PSC Arena – stadium description

Construction of a major football stadium in Frosinone became a major theme in early 1970s but that didn't mean it actually happened. By 1974 the playing field in south-western district of Casale was ready, some 1.5 km (1 mile) away from Stadio Comunale Matusa.

Plans of further development got alive again with Copa '90 coming. It was hoped that a 20,000-seater could be built here but determination and money only allowed one grandstand to be completed on the field's west side.

The brutalist structure proved very imperfect over time. Not only was it built far from the field, also its rake and division into two tiers make it flat and offer compromised sightlines. Moreover, part of the stand's initial roof collapsed under snow load in February 2012, leading to all of the cover to be removed.

Initially there was no concept of how to complete the stadium. A feasible concept was drawn in 2003 by Dutch company Zwarts en Jansma, but not carried out. Another effort came in 2007-2008 but also ended up scrapped.

It wasn't until Frosinone Calcio's perspective of Serie A promotion became real that the project got revived. In 2015, upon first ever top flight season, temporary stands on three sides began to be built in order to bring total capacity to 12,000. This initial phase conumed some €4 million.

In 2016 Frosinone Calcio were awarded 45-year freehold of the stadium (until 2061) and were left with the task of completing the stadium to reach 16,000 and meet all crucial domestic and international criteria. And while all remaining seating was also delivered as temporary tubular structures, the stands are expected to remain intact for the medium- or even long-term, bearing the load of 400kg/m².

The new C-shaped stands were built in a very compact layout, in which the front row is elevated by 1.16m and never further away from the field than 8.5m. This way all fans get good, unobstructed sightlines. Beneath the web of tubes small brickwork pavilions were erected to provide necessary toilet and catering facilities. External support is provided by roof pylons, of which 8 are also the stadium's floodlight masts, rising to over 30 meters.

While the temporary stands only provide basic amenities, the main western grandstand went through major upgrades to provide all media, sporting and corporate facilities. The front row was put slightly back in order to include sunken dugouts, which means viewers are rather far away, some 17 meters from the field.

16 uppermost rows were cut out in order to accommodate 10 skyboxes, 4 commentators' cabins and command centre. All these facilities were built with steel prefabs, which means they can also be removed in the future. Additional 16 open-air lounges were created between the two tiers, providing additional business seating options.

The main stand received a brand new, independent cover. Based on two massive arches, of which the longer one has 80-meter span, the cover hangs 20 meters above field level and the arches reach top 8 meters higher. Once this element was ready in late August of 2017, preparations for opening a month later could begin. Interestingly, bulk of all works was carried out in just over a year and without the use of a single tower crane.

How PSC Arena compares to other Serie B stadiums?