FIVB World Championships Notebook - Day 9
Polish fans cheer their team during their FIVB World Championship opening match against Croatia at Gelredome Arena on September 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Day One of action at the Gelredome arena was an absolute spectacle with both opening matches sold out. The match between Poland and Croatia was fully packed.
- The Gelredome arena in Arnhem is the most hated stadium in the Netherlands.
In Arnhem, Netherlands
Five-hour drive from Poland to Netherlands
*****
Day One of action at the Gelredome arena was an absolute spectacle with both opening matches sold out. The match between Poland and Croatia was fully packed. Poland fans drove from the Netherlands from their country which is usually a five-hour drive. The parking bays had many cars bearing Polish number plates. Inside the stadium, the stands were a sea of red as fans performed the Mexican wave. Poland beat Croatia 3-1.
Partying here is similar to an aerobics session
*****
A night out in the Netherlands almost looks like a whole aerobic session at your local gymnasium. Here, people party while standing on their feet since, for some reason, the night clubs don’t have seats. With most of the music played being tecno, pop and hip hop, the dance moves are always the traditional jumping. My colleague “Big Sam” from IT department would really like it here with “free” aerobic sessions at the clubs.
Gelredome Arena’s design disliked by football fans
*****
The Gelredome arena in Arnhem is the most hated stadium in the Netherlands. It’s the home ground of Vitesse FC but has the reputation of hardly reaching full capacity all season. This is because it has a roof and is always criticised for not being a natural football stadium. Fans feel the roof makes it feel like a movie theatre or indoor gymnasium. The criticism aside, it’s a brilliant facility by Kenyan standards and could easily be our best stadium.
