Celtic fans who hang around for the post-match interviews might have noticed something unusual – Brendan Rodgers isn’t whisked into a sleek media suite, but instead sits down in a white marquee pitched outside Celtic Park.
But why the tent?
Celtic Park’s indoor press facilities were built long before today’s media scrum. The room is cramped, and on big matchdays it can’t handle the sheer number of TV cameras, broadcasters and reporters. That’s why the tent was brought in – it simply fits more people. UEFA’s own Stadium Infrastructure Regulations say top-level stadiums must provide a press room with at least 50 seats, proper lighting and a platform for TV cameras (UEFA, 2025). Celtic do have one, but it’s tight.
Managers don’t just stroll in and talk to the press. UEFA and SPFL rules demand a strict order: first TV, then radio, then written journalists. By keeping the tent next to the broadcast compound, Rodgers can move quickly from one media duty to the next without navigating packed stadium corridors (UEFA Champions League Regulations 2025/26, Article 80).
On a 60,000 sell-out day, the concourses inside Celtic Park are jam-packed with fans, staff and hospitality guests. Trying to run dozens of reporters and camera crews through those tight areas would cause chaos. The tent avoids that altogether, easing the crush outside the ground.
Other clubs also resort to temporary or outdoor setups when their media rooms can’t cope. UEFA allows flexibility as long as the club can provide the technical standards broadcasters need.
So next time you see Brendan Rodgers under a white canopy, you don’t need to wonder why.
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