Nearly 25 years ago, the world tuned into Melbourne for the ultimate in sporting events, the Olympic Games. Even long before that, Aussies were renowned as being among the world’s greatest sport fans. From grand-slam tennis to cricket’s oldest and greatest rivalry between Australia and England, Ozzie sports are part of its culture.

Opening in 2010, the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, designed by COX Architects with engineering assistance from Arup, and from Norman Disney & Young — is a $200-million boutique rugby and soccer stadium with a capacity of 31,000.

Pride in sporting venues is also part of the very culture that supports sports so proactively. To stand on the same level as the Bird’s Nest, the Water Cube, Wimbledon, Coliseum and all sports architecture icons, new and old, great sporting venues support and enhance the cities in which they stand.

Melbourne expects its new Rectangular Stadium to not only contribute to the city’s sporting life, but also to be a focal point of the city’s Olympic Sports Park and Entertainment Precinct — only a short walk from the city center.

Fractured architecture is slowly becoming synonymous with 21st-century architecture in Melbourne. From the honeycomb concrete façade of Federation Square, to the steel tubing we recently wrote about on the city’s new recital centre, the bio-frame roof of the Rectangular Stadium already looks like it belongs. The roof will be covered with thousands of LED lights that can shine in many colors. They will be programmed to follow patterns that mimic the crowd’s energy during a match — soccer with Victory or rugby with Storm — or any other game or event. - Andrew J Wiener

NEW YORK — If the Yankees were looking to change their tune heading into game two of the World Series, they couldn’t have picked better musical guests. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys rocked the sell-out crowd at Yankee Stadium with a raucous performance of the Big Apple anthem “Empire State of Mind.”

Decked out in his trademark Yankee fitted hat and matching jacket, Jay was looking to rally his team after a loss Wednesday. From the sound of things, he certainly did. The stadium thundered its approval after the duo’s performance.

“I made the Yankees hat more famous than a Yankee can,” he rapped from a stage placed in the outfield.

Swizz Beatz and Bruce Willis were among the many famous New Yorkers in attendance who swayed to the rapper’s lyrics.

“New Yoooorrrrk,” Keys sang from behind her piano before joining Jay-Z out front.

Images of the city flashed across several giant screens throughout the stadium.

The Yanks and the legendary MC already have a working relationship with each other. Derek Jeter uses “Empire State of Mind” as his at-bat music, and slugger Alex Rodriguez steps up to the batter’s box to the Roc Nation head honcho’s “Already Home.”

Jay-Z seemed to sense the moment and, as usual, rose to the occasion like Jeter would. “Let’s go,” he said afterward as he walked into the bowels of the stadium and climbed into the Maybach waiting for him.

After Thursday’s (October 29) game, the series shifts to Philadelphia, where the champs will host games three, four and (if necessary) five at Citizens Bank Ballpark.