www.stadiaworld.com SPORTS VENUES 2023/24 | 11 More than 2.6 million people came through the doors of Wembley Stadium, and we hosted 35 events, including major football finals, heavyweight boxing bouts, an NFL fixture and sell out concerts from some of the biggest names on the globe. It was great to be able to create those magical moments once again. STADIAWORLD: Over the years, a lot has changed, especially infrastructure-wise. In 2002/03 the old Wembley was demolished and replaced with a completely new building. How important was this for Wembley Stadium as an event location? Boylan: As the 20th century drew to a close, it was clear the original stadium was no longer fit for purpose. It was built in the 1920’s and a new millennium needed a modern national stadium to confidently embrace the future. The new Wembley stadium was designed to create the ultimate fan experience for everyone. It has 90,000 seats with no obstructed views – a first for a stadium of such size, where it is traditional to have obstructed views due to vital engineering structures. There is also now more leg room in every seat of the new Wembley than there was in the royal box of the old stadium. The new Wembley is also a more welcoming and inclusive venue for guests with access requirements. There are specifically adapted areas for guests with different access requirements, including 310 wheelchair spaces each with a personal assistant/companion seat. Last year we also opened two multi-purpose sensory rooms within the stadium to better accommodate neuro-divergent guests and their families. It is important that we continually look to adapt and develop the stadium. Customer requirements and expectations are constantly evolving. What might have been fit for purpose ten years ago is not the case now. Wembley needs to reflect that. STADIAWORLD: Do you already have further plans to invest in the infrastructure? Boylan: We are continually looking at ways to improve the stadium and the experience of every customer who sets foot inside. That can be through technology or general maintenance. We never sit still or rest on our laurels. Several of the team have recently been in America, to look at some of the stadiums over there. In many areas we are still world leaders but there are many other aspects that we can learn from and look to implement over the next few years. Technology will be at the forefront of many changes, and I expect new processes for ordering food and drink, VR wayfinding and crowd participation via smartphones to be features coming to a lot of stadia very soon. Spectator magnet in London Picture: Wembley Stadium The new “Home of Football”: Wembley Stadium in its current form opened in 2007. Picture: Wembley Stadium You can find the complete interview series online.
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