Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
File:Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.jpg | |
Location | San Juan de Tibás, Costa Rica |
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Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Capacity | 23,112 |
Field size | 105 x 68 m |
Surface | Grass |
Opened | August 27, 1972 |
Tenants | |
Deportivo Saprissa Costa Rica national football team |
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá is a major sports stadium located in San Juan de Tibás, San José, Costa Rica. It has a seating capacity of 23,112 and it is second highest capacity stadium in the country.[1] The stadium is the home of Deportivo Saprissa, and was named in honour of the team's founder, Ricardo Saprissa. The stadium is nicknamed the "Monster's Cave", because the team's nickname is "The Monster".
History
Saprissa originally played at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica (Costa Rica National Stadium), a rented and shared facility. It was Costa Rica's first national stadium.
In 1955 Ricardo Saprissa sought out a permanent site which could serve the training ground and competition play location needs of Deportivo Saprissa. He had several qualities he wanted in the site: a location with easy from the capital city of San Jose and from the provincial cities such as Alajuela, Cartago, and Heredia. On 3 August 1965 he bought a site in San Juan de Tibás for ₡363,398.90. On 12 October 1966, the initial construction program was a football pitch with stands. On 27 August 1972, following a six year construction and improvement program Estadio Ricardo Saprissa was officially opened. The first match was between Deportivo Saprissa and Comunicaciones of Guatemala. Peter Sandoval of Comunicaciones made the first goal at the stadium. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
In 2003, the long tropical rainy season at the stadium caused Saprissa to apply and be granted by FIFA, permission to change out the pitch from natural lawn to synthetic turf, the then-only stadium in Latin America to have this type of turf. The stadium has also been used for Costa Rica national football team matches. It is the second-largest football stadium in Costa Rica; Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica (the current National Stadium) has a seating capacity that outranks the Estadio Saprissa seating capacity of 23,112. The local mountains and downtown San José overlook Estadio Saprissa.
In 2005, the stadium became the world's first stadium to host a World Cup qualifying match on FieldTurf.
The stadium has hosted concerts including artists such as:
- Alejandro Sanz
- Alejandro Fernández
- Aerosmith
- Andrea Bocelli
- Beenie Man
- Big Time Rush
- The Black Eyed Peas
- Bon Jovi
- Café Tacuba
- Carlos Santana
- Chayanne
- Demi Lovato
- Elton John
- Enanitos Verdes
- Fabulosos Cadillacs
- Franco De Vita
- Gandhi, local rock band
- Green Day
- Gilberto Santa Rosa
- Guns N' Roses
- Il Divo
- Iron Maiden
- The Jonas Brothers
- Luis Miguel
- La Quinta Estación, Luis Fonsi, Sin Bandera and local group Escats (As part of "Love Fest")
- Maná
- Marc Anthony
- Martin Valverde
- Metallica
- Miley Cyrus
- Olga Tañón
- Plácido Domingo
- RBD
- Ricky Martin
- Ricardo Montaner
- Shakira
- Slayer
- Vicente Fernández
- Víctor Manuel
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.