Leaky stadium draws ire of Jay Chou fans

SINGAPORE — Unhappy concert-goers at Saturday’s Jay Chou concert have hit out at SportsHub Private Limited (SHPL) after a wet night at the National Stadium.

Selected sections of the Sports Hub’s main arena were affected by rain and roof leaks during the concert, as rain entered from the west end of the stadium — which is not completely covered by the retractable roof — resulting in patrons having to use their umbrellas. Other sections were also reportedly hit by roof leaks.

Taiwanese pop star Chou’s Opus 2 Jay 2014 World Tour, which sold more than 30,000 tickets here, had initially been scheduled for Nov 8, but was postponed to Saturday to allow the National Stadium’s grass pitch time to recover for the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup.

Many concert-goers — who had paid between S$108 and S$338 for tickets — took to social media to vent their frustration over their experience. Apart from the leaks, some complained about the poor sound system, ticketing system and parking at the 55,000-seater venue. Others were also unhappy about getting caught in the rain at the sheltered walkways outside the stadium after the concert.

Patron Angela Kang called it the “worse experience ever” in a post on the Sports Hub’s official Facebook page. Said Ms Kang: “It was raining and the roof was leaking indoors and the floor was flooded. The sound system was the worst I ever heard. First, they postponed the concert, then they failed to deliver what was expected.”

Another concert-goer Celine Lim, said: “I’m really disappointed with the standard of the stadium. I paid S$212 to get drenched in the rain.”

Ms Janet Chua also posted on Facebook, saying: “If Sports Hub wants to host such concerts in future, the sound system needs to be improved and it needs to fix the water leak.”

This latest incident is another blow for the S$1.33 billion Sports Hub, which is addressing ongoing issues with the pitch and the resultant postponement of events.

Responding to queries from TODAY, a Sports Hub spokesperson said in a statement: “On 27 December, prior to the start of Opus 2 Jay Chou 2014 World Tour, as a result of heavy rain, water was seen dripping in isolated areas from the roof of the venue, the National Stadium at Singapore Sports Hub.

“We were immediately alerted to the situation and a task force was deployed to identify and assess the situation. In tandem, to ensure spectator experience was not affected, the on-ground support team issued ponchos and relocated affected patrons. We are looking into the issue and will provide further details at a later date.”

SHPL and concert promoter Multimedia Entertainment did not comment on whether refunds or compensation would be offered to affected patrons.

While fans have called for future events to be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Ms Adeline Low, events director of Multimedia Entertainment said: “There are pros and cons in staging a concert at an indoor and outdoor stadium. We will consider all these factors before deciding. Meanwhile, I am sure Sports Hub is working hard on areas that need improving.”