Source:REUTERS/Susana Vera
[Saba Sports News] According to Spanish media reports, inspired by the underground facilities at the Bernabeu Stadium, a new patented technology could transform any stadium into a multi-purpose space usable year-round. Two years ago, at Real Madrid’s annual general meeting, Florentino Perez said with a tone of pride and humor: “I dare not say the underground turf technology was my idea… Well, actually, it was.” He recalled one of the most surprising achievements during his tenure managing Real Madrid: the underground facilities at the Bernabeu Stadium. This is a unique engineering feat worldwide that allows the natural grass pitch to be removed from the Bernabeu stadium and stored underneath it. Developed jointly with Sener engineering company, this innovation turns the Bernabeu into a multi-purpose stadium capable of hosting various events 365 days a year without damaging its turf. This technological marvel has drawn admiration and envy from the football world. However, the story doesn’t end there. Sener engineering has now taken a step further by introducing Epigea, a simpler, more flexible, and lower-cost technology, which has been registered as a new patent. This move is significant: because it’s a different technology, Sener might bypass the exclusive agreement signed with Real Madrid, which prohibits it from selling products and technology similar to the Bernabeu’s underground facilities in Europe for thirty years.