EURO's to be held all over Europe ?!

[Seven8]

A friend of mine works at UEFA and he told me the following.

"hosting" Euro's in 1 or 2 Countries is a logistical nightmare.
-> mainly lack of space around the stadium (TV & Media, Safetyzone, Public Transport etc)
-> small stadiums (they could build bigger ones, but which wouldn't be rentable afterwards - see Greece-Olympics and Portugal Euro04)

That's why there are thoughts to "split" up the European Championships Games on Countries/Stadiums all over Europe to the big stadiums (New Wembley, Old Trafford, Nou Camp, San Siro, Westfalenstadion Dortmund etc)

But they would keep the current system until at least EURO 2012

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WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS ?

IMO

Some years ago it wouldn't have made a lot of sense and the travelling was expensive.
Nowdays in the "Easyjet&Co" Area - flights all over Europe are affordable and it would also give more fans a chance to watch a game of their team or another game. It would also give more fans a chance on a ticket (even if there would be aswell more corporate dummys too, but that's another topic)

 

[Rob]

The economic gains for all the countries involved are huge, but it would price out a lot of people, mainly home fans who go as neutrals.

 

[Fernandez]

It's like the 2002 FIFA World Cup yeah?

If you thought that was bad, South East Asia are hosting the 2007 Asian Cup Finals. Four countries are co-hosting the event, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. That's very much a worse nightmare taking into fact that one of them has corruption in football.

 

[Hendrik]

Not necessary in my opinion. We just had a Europe held by a small country and it was not a single problem besides the ticket problems, but blame the Uefa for that.

Expanding a single tournament to all over Europe would ruin another aspect, every country has its own rich culture which makes any tournament so special. I don't want to miss that.

 

[Internazionale]

I like the idea. Mainly because other fans can see & travel to the near neighbor countries into big stadiums, famously known across Europe. It should be affordable by some medium income persons.

It's more like spreading EURO football culture to tell the rest of the world that if EURO can do this, why not to other regional International competitions.

 

[shokz]

I think its a shit idea and can only be bad for the game. If they ever pull it off, it would only lead certain organisations (UEFA or G14) gaining encouragement and the excuse to say 'it worked ok for so and so competition' and break away from the rest of football and start up an exclusive European Super League. No thanks. Football would end up killing itself.

 

[Punkt]

i watched the last 2 euros in the countries where they were hosted and seeing all the great atmosphere it's enough to say it's a stupid idea. a final phase of a big competition is to be played in the same country (or co-hosted by neighbour countries) and to all teams and fans be in the same place to create that unique big competition atmosphere in a summer month. nothing could beat the World Cup or Euro month feeling in football.

 

[Filipower]

absolutely it's a stupid idea hosting the euro throughout europe..

like Punkt said, the atmosphere and felling in 'that' month is just incomparable, and splitting the tournament will make it disappear..

 

[PSVFOREVER]

it'll take away the specialness from the tournament a little bit.

 

[Seán D]

everyone knows the main tournament is better than the qualifiers, so why take away what is special about the main tournaments that is the host nations and the atmosphere they create. it wouldn't be the same if it was all over Europe, too similar to qualifying

 

[Shindig]

Plus travelling between games is a pain for the players and staff. Meanwhile, the current system allows a country (or two, if they're neighbouring hosts) to take centre stage.

 

[Pontiakos]

I agree this is a bad idea in every aspect economically and otherwise.