Leicester Arena Explained

Leicester Arena
Location:Leicester, United Kingdom
Coordinates:52.6439°N -1.131°W
Opened:January 2016
Owner:Leicester Riders Foundation
Operator:LCSA Limited
Tenants:Leicester Riders (2016-present)
Seating Capacity:Concerts: 3,000
Basketball: 2,400

The Leicester Arena, known as the Mattioli Arena due to sponsorship, is a multi-purpose sports arena located in Leicester, England.

The arena has a seating capacity for 3,000 spectators and its main tenants are the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League, whilst regularly hosting darts and snooker competitions.

From 2018 to 2024, the arena was known as Morningside Arena.

Background

The £4.8 million arena, which is owned by the Leicester Riders Foundation, was officially opened in January 2016. It is used as the home venue for the basketball team Leicester Riders, as well as the wheelchair basketball team the Leicester Cobras. It is also used by the students of Leicester College as well as by the local community.[1] It hosted its first game on 30 January 2016, in a quarter-final match between Leicester Riders and Surrey Scorchers in the British Basketball League Trophy, won by the Riders 77 - 60.[2]

In 2018 Morningside Pharmaceuticals agreed to take the naming rights of the venue for three years, rebranding the arena as Morningside Arena.[3]

The venue hosted the 2019 Champions League of Darts[4] and the 2021 British Open in snooker.[5]

On 9 February 2024, the arena was rebranded as Mattioli Arena following a naming agreement with the Ian & Clare Mattioli Charitable Trust.[6]

Other major sports events

DateCompetitionWinner(s)
19–20 October 20192019 Champions League of Dartsalign=center [8]
16–22 August 2021 2021 British Open Snookeralign=center
3–9 October 2021 2021 World Grand Prix Dartsalign=center [9]
20–23 January 2022 2022 Snooker Shoot Outalign=center [10]
25–28 January 20232023 Snooker Shoot Out[11]
19 December 2022 – 2 March 20232023 Championship League Snooker[12]
16–22 March 20232023 WST Classic Snookeralign=center [13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New sports arena opens with Riders' match this weekend . 29 January 2016 . Leicester City Council.
  2. News: Leicester Riders beat Surrey Scorchers in new arena . 31 January 2016 . BBC.
  3. Web site: Leicester Riders announce naming rights deal for arena. 28 February 2018.
  4. Allen, Dave (18/2/19) " Champions League of Darts moves to Leicester"
  5. Web site: 2021 British Open. https://web.archive.org/web/20210704015920/https://wst.tv/tickets/2021-british-open/. dead. 4 July 2021. 16 August 2021.
  6. Web site: Leicester Arena Becomes Mattioli Arena In Recognition Of Charitable Trust. 9 February 2018.
  7. News: Basketball World Cup qualifying: Great Britain lose thriller in overtime to Greece . Rob . Dugdale . BBC . 24 November 2017.
  8. News: Champions League of Darts: Leicester to stage 2019 event . 2019-02-18 . BBC Sport . 2021-10-05.
  9. News: World Grand Prix Darts moved from Dublin to Leicester's Morningside Arena for 2021 . 2021-07-05 . Sky Sports . 2021-10-05.
  10. Web site: Livie . Alex . 2022-01-24 . Hossein Vafaei stuns Mark Williams to win Snooker Shoot Out and become first Iranisn to win ranking tournament . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  11. Web site: Chris Wakelin makes career breakthrough with Snooker Shoot Out final win over Julien Leclercq . . 29 January 2023 . 28 January 2023.
  12. Web site: 2023-03-02 . John Higgins ends title drought by retaining Championship League snooker crown against Judd Trump – 'It feels amazing' . 2023-03-05 . Eurosport . en.
  13. Web site: 2023-03-22 . Mark Selby wins WST Classic snooker title in front of delighted Leicester fans – 'Ready for World bid' . 2023-03-23 . Eurosport.

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