have all experienced losing to Tromsø I.L. at Alfheim.