The spatial externality effects of football matches and rock concerts: The case of Portman Road Stadium, Ipswich, Suffolk

Abstract

Like many other football clubs in recent years, Ipswich Town has attempted to supplement its takings from football matches by using its stadium for other commercial activities, namely rock concerts. Previous anecdotal evidence suggests that the staging of large-scale rock concerts at football grounds generates nuisances far greater in magnitude than those associated with football matches, although there is little research to support this view. This paper is the first to apply the established methodology of investigating football-induced externality effects to a community experiencing both football matches and occasional large-scale rock concerts at the same venue. The findings conflict with previous evidence and suggest that general nuisance increases with distance from the stadium up to a distance of 1 km. The effect of staging rock concerts at the stadium has increased the negative effects generated, particularly noise levels. However, football-induced nuisance is perceived as being a greater problem overall, possibly due to the higher frequency of matches. Whilst the spatial extent and severity of football-induced nuisance can be understood largely in terms of urban morphology, personal opinion and local authority policy, an important factor affecting concert-induced nuisance is the weather, with wind direction having a particular effect on the spatial pattern of the noise generated.