The Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird’s Nest due to its design, was originally constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Since hosting the Olympics, the stadium has continued to be used for various sporting events and concerts over the years. However, its usage has declined in recent times.
Brief history of the Bird’s Nest
The Beijing National Stadium was designed by a group of architects led by Pritzker Prize-winning duo Herzog & de Meuron. Construction began in December 2003 and it officially opened in June 2008, just in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics. During the Olympics, the stadium had a capacity of 91,000 and hosted the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the track and field events.
After the Olympics, the stadium hosted the 2009 Summer Deaflympics, a few concerts, and an exhibition soccer match between teams from China and Brazil. Modifications were made to lower the capacity to 80,000. In 2015, the stadium hosted the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Since then, usage of the stadium has declined.
Recent usage of the Bird’s Nest
In the past few years, the Bird’s Nest has hosted a handful of events, but it remains largely unused for most of the year. Recent events held at the stadium include:
- League of Legends Pro League finals in 2018
- Monster Jam truck rally in 2019
- Supercoppa Italiana exhibition soccer match in 2020
- Chinese Super League soccer matches in 2021
Aside from these sporadic events, the stadium has seen very little action, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to cancellations or postponements of most large gatherings worldwide.
Is the Bird’s Nest still being used?
The short answer is yes, the Beijing National Stadium is still occasionally being used for events, but its usage has dropped off significantly compared to the first few years after the Olympics.
Decline in usage
In the initial years after hosting the Olympics, the Bird’s Nest was still a popular venue, hosting an average of 12 events per year from 2009-2011. However, usage started declining after that:
- 2012 – 9 events
- 2013 – 5 events
- 2014 – 6 events
- 2015 – 4 events (prior to World Championships)
In 2016, only 1 event was held there. The stadium went completely unused in 2017. Usage slightly picked up again in 2018-2020, but was still a fraction of the events held in 2009-2011.
Reasons for decline in usage
There are several factors that have led to the decline in usage of the Bird’s Nest stadium:
- High operating costs – Estimates put the yearly maintenance costs at around $11 million. Event organizers have to fork over a large chunk of money to use the stadium.
- Remote location – The stadium is quite far from downtown Beijing. The surrounding area has limited infrastructure, making it inconvenient as an event venue location.
- Design not suited for sports – Architecturally, the stadium is an engineering marvel. However, the large roof and massive steel structure make it suboptimal for viewing sports compared to other dedicated stadiums.
- No permanent tenants – Unlike many stadiums around the world which have sports teams as permanent tenants, the Bird’s Nest has no regular teams that play there.
- Beijing no longer hosting major events – After the Olympics and the 2015 IAAF World Championships, Beijing has not hosted many other major sporting events which could justify using the stadium.
Does the Bird’s Nest still generate revenue?
Despite the decline in usage, the Beijing National Stadium still generates some revenue through a combination of event fees, ticket sales, tours, and commercial activities:
Event fees
Organizers have to pay a substantial fee to host events at the Bird’s Nest. This is still the stadium’s primary revenue source. As per reports, a major sporting event held there can generate over $3 million in rental fees.
Ticket sales
For the events that are held at the stadium, ticket sales make up a component of the revenue. Recent concerts held at the stadium have drawn crowds of 25,000-40,000.
Stadium tours
Daily tours of the stadium and its facilities are offered year-round. The unique architecture and Olympic history of the stadium make it a popular tourist attraction. Over 500,000 tourists take the tour annually.
Commercial activities
Shops, restaurants, sponsor exhibitions, and a kid’s entertainment center inside the stadium complex provide additional revenue streams.
According to estimates, the total annual revenue of the Beijing National Stadium through these streams is around $30-40 million per year. While this is lower than its peak revenue immediately after the Olympics, it is still substantial.
Future prospects
The long-term future prospects of the Beijing National Stadium are uncertain. Here are some of the scenarios that could unfold:
Continued limited usage
The most likely scenario is that the stadium continues to be used sporadically for sporting events and concerts, but does not return to regular heavy usage. Operating costs will still have to be offset through tours, shops and event fees.
Demolition
Some have suggested demolishing the stadium to cut down on maintenance costs. However, demolition is unlikely given the stadium’s significance as an Olympic venue and architectural landmark.
Gain permanent tenants
Efforts could be made to get one or more major sports teams to adopt the stadium as a permanent home venue. This would drastically increase usage. However, large renovations would be needed to make the stadium design more suited for regular sports matches.
Convert to multipurpose venue
The stadium could be repurposed into a multipurpose event center for conventions, exhibitions, galas etc. This would require interior renovations but boost year-round usage.
Host major events again
Beijing is set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. There is a chance the Bird’s Nest could host the opening/closing ceremonies. Beyond that, China could bid to host other major sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics again.
While the stadium faces challenges, its iconic architecture and Olympic legacy will continue to have promotional value for China. This improves the prospects of the Bird’s Nest remaining in use into the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
In summary:
- The Beijing National Stadium is still being used for events, but much less frequently compared to 2008-2011.
- High costs and a remote location have contributed to the decline in usage.
- It still generates decent revenue through tours, commercial activities and fees.
- The future prospects are uncertain, but demolition is unlikely given its significance.
- More regular usage could resume if it gains permanent sports tenants or hosts major events again.
Though past its peak activity, the Bird’s Nest remains an iconic Olympic centerpiece and architectural wonder. What happens next for China’s famed stadium remains to be seen.