The organizers of Euro 2004 in Portugal developed the idea of building a fan park in Lisbon with a capacity of 20,000. There the fans were offered not only to watch the matches, but also the opportunity to buy beverages, snacks, souvenirs and even watch matches between fan teams in a mini-zone. This gave fans a place to entertain themselves at the fan park on days that no matches were scheduled.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
The idea of organizing the fan zone was best realized in Germany during the World Cup 2006. The fans that went to the tournament will for always remember Berlin’s fan zone from the Brandenburg Gates to Alexander Platz.
Kyiv TV journalist Kostyantyn Andriyuk says he was very astonished by two things: the first was an oasis built right on the street: sand, palm trees and beach chairs, where the fans could get some R&R for free on a hot summer day. The second was that on game days, topless female models appeared in the fan zone painted in the colors of teams participating in the world cup (16 flags on each model). Any fan could have a picture taken standing next to the model on which the flag of his favorite team was painted. Andriyuk also pointed out that most foreign TV channels were allowed to record this attraction on camera, while German TV channels did not to protect the privacy of the models.
There were also many entertainment events held in other host cities of the World Cup 2006. In particular, large world maps were posted in fan zones, where the fans could place pins with flags marking the country they represent. In Munich, fans were offered to make a photo for EUR5 and get a souvenir credit card with their photo on it – this was how MasterCard, the official sponsor of FIFA, advertised itself. In Stuttgart, at the Gottlieb-Daimler stadium, a small ground was operating, where fans who came with little children could leave them for free to play for the time of the match.
UEFA applied Germany’s positive experience, which received high praises from fans, at EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. There the organization of fan zones in the host cities was of particular significance: although the stadiums in both countries are not big (the average seating capacity is 30,000-40,000), throngs of fans showed up for the matches. UEFA set up 28 large plasma screens in eight cities that drew up to 350,000 viewers to watch the matches every day.
“We want to see the majority of residents of Austria and Switzerland and foreign fans attend the matches of the championship,” said UEFA representative Richard Hesselgrave. Even if you do not have tickets, come to the celebration together with representatives of other countries, watch the match on the large screen in a secure environment and have a good time.”
The fan zones were built in the most prestigious places of the host cities. In the evenings when no matches were held, the fans were offered interesting concerts. For example, Melanie C gave a concert in Zurich, Cesaria Evora performed in Geneva and the Great Symphony Orchestra played in Vienna.
So-called fan embassies operated in the host cities. These are grounds on which local volunteers, who speak the required foreign language, provided fans with any required assistance. As a fan from Kyiv Viktor Zahlada recounted, at the French fan embassy in Zurich a rooster, the good luck charm of the French team, was accommodated at the matches of the French national team as animals are not allowed into the stadiums.
Rules of behavior in EURO 2012 fan zones
• Free entrance for all.
• At the entrance of the zones fans will be frisked for carrying any prohibited items.
• It is strictly forbidden to carry a weapon or any items that can be used as a weapon, gas pepper sprays, toxic and flammable substances, alcoholic and energy drinks, electronic flashes, fireworks, illumination shells, smoke bombs and other pyrotechnical devices and advertising or commercial items.
• Drunk fans will not be allowed into the fan zone.
• Animals (with the exception of service dogs) will not be allowed into the fan zone.
• Guests are also not allowed to remain in the zone overnight.
• It is forbidden to unfurl flags for holding unauthorized actions.
• Throwing items at other guests or pouring liquids over them is forbidden.
• Using inappropriate places as a toilet or polluting the zone in any other way is forbidden.
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