Stadium seating is a characteristic seating arrangement found in most modern grounds that once upon a time was most commonly associated with opera, cinema and theater. Whilst football fans before 1990 watched games on muddy pitches from grassy banks and then on concrete steps leaning on crush barriers, today they can watch it from plastic seats with drinks holders.

Because of the increased angle of stadium seating and the size of stadia, seats are typically installed on a stepped floor surface which also functions as an adjoining staircase in aisles.

Today, stadium seat technology has advanced from the heavy steel or wooden seats of yesterday to the industry's newest state-of-the-art standard no-break, lightweight, no rust, high-impact polypropylene seats. Seat support standards are offered in steel, cast iron and or no break polypropylene screwed firmly into the terraces fans once stood on.

The norm of the seat carries great significance to football. Where terraces once were located in the areas behind the two goals, these were considered as a cheaper alternative to sitting in the stands. These stands were traditionally located at the sides of the field.

Naturally the price of standing in the terraces was much cheaper than a seat with the result that over the decades they became the most popular spectator area for flag waving fans, swaying and singing.

The disappearance of these areas in the United Kingdom has led to a growing demand for the reintroduction of terracing based on the modern stadia designs in Germany and other European countries which have been dubbed 'safe-standing' areas.