Ewood Park

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Ewood Park


location = Blackburn Lancashire England BB2 4JF
fullname = Ewood Park
built = 1882
opened = 1882
seating_capacity = 31,367cite web|title=Premiership Club-by-club Guide|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/5237764.stm|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2006-12-30]
tenants = Blackburn Rovers (1890-present)
dimensions = 115 x 76 yards

Ewood Park is a football stadium in Blackburn, Lancashire and has been the home of Blackburn Rovers football club since they moved there from Leamington Road in the summer of 1890. The stadium opened in 1882 and is an all seater multi-sports facility with a capacity of 31,367. It comprises four sections: Darwen End, Riverside Stand (named as such because it stands practically on the banks of the River Darwen), Blackburn End, and Jack Walker Stand, which is named after Blackburn industrialist and club supporter, Jack Walker. The football pitch within the stadium measures convert|115|yd|m|lk=on x convert|76|yd|m.

Blackburn Rovers is one of only two football clubs, the other being the Wanderers, to have won the English FA Cup 3 times in 3 consecutive seasons, and for this achievement it is the only club in the English Football League with permission to display its club crest on the corner flags. This rule is still applicable at Ewood Park, despite the victories being achieved whilst at the club's previous Leamington Road ground.

The stadium hosted three matches during the Women's Euro 2005 competition— two England matches in group play, and the final.

Ewood Park is the oldest home to a Premier League club. Though both Anfield and Stamford Bridge were constructed earlier (1884 and 1877), their current tenants (Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC) did not start playing there until 1892 and 1905, respectively.

Details

Records

Record Attendance: 62,522 v Bolton Wanderers, 2 March, 1929 (FA Cup 6th Round). [cite web|title=Club Records|url=http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Records/0,,10303,00.html|publisher=Blackburn Rovers official website|accessdate=2006-12-30]

Average attendances

*2003-04: 24,376
*2004-05: 22,315
*2005-06: 21,015
*2006-07: 21,275
*2007-08: 23,369
*2008-09: 23,299The average attendance for 2006-07 was approximately 21,275. [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/stats/attendance?league=eng.1&year=2006&cc=5901] This represented a 5,000 decline in average attendances in just four years, despite the success experienced by Blackburn Rovers in the 2005-06 Premiership. Rovers took action to reverse this by reducing ticket prices by 25% for the 2007 - 08 season, a move which was commended by everyone involved in the game. An adult Season ticket now costs £250.00 in the Fraser Eagle Stand, £300.00 in the Blackburn End, and £350.00 in the Jack Walker Stand, Adult Matchday Prices Range from £15.00 to £35.00. This was very successful as attendances have now risen and the prices were again frozen for the 2008 - 09 season.

Ewood Park is the 14th largest facility in capacity in the Premiership, The attendance Blackburn attracts to Ewood Park is the highest in proportion to town/city size. Blackburn has a population of 105,085 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn] , so the attendance accounts for nearly a quarter of the town's population.

tands & Redevelopment

Jack Walker Stand

Formerly the Nuttall Street Stand, this stand carries the name of Jack Walker, former club owner. It has 11,000 seats and is one of three stands extensively rebuilt for the modern premiership. This stand contains the home/away dressing rooms and media/conferencing facilities. Prior to the most recent rebuild the stand was renewed back in 1984 after a fire in the summer months, this was two banks of executive boxes.

Blackburn End

Capacity 8000 seats, constructed in the early 1990s, and as its name suggests the stand nearest Blackburn town centre. The boardroom in the Nuttall Stand was dismantled piece by piece and, when rebuilding was finished, reassembled in the Blackburn End. Rovers fans consider this to be the main stand of the ground.

Riverside Stand

The newly-named for 2007-08 season Fraser Eagle Stand provides 5,000 seats and is now the only part of Ewood Park to date from before the 90s. It was rebuilt in the 80s after being deemed unsafe in high winds. The steel for this construction was provided by Walkersteel, then owned by Jack Walker, who was later to buy the club. [http://www.brfcs.com/history/history_grounds_ewoodpark4.php]

Darwen End

8000 seats, houses away supporters in a two tier stand mirroring the Blackburn End.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=blackburn,+england&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=53.728411,-2.489069&spn=0.004551,0.013475&t=k&om=0 Aerial shot of Ewood Park]