Murrayfield through the prism of Cheesewright

Image: @Scotlandteam on X

The energy and home services provider Scottish Gas and Scottish Rugby (the governing body for rugby union in Scotland) have released a landmark report with the respected Applied Futurist Tom Cheesewright (enables companies to see the future) imagining the next 100 years of the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic venue.

England (UK)-based British Gas (trading as Scottish Gas in Scotland) is an energy and home services provider in the United Kingdom. It is the trading name of British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited. Serving around ten million homes in the United Kingdom the British Gas was the largest electricity supplier in the country until 2024 when it was overtaken by Octopus Energy (British renewable energy group). It remains the largest gas supplier. It is considered one of the Big Six dominating the gas and electricity market in the United Kingdom.

The Murrayfield Stadium (currently known as the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union stadium located in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland (UK). The stadium is owned by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) who has its headquarters in the stadium and is the national stadium of the Scotland national rugby union team. With a seating capacity of 67,144 it is the largest stadium in Scotland, the fifth-largest in the United Kingdom and the 20-second largest in Europe.
 

The Future of Scottish Gas Murrayfield 2125

‘SCOTTISH RUGBY’ stated that with a century of rich history behind it the report considers how the Murrayfield Stadium will evolve over the next 100 years to service the sports and events it hosts, the fans who visit, the City in which it exists, and the wider environment.

From robot pitches that can stand up and walk away to ‘space mirrors’ that can light up the pitch on demand, the report includes a series of possibilities driven by the expected rapid advancements in technology as well as energy transition across the next 100 years.

‘SCOTTISH RUGBY’ further stated that it’s even predicted that the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium could shift from a net energy consumer into an ‘energy bank’ for the local community generating and storing energy for others to use including hugely advanced solar panels that turn non-visible light into energy that can be used to power the community.
 
More highlights from the Futurist report include:

• ‘Space mirrors’ that would allow light from the sun to be redirected and focused to light up the pitch on demand creating a daytime effect just for the area required at any time of the day or night;
• Fitting segments of the pitch with powerful robotic legs that would allow it to stand up and walk away while alternative surfaces walk in for different sports and events;
• Landing pads around the stadium that will allow the fans to arrive by aerotaxi (‘flying car’) – a giant-sized version of today’s toy drones that can carry passengers;
• The Robots rolling through the tunnels in the stand construction before popping up in front of you to deliver food and drink at exactly the right temperature – whether hot or cold;
• Creating an instantly ‘transformable stadium’ that uses ‘artificial muscles’ and lightweight alloys to rapidly convert the stands into more intimate concert venues with steeply banked seating, or conversely to allow the stands to extend out and create extra seating and spaces for the bigger events; and
• Hosting of new sports that combine futuristic gameplay with real athleticism such as virtual reality (VR)-controlled robot wrestling, or pedal-powered drone racing.

 
But it’s not all flying cars and robots. Some of the most interesting predictions include the continuation of the existing infrastructure such as the trams that already transport supporters to the stadium which are predicted to become lighter, quieter and more efficient but will still look familiar to today’s visitors.

Averred Tom Cheesewright, Applied Futurist, “The stadiums are the venue for some of the most powerful shared human experiences. So, to imagine the future of the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium is really about imagining the future of the human experience and how it might be transformed by time – and technology. How we power these experiences and every other aspect of our lives is one of the defining issues of our day. So, this has been a deeply engaging – and enjoyable – project. I’m really excited about some of the futures we have seen, from the practical to the fantastical, from a stadium that provides power to the community, to one that transforms like a giant robot.”

Commented Chris O’Shea, Chief Executive of Centrica (an international energy services and solutions company) – Owner of Scottish Gas, “The Murrayfield Stadium is one of the world’s iconic sporting venues. We are incredibly proud that today it is known as the Scottish Gas Murrayfield as part of our commitment to supporting the rugby communities across Scotland by decarbonizing the Murrayfield Estate and providing funding for the grassroots clubs to lower their energy bills. And while we’re immensely proud of the impact of our partnership we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries further to create a greener, cleaner and healthier Scotland. This report not only throws up some really exciting innovations that would enhance the supporter experience it also carefully considers how changes to the economy, the population and the climate could drive innovation in the energy sector. Our job is to harness those innovations to support the communities that this great stadium serves.”

Added Gerry Devine, Scottish Rugby’s Head of Stadium Operations, “The Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium has been at the heart of Scottish Rugby for a century. So, seeing the futurist cast his expert eye forward another hundred years is really exciting. It helps us imagine new ways to both protect our planet and identify new opportunities to enhance our supporter experience for whom Murrayfield must remain synonymous with quality and a great day out. Our focus is on meeting today’s demands and tomorrow’s challenges. Operating our iconic stadium requires constant investment, innovation and care embracing the technology we currently have at our disposal.”

Continued Devine, “The Murrayfield Stadium has always been prepared to innovate including the famed electric blanket that was a first when installed in the 1950s! We’re already working hard to upgrade the water systems, replace the key infrastructure and improve energy efficiency. I’m sure the futurist’s vision will inspire the supporters – the ideas for the Murrayfield Stadium to power its local community are certainly worthy of further conversation.”

Commenting on the role the stadium plays for Scotland’s communities, MP Christine Jardine said, “The mere mention of the name Murrayfield evokes a unique mixture of pride, nostalgia and patriotic sporting fervor for many of us. But now we can also add excited anticipation for the next 100 years. For a century now the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium has been a jewel in Scotland’s sporting crown while providing valuable resource to the local community and with these thought-provoking ideas for the future that contribution looks to become even greater and set an example for similar venues across the United Kingdom.”

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