Many fans who went to Mestalla last Saturday to watch the first Liga match between Valencia and Real Sociedad were surprised by a measure imposed by the club this year: no pipes can be eaten in the stadium.
Shortly before the start of the season, Valencia C.F. announced this new measure that will change one of the most ingrained customs among fans at Mestalla.
The club explains that the decision seeks to ensure the healthiness of the stands, since the shells thrown on the ground generate cleaning problems, obstruction of pipes and inconvenience to neighbors during the days after each match.
In this way, Mestalla joins the trend of other sports venues such as the Martínez Valero in Elche, which took the same measure last May, or El Sardinero, in Santander, which has a similar ban since 2019.
In the case of the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, where Real Sociedad plays, a system of collecting shells with containers and recycling was implemented to produce organic compost instead of banning.
The measure, which has already come into force, has aroused reactions among fans and vendors outside the stadium, where it is common to sell this type of snack.