AOL Arena
Encyclopedia
Volksparkstadion is a football stadium in Hamburg
, Germany
. It is the home ground of Hamburger SV
and was one of the 12 stadia used in the 2006 Football World Cup
, hosting four group games and a quarter final. Through a sponsorship deal the stadium is officially named Imtech Arena, and has previously been called the AOL Arena and HSH Nordbank Arena for similar reasons. Due to UEFA
regulations on stadium sponsorship, the stadium is referred to as the Hamburg Arena for European matches.
actually have nothing to do with the origins of the stadium, even though they own the current arena. Before the club moved to the current site they played at Sportplatz at Rothenbaum
. Bahrenfelder Stadion was the first stadium to be built on the site of the Volksparkstadion and the AOL Arena. It was inaugurated on 13 September 1925 with a match between FC Altona 93 and HSV. In front a crowd of 25,000, HSV lost 2-3. At the time the stadium was also known as Altonaer Stadion, however it was not the home ground of FC Altona 93 (it was Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn). Altona was a large club of Germany that has long been surpassed by HSV.
After a long break the stadium was finally renovated. Between 1951 and 1953 the stadium was rebuilt. On 12 July the stadium was opened under its new name Volksparkstadion (The People's Park Stadium). Most of the building materials came from the ruins of Eimsbüttel
, a district of Hamburg destroyed under Allied bombing. The new stadium could hold up to 75,000 and continued to be used for the various sporting events of the city.
In 1963, when HSV qualified for the newly created Bundesliga
, they moved into the Volksparkstadion, a stadium that was both larger and more modern then Rotherbaum
. At this time, FC Altona missed out on the opportunity and has struggled ever since. HSV then began to see some success in the Bundesliga and managed to maintain their status for years to come. HSV won titles in 1979, 1982 and 1983.
In May 1998 HSV decided to replace the unpopular Volksparkstadion with a brand new stadium, not only to help Germany get ready to host the Football World Cup, but also because it was getting harder and harder to meet the safety standards with such an old facility. The old stadium was totally demolished and the new arena was rotated 90° to provide an equal viewing experience for all the stands and to take advantage of sunlight. The estimated cost of the new stadium was €
90-100 million. The new arena serves both as a football ground and a concert hall. The capacity of the stadium during club matches is 57,000, which is reduced to 51,500 during international matches when the standing sections in the north grandstand are converted into seated areas. The record attendance was attained in Hamburger SV
's victory over Bayern Munich
(1-0) on 30 January 2009, when 57,000 paying spectators were counted.
The building permit for the new arena was issued on 30 April 1998. The new stadium removed the track and field
facilities that increased the distance between the pitch and the stands. The stadium was inaugurated in 2000 when Germany
played Greece
; the home team won 2-0. With the new stadium, HSV has managed to attain an average attendance of 50,000. In 2004 a museum dedicated to the history of HSV was opened.
The stadium is a UEFA Elite stadium which makes it eligible it to host UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League
finals.
In 2001 AOL
bought the naming rights to the Volksparkstadion for €
15.3 million, retitling the ground as the AOL Arena. In March 2007 the HSH Nordbank
bought the naming rights for €25 million, and the stadium was rebranded as the "HSH Nordbank Arena" in a 6 year deal. From July 2010 the arena will be called the "Imtech Arena", after Imtech bought the naming rights.
was held in West Germany
and the Volksparkstadion was one of the stadiums used in the tournament. In combination with the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium the two stadiums held all of the Group A games of the first phase. Three of those were played at the Volksparkstadion. The first game played was the match between East Germany
and Australia where attendance dipped to a low of only 17,000. The next game, with the home side West Germany playing Australia, saw a bounceback with 53,300 in attendance. The attendance grew even more for the next match to 60,200 as home side West Germany played neighbouring East Germany
. East Germany won the close game 1-0 with an 80th-minute goal.
go down to the Netherlands
1-2.
. However, due to sponsorship contracts, the arena was known as FIFA World Cup Stadium Hamburg during the World Cup.
The following games were played at the stadium during the World Cup of 2006:
side Atlético Madrid beat English
club Fulham
2–1.
and is also served from Schleswig-Holstein
in the north by AKN railways
. A free bus shuttle service is provided during football matches or other major events from the station to the stadium. There are several large car parks around the stadium. The A7 runs close by and the stadium can be reached via the exit Stellingen.
unification
boxing
match
between Wladimir Klitschko
and David Haye
on 2 July 2011. Klitschko won by unanimous decision
. The stadium sold out.
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is the home ground of Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
and was one of the 12 stadia used in the 2006 Football World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, hosting four group games and a quarter final. Through a sponsorship deal the stadium is officially named Imtech Arena, and has previously been called the AOL Arena and HSH Nordbank Arena for similar reasons. Due to UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
regulations on stadium sponsorship, the stadium is referred to as the Hamburg Arena for European matches.
History
HSVHamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
actually have nothing to do with the origins of the stadium, even though they own the current arena. Before the club moved to the current site they played at Sportplatz at Rothenbaum
Sportplatz at Rothenbaum
Sportplatz am Rothenbaum was a multi-use stadium in Hamburg, Germany. It was used mostly for football matches and hosted the home matches of Hamburger SV. The stadium was able to hold 27,000 people and opened in 1910. It was eventually replaced by Volksparkstadion in 1963 and was closed for good in...
. Bahrenfelder Stadion was the first stadium to be built on the site of the Volksparkstadion and the AOL Arena. It was inaugurated on 13 September 1925 with a match between FC Altona 93 and HSV. In front a crowd of 25,000, HSV lost 2-3. At the time the stadium was also known as Altonaer Stadion, however it was not the home ground of FC Altona 93 (it was Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn). Altona was a large club of Germany that has long been surpassed by HSV.
After a long break the stadium was finally renovated. Between 1951 and 1953 the stadium was rebuilt. On 12 July the stadium was opened under its new name Volksparkstadion (The People's Park Stadium). Most of the building materials came from the ruins of Eimsbüttel
Eimsbüttel
Eimsbüttel is one of the seven boroughs of Hamburg, Germany. In 2006 the population was 246,087.-History:On March 1, 2008 Eimsbüttel lost a part of its area to form the quarter Sternschanze in the borough Altona.-Geography:...
, a district of Hamburg destroyed under Allied bombing. The new stadium could hold up to 75,000 and continued to be used for the various sporting events of the city.
In 1963, when HSV qualified for the newly created Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, they moved into the Volksparkstadion, a stadium that was both larger and more modern then Rotherbaum
Rotherbaum
Rotherbaum is a quarter of Eimsbüttel, a borough of Hamburg, Germany. In 2006 the population was 16,853.In German, "roter Baum" means red tree. The "th", which in general was abolished in the spelling reform of 1900, was preserved in names...
. At this time, FC Altona missed out on the opportunity and has struggled ever since. HSV then began to see some success in the Bundesliga and managed to maintain their status for years to come. HSV won titles in 1979, 1982 and 1983.
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
90-100 million. The new arena serves both as a football ground and a concert hall. The capacity of the stadium during club matches is 57,000, which is reduced to 51,500 during international matches when the standing sections in the north grandstand are converted into seated areas. The record attendance was attained in Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
's victory over Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
(1-0) on 30 January 2009, when 57,000 paying spectators were counted.
The building permit for the new arena was issued on 30 April 1998. The new stadium removed the track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
facilities that increased the distance between the pitch and the stands. The stadium was inaugurated in 2000 when Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
played Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
; the home team won 2-0. With the new stadium, HSV has managed to attain an average attendance of 50,000. In 2004 a museum dedicated to the history of HSV was opened.
The stadium is a UEFA Elite stadium which makes it eligible it to host UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
finals.
In 2001 AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
bought the naming rights to the Volksparkstadion for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
15.3 million, retitling the ground as the AOL Arena. In March 2007 the HSH Nordbank
HSH Nordbank
HSH Nordbank is a commercial bank in northern Europe with headquarters in Hamburg as well as Kiel, Germany. It is active in corporate and private banking. HSHs main focus is on shipping, transportation, real estate and renewable energy....
bought the naming rights for €25 million, and the stadium was rebranded as the "HSH Nordbank Arena" in a 6 year deal. From July 2010 the arena will be called the "Imtech Arena", after Imtech bought the naming rights.
1974 World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
was held in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and the Volksparkstadion was one of the stadiums used in the tournament. In combination with the 1936 Berlin Olympic Stadium the two stadiums held all of the Group A games of the first phase. Three of those were played at the Volksparkstadion. The first game played was the match between East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
and Australia where attendance dipped to a low of only 17,000. The next game, with the home side West Germany playing Australia, saw a bounceback with 53,300 in attendance. The attendance grew even more for the next match to 60,200 as home side West Germany played neighbouring East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
. East Germany won the close game 1-0 with an 80th-minute goal.
Euro 88
In 1988 the European Football Championship came to West Germany. The Volksparkstadion was chosen to be one of the host stadia. At the time the stadium could hold 61,200 spectators. The only game of the tournament that was played at the stadium was a semi-final that saw hosts West GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
go down to the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
1-2.
2006 FIFA World Cup
The stadium was one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. However, due to sponsorship contracts, the arena was known as FIFA World Cup Stadium Hamburg during the World Cup.
The following games were played at the stadium during the World Cup of 2006:
| Date | Time (CET) | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-10 | 21.00 | 2-1 | Group C 2006 FIFA World Cup - Group C Play in Group C of the 2006 FIFA World Cup completed on 21 June 2006. Argentina won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with Netherlands. The two sides tied for points in the standings, but Argentina won the tie-break on goal difference, and so won the group with the Netherlands in... |
49,480 | ||
| 2006-06-15 | 15.00 | 3-0 | Group A 2006 FIFA World Cup - Group A Play in Group A of the 2006 FIFA World Cup completed on 20 June 2006. Germany won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with Ecuador. Poland and Costa Rica failed to advance.Detailed results of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Group A... |
50,000 | ||
| 2006-06-19 | 18.00 | 0-4 | Group H 2006 FIFA World Cup - Group H Play in Group H of the 2006 FIFA World Cup completed on June 23, 2006. Spain won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with Ukraine. Tunisia and Saudi Arabia failed to advance.Detailed results of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Group H... |
50,000 | ||
| 2006-06-22 | 16.00 | 0-2 | Group E 2006 FIFA World Cup - Group E Play in Group E of the 2006 FIFA World Cup completed on 22 June 2006. Italy won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with Ghana. The Czech Republic and the United States failed to advance.Detailed results of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Group E... |
50,000 | ||
| 2006-06-30 | 21.00 | 3-0 | Quarterfinals | 50,000 |
2010 UEFA Europa League Final
The stadium hosted the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final, in which SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
side Atlético Madrid beat English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
2–1.
Transport
The stadium's nearest railway station is Stellingen railway station. The station is on the S3 & S21 lines of the Hamburg S-BahnHamburg S-Bahn
The Hamburg S-Bahn is a railway network for public rapid mass transit in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Together the S-Bahn, the Hamburg U-Bahn, the AKN railway and the regional railway form the backbone of railway public transport in the city and the surrounding area...
and is also served from Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
in the north by AKN railways
AKN Eisenbahn
AKN Eisenbahn AG is a railway company operating commuter and freight trains in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. The company headquarters is located in Kaltenkirchen...
. A free bus shuttle service is provided during football matches or other major events from the station to the stadium. There are several large car parks around the stadium. The A7 runs close by and the stadium can be reached via the exit Stellingen.
Other use
The stadium hosted the heavyweightHeavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
unification
Undisputed Champion
In professional boxing, the undisputed champion of a weight class is a boxer who is recognized as the world champion at that class by each boxing organization.-History:...
boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
match
Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye
Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye was a heavyweight unification fight for the WBA , WBO, IBF, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles. The fight took place in Imtech Arena, Hamburg, Germany on 2 July 2011. Klitschko won with a unanimous points victory....
between Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...
and David Haye
David Haye
David Deron Haye is a retired English professional boxer,Haye is the former WBA heavyweight champion. He is also the former unified world cruiserweight champion, holding the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring cruiserweight titles, and also the former European cruiserweight champion.- Amateur :Haye...
on 2 July 2011. Klitschko won by unanimous decision
Unanimous decision
A unanimous decision is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking in which all three judges agree on which fighter won the match....
. The stadium sold out.