O2 Arena (Prague)

O2 Arena
	O2 Arena in July 2018
	O2 Arena Location within Prague
Former names	Sazka Arena (2004 – March 2008)
Location	Ocelářská 460/2, 190 00 Prague 9 – Libeň, Czech Republic
Coordinates	50°6′17.14″N 14°29′36.59″E
Operator	BESTSPORT akciová společnost
Capacity	Concerts: 20,000; Ice hockey:17,383; Basketball:16,805[1]; Tennis:14,000
Construction
Broke ground	September 2002
Built	2004
Opened	27 March 2004[2]
Construction cost	17 billion CZK; € 630 Million
Architect	ATIP, a.s. – Vladimír Vokatý, Martin Vokatý, Jiří Vít
Tenants
	HC Slavia Praha (Czech Extraliga) (2004–2015); HC Sparta Praha (Czech Extraliga) (2015–present); HC Kladno (Czech Extraliga) (3 games) (2012); HC Lev Praha (KHL) (occasional games) (2012–2014)

O2 Arena (formerly Sazka Arena, stylised as O₂ arena) is a multi-purpose arena, in Prague, Czech Republic. It is home to HC Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga and is the second-largest ice hockey arena in Europe.

It has hosted important sporting events such as the two Ice Hockey World Championships (2004 and 2015), first edition of prestigious tennis Laver Cup, the European Athletics Indoor Championships, the Euroleague Final Four 2006, the World Floorball Championship, the Davis Cup finals, as well as a handful of NHL and KHL games, including a 2014 Gagarin Cup final. It can also host stage shows, such as concerts, and other large-scale events.

History

An ice hockey match at O2 Arena

Laver Cup at O2 Arena

The idea of building a new arena in Prague came on the heels of the "golden era" of Czech ice hockey: winning the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics and three gold medals in a row at the Ice Hockey World Championships. The arena was proposed to be built in time to host the 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, but due to unforeseen complications with the investors, the ice hockey governing body had to switch that tournament to Finland. The arena's main backer then became Sazka a.s., a Czech betting company.

The construction of the arena (which began in September 2002) was not without problems, but it was finally finished in time to host the 2004 tournament, the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.[3]

In March 2008, the building was renamed O2 Arena.[4]

In March 2011, Sazka filed for insolvency due to debts from building the arena. [5][6]

From its opening until 2015, it was home to HC Slavia Prague of the Czech Extraliga. Slavia won the national championship on home ice in Game 7 of the 2008 Extraliga finals against HC Karlovy Vary 4-0 in front of a then-league-record crowd of 17,117. In 2015, Slavia was relegated to the 1.liga, and the club chose to move back to the smaller Zimní stadion Eden, the team's former home and current training centre. In its place, O2 Arena reached an agreement with cross-town rivals Sparta Prague on 24 June 2015. Sparta ownership cited the need for significant renovations at Tipsport Arena as the main reason for the move.

For two seasons, 2012–13 and 2013–14, O2 Arena also hosted occasional home games of HC Lev Prague of the Kontinental Hockey League. The club played its home games of the 2014 Gagarin Cup Finals at O2 Arena, attracting the three largest crowds in league history.

In 2015, O2 Arena co-hosted the IIHF World Championship with ČEZ Aréna in Ostrava for the second time. This time, the tournament re-established the record for World Championship attendance.

In 2017, it hosted the 1st edition of Laver Cup international indoor hard court men's tennis tournament between Europe and Team World.

In 2021, the venue will host some group phase matches at the FIBA EuroBasket 2021 which the country will play host alongside Georgia in Tbilisi, Germany in Berlin/Cologne and Italy in Milan.

Notable events

On 6 & 7 September 2006 Madonna performed there during her Confessions Tour, which was attended by 18,628 spectators, the biggest number of spectators in the arena's history. She performed again at the arena on 7 & 8 November 2015 as part of her Rebel Heart Tour selling out crowds of over 16,000 patrons.
On 12 May 2008, Kylie Minogue performed there as part of her KylieX2008. She performed again at the arena on 2 March 2011 as part of her Aphrodite World Tour. On 21 October 2014 Minogue performed again as part of her Kiss Me Once Tour.
On 5 June, 2008 Céline Dion performed there during Taking Chances World Tour.
In October 2008, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning opened the 2008–09 NHL season at O2 Arena with two games. Two years later, the NHL returned, with the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes playing twice.
In November 2008, the French electronica pioneer Jean Michel Jarre performed his Oxygène album live at the arena, as part of the second leg of the Oxygène 30th anniversary tour.
In December 2008, the arena played host to the playoff matches of the 2008 Men's World Floorball Championships, including Finland's 7-6 victory over Sweden in the final.
Sting performed during his Symphonicities Tour on 22 September 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In November 2010, Lady Gaga performed there during her Monster Ball Tour.On 7 December 2011, Rihanna performed there during her Loud Tour.
The Czech Republic Davis Cup Team defeated Spain in the 2012 Davis Cup Final.
On 26 October 2012, Jennifer Lopez performed a sold-out show during her Dance Again World Tour.
On 22 November 2012, Muse performed there during their The 2nd Law World Tour.
On 5 October 2014, Lady Gaga performed there as part of Artrave: The Artpop Ball tour.
On 9 November 2014, the Czech Fed Cup team defeated the German Fed Cup team in the final of the 2014 Fed Cup.
On 17 February 2015, Queen + Adam Lambert performed there as part of their Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014-2015. The group will return to the arena on November 1, 2017 to kick off their 2017 European tour.
On 23 February 2015, Katy Perry performed there as part of Prismatic World Tour.
On January 30, 2016, Ellie Goulding performed there as part of Delirium World Tour.
On November 12, 2016, Justin Bieber performed a sold-out show during his Purpose World Tour.
Gorillaz performed at the arena on 14 November 2017, as part of their Humanz Tour.
On 2 April 2018, Metallica performed there as part of WorldWired Tour.[7]
On 16 April 2018 Imagine Dragons performed here as a part of their Evolve World Tour.
On 7 & 8 May 2018, Enrique Iglesias performed there as part of Enrique Iglesias Live.
On 1 July 2018 Pearl Jam performed there as part of Pearl Jam 2018 Tour.
On 10 October 2018, Shania Twain performed there as part of Shania Now Tour.
On 7 May 2019, Elton John performed there as part of Farewell Yellow Brick Road
On 4 September 2019, Ariana Grande performed there as part of Sweetener World Tour.
On 16 February 2020, Twenty One Pilots performed there as part of The Bandito Tour.
On 29 May 2020, Eric Clapton will start his Summer European Tour 2020 at the arena.[8]
On 23 February 2021, Harry Styles will perform here as a part of his Love on Tour.
On 5 May 2021, 5 Seconds of Summer will perform here as a part of their No Shame Tour.
On May 24, 2021, Canadian singer Céline Dion will return to the arena during her Courage World Tour [9]
The arena is also the home of Transmission (festival) since 2007.

Technical facts

Panorama of O2 Arena (March 2007)

Number of floors: 6
Floor space: 35,000 m²
Capacity: up to 18,000 spectators (depends on event)
Club and Luxury seats: 2,460
Sky boxes: 66
Party Boxes: 4
Seats in bars, restaurants and cafés: 2,900
Beers that can be tapped in one break: 10,00
Parking: 280 places
Population of its catchment area: 1.5 to 1.8 million people

Interior of O2 Arena (2007)
View from Českomoravská street
Sazka Arena in June 2007, before Ozzy Osbourne's concert
Final ceremony of EuroBasket Women 2017 in O2 Arena

References

"Belgrade 2018 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL". www.euroleague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
"Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world - Prague Blog". www.prague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
"Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money". radio.cz. 29 March 2004. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
Praha prijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ni O2 Arena – Domaci – Hokej – Sportplus – Aktualne.cz
https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/sazka-idUSLDE72P07H20110326 Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency
"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2011-04-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent
"O2 arena - O2 arena has a record of attendance - concert of band Metallica was seen by 20 174 fans". Archived from the original on 2019-12-14.
Scott Bernstein (2 October 2019). "Eric Clapton Announces European Tour 2020". Jam Base Magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
https://www.celinedion.com/in-concert/

External links

Media related to O2 Arena (Prague) at Wikimedia Commons

Official website of the O₂ arena

Events and tenants
Preceded by Zimní Stadion Eden	HC Slavia Praha Home Arena 2004 – 2015	Succeeded by Zimní Stadion Eden
Preceded by Olimpiisky Arena Moscow	Euroleague Final Four Venue 2006	Succeeded by Olympic Indoor Hall Athens
Preceded by Globe Arena Stockholm	IFF World Championships Finals Venue 2008	Succeeded by TBD
Preceded by Hala MOSiR Łódź	CEV Champions League Final Venue 2009	Succeeded by Arena Łódź Łódź
Preceded by Olympic Stadium Moscow Tennis Club Cagliar Cagliari	Fed Cup Final Venue 2011 2014, 2015	Succeeded by Tennis Club Cagliar Cagliari Rhénus Sport Strasbourg
Preceded by Estadio de La Cartuja Seville	Davis Cup Final venue 2012	Succeeded by Kombank Arena Belgrade
Preceded by Scandinavium Gothenburg	European Athletics Indoor Championships Venue 2015	Succeeded by Kombank Arena Belgrade
Preceded by Tipsport Arena	HC Sparta Praha Home Arena 2015 –	Succeeded by current

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[1] "Belgrade 2018 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL". www.euroleague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

[2] "Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world - Prague Blog". www.prague.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

[3] "Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money". radio.cz. 29 March 2004. Retrieved 7 June 2011.

[4] Praha prijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ni O2 Arena – Domaci – Hokej – Sportplus – Aktualne.cz

[5] ttps://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/sazka-idUSLDE72P07H20110326 Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency

[6] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2011-04-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent

[7] "O2 arena - O2 arena has a record of attendance - concert of band Metallica was seen by 20 174 fans". Archived from the original on 2019-12-14.

[8] Scott Bernstein (2 October 2019). "Eric Clapton Announces European Tour 2020". Jam Base Magazine. Retrieved 29 November 2019.

[9] ttps://www.celinedion.com/in-concert/