Rams Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi

Ali Sami Yen Hell Aslantepe
UEFA
Full name	Rams Park
Former names	Türk Telekom Arena (2011–2017) Türk Telekom Stadium (2017–2021) Nef Stadium (2021–2023)
Location	Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates	41°6′10″N 28°59′26″E / 41.10278°N 28.99056°E / 41.10278; 28.99056
Public transit	Seyrantepe
Owner	Galatasaray
Operator	Galatasaray
Executive suites	198
Capacity	52,652 (2011–2013) 52,280 (all-seater)
Record attendance	52,044 (Galatasaray–Real Madrid, 9 April 2013)
Field size	105 m × 68 m (115 yd × 74 yd)
Acreage	190,000 m²
Surface	Grass (2011–2018) SISGrass
Scoreboard	2 x 77,41m²
Construction
Broke ground	13 December 2007; 17 years ago (2007-12-13)
Built	2007–2011
Opened	15 January 2011; 14 years ago (2011-01-15)
Construction cost	US$250 million ($325 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect	'asp' architekten Stuttgart
Structural engineer	İz Mühendislik Yüksel Proje Schlaich Bergermann & Partner
Services engineer	OBERMEYER: Planungsgesellschaft
Main contractors	Varyap Uzunlar Ortak Girişimi TOKİ
Tenants
Galatasaray (2011–present) Turkey national football team (selected matches)

The Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex, also known as Rams Park, is a large football stadium. It is the home field for the Süper Lig team Galatasaray. The stadium is in Istanbul, Turkey. It can hold 52,280 fans. The stadium is named after Ali Sami Yen, who founded the Galatasaray club.

This stadium was the first in Turkey to meet the rules for UEFA Euro 2016. In 2011, it was nominated for "Venue of the Year" and "New Venue" awards. Galatasaray won the Süper Lig in their first season playing here. The stadium was even mentioned in a book by Tom Clancy!

History of the Stadium

Exterior of the stadium

Main road leading to the stadium

Inside the stadium before a game

Galatasaray fans cheering

Football started in Istanbul on a field called "Priest's Field." Later, the Taksim Stadium became the main football spot. But this stadium was torn down in 1940. Other teams like Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş found new homes. Galatasaray, however, had trouble finding a place to play.

In the 1930s, Galatasaray tried to get land for a stadium. They found a plot in Mecidiyeköy. In 1940, Galatasaray leased this land for 30 years for a very small fee. They planned to build a modern stadium. But World War II made it hard to get money and supplies.

A small stadium with an open stand was built in 1945. But it was far from the city and hard to reach. So, it wasn't used much for games. When the İnönü Stadium opened in the city center, Galatasaray stopped building their stadium.

In 1955, Galatasaray got to use the land until 2007. The government helped build the stadium starting in 1959. In 1961, Galatasaray officially got the rights to use the new stadium.

The stadium opened on December 20, 1964. It was so crowded that one person died and 80 were hurt. In 1965, lights were added for night games. But in the 1970s, the stadium was used mostly for training. It was not well cared for.

In 1981, grass was planted on the field, and the stadium reopened. The lights were fixed in 1993, and night games started again. Seats were added, which reduced the capacity from 35,000 to 22,000. In 1997, Galatasaray planned to build a new, modern stadium.

On December 10, 2013, a UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray and Juventus was stopped because of heavy snow. The rest of the game was played the next day.

New Stadium Plans

Over the years, Galatasaray had many ideas for a new stadium.

Early Ideas

In 1998, a plan for a 40,484-seat stadium was made. It even included a modern "loge" system (private boxes). But the city government did not approve it. In 2001, a smaller plan for 35,000 seats was made to save money. But an economic crisis stopped this plan too.

Back to the Old Plan

From 2002 to 2005, the club looked at the 1998 plan again. But they still couldn't get enough money. After some updates, the club went back to playing at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. In 2005, an old stand was torn down and rebuilt for safety after an earthquake.

Moving to Aslantepe

The old stadium in Mecidiyeköy was now in the city center. The government did not want the stadium to get bigger there. So, they offered Galatasaray new land in a place called Aslantepe.

Finding money for the new stadium took a few years. In 2007, the government agreed to build a new stadium for Galatasaray in Aslantepe. In return, Galatasaray would give up their land in Mecidiyeköy.

A Dream Comes True

In December 2007, the building of the new stadium officially began. This was ten years after the first plans were announced. A new design was chosen. In 2009, construction sped up when a new company took over.

The new stadium, now called Rams Park, opened on January 15, 2011. The Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was there.

Stadium Projects Overview

Here's a look at the different plans for the stadium over the years:

Aslantepe: The New Home

Outside view of the stadium

View from the southeast corner

View from the northeast corner

Galatasaray needed a new stadium because the old one was too small. The new stadium was built near the Maslak business area. The area's old name, Seyrantepe, was changed to Aslantepe (Lion Hill). This is because "Aslan" (Lion) is Galatasaray's symbol. The stadium was designed to be like the Arena AufSchalke in Germany. It will have a roof that can open and close, which is the first of its kind in Turkey.

Building the Stadium

Galatasaray worked with TOKİ, a large Turkish construction group. Four companies bid to build the stadium. The Eren Talu Architecture – ALKE Partnership won the contract in October 2007.

The project was called the "Aslantepe Tender." It included building a sports complex for 52,652 people in Aslantepe. In return, the old stadium land in Mecidiyeköy would be used for other buildings. The stadium was planned to be built in 720 days. It has 198 private suites. It also has VIP lounges, food courts, a Galatasaray Museum, and several Galatasaray stores. The stadium has five levels above ground and four underground levels.

Working Together

The Eren Talu-ALKE group partnered with Abu Dhabi Group and Al Zarooni Group from the UAE. These groups invested $650 million in the project. This money was for both the new stadium in Aslantepe and the new buildings in Mecidiyeköy.

The stadium construction cost about $170 million. Another $180 million was from TOKİ. The rest of the money, over $250 million, was for the buildings in Mecidiyeköy. The project was expected to bring in about $1.3 billion when finished.

Construction stopped twice due to money problems. In July 2009, TOKİ ended the agreement with Eren Talu. A new company, Varyap-Uzunlar, won the next bid. Construction started again in September 2009. The stadium opened without the retractable roof, which was added later.

Starting the Project

The stadium during construction

On December 13, 2007, the construction officially began. Many important people, including sports ministers, attended the ceremony. The club's president, Özhan Canaydın, said the new complex would be a great addition to Turkish sports. It would show how far Turkish sports had come.

Stadium Names Over Time

The stadium has had different names because of sponsorship deals.

Türk Telekom Sponsorship

Special logo for Türk Telekom Stadium

The stadium's naming rights were sold to Türk Telekom for 10 years. They paid $10.25 million each year. The stadium was called Türk Telekom Arena. Other companies also sponsored parts of the stadium. Pegasus Airlines sponsored the North tribune. Ülker sponsored the first tier of the East tribune. Denizbank sponsored the suites and VIP seats. Later, Opel sponsored the South stand, and Odeabank sponsored the North stand.

NEF Sponsorship

In October 2021, Galatasaray Sports Club announced a new sponsorship with a real estate company called NEF Gayrimenkul [tr]. The agreement was for 10 seasons, worth 725 million Turkish Liras. The stadium was then named Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex Nef Stadium. This was the biggest stadium naming deal in Turkish sports history.

Rams Global Sponsorship

On July 21, 2023, Rams Global became the new main sponsor. The stadium is now called Rams Park.

Stand Sponsors

Here are the companies that have sponsored different parts of the stadium:

Stadium Facts

The Galatasaray Store at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi

Ticket sales area

One of the stadium's private suites

Size and Capacity

• The entire stadium area is 195,000 square meters.
• The playing field is 105 meters long and 68 meters wide.
• The stadium can hold 52,280 people.
• The West Stand holds 10,713 people.
• The East Stand holds 11,425 people.
• The South Stand holds 15,246 people.
• The North Stand holds 15,268 people.

Suites

• There are 198 private suites in total.
• These suites have 6,321 seats.
• Each suite can hold 6 to 27 people.

Construction Materials

• About 190,000 cubic meters of concrete were used.
• About 35,000 tonnes of steel were used.
• The roof alone used 5,500 tonnes of steel.

Recent Updates

2012

In 2012, 41 new suites were added. This brought the total number of suites to 198. This makes it the stadium with the second most suites in Europe. The stadium's capacity changed slightly to 52,223.

2018 - Hybrid Grass

In January 2018, a new SISGrass field was installed. This helps the grass stay in better condition.

Concerts and Events

Bon Jovi performing at the stadium in 2011

The stadium can also host concerts for over 70,000 people. The first band to play here was Bon Jovi in July 2011. Madonna also performed here in June 2012 for nearly 48,000 fans.

Around the Stadium

Aslanlı Yol

Visitors can walk to the stadium from the Seyrantepe Metro Station. They use a path called Aslanlı Yol (Lion Road). This path is 200 meters long and 45 meters wide. It helps guide fans to the entrance. You can also find ticket sales, restaurants, and shops along this path.

Aslantepe GSStore

A new Galatasaray Store opened near the stadium in February 2012. It is a large store with two floors. The first floor is for shopping, and the second floor is a fan zone.

Getting There

Public Transport

You can reach Rams Park by bus or by the Metro M2 line. The metro has a shuttle line that goes directly to the Seyrantepe station at the stadium.

Service/Operator	Station/Wharf	Line
Train	Seyrantepe Metro station	Yenikapı ↔ Hacıosman

By Car

The stadium is right next to the Otoyol 2 motorway. There are four parking garages with space for 3,225 cars. There are also 28 spots for buses.

Payment Methods

GS Bonus Card

The GS Bonus Card is a special stadium card for Galatasaray fans. It can also be used as a credit card. This card works as a season ticket and can be used for all services at the stadium.

fastPay

In March 2019, Galatasaray and DenizBank started a new payment system called fastPay. This allows fans to pay for things at the stadium, stores, and snack bars without using cash. It's Turkey's first digital wallet for a stadium.

Stadium Records

Attendance Records

• The most people ever at Rams Park was 52,044. This was for a UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray and Real Madrid CF in April 2013.
• For a Süper Lig match, the highest attendance was 51,983. This was for a game between Galatasaray S.K. and Trabzonspor in May 2013.
• The highest attendance for a concert was 47,789 for Madonna's show in June 2012.

Loudest Crowd

On March 18, 2011, Rams Park set a Guinness World Records record for the "loudest crowd roar at a sport stadium." The noise reached 131.76 decibels. This record has since been broken by other stadiums.

Matches Played

Turkey National Team Matches

Rams Park is one of the main stadiums where the Turkey national team plays its home games.

Date	Time (CEST)	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Attendance
10 August 2011	20.30	Turkey	3–0	Estonia	Friendly	25,000
2 September 2011	19.00	Turkey	2–1	Kazakhstan	Euro 2012 qualifying	47,756
7 October 2011	20.30	Turkey	1–3	Germany	Euro 2012 qualifying	49,532
11 October 2011	19.00	Turkey	1–0	Azerbaijan	Euro 2012 qualifying	32,174
11 November 2011	20.05	Turkey	0–3	Croatia	Euro 2012 qualifying	42,863
14 November 2012	20.30	Turkey	1–1	Denmark	Friendly	30,000
17 November 2014	20.45	Turkey	3–1	Kazakhstan	Euro 2016 qualifying	27,549
14 November 2019	18.00	Turkey	0–0	Iceland	Euro 2020 qualifying	48,329

2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup

The stadium was used for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. During this event, it was called Ali Sami Yen Arena due to sponsorship rules.

Here are the games played at the stadium during the 2013 World Cup:

Date	Time (CEST)	Team #1	Res.	Team #2	Round	Attendance
21 June 2013	18.00	France	3–1	Ghana	Group A	4,133
21 June 2013	21.00	USA	1–4	Spain	Group A	4,133
24 June 2013	18.00	France	1–1	USA	Group A	4,120
24 June 2013	21.00	Spain	1–0	Ghana	Group A	4,120
27 June 2013	20.00	Spain	2–1	France	Group A	7,511
27 June 2013	17.00	South Korea	0–1	Nigeria	Group B	7,511
2 July 2013	18.00	Spain	2–1	Mexico	Round of 16	7,211
2 July 2013	21.00	Nigeria	1–2	Uruguay	Round of 16	7,211
7 July 2013	21.00	Ghana	4–3	Chile	Quarterfinals	6,632
13 July 2013	18.00	Ghana	3–0	Iraq	Third place match	20,601
13 July 2013	18.00	France	0–0	Uruguay	Final	20,601

Season Tickets and Attendance

This table shows how many season tickets were sold and the average number of fans at league games each season.

*Stopped at 46,250. Demand was 65,000.

Images for kids

A panoramic view of the interior

Galatasaray – Fenerbahçe 3–1, 7 December 2011

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  Dressing Room

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  Press Room

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  VIP Lounge

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  Suite

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  Galatasaray Store

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  Galatasaray Store

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  Aslanlı Yol

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  Aslantepe Metro Station

See also

In Spanish: Nef Stadium para niños

• List of football stadiums in Turkey
• Istanbul bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics