Dublin and the transformative power of Big Stadium Hockey
A watershed moment in hockey’s history
There are at least 11 levels of rain in Ireland ranging from ‘A grand soft day’ to ‘Hammering it down’. Delve a little deeper into the rich language of the country and you’ll find over 20 Irish terms to describe it.
It appears, however, that there are not words to describe the brand of rain that seeped into every pore of the Irish Women’s Hockey Team’s historic qualification for Tokyo 2020 a year ago. The first weekend of November 2019 will be remembered by the players, fans and organisers at Energia Park (Donnybrook Stadium), for its indescribable rain. But despite this, it will be remembered as a great event and as a transformative moment in hockey’s history. Looking back, one year on, with the benefit of a dry rear-view mirror, here is why.
Record-breaking crowds
On 2-3 November 2019, the Irish Women’s Hockey Team played Canada in front of 6,047 and 6,137 fans each night. These crowds were the biggest experienced by a women’s international sporting team event in Ireland.
Weekend ticket packages had sold out within hours of going online. The games were televised live on RTE, Ireland’s free to air broadcast platform. The Women’s Team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in Ireland’s history, on a pitch that days before had been a rugby ground. After the tightest of 0-0 draws on both days, Ireland’s Olympic dream came down to penalty shoot outs.
“The home support was like having a 12th player”
The home crowd mattered. And the Irish women had the biggest one on record
As Ireland’s Goal Keeper Ayeisha McFerren told RTE minutes after saving the final penalty of the game:
“The impact of the home crowd was incredible on both nights. They showed up, monsoon and everything…They got us through our final hurdle.”
Her team mate Roisin Upton said the home support was “like having a 12th player.”
Heroes were made of both the players and the fans. And the unsung hero was Big Stadium Hockey and the people who had the vision and tenacity to make it happen.
Portable pitch technology gives hockey the freedom to go where it wants
In grass days, hockey could play important home games in front of big crowds at grass stadiums shared with cricket and football such as Lords and Wembley. The arrival of synthetic turf transformed the playing experience but fan opportunities were limited as the game moved out of city centres to smaller, hockey-specific venues. As satellite channels arrived and looked for sport, hockey disappeared from view.
Big Stadium Hockey was spearheaded by England Hockey and Polytan with support from STRI Group, Permavoid and the FIH to put hockey back in the spotlight by creating a flexible and temporary solution. England Hockey saw the opportunity to return to big stadia and the home of Harlequins Rugby was turned into a world-class hockey venue for England’s FIH Pro League men’s and women’s fixtures against New Zealand in June 2019. Two international fixtures were played in front of more than 11,500 fans - the biggest crowds that the sport had seen in the UK since the 2012 Olympic Games.
Big Stadium Hockey had given the modern game the freedom to go where it wanted.
And Ireland was calling.
Build it in the right place and they will come
The former Chair of the Irish Hockey League and a current European Hockey Board member, Inez Cooper led that rallying cry. As she explained:
“After their silver medal at the 2018 Women’s World Cup, the Irish team knew they had a shot at Olympic qualification and there was never a better time to create a ‘moment at home’. Ireland love nothing more than to get behind the jersey but without a big home platform, there was no resonance.
“We knew that without an existing hockey stadium it would be no small undertaking, but this team has always dreamed big and we had to match them.
“We had to be in Dublin and, in revenue and spectator number terms, we had to take the biggest risk for the biggest return. This is what brought us to the home of Leinster rugby, the heart of Irish rugby and only 1.5km from the city centre. We felt strongly that if we built it, in the right place, they would come. And they did. Everyone could get there. Hockey and rugby fans came in their droves.”
A team effort for the transformation of a team sport
With only eight weeks to make Ireland’s Big Stadium Hockey debut happen it took a colossal team effort driven by Cooper and Joan Morgan. What started as a bold and confident initiative from England Hockey became an example of knowledge-sharing across nations and sports. Cooper describes the expertise of Sue Catton, who was the driving force behind The Stoop’s success, as fundamental in making Ireland’s event happen. Leinster Rugby’s vision and support was also crucial.
On site, much of the work was carried out by volunteers and with the help of specialists from the UK, Germany and Australia as well as local teams and volunteers, the install of the portable pitch system only took three days from start to finish. The removal was completed in two days and rugby matches resumed their normal schedule the following weekend.
The hockey family pulled together, but it also went beyond that.
Dublin City Council recognised Big Stadium Hockey’s potential for the city and got behind its promotion in a big way. The event transcended hockey and sport. It was a cultural event. And the portable Poligras Tokyo GT turf proved itself to be not just a game surface, but an entertainment stage.
A lasting legacy
A year on from the event, its halo remains. Cooper explains:
“There has been more exposure for hockey and the players. Grassroots participation has increased, and more commercial funding has allowed the women’s team to become semi-professional.”
This has enabled Upton to put her teaching career on hold and focus full-time on making the squad for Tokyo. And she recognises that the benefits don’t stop at the elite end of the game;
“The technology is more than we could have imagined would happen. It has given us a platform to show hockey on a level playing field with other sports and having seen it, more kids want to play it”.
This could be a global hockey success story
Cooper insists, that this success story is not down to the luck of the Irish. It is there for the taking for any ambitious hockey nation, regardless of their size.
“My advice is to go for it. There’s no limit to what you can imagine as long as you pick the right moment and place on which to build a solid business case.”
Angus Kirkland, Director General, European Hockey Federation echoes this view of the future:
“The Big Stadium Hockey matches in Dublin show hockey’s potential. For these types of high profile games the fans want to support their teams. However, it is a big step for hockey to build its own larger venues, therefore having the flexibility to use existing stadiums is a great way to bridge the gap. Hockey is such an exciting game that I am confident we will see more hockey in bigger venues in the future.”
Big Stadium Hockey, simply put, means growth for the game
More fans and better matches make the sport more attractive for broadcast and commercial partners and the big stadia infrastructure is purpose-built for a better broadcast, sponsor and fan experience. Yes, there is a cost attached to it, but as Catton, Big Stadium Hockey Lead at England and Great Britain Hockey explains;
“The amount of time and money required to expand a hockey venue is considerable. Big Stadium Hockey costs less than the overlay for a major event. The money saved can be invested back into the marketing and promotion of the event to attract more fans which is what is needed to create the next step-change for the game.”
Big Stadium Hockey is a sustainable choice
The cost saving of Big Stadium Hockey is environmental too. Using existing stadiums is more sustainable, the Poligras Tokyo GT portable turf itself is made up of 60% renewable raw materials and it can be rolled up and reused extending its lifespan and legacy. Many of the components used at The Stoop earlier that year were reused at the Dublin event and can be utilised again in the future.
Turf, with its limitless potential, can now transform hockey again
The Stoop and Dublin Big Stadium events brought hockey back into the limelight and showed how portable turf and venue flexibility could be the future of hockey’s biggest events including World and Continental Cups whilst making the big FIH Pro League games even bigger. With record attendances and domestic broadcast ratings, the Big Stadium Hockey triumph in Dublin justified the belief of the team behind it that the time was right for hockey to go big. No amount of Dublin rain could put out that fire.