| UPC-Arena | |
|---|---|
| Former names | Arnold Schwarzenegger-Stadion (1995–2005) Stadion Graz-Liebenau (2005–2006) |
| Location | Stadionplatz 1 A-8041 Graz-Liebenau Austria |
| Opened | 9 July 1997 |
| Capacity | 15,400 |
| Field dimensions | 105 x 68 m (114.8 x 74.4 yd) |
| Tenants | |
| 2011 IFAF World Championship | |
The UPC-Arena (formerly Arnold Schwarzenegger-Stadium) in Graz, Styria, Austria, is the home of the football clubs SK Sturm Graz and Grazer AK.
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Originally, the stadium was named after bodybuilder, actor and governor of the U.S. state of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was born near Graz. It was built from 1995 to early 1997 and is owned by Stadion Liebenau Betriebs GmbH. It opened with the game Grazer AK vs. SK Sturm Graz on 9 July 1997 (0:4). In December 2005, when Schwarzenegger did not stop the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams, an intense discussion in his hometown began about what to do with the stadium that bore his name. After some days, Schwarzenegger revoked the city of Graz's right to the use of his name, ending the debate. On the night of 26 December 2005 the name was removed from the stadium. The remaining part Stadion Graz-Liebenau was removed on 17 February 2006. Since 18 February 2006 the stadium is called UPC-Arena.
The UPC-Arena offers 15,400 spectators place in 27 sectors. The away fans are normally in sector 8, which has a capacity of about 750. When more away fans are expected, sector 9 with about 750 seats is also given to the away team and sometimes even also sector 10. At Champions League games of the SK Sturm Graz, some additional platforms were built so that the stadium had a capacity of 16,000 spectators. Furthermore, the stadium has a wheelchair area. The first game in the "new" UPC-Arena was the 125th derby between SK Sturm Graz and Grazer AK (4:0). The field equipped with a lawn heating has a size of 105 x 68 metres.
The stadium hosted a World Cup qualifier between Austria and Faroe Islands on 5 September 2009 which ended in 3–1 victory for the home team. It also hosted an international friendly between England and Japan on 30 May 2010. England had been training in Irdning, a small village in the Austrian Alps, in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The match ended 2–1 to England, courtesy of two own goals by Japan.
The average season attendances from league matches held at the UPC-Arena for Grazer AK and SK Sturm Graz.[1][2]
| Season | Grazer AK | SK Sturm Graz |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 8,772 | 9,167 |
| 1998–99 | 7,040 | 10,972 |
| 1999–2000 | 6,584 | 11,123 |
| 2000–01 | 5,631 | 10,831 |
| 2001–02 | 7,294 | 10,057 |
| 2002–03 | 6,919 | 7,374 |
| 2003–04 | 9,007 | 7,836 |
| 2004–05 | 8,396 | 6,739 |
| 2005–06 | 7,372 | 8,330 |
| 2006–07 | 5,807 | 9,546 |
| 2007–08 | 2,792 | 12,015 |
| 2008–09 | 2,590 | 12,830 |
| 2009–10 | 1,800 | 11,726 |
| 2010–11 | 2,548 | 11,875 |
UPC Telekabel won the sponsorship rights over Therme Loipersdorf and the former tennis player Thomas Muster (T-Mobile) and pays more than 150,000 euros per annum, according to president Thomas Hintze. The contract is set to last for 10 years until 2016.