Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
Encyclopedia
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá is one of the main sports stadiums in Costa Rica
. It is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José
. With a capacity of 24,000, it has one of the highest capacity stadiums in the country. The stadium is the home of Deportivo Saprissa, and was named in honour of the team's founder, Ricardo Saprissa
. The stadium is nicknamed the Monster's Cave, due to the team's nickname The Monster.
, which rented and shared.
In 1955 Ricardo Saprissa
embarked on a search for a site which could be used as a training ground and also be a possible location for a permanent stadium that Deportivo Saprissa could call their own. He wanted easy access to the location and for it to be near the capital city of San Jose, but also at the same time he wanted to be close enough to the other provincial cities such as Alajuela
, Cartago
, and Heredia
. On 3 August 1965 after ten years of searching he agreed to buy land in San Juan de Tibás for 363,398.90 colones
. Construction began on 12 October 1966. The location would be first built into a football pitch with stands but technically it would not be considered a stadium. On 27 August 1972 after six years of construction and upgrades Estadio Ricardo Saprissa was officially opened. The first match was between Deportivo Saprissa and Comunicaciones
of Guatemala
. The match ended in a 1-1 draw Peter Sandoval of Comunicaciones scoring the first goal at the new stadium.
In 2003 due to the long tropical rainy seasons, Saprissa applied and was granted by FIFA, the right to change the pitch from natural grass to synthetic turf, becoming the only stadium in Latin America to have this type of turf. The stadium has also been used for Costa Rica national team
matches. It was the second largest football stadium in Costa Rica after the National Stadium which no longer exists. The stadium has a seating capacity
of 23,112 and is overlooked by local mountains and downtown San Jose.
In 2005, the stadium became the world first stadium to host a World Cup qualifying match on FieldTurf
.
The stadium has staged concerts including artists such as:
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. It is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José
San José Province
San José is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the central part of the country, and borders the provinces of Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Limón and Puntarenas. The provincial capital is San José. The province covers an area of 4,965.9 km²...
. With a capacity of 24,000, it has one of the highest capacity stadiums in the country. The stadium is the home of Deportivo Saprissa, and was named in honour of the team's founder, Ricardo Saprissa
Ricardo Saprissa
Ricardo Saprissa Aymá was a lifelong athlete, coach, and promoter of sports. He spent many years in Costa Rica, playing and coaching football]/[soccer...
. The stadium is nicknamed the Monster's Cave, due to the team's nickname The Monster.
History
Saprissa play home games at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá, named after Ricardo Saprissa. They originally played at the Costa Rica National StadiumEstadio Nacional de Costa Rica (1926)
Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica was a multi-use stadium in La Sabana, San José, Costa Rica. It was used mostly for football matches. The stadium held 25,000 and was built in 1924. It was replaced by the current National Stadium....
, which rented and shared.
In 1955 Ricardo Saprissa
Ricardo Saprissa
Ricardo Saprissa Aymá was a lifelong athlete, coach, and promoter of sports. He spent many years in Costa Rica, playing and coaching football]/[soccer...
embarked on a search for a site which could be used as a training ground and also be a possible location for a permanent stadium that Deportivo Saprissa could call their own. He wanted easy access to the location and for it to be near the capital city of San Jose, but also at the same time he wanted to be close enough to the other provincial cities such as Alajuela
Alajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
, Cartago
Cartago
Cartago is the name of at least three different places:* Cartago Province, Costa Rica* Cartago, Costa Rica, capital of the province of Cartago* Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia* Cartago, California, United States-See also:*Special:Allpages/Cartago...
, and Heredia
Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José....
. On 3 August 1965 after ten years of searching he agreed to buy land in San Juan de Tibás for 363,398.90 colones
Costa Rican colón
The colón is the currency of Costa Rica. The plural is colones in Spanish, but English speakers often say colons instead. The ISO 4217 code is CRC....
. Construction began on 12 October 1966. The location would be first built into a football pitch with stands but technically it would not be considered a stadium. On 27 August 1972 after six years of construction and upgrades Estadio Ricardo Saprissa was officially opened. The first match was between Deportivo Saprissa and Comunicaciones
Comunicaciones
Club Social y Deportivo Comunicaciones is a Guatemalan football club located in Guatemala City.The club is currently playing in the highest Guatemalan league, the Liga Nacional. Their home venue is the Estadio Cementos Progreso in the nation's capital. Nicknamed Cremas , they are the second-most...
of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. The match ended in a 1-1 draw Peter Sandoval of Comunicaciones scoring the first goal at the new stadium.
In 2003 due to the long tropical rainy seasons, Saprissa applied and was granted by FIFA, the right to change the pitch from natural grass to synthetic turf, becoming the only stadium in Latin America to have this type of turf. The stadium has also been used for Costa Rica national team
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
matches. It was the second largest football stadium in Costa Rica after the National Stadium which no longer exists. The stadium has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 23,112 and is overlooked by local mountains and downtown San Jose.
In 2005, the stadium became the world first stadium to host a World Cup qualifying match on FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
.
The stadium has staged concerts including artists such as:
- The Black Eyed PeasThe Black Eyed PeasThe Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
- Carlos SantanaCarlos SantanaCarlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
- Alejandro SanzAlejandro SanzAlejandro Sanz , is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist...
- Luis MiguelLuis MiguelLuis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
- Ricky MartinRicky MartinEnrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
- RBDRBDRBD was a two-time Latin-Grammy nominated Mexican pop group that gained popularity from Televisa's teen drama series Rebelde. RBD sold over 17 million digital downloads and over 20 million albums worldwide in four years since their formation, according to EMI...
- ChayanneChayanneElmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
- ShakiraShakiraShakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
- Café Tacuba
- Enanitos Verdes
- Andrea BocelliAndrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
- Franco De VitaFranco De VitaFranco De Vita is a singer-songwriter of Latin music. His first disc as a solo artist garnered three Spanish-language hits in Venezuela. He signed with the Sony label in 1988, and in 1990, his album Extranjero had a song that reached No. 1 on the U.S. Latin charts and won an MTV Video Music Award...
- Ricardo MontanerRicardo MontanerRicardo Montaner is an Argentine-Venezuelan singer and songwriter. Starting his career in the early 80s, he has already released more than 15 albums with numerous successful singles and has sold over 22 million record worldwide.-Early years:Montaner was born as Héctor Eduardo Reglero Montaner, in...
- ManáManáManá is a pop rock band from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, whose career has spanned more than three decades. They have earned three Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, five Premios Juventud awards, nine Billboard Latin Music Awards and 13 Premios Lo...
- Olga TañónOlga TañónOlga Tañón is a two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist. Tañón has earned 5 Latin Grammy Awards and 19 Premios Lo Nuestro awards during her career.-Early years:...
- Gilberto Santa RosaGilberto Santa RosaGilberto Santa Rosa, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" , is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.-Early years:...
- Víctor ManuelVíctor ManuelVíctor Manuel San José Sánchez is a Spanish singer-songwriter.He has been married to the Spanish singer and actress Ana Belén since 1972. He and his wife are considered symbols of the Spanish Transition, and his songs and albums often feature boldly-titled works with social and political content.-...
- Marc AnthonyMarc AnthonyMarc Anthony is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and three-time Latin Grammy–winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads...
- AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
- Bon JoviBon JoviBon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
- Guns N Roses
- Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
- Martin Valverde
- Plácido DomingoPlácido DomingoPlácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
- Fabulosos Cadillacs
- Vicente FernándezVicente FernándezVicente Fernández Gómez is a Mexican singer, producer and actor. Known as Chente or El rey de la canción ranchera throughout the Latin world, Vicente Fernández, who started his career singing for tips on the street, has become a cultural icon, recording more than 50 albums and contributing to...
- Alejandro FernándezAlejandro FernándezAlejandro Fernández is a Mexican singer. Nicknamed as "El Potrillo" by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Alejandro is the son of the ranchera singer Vicente Fernández. He originally specialized in traditional, earthy forms of Mexican folk music, such as...
- Beenie ManBeenie ManAnthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
- Il DivoIl DivoIl Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
- La Quinta Estación, Luis FonsiLuis FonsiLuis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero, more commonly known by his stage name Luis Fonsi, is a Latin Grammy winning Puerto Rican singer and composer.- Early life :...
, Sin BanderaSin BanderaSin Bandera was a Latin pop duo based in Mexico that consisted of Leonel García, and Noel Schajris. They became one of the most popular artists after their debut album "Sin Bandera" was released in 2001.-Biography:...
and local group EscatsEscatsEscats is a jazz band from Costa Rica and it's composed of three members: Luis Alonso Naranjo , Kin Rivera Jr and Nelson Segura - About the Band :...
(As part of "Love Fest") - Gandhi, local rock band
- MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
- Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
- SlayerSlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
- The Jonas BrothersJonas BrothersThe Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
- Demi LovatoDemi Lovato"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
- Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....