DCE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ROTTERDAM

The DCE 2005 Championships will be held at the Sparta Stadium in Rotterdam - The Netherlands. The DCE management team has come to an agreement with the Sparta board of directors about the use of the beautiful stadium on September 24, 2005.



Drum Corps Europe is very happy with the new venue. "Everyone knows Rotterdam, the city is known around the world", said DCE chairman Marcel Matthijsse. The stadium includes a stand with a capacity of 2500 seats. "We also searched for stadiums in Belgium and the northern part of France, but Rotterdam was the best choice. We are aware of the long distances that some corps have to travel to enter the event. With the European drum corps activity in mind, we believe Rotterdam is one of the most central places in Europe." In 2005, Rotterdam is the 'European Capital of Sports'. A wonderful opportunity to attract even more visitors to our 'sport of the arts'.

Host Sparta is the oldest professional football club of the Netherlands. The club has a rich history which includes winning the Dutch Championship, the national Cup and participation in European tournaments. A few years ago Sparta, then led by coach Frank Rijkaard, relegated from the Dutch Premier League. It now leads the First Division. The rich tradition of the club is shown in the stadium. It is known as 'The Castle', because of the monumental towers on the backside. In 1999, a whole new stadium was built at the same place. Although the stadium was completely modernised, the monumental architecture was preserved. The Sparta Stadium has a great atmosphere. It looks very cosy and has a total capacity of 11,000 seats.



In 2003 and 2004, The Hague was the host of the DCE Championships. The stadium of soccer club 'ADO Den Haag' appeared not available in 2005, due to the new field management guidelines of ADO. That's why DCE started looking for another stadium that had at least the same facilities and exposure. The DCE management believes that the Sparta Stadium is a great new choice.

"I'm really excited about this stadium", Public Relations Manager Dennis I. Naaktgeboren said. "When I attended a soccer match last year, in my mind I saw corps like Kidsgrove Scouts and Wölper Löwen marching on the field. I think it's a perfect venue for the European Championships, located in a metropolis."

We are looking forward to this great event, and we hope all contestants are as enthousiastic as we are. Presale of tickets for the DCE Championships in Rotterdam will start at May 1st.