Master’s students tour Etihad stadium
Students from the Management School’s MSc Sports Business and Management programme had the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Etihad Stadium to learn what it takes to host large-scale events and the regeneration of the surrounding area.
Current master’s student, Ruaridh Walker, shares his experiences from the day:
As part of our Sports Operations and Events module, all MSc Sports Business Management students were invited to attend a tour of the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City Football Club, followed by an interesting presentation about the urban regeneration that has taken place in East Manchester over the last 20 years.
The visit highlighted the importance of legacy planning when considering urban regeneration. It also gave a great insight into how a sports facility can be strategically designed to increase accessibility, cater to community needs, and provide world-class hospitality.
Led by two informative and comedic tour guides, we learned how the stadium was adapted for football after the 2002 Commonwealth Games by digging down and putting the pitch below ground level to remove the running track; how the club caters to all fans, through unique hospitality that provides brilliant interactions with players and sensory rooms, for fans who are troubled by the noise and atmosphere, and how a stadium can strategically unsettle opposition players, such as through the changing room design. As expected, there was plenty of banter handed out to the Liverpool and Manchester United fans amongst us.
After the tour, we sat down for a fascinating presentation on the urban regeneration of East Manchester due to the Etihad Stadium, and the wider Etihad Campus. In what was once the poorest area of Manchester, shops and schools have been constructed, while a new entertainment venue is being built to rival the Manchester Arena. The importance of legacy planning to the City Group was clear, and it was impressive to see how Manchester City’s use of the stadium was planned out alongside the Commonwealth Games.
As well as being a fun trip that helped forge relationships between the cohort, what we learned is directly applicable to our assessments and our careers, making the visit satisfying and worthwhile.
Find out more about our MSc Sports Business and Management programme, ranked 1st in the UK in the 2023 SportBusiness Postgraduate Course Rankings: liverpool.ac.uk/courses/sports-business-and-management-msc.