Estadio GEBA
The stadium in 2008
Full nameEstadio Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires
LocationAv. Marcelino Freyre 3831
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Coordinates34°34′4″S 58°25′8″W / 34.56778°S 58.41889°W / -34.56778; -58.41889
OwnerGimnasia y Esgrima (BA)
Capacity12,133
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1902 (1902)
Renovated1935
Tenants

The Estadio GEBA is a multi-use stadium in the Palermo neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Owned by Club Gimnasia y Esgrima, the stadium is located on the "Sede Jorge Newbery",[1][2] one of the three facilities of the club. Its current capacity is 12,133 spectators.[3]

The stadium was the main football venue during the 1900s and 1910s, having held matches of the Argentina national team and some club matches during that period. The football team of the club (that played in Primera División from 1911 to 1917) also used the stadium for its home games. After the arson of 1916, the stadium was for a time used mainly for rugby union matches. Nowadays, Estadio GEBA is used for music concerts, having hosted many artists performing there.[4]

History

The stadium the day it was inaugurated, 1902

During its first years of existence, the club used facilities such as Sociedad Rural Argentina's venue in Palermo, where athletics competition were held. In 1900 the Municipality of Buenos Aires gave in concession to the club a land that had been used by the Buenos Aires and Rosario Railway (BA&RR). On 12 October 1902, Gimnasia y Esgrima inaugurated its field, built on that land. The field was also known as "Maldonado" due to its proximity to the homonymous stream.[5]

The football team of the club affiliated to the Association (AFA) in 1906, promoting to Primera División in 1910. The stadium was a frequent venue for the squad during its years in Primera, from 1911 to 1917, the year the club disaffiliated from the Association. The GEBA stadium also hosted athletic competitions and rugby union matches, being often used by athletic teams of the University of Buenos Aires.[5]

The Argentina national football team played in GEBA on 13 September 1908, for the Copa Newton v. Uruguay. That match has a historic relevance for being the first time Argentine wore the light blue and white striped jersey, which would be the definitive uniform up to present days.[6] The stadium also hosted the matches where River Plate beat Racing Club by 2–1 before promoting to Primera División for the first time.[7] In 1911, defunct team Alumni played its last game at GEBA on 26 November 1911, when the team beat Porteño by 2–1 winning its 10th. Primera División title.[8] The club would not play any official match again, being dissolved two years later.[9][10]

Due to the small dimensions of the field, spectators often placed under a BA&RR viaduct to watch the matches held in GEBA. The club took advantage of that and built a grandstand just below the viaduct, that was inaugurated in 1909 during a Copa Lipton match between Argentina and Uruguay national teams. Nevertheless, in 1910 the BA&RR dismantled the viaduct to move the tracks. It allowed the club to expand the lateral grandstand of the venue. The stadium was completely refurbished to hold the football matches of "Juegos Deportivos del Centenario", sport competitions in commemoration of the Argentince Centennial. A grandstand was built on the side next to the railway. On the side next to Río de la Plata, another one was built while the official grandstand was located on the Maldonado stream side. It consisted in a two-floor wooden structure, similar to the existing in the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo.[5] GEBA was also a frecquent venue for Tie Cup, an international football club competition, since 1909.[11]

Alumni v Porteño, 1911 Primera División final at GEBA

The refurbished stadium hosted two matches of Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo held in 1910 and considered a predecessor of current Copa América. In 1910, English club Swindon Town played in GEBA some matches during their tour on Argentina where the team also played San Isidro, Estudiantes de Buenos Aires and the Argentina national team.[12] Legendary team Alumni played its last official game (the 1911 championship playoff vs. Porteño) at Gimnasia y Esgrima before being dissolved that same year.[13] Even one of the Superclásico editions was played at GEBA, on 9 May 1915 for the Copa de Competencia Jockey Club.

The crowd setting fire to the grandstands after the match v. Uruguay was suspended, July 1916

GEBA also hosted all games of the first edition of Copa América, held in Buenos Aires in 1916.[14] The final between Argentina and Uruguay was attended by more than 40,000 spectators that largely exceeded the capacity of the venue, calculated in 10,000. Because of that, the match had to be suspended. In disagreement with the decision, the angry crowd set fire to the stadium. The match had to be reprogrammed for the next day in the Racing Club stadium. The arson caused a large inactivity for the venue, which would not be reopened until 1918. The club did not rebuilt the fired grandstands, replacing them with a running track[5]

The Argentina national team played its last game at GEBA on 19 October 1919, when the squad won the Copa Premier Honor Argentino after thrashing Uruguay by 6–1,[15] During the 1920s, the venue was still one of the biggest in Argentina, hosting some Primera División matches of both associations, AFA and AAmF. A match between AFA and AAmF was played at GEBA on 9 December 1924, as an attempt to reunificate both associations, although it would not be carried out until 1926. The attendance was higher than expected, largely surpassing the capacity of the field. That was the last football match held in GEBA.[5]

From 1925 on, the stadium mainly hosted rugby union matches. During 45 years it would be the most frequent venue for that sport, with the Argentina national team playing there its international games. In 1927, the stadium hosted its first international rugby match when Argentina played v the British Isles during their second visit to the country.[16][17][18]

Argentina v British Lions at GEBA, 1936

In the middle 1930s, the stadium was completely refurbished, building new concrete grandstands. Once more, GEBA hosted an international rugby game when Argentina played v the British Lions during their third tour on the country in 1936.[19]

In 1951, GEBA and Ferro Carril Oeste were the stadiums of the first South American Rugby Championship held in Buenos Aires.[20] The 1969 Scotland tour on Argentina would be the last time the national team played their home matches at GEBA.[21]

Since 1970, the Argentina national rugby team started using larger stadiums,[22] such as Ferro Carril Oeste (1970–85)[23] or Vélez Sársfield (since 1986).[24] Nevertheless, the Estadio GEBA would continue hosting rugby union matches on some occasions, such as the 1993 South American Championship[25] and some friendly matches that same year.[26]

Tenants

Some teams that have played their home matches at Estadio GEBA are:

Team Period
Gimnasia y Esgrima football teamc. 1906 – 1917
Argentina national football team1908–1919
Argentina national rugby team1927–1969, 1993

Events hosted

Along its existence, the stadium has hosted several sports events, the following list compiles some of the most relevant:

Event Sport Year/s
Copa NewtonFootball1908, 1918
Copa Premier Honor ArgentinoFootball1908–1919
Tie CupFootball1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1918
Copa LiptonFootball1909, 1911, 1915, 1919
Copa Centenario Revolución de MayoFootball1910
Primera División Final [note 1]Football1911
Copa RocaFootball1914
Copa AméricaFootball1916
Copa AldaoFootball1916, 1918
Copa Campeonato del Río de la PlataFootball1923
British & Irish Lions tourRugby1927, 1936
France tourRugby1949, 1954, 1960
South American ChampionshipRugby1951
South Africa tour [note 2]Rugby1959, 1966
Wales tourRugby1968
Scotland tourRugby1969
Ireland tourRugby1952
Notes
  1. ↑ GEBA hosted the Alumni v Porteño final, won by Alumni. The game has a historical relevance so it was the last official match of the legendary team, dissolved that same year.[9][27]
  2. ↑ Representative teams were Junior Springboks (1932) and "Gazzelles" (1966).

Music concerts

Queen + Adam Lambert stage at GEBA during their 2014–2015 tour

The club usually rents two of its facilities for concerts and events, being the Jorge Newbery facility the most used for those purposes.

Many international artists touring on Argentina have played at Estadio GEBA, being some of them: Ozzy Osbourne, Luis Miguel, Duran Duran, Rush, Peter Gabriel, System of a Down, Sepultura, INXS, Lenny Kravitz, Noel Gallagher, Rod Stewart, and Bruce Springsteen, among many others.

References

  1. ↑ "Estadio GEBA at VuenosAirez.com". Archived from the original on 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  2. ↑ "Estadio GEBA at Time for Fun website". Archived from the original on 2015-08-22. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  3. ↑ World Soccer Yearbook, 2002-3: The Complete Guide to the Game by David Goldblatt (2002), published by Dk Pub – ISBN 0-7894-8943-0
  4. ↑ "Estadio GEBA sede Jorge Newbery" on Entradasx.com Archived 2012-06-25 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "El estadio de Maldonado" on Viejos Estadios website
  6. ↑ Argentine national team archives by Héctor Pelayes on RSSSF.com
  7. ↑ Racing - River y una muy sospechosa final by Ricardo de Titto on La Nueva.com, 14 Dec 2014
  8. ↑ Argentina 1911 by Pablo Ciullini on RSSSF website
  9. 1 2 Alumni, Cuna de Campeones y Escuela de Hidalguía by Ernesto Escobar Bavio – Editorial Difusión, Buenos Aires (Published 1953)
  10. ↑ "Alumni: en el nombre del fútbol" on Clarín, 2003-04-21
  11. ↑ Cup Tie Competition - detailed tournaments on the RSSSF
  12. ↑ Argentina national team - List of Other Matches 1901-2008 by Héctor Pelayes on RSSSF.com
  13. ↑ Argentina 1911 at RSSSF
  14. ↑ Southamerican Championship 1916 at RSSSF
  15. ↑ Copa Premio Honor Argentino on RSSSF
  16. ↑ El Gráfico No. 424, 20 August 1927
  17. ↑ 1927 Argentina on British Lions website (Archive, 21 Jan 2012)
  18. ↑ "Lions (segundo viaje olvidado)" by Ricardo Sabanes on Periodismo Rugby, 24 May 2017
  19. ↑ Lions (tercer viaje olvidado) by Ricardo Sabanes on Periodismo Rugby website, 1 Jun 2017
  20. ↑ Un siglo en pequeñas historias by Martín Estévez, El Gráfico, 28 Mar 2017
  21. ↑ Memoria y Balance 1969 on UAR website
  22. ↑ Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires y su historia, a Primera by Jorge Búsico, La Nación, 25 Sep 2014
  23. ↑ Memoria y Balance 1970 on UAR website
  24. ↑ Memoria y Balance 1986 on UAR website
  25. ↑ Los Pumas hicieron historia, La Prensa, 17 Feb 2004
  26. ↑ "Argentina at ground: GEBA", ESPN Scrum.com
  27. ↑ ""Alumni Athletic Club" at BAEHS website". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  28. ↑ Kylie Minogue por primera vez, El Día
  29. ↑ "Duran Duran: Espíritu implacable", Rolling Stone Argentine edition Archived 2015-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, 11 Nov 2008
  30. ↑ Gloria Estefan cantó ante una multitud en GEBA, Infobae, 19 Apr 2009
  31. ↑ "La música que viene, después de la gripe", La Nación, 11 Jul 2009
  32. ↑ Top 5: Los hits de David Bisbal on La Nación
  33. ↑ "Una multitud disfrutó del show de Black Eyed Peas en GEBA", Ambito Financiero, 7 Nov 2010
  34. ↑ "Rush: la poderosa máquina del tiempo". LA NACION. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  35. ↑ "Jamiroquai hizo bailar a GEBA". soy rock. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  36. ↑ "Peter Gabriel brilló en el estadio de GEBA", Infobae.com, 19 Nov 2011
  37. ↑ ""Sepultura en Argentina"". Archived from the original on 2011-03-07. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  38. 1 2 "Primal Scream and Snow Patrol at GEBA" at Songkick, 28 Sep 2011
  39. ↑ System of a Down en GEBA Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine on RollingStone (Argentine edition), 6 Oct 2011
  40. 1 2 3 4 "Sonic Youth, INXS, The Kills y más", 5 Nov 2011
  41. ↑ "Lenny Kravitz subió la sensación térmica en GEBA" on BlueFM.com Archived 2013-09-16 at the Wayback Machine, 3 Oct 2011
  42. ↑ "Katy Perry, Septiembre 2011 - GEBA". argentinashows.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  43. ↑ "Ozzy Osbourne hizo vibrar a GEBA", Diarioshow.com, 27 Mar 2011
  44. ↑ "Selena Gomez brilló en GEBA y se emocionó con su fans", Ciudad.com, 11 Feb 2012
  45. ↑ "Luis Miguel hará dos conciertos en GEBA con su 'The Hits Tour'", Clarín, 4 May 2012
  46. ↑ "La revancha del nü metal", Clarín, 7 Oct 2012
  47. 1 2 "Big Time Rush y The Wanted despertaron la histeria adolescente en el estadio GEBA", Télam Archived 2012-12-19 at the Wayback Machine, 7 Oct 2012
  48. ↑ "Jennifer Lopez brilló en GEBA". LA NACION. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  49. ↑ "Noel Gallagher en GEBA" at RollingStone Archived 2015-06-09 at the Wayback Machine, 7 May 2012
  50. ↑ "Alicia Keys deslumbró con su show en GEBA", Infobae.com, 21 Sep 2013
  51. ↑ "New show added in Buenos Aires". brucespringsteen.net. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
  52. ↑ "Muse: Un show supremo en Geba". metro951.com. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  53. ↑ "Alejandro Sanz: una velada llena de carisma y seducción", Clarín, 8 Mar 2013
  54. ↑ "Rod Stewart en G.E.B.A.: clásicos resplandecientes con el paso del tiempo" at TN.com.ar, 22 Feb 2014
  55. ↑ "Miley Cyrus: Delirio pop con la ex chica Disney". 4 October 2014.
  56. ↑ Queen + Adam Lambert: crónica de una noche apasionada, La Nación
  57. ↑ Laura Pausini le hizo frente al frío, Clarín
  58. ↑ Juan L. Guerra at GEBA, Diario Popular
  59. ↑ Enrique Iglesias convirtió GEBA en un gran karaoke, El Tribuno
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