The Stadium – Rewirpower Stadium Castroper Strasse, 44791 Bochum The previously named Ruhr Stadium was originally opened 1919, although the current ground was redeveloped in 1979 with a capacity of over 50,000. Through the years this has been reduced due to changes to seating has seen this number reduce over the years. This season the capacity has been set at just over 32,600 by the local authorities.
There are plans to convert the stadium to 100% all seating if they retain their position in the Bundesliga this season. The stadium is very British in design with four stands close to the pitch and excellent views from all areas. The atmosphere on a match day is excellent – especially if the visitors are local.
Who Plays There? The club were originally formed in 1911 after a merger of a number of clubs including Bochumer TV, SuS Bochum and Sv Germania 06 Bochum. Their achievements in their early years were overshadowed by playing in the same regional leagues as Schalke 04, who were at the time the strongest team in Germany.
After the war the club began playing in the lower leagues, gaining promotion after promotion until they reached the top division for the first time in 1956. However, it wasn’t until 1971 – 8 years after the formation of the 1st ever Bundesliga that the club gained promotion to the top division. On the way they reached the German Cup Final where they were runners up to Koln after losing 4-1. It would be twenty years before the club were relegated again, with the club performing some miracles to stay in the top division. During this period the club also appeared in another cup final – losing again to Eintract Frankfurt in 1988.
In 1997 the club amazingly managed to finish 5th place, earning themselves a place in Europe for a first time ever. They gave a good account of themselves in the opening rounds, beating Trabzonspor with an amazing 5-3 home win, before repeating the feat with a 4-1 home victory over Brugge in round two. In the third round they lost 6-4 to Ajax on aggregate, but went out with their head held high after scoring 16 goals in just three ties. In 2004 they repeated the feat by finishing 5th again although the UEFA Cup run was considerably shorter this time around with a first round defeat on away goals to Standard Liege. Since then it’s been a story of bouncing between the two divisions, cumulating with a promotion back to the top division again in May 2006. As at the Christmas break in 2006 the club were sitting happily in 14th place.
How to get to the Rewirpower Stadium The Rewirpower stadium is located on the eastside of the town centre. Opposite the stadium is the S-Bahn stop of Ruhrstadion which is just 4 minutes journey time from the Hauptbahnhof on line 1. Alternatively you can walk from the town centre – simply following the signs towards the Planetarium and then carrying on for around 150 yards.
For a more detailed view as to who plays where in the Ruhr Region, go to Footiemap.com
How to get a ticket for the Rewirpower Stadium The club have a loyal following of around 20,000 fans which means that most games are not sold out at the stadium. The exception to this are the games versus Dortmund, Schalke and Bayern Munich. Tickets can be bought from the online shop around 10 days before a game. The cheapest tickets are for the standing sections behind the goal which are €10, whilst €30 will get you a decent seat in the main stand. You can also ring in advance to secure a ticket on +49 18 05 95 18 48.
Around the Rewirpower Stadium The stadium is located in the east of the town, with the industrial areas to the south and parkland to the north. There are a few bars that open on the day of a game to on the main road, but apart from that it is best to stick to the town centre.
Dortmund airport is located approximately 8 miles east of the city. It has one terminal that serves mainly budget carriers such as Easyjet, Air Berlin and Whizz, although its is only Luton’s finest that currently serve Dortmund from the UK daily.
The easiest way to travel into the city centre is via the special bus service to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof. The journey takes 25 minutes and costs €5 each way (€2 for children). The bus arrives and departs from the bus station opposite the Hauptbahnhof. Buses run every hour during the day. A taxi is also an option - the 20 minute journey in normal traffic should cost no more than €25.
The Stadium – Rewirpower Stadium