Uefa-standard media facilities

[Not Andy Naylor]

I tagged along when the Football Writers' Association inspection of the media facilities at the Amex took place on Tuesday this week, and I can report that the two members of the national committee who carried it out were highly impressed.

All the media areas have been built and fitted out in accordance with Uefa guidelines, so we'll be able to stage international fixtures with no difficulty. And the press facilities and the way post-match access to players etc has been thought out mean that it will be a popular destination for visiting journalists, which Withdean sadly wasn't.

How does it compare with other stadiums? Arsenal remains the benchmark, but it beats any of the other London club grounds, and I'm struggling to think of anywhere in the north that's any better ... maybe Man City, Hull possibly.

While this doesn't affect most people, it's one more example of the care and attention to detail that has gone into the whole stadium operation. Can't wait to work there...

 

[shaolinpunk]

It really feels like the club has left no stone unturned and thought of everything with the stadium and the future of the club in general.

Also, being uefa standard will come into its own when we qualify for Europe

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Look out for future England U21 games I'd suggest. Perfect sized stadium for such occasions.

 

[Knightsworld]

Look out for future England U21 games I'd suggest. Perfect sized stadium for such occasions.

I thought the same whilst watching the recent U21's game at St Mary's and seeing all the empty seats.

 

[Gazwag]

Look out for future England U21 games I'd suggest. Perfect sized stadium for such occasions.

And once the acadamy is up and running we will have players to fill the team as well

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

I tagged along when the Football Writers' Association inspection of the media facilities at the Amex took place on Tuesday this week, and I can report that the two members of the national committee who carried it out were highly impressed.

All the media areas have been built and fitted out in accordance with Uefa guidelines, so we'll be able to stage international fixtures with no difficulty. And the press facilities and the way post-match access to players etc has been thought out mean that it will be a popular destination for visiting journalists, which Withdean sadly wasn't.

How does it compare with other stadiums? Arsenal remains the benchmark, but it beats any of the other London club grounds, and I'm struggling to think of anywhere in the north that's any better ... maybe Man City, Hull possibly.

While this doesn't affect most people, it's one more example of the care and attention to detail that has gone into the whole stadium operation. Can't wait to work there...

I am always interested in hearing about these sorts of things. Can you be a bit more specific about the actual facilities and post match access that you refer to? What exactly makes them so top notch? I'd have thought a decent wifi signal, a comfy seat and tea and coffee on tap would be all they need

 

[Wozza]

I am always interested in hearing about these sorts of things. Can you be a bit more specific about the actual facilities and post match access that you refer to? What exactly makes them so top notch? I'd have thought a decent wifi signal, a comfy seat and tea and coffee on tap would be all they need

And Sky Sports.

 

[Fef]

And hot and cold running waitresses.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I am always interested in hearing about these sorts of things. Can you be a bit more specific about the actual facilities and post match access that you refer to? What exactly makes them so top notch? I'd have thought a decent wifi signal, a comfy seat and tea and coffee on tap would be all they need

You certainly need the basics - easily-accessible power points and free wifi that works - but it's surprising how many grounds such as Upton Park struggle to provide them. A decent seat with a good view too - but Portsmouth and Palace have too many pillars in the way, and Tottenham's press box is almost on ground level, so that you have to look at the monitors to have much idea what's going on.

The best facilities have the press working room (which also needs power points and wifi) close to the press box, and will give you easy access to the "mixed zone," which is where you can talk to players (if they can be arsed to speak to such lowlife characters as members of Her Majesty's Press). At the Amex all our working areas are connected, and close to the changing rooms so that Gus doesn't have to walk miles to speak to us. The press box at Upton Park is a 5-storey climb from the press room, and manager interviews for the Monday papers end up being done in a corridor. Spurs' supposed mixed zone used to be the White Hart Lane car park - handy when it rains.

Food and drink are a bonus, and the pies will be served to press as well as paying customers. Arsenal, once again, are the gold standard (choice of three hot meals, with pie & mash or fish & chips at half-time and a freezer full of Ben & Jerry's - ever wondered why so many football writers are Arsenal fans?) but Fulham's Cottage Pie is good too.

Since a ground is a place of work for us, where we will spend up to five hours in some cases, decent toilets are welcome. The Amex's look good. The ones at Fratton and Selhurst would make a rat vomit, but then you probably won't be surprised to hear that Selhurst is most writers' least-favourite ground. The press box is behind dirty and cracked glass, in one corner of a decrepit old stand, and generally makes you feel that they've reluctantly allowed you to use seats that they couldn't give away otherwise.

Mainly it's a case of welcoming the media and realising that we're not the enemy, although to be fair, Albion were first-class at that even at Withdean. Even when we had nothing we managed to lay on better press facilities than "bigger" clubs. Manchester United couldn't give a flying one for the press, as old Purple Nose revealed the other day when he tried to ban a reporter for asking a perfectly reasonable question. It's not just the BBC he doesn't speak to, by the way - all the post-match quotes you read in the papers come from MUTV.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Will the press food be better than the fayre you were served at Superbowl?

Yes, I do follow you on Twitter!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Food in the stadium at the Super Bowl is nothing special, but the pre-match brunch at the main media hotel is usually so lavish that you have to pace yourself so as not to fall asleep during the game. No pies, though ...

 

[Billy the Fish]

Thanks for posting that, as a fan it's always interesting to hear what's going on behind the scenes on matchday.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Food in the stadium at the Super Bowl is nothing special, but the pre-match brunch at the main media hotel is usually so lavish that you have to pace yourself so as not to fall asleep during the game.

I find the same thing when I watch it on TV. And my pre-match refreshments are a cup of cocoa.

 

[Gully]

I am not surprised at all to hear how good the media facilities are, though it is nice to hear members of the press waxing lyrical about them. It sounds like the club have thought of everything and tried to go for the Arsenal standard, widely regarded to be the best in the business, in every detail. Everything we hear about the ground is positive, from the amount of legroom and quality of seats, the food and drink being largely locally sourced, down to providing a dressing room for the club mascot. If you could design a perfect stadium from scratch, for a club like Brighton, I think that it has been achieved.