Why Do AC Milan and Inter Milan Share a Stadium?
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The San Siro Stadium, also known as the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, is one of the most famous stadiums in the world of football. Located in the heart of Milan, the stadium has been the home of two of the biggest Italian football clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan, for almost a century.
The ownership of the stadium has been a topic of debate and controversy for many years, with both clubs claiming that it belongs to them. This article will delve into the history of the San Siro and examine why AC Milan and Inter Milan play their home games at the same venue.
Table of Contents
Why Do AC Milan and Inter Milan Share the Same Stadium?
AC Milan and Inter Milan share the same stadium for a number of reasons, including a lack of alternatives, cost efficiency and convenience. Although both clubs like to claim that the stadium is theirs, the San Siro is shared.
Lack of Alternatives
By 1947, there were no other suitable venues in the Italian city for either club to use as their home ground. This meant that both AC Milan and Inter Milan had to share the San Siro stadium. Prior to this, Inter Milan had been playing their football at a much smaller, Arena Civica.
Cost Efficiency
Because the San Siro is shared, both clubs have been able to save money on maintenance and renovation costs. By sharing the stadium, AC Milan and Inter Milan split the costs of maintaining the facilities, such as the pitch and seating areas, which can be expensive.
It’s worth noting that these savings could be outweighed by the rental costs they have to pay the City of Milan to play there, though.
Convenience
As the San Siro is located in a central location in Milan, it makes it easily accessible for fans of both clubs. Sharing the stadium has also allowed each club to avoid the need to build separate stadiums, which would have required them to find new locations in the city.
Rivalry
Because the San Siro is shared by both AC Milan and Inter Milan, this makes their rivalry all the more intense. As debates are ongoing as to who rightfully owns the stadium, a lot of pride is at stake every time these teams play each other.
The Milan derby, otherwise known as the ‘Derby della Madonnina’ is a spectacle.
Who Plays at the San Siro Stadium?
Both AC Milan and Inter Milan play their home matches at the San Siro stadium in Milan. AC Milan were first to play their games there, starting in 1926 and Inter Milan followed in 1947. Inter began playing their home matches there following an agreement between both clubs and the City of Milan to share the stadium.
History Prior to the San Siro Stadium
Before the San Siro stadium was built in 1926, both AC Milan and Inter Milan played in different locations. In 1899, the team AC Milan was founded by Milan Cricket and Football Club by a group of English expatriates. This group was led by Alfred Edwards.
Within two years, the club had won its first championship. However, by 1908, a row took place regarding the signing of international players. This resulted in AC Milan splitting into two different teams – AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano (now known as Inter Milan).
Initially, Inter started playing their matches at an unknown location, but quickly had to relocate due to the fact that the ground wasn’t fit for purpose. They were then allowed to play at the Arena Civica by the City of Milan.
By 1913 a new home ground had been built, however their key home matches were still played at the Arena Civica. During this time, AC Milan played at various locations before the San Siro was completed in 1926.
An agreement was reached in 1947 between AC Milan and Inter Milan to make the San Siro shared, and since then they have remained joint tenants of this iconic stadium.
History of the San Siro Stadium
After being built in 1926, the San Siro stadium was used for the World Cup in 1934, hosting three matches, and has since become one of the most famous football stadiums in the world. Over the years, the stadium has undergone several renovations to improve its facilities, including the addition of a roof, improved seating, and new lighting systems.
The stadium underwent renovations in the 1950s and 1980s to increase its capacity and improve its facilities. Today, the San Siro has a capacity of 80,018, making it the largest stadium in Italy.
In 1980, the stadium was renamed ‘the Giuseppe Meazza stadium’ after Giuseppe Meazza, a centre forward who played for both AC Milan and Inter Milan. Meazza was regarded as one of the greatest Italian footballers of all time. Both sides have had a long list of famous footballers play for them, including Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, and Roberto Baggio.
AC Milan’s Claim to the San Siro Stadium
AC Milan have a number of reasons why they believe they own the San Siro stadium. Firstly they owned the ground from the time that it opened in 1926 to 1935 where they sold it to the local council. In comparison, Inter Milan has never solely owned the stadium.
After selling the stadium to the City of Milan, AC Milan played at the stadium for a further 10 years, being sole inhabitants at the San Siro. It’s also worth noting that AC Milan’s club president, Piero Pirelli, famous for owning the Pirelli car tyre manufacturer, paid for the stadium to be built.
AC Milan have had a long and proud history at the San Siro stadium and has played some of its most historical games there. For these reasons, AC Milan argues that it has a historical connection to the stadium that cannot be matched by Inter Milan.
Inter Milan’s Claim to the San Siro Stadium
The main reason why Inter Milan stake their claim to the San Siro stadium is because of Giuseppe Meazza. Meazza was both an Inter and Italy legend, winning the World Cup twice and scoring 200 goals in Serie A.
Inter Milan fans felt extremely proud when the ground was renamed the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in March 1980, and this why they like to stake their claim to it. You’ll find that Inter fans continue to call it the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, whereas AC Milan fans will call it the San Siro stadium.
The problem for Inter fans is that the stadium is widely known as the San Siro for football fans across the world, so this weakens their claim.
The Future of the San Siro Stadium
There have been discussions for a brand-new stadium to be built in a nearby location to the San Siro. The new stadium would be called ‘The Cathedral’ and would hold 60,000 spectators, this is 20,000 less than the current stadium. The reason behind the downsizing is that the San Siro is rarely ever full, with decreasing attendances for both AC Milan and Inter Milan being more common.
As it stands, however, the future for this iconic stadium is unclear.
Conclusion
The San Siro Stadium is an iconic landmark in the world of football and has been around for almost a century. The ownership of the stadium has been a topic of debate and controversy for many years, with both AC Milan and Inter Milan claiming that it belongs to them.
Although there are genuine reasons why the club shares the stadium, the future of the San Siro remains uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Have AC Milan and Inter Milan Been Sharing the Same Stadium?
AC Milan and Inter Milan have been sharing the same stadium since an agreement was put in place in 1947 between both clubs and the City of Milan.
What Is the Capacity of San Siro Stadium?
The capacity of the San Siro stadium is 80,018, making it the largest stadium in Italy.
Who Owns the San Siro Stadium?
The Municipality of Milano, aka the City of Milan, owns the San Siro stadium and leases it out to both AC Milan and Inter Milan.
Why Was the San Siro Stadium Named After Giuseppe Meazza?
The San Siro stadium was named after Giuseppe Meazza because he was a former player for both AC Milan and Inter Milan. He was also regarded as one of the greatest Italian footballers of all time.
