Sportpaleis

For the Sportpaleis in Alkmaar, see Sportpaleis Alkmaar.
For the Sportpaleis in Rotterdam, see Ahoy Rotterdam.
Antwerps Sportpaleis
Sportpaleis
Location Antwerp, Belgium
Coordinates 51°13′52″N 4°26′28″E / 51.23111°N 4.44111°E / 51.23111; 4.44111
Owner Province of Antwerp
Operator nv Antwerps Sportpaleis
Capacity 23,359 (maximum capacity)
Construction
Broke ground 1932
Built 1933
Opened September 11, 1933
Renovated 2010-2013
Expanded 2013

The Antwerps Sportpaleis (Antwerp's Sport Palace), also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall where concerts, sporting events, festivals and fairs are organized. The arena was built for sport, especially track cycling, but there is now little sport there, an exception being the Diamond Games tennis.

According to Billboard Magazine, the Sportpaleis is the second most visited event hall in the world, second only to Madison Square Garden.[1] The Sportpaleis is known for performances by both Dutch-speaking and international artists. It also hosts the Nekka-Nacht, the Proximus Diamond Games tennis tournament for women and Pop Poll De Luxe, organised by the magazine HUMO.

The main building is 88 metres wide and 132 metres long and has a roof spanning 11.600 m². Under the stands, there is a wooden cycling track 250 meters long and 8 meters wide. The arena is elliptical and has two floors.

Next to the Sportpaleis is its sister venue the Lotto Arena, a hall that can accommodate 8,000 spectators.

History

Building started on 11 January 1932. It lasted 21 months: on 11 September 1933, the building was completed, the largest indoor arena in Europe.

On 29 September 1956, road cycling world champion Stan Ockers died a few days after a crash in his 116th performance at the track.

On 19 November 1988, Roy Orbison gave his last performance in Europe at the Sportpaleis.

Janet Jackson was scheduled to perform during her All for You Tour on 29 November but the show was cancelled with the rest of her European tour because of possible terrorist threats.[2] The same happened on her Unbreakable World Tour because of scheduling conflicts.

American R&B singer, Beyoncé performed on her The Beyoncé Experience Tour, on 19 May 2007. In 2009, Beyoncé confirmed that she will return on May 7, 2009 for her I Am... Tour. Tickets for two consecutive concerts (33,000 seats) on 14 & 15 May 2013, as part of the The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, sold out in under an hour; a new record.[3] The first show on 14 May 2013 was cancelled three hours before the show and rescheduled to 31 May 2013.[4][5] She subsequently beat her own record by selling 40,000 tickets in under one hour for two 2014 concerts at the venue.[6][7]

Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation celebrated their 15 anniversary with a very special show entitled "Elements" at the Sportpaleis. They were accompanied by the renowned Il Novecentro Orchestra and some special guests. The concert was held on November 13, 2012, and was sold out.[8][9]

The 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held at the Sportpaleis in early October.

On 31 January 2015, Antwerp Giants beat the attendance record to a basketball game in Belgium. 17,135 spectators attended to the Belgian Basketball League win over Spirou Charleroi by 88–83.[10]

Audience

Billboard Magazine said the Sportpaleis was the second most visited event hall in the world between November 2007 and November 2008, with 1,239,436 visitors. Only Madison Square Garden in New York had more.[1]

The arena can hold 23,001 people after expansions in 2012 and 2013.

See also

References

External links

Preceded by
Olympic Velodrome
Rome		 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Venue
1969 		Succeeded by
Saffron Lane
Leicester
Preceded by
Manchester Velodrome
Manchester		 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Venue
2001 		Succeeded by
Siemens Arena
Ballerup
Preceded by
 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
Venue
2013 		Succeeded by
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