Esprit Arena

ESPRIT arena

Exterior view of Esprit Arena and Stadtbahnwagen B
Former names	LTU Arena
Location	Düsseldorf, Germany
Coordinates	51°15′42″N 6°43′59″E / 51.26167°N 6.73306°E
Owner	City of Düsseldorf
Executive suites	27 8 (event suites)
Capacity	54,600 66,500 (concerts)[1]
Field size	100 m × 70 m (330 ft × 230 ft)
Construction
Built	2002–2004
Opened	September 10, 2004
Construction cost	€240 million
Architect	JSK Architekten[2]
Tenants
Fortuna Düsseldorf
Website
espritarena.de

Esprit Arena (stylized as ESPRIT arena), known previously as the "LTU Arena" (until June 2009), and as the "Düsseldorf Arena" (during the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest), is a multi-functional football stadium in Düsseldorf, Germany. The stadium holds 54,600^[3] and has a closable roof. Its special heating system allows the stadium to host comfortable events at the height of winter.

History

Aerial view of Messe Düsseldorf in District 5, showing the Esprit Arena (then named LTU Arena) on the far left

Construction of the stadium began in 2002 and was completed in 2004. It was built to replace the former Rheinstadion at the same site near the river Rhine. The structure's initial seating capacity of 51,500 was expanded in summer 2010 when some seating areas were converted into standing terraces. The arena currently hosts association football team Fortuna Düsseldorf (currently in the second division, the 2. Bundesliga).

Sports events

International football matches

While the Arena was not one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, it has hosted several international matches since it opened.

The first international match in the Arena was an international friendly between Germany and Argentina on 9 February 2005, ending in a 2-2 draw. On 7 February 2007, Germany played their second international friendly in the Arena, beating Switzerland 3-1. In their third international friendly in the Arena, on 11 February 2009, Germany suffered a 1-0 defeat to Norway.

The Arena also hosted two international friendlies of the Portuguese national football team. In Portugal's first international friendly in the Arena, on 1 March 2006, they recorded a 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia. On 26 March 2008, Portugal played their second international friendly in the Arena, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Greece national football team.

Other sports events

The stadium was the former home of the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, an American football league. They were tenants half a year after it reopened to the end of the 2007 season. The stadium hosted World Bowl XIII and XIV. Esprit Arena hosted the Race of Champions 2010, with notable drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Alain Prost and Sébastien Loeb.

The Esprit Arena was the host venue for boxing world heavyweight championship bouts: between Wladimir Klitschko and Eddie Chambers on 20 March 2010 (Klitschko won the bout by KO in the 12th round), Wladimir Klitschko against Jean-Marc Mormeck on 3 March 2012 (Klitschko won by KO in the 4th round), Wladimir Klitschko against Tyson Fury on 28 November 2015 (see Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tyson Fury).

Music events

Bon Jovi performed at the stadium on May 13, 2006 during their Have A Nice Day Tour, in front of a sold out crowd of 47,862 people. The band performed at the stadium for the second time on July 13, 2011 during their Live 2011, in front of a sold out crowd of 43,625 people.

On June 16, 2008 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the arena as part of the Magic Tour.

Esprit Arena with Eurovision Song Contest 2011 wrapping

On New Year's Eve 2008, the dance music event Sensation was held with an attendance of over 15,000.

Depeche Mode performed at the stadium six times: the first and the second were on January 20 and 21, 2006 during their Touring the Angel. The third and the fourth were on February 26 and 27, 2010 during their Tour of the Universe, in front of a total crowd of 90,693 people. The fifth and the sixth were on July 3 and 5, 2013 during their Delta Machine Tour, in front of a total sold out crowd of 87,308 people. The 2010 shows were recorded for the group's live albums project Recording the Universe.

The arena has played host to music festivals, including Projekt Revolution.

Esprit Arena hosted the 56th Eurovision Song Contest in 2011.

Madonna played two concerts in 2006 and 2008 during her Confessions Tour and Sticky & Sweet Tour, respectively, at the venue.

One Direction (with opening act by 5 Seconds of Summer) performed on 2nd July, 2014 a sold out concert for a crowd of 44,684 people as part of their Where We Are Tour.

Paul McCartney will perform on May 28th during his worldwide One On One tour.

On July 12, 2016 Beyoncé will perform at Esprit Arena as part of her Formation World Tour.

Naming rights

The naming rights to the stadium are currently held by clothing manufacturer Esprit.^[4]

Prior to July 2009, the German airline LTU held the naming rights.

Düsseldorf's mayor Dirk Elbers stated that, due to treaty obligations, the arena would lose its sponsor name and be renamed Düsseldorf Arena for the period of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 which was held there in May 2011.^[5]

A panorama of Esprit Arena

Public transport

A train of the Düsseldorf Stadtbahn at Esprit Arena/Messe Nord station

Esprit Arena/Messe Nord is a terminus station of the Düsseldorf urban rail line 78, part of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR).

Preceding station		Rhine-Ruhr Stadtbahn		Following station
Terminus		U78		Mörikestraße toward Düsseldorf Hbf

References

1. espritarena.de
2. Esprit Arena architect: JSK Architekten
3. "Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895: ESPRIT arena" (in German). www2.fortuna-duesseldorf.de. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
4. "Neuer Namensgeber vorgestellt" (in German). www.ltuarena.de. 16 March 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
5. "Sieben Live-Shows beim Eurovision Song Contest" (in German). Der Westen. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.

External links

• Official Homepage of ESPRIT arena (German) (English) (Dutch)

Coordinates: 51°15′42″N 6°43′59″E / 51.26167°N 6.73306°E