How will Hayward Field get 30,000 seats for the World Champs?

I couldn't believe when I saw the design of the stadium it was only 12,500 seats. Those drawings make it look a ton bigger than 12.5k.

Based upon those illustrations/concept drawings, I'm not sure where you put 2.5x the seats if that is only 12.5k seats

That drawing obviously shows how the seating will look with 30,000+spectators.

By the looks of it, that lower tier contains about 12,500 seats.

According to Ken Goe:

"Temporary seats necessary to bring the stadium up to the 30,000-seat minimum for the world championships will be almost entirely on the north end of the stadium."

The real question is how many empty seats will there be if they do manage 30k?

The North End is the empty section of the stadium and that would be where yes I would think they would put seats. But I don't see how you put 18,000 seats there.

Now maybe the normal stadium will have 12,500 and will leave both endzones empty and all of those will be temporary seats? That would make sense. If you look at the current trials photo the Bowerman building prevents temporary seats from being on the North End so there aren't many temporary seats. And it looks like there could be more on the South End as well.

That would make more sense but then would the south end be closed and have the glass above it?

I just wish they showed what it would look like at Trials and not some idealized version.

Oh Please wrote:

The real question is how many empty seats will there be if they do manage 30k?

The IAAF got rid of most of the morning sessions for the last Worlds but Eugene is the one place I think morning session could get people to actually show up.

However, for evening sessions my thinking was they need more tickets for sure. The other worlds are in much bigger stadiums and get way more than 30,000. There are tons of VIPs, media, etc. that take up seats.

20,000 go to the Trials.

My concern is there aren't enough seats. Unless you think the hotel problems will prevent people from coming why would you think 30,000 wouldn't make it? Too remote/not a big city base?

wejo wrote:

Now maybe the normal stadium will have 12,500 and will leave both endzones empty and all of those will be temporary seats? That would make sense. If you look at the current trials photo the Bowerman building prevents temporary seats from being on the North End so there aren't many temporary seats. And it looks like there could be more on the South End as well.

That would make more sense but then would the south end be closed and have the glass above it?

Would be awesome to have food carts and a beer garden in that covered south section, assuming bleachers are present only for large events like the Trials and NCAAs.

30000 seats? ok, but how many people will fill them?

empty seat masquerader wrote:

30000 seats? ok, but how many people will fill them?

Ummm 30,000- 30,000 = 0

30,000

I would think the glass roof would be added after the temporary seats are removed for world champs and they might have a lower cost, temporary roof.

But the only plan they have so far is that rendering. Get ready for London 2021, everybody!

It pains me to say this - but I think that the 'idealized' version illustrates a stadium that seats 30,000. The upper level will simply be tarped over to reduce the capacity to it's 'permanent' 12,500. Hope I'm wrong - because that will look awful!

vivalarepublica wrote:

I would think the glass roof would be added after the temporary seats are removed for world champs and they might have a lower cost, temporary roof.

But the only plan they have so far is that rendering. Get ready for London 2021, everybody!

Not sure why you say that. The design company's website has better pics of the place.

I really don't understand what Ken Goe is talking about. The old Hayward Field can easily get to 10500 when you put in temporary bleachers on the ends. that can be easily done in a pinch for any meet. So its totally fair to count those even if they are not, strictly speaking, "permanent". Suffice to say, temporary bleachers were not set up in February when Ken Goe went to Hayward Field and counted seats.

I wonder. Did the Oregonian have the money to reimburse Goe for the coffee he bought while he sat there and counted seats?

However, as for building that new complex that they say will seat 12,500, then saying they will meet the minimum requirements of 30,000 for the WC with temporary seating. I cannot account for that.

That said, the space is there for 30,000 seats. It looks like they are completely building a new Hayward Field from the ground up anyway. They would just have to utilize the open space further to the South and West, which they can. Then build up.

The problem of course is that they are building for this one time event that requires a lot of seating. Then the seating may never be needed again.

What would be kind of cool is to have some kind of upper level where temporary seating could be put in around the stadium for a WC event. But otherwise used as some kind of training area.

It's simple. They'll just 2bl-Up the seats by replacing the standard seats with cup holders, wide girth and thick armrests, narrower seats measuring 1/2 the width. The airlines do this.

Hardloper wrote:

vivalarepublica wrote:

I would think the glass roof would be added after the temporary seats are removed for world champs and they might have a lower cost, temporary roof.

But the only plan they have so far is that rendering. Get ready for London 2021, everybody!

Not sure why you say that. The design company's website has better pics of the place.

https://www.srgpartnership.com/news/media/university-of-oregon-hayward-field

Perhaps I am underestimating the capacity in those renderings. Just doesn't see like 30,000 with the roof in those photos. The only way I see 30,000 is with some temporary seating that "courtyard" area on the second curve. Just look at similar stadiums that have two similar-sized tiers all the way around, like the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. The official capacity is less than 30,000.

Stupid. They are ruining the uniqueness of Hayward Field for what??? The World Champs should be in a large venue, in a large city. NIKE is ruining this stadium for one track meet.

Build it an nobody will come would be appropriate.

City struggles with just the 10k crowds at the trials or nationals.We all have experienced it.

It will sit most of the time you have small attendance meets 95% of the time.

Bad boondoggle started by Vins blind ambition to host world champs.

More than likely they will use smaller seats for the WC's 18-19" wide seats and then replace them with 20-22" after the event. over the course of a stadium the same area could have 10-20% more seats in it with the size difference. Cup holders vs no cup holders are other ways to increase seating count. And if they make the North end temporary bleachers like a High School you can really pack them in.

Wonder if they would look at the changing seats as a revenue item? Could sell the seats after the WC's.

JNathletics wrote:

More than likely they will use smaller seats for the WC's 18-19" wide seats and then replace them with 20-22" after the event. over the course of a stadium the same area could have 10-20% more seats in 's.

Cost of replacement and owning two sets of seats? You'd need a warehouse the size of a stadium to store them.