Orlando Pirates Stadium, Soweto, South Africa. [imagesource:unsplash]

South Africa boasts a impressive collection of stadiums and arenas, used mostly for sporting events. But what’s the difference between a stadium and an arena anyway?

According to BusinessTech, arena’s are strictly in-door spaces that usually host about 25 000 people, while stadiums are open-air (or semi-covered) spaces that can hold up to an impressive 100 000 spectators.

The reason this distinction is important is due to the effect it has on the kind of sport fixtures we can host here in SA. And while we’re all familiar with the impressive DHL Stadium in Cape Town that was built for the 2010 soccer world cup, President Cyril Ramaphosa is feeling the Netball World Cup spirit as he promises us a new arena-style location to enjoy the game.

“One of the things that’s been said…is that we need to ensure that netball grows in South Africa. To enable it to grow, we must build netball facilities throughout the country,” Ramaphosa explained.

Our president is clearly feeling the gees of both this year’s netball successes AND Women’s Month, and seems adamant to show SA’s women that it shouldn’t only be about our men’s teams’ rugby and soccer games when it comes to sports development:

“I’m happy to say that your closing ceremony is on Women’s Month here in South Africa. So therefore, the gift that we are going to give to the women of South Africa and also the women around the world is to build a netball arena. We are going to do it.”

It’s an exciting prospect. But it does force us to consider how many underutilised and straight-up dilapidated stadiums SA currently has on its roster, including the Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng, North West, which is the third-largest in the country. It remains empty and devoid of cheering fans due to poor construction and lack of proper facilities.

Also, our beloved Newlands Stadium stands vacant as talks surrounding the venue as a heritage site stall with no promise of further development.

In light of Ramaphosa’s big promises, maybe it’s time to take stock of what we’re working with already in SA when it comes to stadiums and arenas and give these facilities some sorely-needed love.

South Africa’s Top 5 Biggest Stadiums

#1 FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, Gauteng, with a capacity of 94 730
#2 Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg, Gauteng, with a capacity of 62 560
#3 Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng, North West, with a capacity of 59 000
#4 DHL Stadium in Cape Town, Western Cape, with a capacity of 55 000
#5 Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, with a capacity of 54 000

South Africa’s Top 5 Biggest Arenas

#1 Time Square Sun Arena in Pretoria, Gauteng, with a capacity of 10 000
#2 Durban ICC Arena in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, with a capacity of 10 000
#3 Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town, Western Cape, with a capacity of 8 000
#4 GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, Western Cape, with a capacity of 7 000
#5 Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, Gauteng, with a capacity of 6 300

[source:businesstech]