O2 Arena (Prague) Explained

O2 Arena
Location:	Ocelářská 460/2, 190 00 Prague 9 – Libeň, Czech Republic
Pushpin Map:	Czech Republic Prague
Coordinates:	50.1048°N 14.4935°W
Broke Ground:	September 2002
Built:	2004
Opened:	27 March 2004^[1]
Operator:	BESTSPORT akciová společnost
Construction Cost:	17 billion CZK € 630 Million
Architect:	ATIP, a.s. – Vladimír Vokatý, Martin Vokatý, Jiří Vít
Former Names:	Sazka Arena (2004 – March 2008)
Tenants:	Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team (2004-present) 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)
Capacity:	Concerts: 20,000 Ice hockey:17,383 Basketball:16,805^[2] Tennis:14,000

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 third-largest ice hockey arena in Europe.

It has hosted important sporting events such as three Ice Hockey World Championships (2004, 2015 and 2024), the first edition of the prestigious tennis Laver Cup, the European Athletics Indoor Championships, the Euroleague Final Four 2006, the World Floorball Championship, the 2012 Davis Cup finals, four Fed 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

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 from 1999 to 2001. 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 opened in March 2004, in time to host 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 and other problems.^{[5] [6]} Sazka was then re-organized and financially stabilized.

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. 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.^[7] 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.

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 was scheduled to host some group phase matches at the FIBA EuroBasket 2021, which the country was to cohost with Georgia in Tbilisi, Germany in Berlin/Cologne and Italy in Milan. The event was canceled.^[8]

Notable events

Music

• On 6 & 7 September 2006 Madonna performed there during her Confessions Tour. The concert 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 26 June 2008 Céline Dion performed there during Taking Chances World Tour.
• 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.
• On 27 April 2009, Tina Turner performed a concert as part of the
• 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. On 27 July 2016, Rihanna performed there as part of Anti World Tour.
• On 26 October 2012, Jennifer Lopez performed a sold-out show during her Dance Again World Tour.
• On 17 February 2015, Queen + Adam Lambert performed there as part of their Queen + Adam Lambert Tour 2014-2015. The group returned 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. On 12 March 2023, Bieber performed there again as part of his Justice 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.^[9]
• 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 the Pearl Jam 2018 Tour.
• On 10 October 2018, Shania Twain performed there as part of the 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 the Sweetener World Tour.
• On 16 February 2020, Twenty One Pilots performed there as part of The Bandito Tour.
• On 29 April 2022, 5 Seconds of Summer performed there as part of their Take My Hand World Tour.
• On 11 June 2022, My Chemical Romance performed there as part as their My Chemical Romance Reunion Tour.
• On 15 July 2022, Harry Styles performed there as a part of his Love on Tour.
• On 21 December 2022, Symphonic Metal act Nightwish performed there as part of the .
• On 28 October 2023, 50 Cent bought his Final Lap Tour to the arena. Busta Rhymes was the opening act.^[10]
• On 30 & 31 May 2023, Iron Maiden performed two sold out shows as a part of their Future Past Tour.^[11]
• The arena is also the home of the Transmission festival since 2007.

Sport

• In October 2008, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning opened the 2008–09 NHL season at O2 Arena with two games.^[12] Two years later, the NHL returned, with the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes playing twice.^[13]
• 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.^[14]
• The Czech Republic Davis Cup Team defeated Spain in the 2012 Davis Cup Final.^[15]
• The Czech Fed Cup team contested the Fed Cup at the O2 Arena four times between 2012 and 2018. The arena hosted the final of the 2012 Fed Cup against Serbia.^[16] In November 2014 the Czech Republic defeated Germany in the final of the 2014 Fed Cup.^[17] In November 2015, the arena hosted the 2015 Fed Cup final against Russia,^[18] while the 2018 Fed Cup, which the Czech Republic won against the United States, resulted in the country's sixth cup win in eight years.^[19]

Technical facts

• 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: 30,000^[20]
• Parking: 280 places
• Population of its catchment area: 1.5 to 1.8 million people

See also

• List of indoor arenas in the Czech Republic
• List of European ice hockey arenas
• List of tennis stadiums by capacity
• The O2 Arena (London)

External links

• Official website of the O₂ arena

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world. Prague.net. 10 April 2018.
2. Web site: Belgrade 2018 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL. Euroleague.net. 10 April 2018.
3. News: Rob. Cameron. Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money . . 29 March 2004 . 7 June 2011.
4. Web site: 2008-02-05. Praha přijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ní O2 Arena. 2021-12-10. Aktuálně.cz. cs.
5. News: 2011-03-26. Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency. Reuters. 2021-12-10.
6. Web site: FT.com / Mergermarket - Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent . 2011-04-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110410231947/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ebc918b0-61ca-11e0-88f7-00144feab49a,dwp_uuid=e8477cc4-c820-11db-b0dc-000b5df10621.html . 2011-04-10 . Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent
7. Web site: Mike Keenan guides Metallurg Magnitogorsk to Game 7 Gagarin Cup win and record-setting KHL championship. 2021-12-10. The Hockey News. 30 April 2014 .
8. Web site: 2021-04-08. FIBA EuroBasket draw to be held behind closed doors due to COVID-19. 2021-12-10. Insidethegames.biz.
9. Web site: O2 arena - O2 arena has a record of attendance - concert of band Metallica was seen by 20 174 fans. https://web.archive.org/web/20191214073401/https://www.o2arena.cz/en/news/O2-arena-has-a-record-of-attendance-concert-of-band-Metallica-was-seen-by-20-174-fans_972.html. 2019-12-14.
10. Kaufman . Gil . 2023-05-04 . 50 Cent Announces 2023 'Final Lap' Global Tour with Busta Rhymes, Jeremih . 2024-03-23 . Billboard . en-US.
11. Web site: Iron Maiden rocked arena. ireport.cz. 2023-05-31. 2023-05-31. cs.
12. Web site: Rangers Please Crowd and Satisfy Themselves. The New York Times. 5 October 2008. 11 October 2023.
13. Web site: BRUINS BEAT;IDENTITY FOUND;TEAM RETURNS TO STYLE THAT WORKED IN 2009. Fox Sports. 11 October 2010. 11 October 2023.
14. Web site: O2 Arena se chystá na florbal. Speciální povrch bleskově přesunuli z Ostravy. cs. idnes.cz. 11 December 2008. 11 October 2023.
15. Web site: Davis Cup final: Czech Republic edge out Spain in Prague. BBC Sport. 18 November 2012. 11 October 2023.
16. Web site: Czechs hoping to clinch historic first Fed and Davis Cup double. Radio Prague. 16 November 2012. 11 October 2023.
17. Web site: Czechs Celebrate Commitment to Team Success. The New York Times. 10 November 2014. 11 October 2023.
18. Sharapova eyes first Fed Cup final against Czechs. Sports Illustrated. 11 November 2015. 11 October 2023.
19. Czechs Make Quick Work of U.S. in Fed Cup Final. Sports Illustrated. 11 November 2018. 11 October 2023.
20. News: Pivovod O2 areny dokáže za čtvrt hodiny "opít" pivem malé město. iDnes.cz.