Sport, Space, and the City

Book excerpt: John Bale highlights the changing nature of 'football space', the growing rationalization and modernization of the British football landscape and the impact of football on the urban environment. Initially played in open spaces, football now takes place in highly enclosed, confined spaces. Employing the ideas of cultural theorists and geographers, the author explores the gradual territorialization of football. Traditional football landscapes have helped to create a sense of place-pride for many fans; for many local citizens, however, the stadium and the game remain a source of annoyance or fear. New economic demands are increasing the pressure on many clubs to relocate and to situate the stadium within the more lucrative structure of suburban leisure complexes. Fans are markedly less keen than developers on such a move. With the prospect of the loss of a sense of place the simple enjoyment of the game has been transformed into political activism. The cultural distinctiveness of the British football environment is emphasized, though the British situation is contrasted with that in North America and other parts of Europe.