ASICS Satoyama Stadium

ASICS Satoyama Stadium
アシックス里山スタジアム
ASICS Satoyama Stadium from the away end (August 2023)
Map
Full nameASICS Satoyama Stadium[4]
Address1–3 Takahashi Fureai no Oka, Imabari, Ehime Prefecture
LocationImabari, Ehime, Japan
Coordinates34°2′26″N 132°57′31.2″E / 34.04056°N 132.958667°E / 34.04056; 132.958667
Public transitThe logo of Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). JR Shikoku
Yosan Line at Imabari Station
OwnerImabari Yume Village Co., Ltd
OperatorImabari Yume Village Co., Ltd
TypeStadium
Genre(s)Sporting events
Capacity5,316[5]
SurfaceGrass
Construction
BuiltOctober 2021–January 2023[1]
Opened2023[3]
Construction costApprox. ¥4 billion (US$36.45 million)
Main contractorsRinkai Nissan Construction[2]
Tenants
FC Imabari
Website
Satoyama Stadium website

ASICS Satoyama Stadium (アシックス里山スタジアム) is a football stadium in Imabari, Ehime, Japan, which has a seating capacity of 5,316. It has been the home of FC Imabari since 2023.

History

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After Takeshi Okada took over FC Imabari in 2014, he introduced a vision for the club to become a successful J1 League by 2025, alongside the development of a 20,000-capacity stadium complex.[6] In 2016, while still playing in the Shikoku Soccer League, the club were recognised as one of the JFA J.League Hundred Year Vision clubs, and to eventually gain promotion to the J3 League, they would need a new stadium with at least 5,000 seats. Consequently, the Arigato Service Dream Stadium was constructed in 2016, with the club taking residence there from 2017 until 2023.[7]

Since J2 League clubs require a stadium with a capacity of 10,000 people, and J1 League clubs require 15,000, Okada proposed building a new 15,000-seat stadium on Imabari's vacant Sports Park land by 2023. He stated it would be too difficult to expand their current stadium. The club announced that they would lease municipal land in Imabari City for free, while raising the necessary ¥4 billion (US$36.45 million) from local companies and banks to fund the stadium's construction.[8][9]

Construction was initially scheduled to begin in October 2020, but was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in October 2021, and work on the new Satoyama Stadium began the following month.[10][11]

The stadium was completed in time for the start of the 2023 J3 League season, with the opening ceremony being held on 29 January 2023.[9][12][13] The club were awarded a J2 license for the upcoming 2023 season, meaning their facilities were deemed good enough should they have been promoted to the J2 League.[14]

On 5 March, FC Imabari played their first match of the season at the new stadium against Fukushima United in the J3 League, which ended in a 1–0 win for Imabari. The match drew a record attendance of 5,424 people, the highest in the clubs history.[15] Throughout the 2023 season, the club played 19 home matches, with an average attendance of 3,711.[16]

Structure and facilities

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Satoyama Stadium is built on an area of approximately 5.7 hectares.[17] In addition to the stadium, the site includes a dog park, an outdoor event space, and other community-focused spaces.[18] The goal of the stadium is to foster a strong sense of community by encouraging local involvement and revitalising the city of Imabari.[19] As the stadium is located on a hill, visitors have views of the city below. Designed as an open stadium, it provides the concept of 'satoyama' by having a connection with the surrounding natural environment, which is an appropriate style of stadium for the rural location.[20] Conceptually, the stadium follows a pirate ship theme, due to the city's historical ties to the Murakami Clan "pirates".[21]

Stands

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The stands are constructed from steel and are placed on a concrete floor, allowing for future expansion.[22] The main stand consists of two tiers and has a roof that covers most seats, while the other three sides of the stadium are open. Premium, central seats are cushioned and have drink holders, while seats become more basic farther along the stand. There are wheelchair viewing spaces in the main stand and north side behind the goal. Away supporters are seated behind the goal on the stadium's north side.[22] The distance from the stands to the pitch is 8 meters.

Facilities

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The stadium has 14 VIP rooms, each approximately 22 square meters, along with 15 special seats. The toilet blocks are built from shipping containers that were originally used in the 2020 Summer Olympics. They also tie into the overall ship theme of the stadium.[22] The venue also includes a guest room that can serve as a meeting space, a lounge area for VIPs during games, and various offices and facilities for press conferences, announcements, and broadcasts.[18]

Naming rights

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The concept of the new stadium is "satoyama", symbolising the coexistence of nature and people.[23] The original name of the stadium was Imabari Satoyama Stadium.[24] In March 2024, FC Imabari agreed a naming rights agreements with Asics and the official name of the stadium became ASICS Satoyama Stadium.[25] The naming rights contract period will run from 1 May 2024 to 31 January 2029.[26] The stadium name can be abbreviated to "Ashisato".

Transport

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Train

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Bus

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  • 15 minutes by the Setouchi Bus "Imabari Ekimae" stop to the AEON Mall Imabari Shintoshi shuttle or a bus going in the same direction. The stadium is then a 10-minute walk from the AEON Mall Imabari Shintoshi bus stop.

Car

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "「里山スタジアム」建設開始に向けた地鎮祭を開催 ｜ アシックス里山スタジアム｜ASICS SATOYAMA STADIUM （FC今治新スタジアム）" (in Japanese). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Corporate History | Rinkai Nissan Construction Co., Ltd". りんかい日産建設株式会社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  3. ^ "COMPANY PROFILE | FC IMABARI - IMABARI. YUME SPORTS INC" (in Japanese). 15 September 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. ^ "【会社情報】今治里山スタジアムの名称を「アシックス里山スタジアム」に決定｜ニュース｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  5. ^ "FC Imabari Profile, Results, Players, Stats, Stadium". J.LEAGUE. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ "ビジョン｜クラブ｜FC今治 公式サイト / FC IMABARI Official Site". 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  7. ^ "ＦＣ今治、市内に5000人収容スタジアム建設へ - サッカー : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  8. ^ "岡田オーナー、新シーズンは"現場復帰" 興味深いＦＣ今治「方針発表会」の内容".
  9. ^ a b "【今治】岡田武史氏が夢見た「心の豊かさに包まれた」新スタジアム 完成元年に昇格果たせるか - Ｊ３ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  10. ^ "FC今治の新本拠「里山スタジアム」着工、2023年完成めざす：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 9 November 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  11. ^ "「里山スタジアム」建設開始に向けた地鎮祭を開催 ｜ アシックス里山スタジアム｜ASICS SATOYAMA STADIUM （FC今治新スタジアム）" (in Japanese). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  12. ^ "FC今治新拠点・里山スタジアム完成 試合ない日も「人が交流」". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  13. ^ "【里山スタジアム】今治里山スタジアム オープニングセレモニー ～上陸の宴、新たな船出～のご案内｜ニュース｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  14. ^ "２０２３シーズン Ｊ２クラブライセンス 判定結果について：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  15. ^ "【公式】今治vs福島の選手コメント（明治安田生命Ｊ３リーグ第1節：2023年3月5日）：Ｊリーグ公式サイト（J.LEAGUE.jp）". Ｊリーグ.jp（日本プロサッカーリーグ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  16. ^ "2023 FC Imabari Attendance". Soccer D.B. Japan. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  17. ^ "FC今治の新本拠「里山スタジアム」お目見え 29日にセレモニー：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 27 January 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b "施設情報 ｜ アシックス里山スタジアム｜ASICS SATOYAMA STADIUM （FC今治新スタジアム）" (in Japanese). 30 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  19. ^ "ビジョン｜クラブ｜FC今治 公式サイト / FC IMABARI Official Site". 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  20. ^ "「あえて最初から作り込まない」 FC今治の里山スタジアムが提示する、地方スタジアムで重要になる2つのコンセプト│HALF TIMEマガジン". halftime-media.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  21. ^ "ストーリーを知る ｜ アシックス里山スタジアム｜ASICS SATOYAMA STADIUM （FC今治新スタジアム）" (in Japanese). 30 August 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  22. ^ a b c "アシックス里山スタジアム". さかとり (in Japanese). 1 February 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  23. ^ "サッカーFC今治の新競技場 「成長する里山スタジアム」って何？". 日経クロストレンド (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  24. ^ "【会社情報】新スタジアムの名称決定について｜ニュース｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  25. ^ "【会社情報】今治里山スタジアムの名称を「アシックス里山スタジアム」に決定｜ニュース｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  26. ^ "【会社情報】今治里山スタジアムの略称、ロゴマークが決定｜ニュース｜ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site". ＦＣ今治 公式サイト / FC.IMABARI Official Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
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34°2′26.0″N 132°57′31.2″E / 34.040556°N 132.958667°E / 34.040556; 132.958667

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