Chelsea FC

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

A visit to Stamford Bridge, home of the reigning European Club Champion Chelsea FC, is a bit like visiting Wrigly Field or Fenway Park in the States. Opened in 1877, "the Bridge" has the same authentic feel and eccentricities of a place that is as much Museum as Stadium.

Located in the burroughs of Chelsea and Kennsington, part of the 32 burroughs that make up London, Stamford Bridge is the closest Premier League stadium to the heart of London at about 20 minutes. At a capacity of 42,000 people, the venue is intimate, yet the 7th largest English Premier League venue. It reminds me of running at Hayward Field in Eugene, OR - the best Track and Field venue in the USA though far from the largest.

The reach and fan base of the club is so great Samsung pays 80 million Pounds to put their logo on the front of the teams Jersey. Adidas pays 100 million pounds to provide jerseys to the team and the millions of fans who shell out big bucks every year for a replica. The two story gift shop is bigger than the museum that tells the 107 year history of the Club if that gives you any indication.

We sat for a photo at the interview table in the pressroom we see so often on the Fox Soccer Channel. From this spot, live shots of coaches and players doing interviews are beamed around the world. Our tour group includes people from India, Dubai, Egypt, Denmark, San Francisco (and Colorado), as well as from around the UK. The English Premier League and Chelsea FC truly draw a global fan base. The Egyptians ask questions about who will replace their Stryker, Didier Drogba from France, who won't return after seven years with the Club. Regardless of where they reside, these fans of the club in Blue know their team.

The "Losers" dressing room, as they call it, is tiny compared to the home teams dressing room, even after being recently remodeled and enlarged. The new mirror in the visitors dressing room was put in "specifically for Cristiano Ronaldo to admire himself" quips the Chelsea staffer leading our tour.

The players, of course, are all back with their National teams, most  playing in the European Championships being contested in Poland and the Ukraine right now.  Even so, the joy of Chelsea winning their first European Champions League title and the FA Cup this year is quite fresh on everyone at Stamford Bridge. The Cup is in the museum and for 30 pounds you can get three picutre of yourself with it. The Clubs name and year of victory is engraved on the trophy and, like the Stanley Cup in Hockey, travels year-after-year with the reigning champion. Faster than you can say "tourist," we shell out 30 Quid and get the shots along with making a donation on gift shop souveniers.

Joelle is beside herself when we see a mural of Petr Cech, the Chelsea Keeper she likes to mimic when playing between the pipes herself. Better known for the padded helment he wears than saving more shootout PKs than his Bayern Munich opposite to decide the Champions League Champion, Cech is nothing short of a colorful character.

Given a choice we would spend the day with the club from Barcelona but when in London, hanging out with the boys in Blue at Stamford Bridge is a great call. It is awesome to get to know a classic Premier League team up close. It doesn't quench our thrist however. In fact, it makes it worse as now we want to come back for a match!