Tampere football clubs abandon new stadium due to high costs
Two Tampere football clubs have left the newly built Tammela Stadium after just two seasons, citing unsustainable expenses, Yle reports.
Tampereen Pallo-Veikot (TPV) and Tampere United (TamU) have relocated their home matches to Kauppi Sports Park, a traditional venue about two kilometres away. The clubs, which play in Finland’s second-tier Ykkönen league, say the stadium’s operating model makes lower-division matches financially unviable.
The €44 million Tammela Stadium, completed in 2023, was intended as a shared home for Tampere’s football teams, including Veikkausliiga side Ilves. However, only Ilves now remains, alongside occasional use by Finland’s national teams.
Costs outweigh revenues
TPV chairman Jouni Kaikuranta told Yle that high rent, minimal revenue from food and drink sales, and mandatory security contracts made matches at Tammela unprofitable. In 2024, the club’s matchday income at the stadium fell €28,000 short of its earnings at Kauppi the previous year.
Tampere United’s Antti Niemistö echoed the concerns, noting that Kauppi allows clubs to retain all sales revenue—a difference of thousands per game. “The move was the only solution,” he said.
Private operator model
Unlike traditional municipal stadiums, Tammela operates under a commercial model. The city outsourced management to Ilves Edustus Oy, which handles ticketing, catering, and event services. The operator bears financial risks but also controls revenue streams, leaving lower-tier clubs with little profit.
Tampere’s sports director Jukka Etu-Seppälä defended the model, stating that the stadium’s size and multi-use design—hosting concerts, conferences, and elite matches—requires professional management. “Running such a facility isn’t the city’s core expertise,” he said.
The 8,000-seat stadium, built to UEFA’s top standards, will host Ilves’ men’s, women’s, and reserve teams in 2026, along with Finland’s national and U21 sides. Meanwhile, TPV and TamU have returned to Kauppi, where they also train daily.