Introducing the overall decision behind the newest stadium of Independiente del Valle in Quito, Ecuador.
By Bruno Ivich.
Independiente del Valle is a true case study in the South American football sphere. The club, previously named Independiente Jose Terán was bought by a group of powerful businessmen 15 years ago and now it has become the “best talent development place for players” in Ecuador and the region.
Independiente del Valle has a different philosophy than all Ecuadorian football teams, and as shown in their slogan “Un club diferente” it is a team that does everything differently. This statement refers to how they train players, how they educate them and the overall goal of shaping individuals with values that will be desirable by society. After great sporting successes and achieved milestones, in 2020 Independiente del Valle started with the construction of their own stadium as it will contribute to their exponential growth. Independiente del Valle is the pride of the Ecuadorians and it is a case of success studied all around the world. Now, the press just talks about their small but first class stadium. Various stakeholders and the Ecuadorian press have attributed the new stadium as the best field in Ecuador.
Stadium Banco de Guayaquil
In 2020, in the mid crisis of the pandemic, Independiente del Valle built the newest and most modern stadium in Ecuador to become their home. Due to growth in popularity among fans, the smart decision was to build their own stadium to boost attendance and hence revenues.
The Stadium Banco de Guayaquil has an overall capacity of 12,000 seated spectators, private suites and all the facilities of a top European club stadium. The stadium was constructed in 11 months and had a cost of $18 million dollars.
As said by the managers of the team, the decision to built a stadium was based on the success of the team on the pitch, the recognition of their young players and as a mechanism to boost the growth of the team, and therefore the revenues.
The Independiente del Valle stadium mimics European top stadiums with full visibility seats close to the field.
The stadium opened in March 2021 and has hosted games in Copa Sudamericana, Libertadores and friendly matches of the Ecuadorian National team. The stadium currently has a capacity of 12,000 attendants but the plan is to expand its capacity at a later stage. Independiente del Valle is the present and the future of Ecuador and has proved to be the place where young Ecuadorian players flourish and later play internationally.
Currently, Independiente del Valle is constructing their own museum where they can display all their trophies, and eventually plan to build a hotel nearby the stadium. Andres Larriva, manager of the club claims that “the experience of this sports venue has led several fans to come to their stadium for everything that is lived there in a football stadium. All the experiences at an international level have made us understand that soccer is entertainment and that people have the ability to enjoy it. Independiente del Valle works for the people and that is why we now have a stadium with all the comforts”. Thus, Larriva encourages fans to go and visit the stadium, where the goal is to consolidate an attendance of 7000 fans per match and afterwards think about the construction of the second stage of the stadium.
Why Build a Stadium?
A stadium is an asset and it is a property owned by a club that allows it to generate more revenues. Most important clubs in the world own their own stadium since this allows them to control and better manage their growth.
The Independiente del Valle stadium will become a new way to reconnect with fans, host events, generate additional revenues from matchday tickets, but more importantly a legacy of how a club can progress at exponential steps in very little time.
Andres Larriva, commercial manager of Independiente del Valle commented: “Having a stadium commercially allows the club to grow at the level of partners and sponsorships. That the fans feel that they have a home, and it means a deeper connection with stakeholders and global growth”. Larriva pointed out that the goal of having a stadium is to connect with the community, deliver great entertainment and hence build a deeper connection that will drive revenues.
The mission and vision of Independiente del Valle is to be the best team in South America, and with their latest titles as 2019 Copa Sudamericana Champion, 2021 Ecuadorian Champion and 2022 Copa Sudamericana Champion, the team has achieved their goals.
Note that Independiente del Valle is a relatively new team under their new management and in one decade it has done more than many teams in their entire history. The Banco de Guayaquil Stadium, besides being the most modern in Ecuador, demonstrates that Independiente del Valle will continue to reaffirm their prestige in Ecuador and internationally. The stadium is meant to be a center of entertainment, hosting matches, concerts and events of all types.
