Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium
Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium (Stadio "Apostolos Nikolaidis") is the football ground Panathinaikos plays since the club's foundation in 1908. The stadium is named after a deceased club president. It is in the Ampelokipoi district of Athens , east of the Lycabettus Hill and on Alexandras Avenue, by which name it is most commonly known (Leoforos Alexandras Stadium). The venue also houses a small basketball and volleyball court, a swimming pool, a boxing rink and offices, all contained under the stands.
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium once had a capacity of over 25,000 but in recent years that has been cut back considerably. The playing area is unusual as it is quite a bit narrower than most European pitches. There is very little space between the touch lines and the stands which may make the game more enjoyable for the fans but it also makes free throws more difficult for footballers. Due to its small size, the stadium is nicknamed "The Cage".
Due to the stadium's old construction, dearth of space and dense urbanization of the area, the club has sought to move. Negotiations are currently under way between the Greek government, the Municipality of Athens, and the football, basketball, volleyball and amateur divisions of the club in order to facilitate the building of a new, comprehensive sports complex to house all of the 21 departments of Panathinaikos elsewhere. Sites proposed include the nearby Goudi Park, the unused area occupied by the former International airport of Athens and the industrial Votanikos district, currently the favorite. Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni has stated that such a project will revitalise the area as well as benefit the club.