The global growth of stadium concerts: the perspective of pitch protection specialist EuroTec |
|
|
|
|
 |
| 262 sec |
The number of artists wanting to perform in large stadiums is growing rapidly, notes Euro Tec. The company specialises in the temporary protection of stadium grass pitches using advanced aluminium and plastic flooring systems. The increasing demand from international artists to perform at these Champions League venues requires direct and specialist knowledge from every field manager. Fieldmanager spoke with Max and Hans Steiner about this global trend, the technical requirements it brings, and the crucial role of the field manager in this process.
 |
Global growth and packed calendars
According to Max Steiner, the growing interest in stadium concerts is a global movement. 'We clearly see a shift,' he says. 'There is a strong desire among artists to play in large stadiums, because for them it feels like a kind of Champions League match.' Not only in the Netherlands, but worldwide, calendars are filling up. 'For next year, the year after, and even for 2028, you see that many stadiums are already almost fully booked by artists who want to perform there,' says Max. In the Netherlands, the Johan Cruijff ArenA remains a highly sought-after venue. There, organisers try to schedule as many shows as possible in a short period. During the summer break, the stadium virtually turns into a full-scale concert hall. De Kuip, the Philips Stadion and the Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam have also hosted leading concerts in recent years.
State-of-the-art approach in the Netherlands
'We came into contact with, among others, De Kuip and the Johan Cruijff ArenA at a very early stage. The latter stadium was already innovative back then, and it still is. They always wanted to be a state-of-the-art stadium.' The ArenA was the first stadium to want to cover the entire pitch with an aluminium floor, not for a single event but for several weeks in a row. 'That was unique at the time,' says Hans. 'They covered the pitch completely during the summer break with our help and turned it into a concert venue. Many other renowned stadiums worldwide later adopted this approach.'
In fact, the long-term cooperation with major stadiums in the Netherlands formed the basis on which Euro Tec's working methods were taken to a higher level. 'When you work for so long with the most demanding venues, you keep learning,' says Hans. Manual installation and removal of floor panels has been replaced by efficient, mechanised processes using specialised machines and vacuum technology. This has significantly improved both the speed and precision of pitch coverage. An absolute requirement given the increasingly tight windows between sporting events and concerts.
The technical balance of aluminium floors
A key part of this efficiency lies in the material itself. Hans explains that the success of the system largely comes from the balance in its design. 'The dead weight and load-bearing capacity of the panels form the perfect mix. If a panel is too heavy, it damages the surface. If it is too light, it cannot handle the load of a stadium concert.' According to Hans, the design still fully meets current demands. 'We developed the system together with the ArenA back then. I wouldn't change anything about it now. It is still quick to install and remove, and it can easily handle the load.'
The crucial role of the field manager
For field managers, a close, trust-based relationship with suppliers such as Euro Tec is essential. Hans Steiner stresses the importance of this dynamic. 'As a supplier, we work very closely with someone whose primary focus is the condition of the grass, right up to the final match. Only after that can we quickly and professionally protect the pitch with plastic or aluminium floor panels. At that moment, the field manager has to let go for a while. Once our systems are removed again, it is up to him and the grounds team to bring the pitch back into top condition. Open and transparent communication is the basis for a partnership you can rely on, especially when deadlines are tight.'
This becomes clear every year during Amsterdam Music Festival (AMF). Euro Tec works on the event day within a strictly defined time slot. 'We laid the first plastic panel at ten in the morning, and by three in the afternoon the entire pitch was covered,' says Max. 'At seven o'clock the doors opened, and the party continued until five or six in the morning.' The production team behind AMF certainly deserves compliments for this tight execution, with Euro Tec providing the pitch protection as supplier. After that, the process starts all over again. 'By eleven in the morning we were already busy removing everything.' Immediately afterwards, aftercare by the grounds team begins. Light, air and water must reach the pitch as quickly as possible. 'The goal is for the grass to come through perfectly,' says Max. 'That is quite an achievement, especially in the middle of the football season. This extreme efficiency and perfect coordination in the events sector have become a Dutch trademark, something you hardly see anywhere else in the world.'
Stress and preparation
Euro Tec often operates under significant time pressure. Hans admits that this can be stressful. 'That's certainly true, especially during build-up,' he says. 'Through our own efficiency, we have also raised our own bar higher and higher. Clients expect Champions League-level performance. That is not always self-evident.' To limit risks, Euro Tec builds in buffers. In many cases, materials are already waiting in trucks near the stadium. 'We call that a warehouse on wheels.' Machinery is always delivered in advance, and key staff stay in hotels nearby. 'But you also depend on things you can't control,' says Hans. 'People can be late, machines can break down, traffic jams can occur. You have to take that into account.'
International interest and new concert models
According to Euro Tec, more and more (foreign) stadiums want to operate as concert venues in summer following the Dutch model. 'We are increasingly deployed internationally to support the first edition,' says Max. 'Then we make sure everything runs like a well-oiled machine from the start.' Internationally, another new trend is also emerging: artists who no longer tour from city to city, but stay in one stadium for a month. 'An act comes to three cities in Europe and plays ten or eleven shows in each stadium,' says Max. 'They build up, perform perhaps every other day, and stay there.' This trend started with tours by Coldplay and Taylor Swift, where four or five shows per stadium were already common. Sometimes even temporary stadiums are built. A clear example is what happened earlier at a trade fair site in Munich, where Adele entertained 740,000 visitors across ten sold-out shows. 'That shows how big the demand is,' says Max. 'If stadiums are full, people simply build a temporary one.'
Consequences for field managers
The growth of stadium concerts places high demands on field managers. Euro Tec advises communicating with all parties involved well in advance and starting recovery immediately once the floor is removed. Max: 'The stadiums that do this well are well prepared. They know exactly who does what and when. For us, this period is always very interesting, because we are often involved from the very beginning.' Despite the growth, the market remains vulnerable due to limited availability of stadiums and materials. Extreme peak pressure during the summer break of the football season is the main cause. 'You need commitment,' says Hans. 'Stadiums and/or clients have to decide early, to give all their reliable suppliers certainty. We also need to be able to guarantee that we can deliver the materials on time.' Euro Tec looks ahead with confidence. The company operates not only in the Netherlands, but increasingly also in Germany, North America and Canada. 'It's good to see our expertise spreading,' says Hans.
This article was previously published on 23 December 2025 on the Fieldmanager](https://www.fieldmanager.nl/article/52362/de-wereldwijde-groei-van-stadionconcerten-het-perspectief-van-veldbeschermer-eurotec]Fieldmanager) website.
| LOG IN
with your email address to respond.
|
|
|
| There are no comments yet. |
|
