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Goodbye to the Ray stadium, welcome to the Allianz Riviera. This is the message conveyed by Christian Estrosi during the symbolic placement of a piece of the Ray’s turf at the center circle of the new home of OGC Nice. Despite the optimism and enthusiasm, the enigma of attendance and access to the stadium still persists and could re-emerge throughout the season as a spoiler.
Accompanied by the president of OGC Nice, Jean-Pierre Rivère, Christian Estrosi strides proudly across the Allianz Riviera’s turf. He believes in the success of this project and likes to make it known.
Yet, accused by the opposition of having taken over the project from former Mayor Jacques Peyrat, “the son of Nice” does not hesitate to display “his” Allianz Riviera everywhere (Tour de France, visit from Michel Platini…). It makes sense for the representative of the city of Nice. It also makes sense that he takes responsibility for any potential negatives or questions associated with this new stadium.
Indeed, from the pitch, the view is impressive. These four stands facing the field are just waiting to vibrate to the rhythm of the Nice fans’ chants. The roof above each stand is an undeniable plus, both for comfort and for enhancing the atmosphere. But behind the appearance lies practicality and accessibility for the spectators. The parking facilities, it is clear, have not been planned in proportion to the stadium’s capacity. Many people from Nice mistakenly think they can park their vehicles in front of the Allianz Riviera.
However, reality will force motorists to use shuttles or other means of transport. A tedious and complicated procedure when it involves moving thousands of people. This scenario could arise on nights of large crowds during gala matches. Regarding attendance, except against major teams, the stadium will have a hard time filling up throughout the season. The attendance figures from the Ray prove this since, with its capacity of 15,000 seats, it struggled to be filled.
The difficulty of accessing the stadium and the lack of sporting success could exacerbate this situation. These concerns are not intended to preemptively criticize the fabulous gem that is the Allianz Riviera. But merely to ask the right questions to inform the people of Nice a little less than two weeks before the first match of the eagles in their new abode against Valenciennes.
