Headingley Stadium

Headingley Stadium is a stadium complex in Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, comprising two separate grounds, Headingley Cricket Ground and Headingley Rugby Stadium, linked by a two-sided stand housing common facilities. The grounds are the respective homes of Yorkshire County Cricket Club (CCC) and Leeds Rhinos rugby league club. Initially owned by the Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Company, the complex is now owned by Yorkshire CCC, which jointly manages it with Leeds Rugby Limited, a joint venture of two rugby clubs.[1]

Headingley Stadium
LocationHeadingley, Leeds, England
Coordinates53°48′58.87″N 1°34′55.82″W
OwnerLeeds Rugby
Yorkshire CCC
CapacityRugby stadium (21,500)
Cricket stadium (18,350)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1890
Renovated1991, 2011, 2015, 2017–19
Expanded1931, 1932, 2000, 2006, 2010, 2019
Tenants
Rugby Stadium
Leeds Rhinos (1890–present)
Leeds Tykes (1991–2020)
Bramley (1997–1999)
Cricket Ground
Yorkshire CCC (1891–present)

From 2006 until 2017, the stadium was officially known as the Headingley Carnegie Stadium as a result of sponsorship from Leeds Metropolitan University, whose sports faculty is known as the Carnegie School of Sport Exercise and Physical Education.[2] Since 1 November 2017, the stadium is known as the Emerald Headingley Stadium due to the purchase of the naming rights by Emerald Group Publishing.[3]

Owning the ground

In December 2005, Yorkshire County Cricket Club obtained a loan of £9 million from Leeds City Council towards the cost of purchasing the cricket ground for £12 million.[4] Shortly afterwards, 98.37% of members who participated in a vote backed the deal.[4] On 11 January 2006, the club announced plans to rebuild the stand next to the rugby ground with 3,000 extra seats, taking capacity to 20,000.[5] The club also announced plans to redevelop the Winter Shed (North) stand on 25 August 2006 providing a £12.5 million pavilion complex.[6][7]

Cricket ground
The cricket ground in 2006.
Main article: Headingley Cricket Ground

The cricket ground sits to the northern side of the complex. It opened in 1891 and has been used for Test matches since 1899. It is the main home ground of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Yorkshire Vikings Twenty20 cricket team. The ground last hosted The Ashes in 2019. Since 2015 the cricket ground has been floodlit. The ground has a seated capacity of 18,350, executive facilities and a new media centre opened in 2010. All but the stand at the football ground end have been rebuilt since 2000, it is proposed to replace this stand in conjunction with redeveloping its other side facing the rugby ground.

Rugby ground
Headingley rugby ground
Main article: Headingley Rugby Stadium

The rugby ground sits to the southern side of the complex. Historically a rugby league ground it now also hosts some rugby union. It is home to Leeds Rhinos rugby league team. The ground consists of three stands and an open terrace at one end, one stand is completely seated, and two mixed.[8] It has a capacity of 21,500.

In 2019, a new modern Tetley South Stand was opened.[9]

Future developments
North Stand and entrance
Redevelopment on the rugby side of the ground

Yorkshire County Cricket Club have shown keen interest in redeveloping the northern side of the ground. This is a major inconvenience to Leeds Rugby Limited as they wish to redevelop their North Stand, which backs onto the Cricket Ground, any redevelopment of this stand cannot go ahead until Yorkshire Cricket are also willing to redevelop their side of the cricket pitch. If Headingley is to retain Test Ground Status it is likely that further improvements will need to be made to the ground. On 5 June 2014 Yorkshire CCC announced the "Headingley Masterplan". The phased redevelopment costing around £50 million will take place over the next 20 years.[10]

Phase One Erection of four permanent floodlight pylons. The floodlights, which have light arrays in the shape of the Yorkshire Rose, were installed in 2015. The first full game to be played under them was the T20 match against Derbyshire Falcons on Friday 15 May 2015, but they were also called upon for the County Championship game against Warwickshire a few weeks earlier.

Phase Two The rebuild of the Football Ground End, in conjunction with Leeds Rugby, to incorporate a three-tiered seating area, which will accommodate 5,060 seats, enhanced corporate facilities and new permanent concession units.

Phase Three To incorporate an additional 915 seats to the upper tier of the North East Stand with the possibility of a cantilever roof from the side of the Carnegie Pavilion to the existing scoreboard.

Phase Four The development of a new Pavilion located in the North West area of the stadium complex. Built on five levels, the Pavilion will be adjacent to the existing Carnegie Pavilion. To include corporate facilities, new dressing rooms for the players and coaching staff, Members’ Long Room and seating and the creation of a main entrance to the stadium on Kirkstall Lane.

Phase Five The erection of a translucent cantilever roof to cover the White Rose Stand on the western side of the ground.

Phase Six Landscaping on the White Rose Stand and North East stand concourses.[10]

The Carnegie Pavilion

Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Metropolitan University have collaborated in building the Headingley Carnegie Pavilion, which replaced 'The Shed' to the northern side of the Cricket Ground (which, dating from the early 1970s, was the oldest surviving structure). The new pavilion replaces 'The Winter Shed' and 'The Media Centre' at the Kirkstall Lane end of the ground, which had become obsolete, according to Yorkshire County Cricket Club, no longer meeting the requirements of modern broadcasting. The changing facilities are replaced by new facilities, designed specifically for cricket, while the new executive boxes will provide the expected level of service. Yorkshire County Cricket Clubs offices will also be relocated into the pavilion, which boasts environmentally friendly features such as a ground source heat pump and solar hot water heating.[11]

The rugby ground has also been significantly rebuilt since 2006, when the Carnegie Stand at the east end was opened containing both standing and seated areas, private boxes and catering. In 2017 both the North and South Stands were torn down following Leeds' last home game of the season: the new South Stand will be a two-tier structure similar to the Carnegie Stand with an expanded terrace, while the North Stand's replacement will feature additional executive boxes and facilities for players, staff and media, as well as thousands of new seats for the cricket ground.

Cricket Ground
  • England v. Australia 4th Test, 2001
  • The Kirkstall Lane End

Rugby Stadium
  • Western Terraces
  • North Stand
  • Floodlight Column 'C'
  • Aerial view of the rugby ground around 1925

See also

References
  1. "Joint management agreed for Headingley Stadium". Yorkshire C.C.C. 11 October 2006. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  2. "Historic day ushers in new era for Headingley Carnegie Stadium". Leeds Metropolitan University. 11 January 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  3. "Emerald Group sponsorship gives green light to stadium redevelopment". Yorkshire C.C.C. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  4. "Members approve Headingley buyout". BBC News. 24 December 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  5. "New stand and name for Headingley". BBC News. 11 January 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  6. "Latest Cricket News | YCCC News". Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 30 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  7. "The Carnegie Pavilion Development". Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  8. "Leeds Rhinos South Stand demolition project to begin in August". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  9. "EMERALD HEADINGLEY STADIUM UNVEILS NEW TETLEY'S SOUTH STAND". Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  10. "Yorkshire announces a Headingley Masterplan". Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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