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The O2 arena (London)
Encyclopedia
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena
located in the centre of The O2
, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula
in London, England.
With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest arena in the UK after the Manchester Evening News Arena
(MEN Arena) and one of the largest in Europe. In 2008, The O2 Arena took the crown of the world's busiest music arena from the MEN Arena, a title which it had held since 2001.
was leased to Meridian Delta Ltd. in 2001, for redevelopment as an entertainment complex. This included plans for an indoor arena.
Construction of the arena started in 2003 and finished in 2007. Owing to the impossibility of using cranes inside the dome structure, the arena's roof was constructed on the ground within the dome and then lifted. The arena building's structure was then built around the roof. The arena building, which houses the arena and the arena concourse, is independent from all other buildings in The O2 and houses all the arena's facilities. The whole arena building takes up 40% of the total dome structure.
The seating arrangement throughout the whole arena can be modified, similar to the MEN Arena
. The ground surface can also be changed between ice rink, basketball court, exhibition space, conference venue, private hire venue and concert venue.
The arena was built to reduce echoing which has previously been a problem in many London music venues. The sound manager for U2
, Joe O'Herlihy, worked with acoustic engineers to introduce measures such as sound absorbing material on the arena roof and the bottom of strategically placed seats to reduce echoing.
Despite The O2 arena's being open for only seven months of the year, the venue sold over 1.2 million tickets in 2007, making it the third most popular venue in the world for concerts and family shows narrowly behind the MEN Arena
(1.25 million) and Madison Square Garden
in New York (1.23 million). In 2008, it became the world's busiest venue taking the crown from MEN Arena with sales of more than two million.
Anschutz opened The O2 Arena on 23 June 2007, with a free event for all of the building's employees billed as the O2 premiere featuring Peter Kay
, Tom Jones
, Kaiser Chiefs
and Basement Jaxx
, with the show hosted by Dermot O'Leary
. Snow Patrol
then played a concert to an audience made up of sponsors, local residents, local business employees and winners of an online competition. Bon Jovi
was the first band ever to play to the general public at the arena on 24 June 2007. The Rolling Stones
played three sold out shows during A Bigger Bang Tour
on 21, 23, 26 August 2007, the last concerts of the tour. Elton John
played the premiere Red Piano Show in Europe at the arena in September 2007. Led Zeppelin
performed a one-off reunion concert
at the arena on 10 December 2007 with twenty million applications for tickets. The Spice Girls
performed 17 sold out shows during their 2007/2008 Return of the Spice Girls tour. Muse
performed two sold out shows during The Resistance Tour
in November 2009. Michael Jackson
was preparing for a sell out series of 50 shows at the O2, due to take place 13 July 2009 – 6 March 2010, when he died of cardiac arrest. Guitarist David Gilmour
joined his former Pink Floyd
band-mate Roger Waters
on 12 May 2011 for a special one-off performance of "Comfortably Numb
" during Waters' The Wall Live world tour. On May 25th 2011, Canadian rock band Rush
performed a sold out show at the O2 Arena as part of their Time Machine Tour
. In June 2011 the cast of Glee
performed a series of concerts as part of their sold out European tour. Katy Perry
performed 2 sold out nights on October 2011. Rihanna
is set to perform 10 sold out nights at the venue with her Loud Tour
which is the most by any other female.
Tournament on 15 September 2007 which was won by Andy Murray. From 2009 until 2012 it has been selected as the venue for the ATP World Tour Finals.
contests, which started the 2007–08 NHL season, on 29 and 30 September, both involving the Anschutz-owned Los Angeles Kings
and their regional rivals from Southern California, the Anaheim Ducks
.
exhibition match between the Boston Celtics
and the Minnesota Timberwolves
took place at the arena on 10 October 2007. The game sold out more than three months beforehand. The arena also hosted the Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets (NBA) pre-season games before the 2008–09 season. Just like the previous NBA exhibition game, Tickets for the game sold out three months beforehand.
The Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz played an exhibition match on 30 October 1994 in London as part of NBA Europe Live. The Chicago Bulls won the match 102–101 in front of a crowd of 18,689.
On 4 October 2010, The Los Angeles Lakers
took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves won the game 111–92 in front of a crowd of 18,689.
The New Jersey Nets
defeated the Toronto Raptors
on 4 March 2011, by a score of 116–103. The teams met again on 5 March 2011, with a New Jersey Nets victory in 3 overtimes, 137–136.
The Great Britain National Basketball Team have also played several games there, with an attendance of 7,244 for the win over the Czech Republic qualification match for EuroBasket 2009. It is expected this will soon become a home arena for the National Side.
.
on 14 July 2007.
In March 2008, the arena hosted a match between David Haye
and Enzo Maccarinelli
, and in November 2008 Haye fought Monte Barrett
.
events promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
, including UFC 75
on 8 September 2007, UFC 85
on 7 June 2008, UFC 95
on 21 February 2009 and UFC 120
in October 2010.
UFC 120 featuring Michael Bisping and Yoshirio Akiyama had an attendance of 17,133 breaking the European attendance and gate receipts record which was set by the MEN at UFC 105. It was also the biggest box office sporting event in O2 Arena history.
WWE has used the O2 Arena to host its television shows Raw
, SmackDown, and ECW. This included the taping of Monday Night Raw
and an episode of the now defunct Heat, broadcast on 14 April 2008, with SmackDown and ECW being taped the following night.
The WWE brought their TV tapings back to the O2 Arena in April 2009, following a WWE Friday Night SmackDown house show at the arena the previous November. WWE Raw
was slated to be taped 20 April 2009, with SmackDown and ECW the following night. The main events included Triple H
vs Randy Orton
for the Raw taping, and Triple H vs Randy Orton in the first WWE Championship steel cage match in London for the SmackDown taping.
WWE returned to the O2 Arena on 11 November 2009 for the DX Invasion Tour, featuring John Cena
defending his WWE title against Chris Jericho
. Before that match, Jericho had glowsticks chucked at him from the live crowd, to which he reacted angrily until Cena's entrance.
In April 2010, the WWE returned once again to film episodes of WWE Raw (12 April) and WWE SmackDown and WWE NXT and an exclusive Matt Hardy vs Carlito WWE Superstars match (13 April).
WWE was back again in November 2010 with the Raw World Tour. Higlights of the night included a one-off special appearance by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
, a tag team match between Randy Orton, John Morrison, Wade Barrett and Sheamus, and a titanic main event between John Cena and The Miz.
WWE returned to the O2 Arena on 18–19 April 2011, when they host a televised Raw and SmackDown event.
WWE will again be at the O2 Arena on 11th November 2011, with the stars of Raw such as John Cena, The Miz, R-Truth and Triple H scheduled to appear.
it is scheduled to be the venue for gymnastics
, for which it will have a spectator capacity of 16,500, and for basketball
finals, for which it will have a capacity of 20,000. During the 2012 Summer Paralympics
it is scheduled to be the venue for wheelchair basketball
finals, for which it will have a capacity of 18,000. Due to IOC
sponsorship regulations, it will officially be known as North Greenwich Arena during the games. The rest of the basketball and wheelchair basketball competitions will take place at an arena
in the Olympic Park
, a 6,000 seat temporary venue called North Greenwich Arena 2 was to be built nearby to stage the Olympic badminton and rhythmic gymnastics
events, but these will now take place in the Wembley Arena
.
became the first comedian to play the arena, breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest audience for a comedy show, though this was never an official record and has since been broken by German comedian Mario Barth. Lee Evans
, Steve Coogan
and Dylan Moran
all appeared at the arena in 2008, followed by Canadian stand-up Russell Peters
in February 2009. High profile stand-ups Al Murray
, Eddie Izzard
and Tim Vine
have all performed in 2009. Michael Mcintyre
performed four nights at the O2 Arena. Russell Brand
performed at the O2 Arena in April 2009; as well as performing stand up comedy, he recorded several scenes for his new movie Get Him to the Greek
, using the audience for his stand-up as a live crowd for a rock concert.
On 30 March 2010, the O2 Arena hosted Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, a stand-up comedy
benefit show in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
, in front of 14,000. With over 25 comedians appearing, organiser Channel 4
billed it as "the biggest live stand up show in United Kingdom history".
Some of the UK's most successful comedians are now performing at the O2 Arena during their stand-up tours such as Russell Howard
who performed there in his 2011 tour "Right Here, Right Now". John Cleese
performed a one off performance of his "The Alimony Tour" there in early 2011. Alan Carr
will perform there in his new tour "Spexy Beast" in late 2011.
, High School Musical 2 and Live Free or Die Hard
premières, and also an advance screening of Alien Autopsy.
have been filmed at the arena, as well as the Bootcamp segments at the indigO2 for the 2008 series.
and Walking with Dinosaurs
The Arena Spectacular. Other such events include Viva La Diva, Strictly Come Dancing
live tour.
Ice show
s have included Disney On Ice
and High School Musical On Ice.
In October 2010, the arena was host to the 25th Anniversary concert of the musical Les Misérables
, introduced by Mylene Klass, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
, the Royal Choral Society
, tenor Jon Christos
and soprano's Alison Jiear
and Stephanie Corley.
On 20 August 2010 there was a Christ Embassy Night Of Bliss with Pastor Chris
Service held at the O2 Arena.
In 2010, Hillsong Conference Europe was held in the O2 Arena. Guests for the 2010 Hillsong Conference Europe include, Joel and Victoria Osteen, Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff and Lakewood Team, Judah Smith and Jentezen Franklin. More than 5,000 delegates attended the 2010 Hillsong Conference Europe at the O2 Arena. Special guests Joel and Victoria Osteen were invited to the 2010 conference, a sold out turn out of more than 13,000 people turned for the A Night of Hope in London (part of the conference that year). Hillsong London held their annual Hillsong Conference Europe 2011 once again at the O2 Arena. They moved the date from their usual October date to July during the summer break to accommodate more people and to encourage more people to attend the Conference. Guests included Priscilla Shirer
, Joseph Prince
, TD Jakes and Israel & New Breed
. Due to the 2012 Summer Olympics
Hillsong London will be hosting Conference in Norway and Stockholm, Sweden in 2012. Conference will return to the O2 Arena on its usual date in October 2013.
In 2011, a combined event for the celebration of Pentecost was held at the O2 Arena as a joint effort between churches Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB Churches), Hillsong Church London and Jesus House. They had an attendance of over 16,000 delegates, they will return in 2012.
movement.
The O2 Arena hosted Andrew Reynolds Entrepreneurs Bootcamp – the largest conference event held to date at the venue. Andrew Reynolds Bootcamp broke a UK record with its innovative High Definition
projection screen – not only the largest ever used at the O2 Arena – but the largest indoor screen in the UK. Measuring around 34.5 metres by 12 metres, the huge screen formed the central part of a huge stage set for the Entrepreneurs event which was provided by smyle.co.uk.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in the centre of The O2
The O2 (London)
The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants...
, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula
Greenwich Peninsula
Greenwich Peninsula is an area of South London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.The peninsula is bounded on three sides by a loop of the Thames, between the Isle of Dogs and Silvertown. To the south is the rest of Greenwich, to the south-east is Charlton.The peninsula lies...
in London, England.
With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest arena in the UK after the Manchester Evening News Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
(MEN Arena) and one of the largest in Europe. In 2008, The O2 Arena took the crown of the world's busiest music arena from the MEN Arena, a title which it had held since 2001.
Background to the arena
Following the closure of the Millennium Experience at the end of 2000, the Millennium DomeMillennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
was leased to Meridian Delta Ltd. in 2001, for redevelopment as an entertainment complex. This included plans for an indoor arena.
Construction of the arena started in 2003 and finished in 2007. Owing to the impossibility of using cranes inside the dome structure, the arena's roof was constructed on the ground within the dome and then lifted. The arena building's structure was then built around the roof. The arena building, which houses the arena and the arena concourse, is independent from all other buildings in The O2 and houses all the arena's facilities. The whole arena building takes up 40% of the total dome structure.
The seating arrangement throughout the whole arena can be modified, similar to the MEN Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
. The ground surface can also be changed between ice rink, basketball court, exhibition space, conference venue, private hire venue and concert venue.
The arena was built to reduce echoing which has previously been a problem in many London music venues. The sound manager for U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Joe O'Herlihy, worked with acoustic engineers to introduce measures such as sound absorbing material on the arena roof and the bottom of strategically placed seats to reduce echoing.
Despite The O2 arena's being open for only seven months of the year, the venue sold over 1.2 million tickets in 2007, making it the third most popular venue in the world for concerts and family shows narrowly behind the MEN Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
(1.25 million) and Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York (1.23 million). In 2008, it became the world's busiest venue taking the crown from MEN Arena with sales of more than two million.
Musical events
The O2 Arena since its opening in 2007 has been host of many concerts, from UK to international superstars. The O2 was named the World's Best Venue by Pollstar in 2009.Anschutz opened The O2 Arena on 23 June 2007, with a free event for all of the building's employees billed as the O2 premiere featuring Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
and Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
, with the show hosted by Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2...
. Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
then played a concert to an audience made up of sponsors, local residents, local business employees and winners of an online competition. Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
was the first band ever to play to the general public at the arena on 24 June 2007. The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
played three sold out shows during A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...
on 21, 23, 26 August 2007, the last concerts of the tour. Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
played the premiere Red Piano Show in Europe at the arena in September 2007. Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
performed a one-off reunion concert
Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert was a benefit concert held in memory of music executive Ahmet Ertegün at The O2 in London on December 10, 2007. The headline act was the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, who performed their first full-length concert since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980,...
at the arena on 10 December 2007 with twenty million applications for tickets. The Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
performed 17 sold out shows during their 2007/2008 Return of the Spice Girls tour. Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
performed two sold out shows during The Resistance Tour
The Resistance Tour
The Resistance Tour was a worldwide concert tour by English alternative rock band Muse in support of their fifth studio album The Resistance. The opening European leg began on 22 October 2009 and ended on 4 December 2009, comprising 30 shows. The second leg, which began on 7 January 2010, included...
in November 2009. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
was preparing for a sell out series of 50 shows at the O2, due to take place 13 July 2009 – 6 March 2010, when he died of cardiac arrest. Guitarist David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
joined his former Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
band-mate Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
on 12 May 2011 for a special one-off performance of "Comfortably Numb
Comfortably Numb
"Comfortably Numb" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, which first appears on the 1979 double album, The Wall. It was also released as a single in the same year with "Hey You" as the B-side. It is one of only three songs on the album for which writing credits are shared between Roger...
" during Waters' The Wall Live world tour. On May 25th 2011, Canadian rock band Rush
Rush
- United States :* Rush, Colorado* Rush, Kentucky* Rush, New York* Rush, Ohio* Rush City, Minnesota-People:* Rush, a nickname for Canadian mixed martial artist Georges St...
performed a sold out show at the O2 Arena as part of their Time Machine Tour
Time Machine Tour
The Time Machine Tour was a concert tour by the Canadian rock band Rush that began on June 29, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and ended July 2, 2011 at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington...
. In June 2011 the cast of Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
performed a series of concerts as part of their sold out European tour. Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
performed 2 sold out nights on October 2011. Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
is set to perform 10 sold out nights at the venue with her Loud Tour
Loud Tour
The Loud Tour is the fourth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour supports Rihanna’s fifth studio album, Loud...
which is the most by any other female.
Tennis
The arena hosted the first ever Turbo TennisTurbo Tennis
Turbo extra Tennis is a shortened form of tennis in which players play in a fast knockout tournament which consists of five matches of 30 minutes each, taking place over the course of a single afternoon...
Tournament on 15 September 2007 which was won by Andy Murray. From 2009 until 2012 it has been selected as the venue for the ATP World Tour Finals.
Ice hockey
The arena has also hosted two National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
contests, which started the 2007–08 NHL season, on 29 and 30 September, both involving the Anschutz-owned Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and their regional rivals from Southern California, the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Basketball
An NBANational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
exhibition match between the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
took place at the arena on 10 October 2007. The game sold out more than three months beforehand. The arena also hosted the Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets (NBA) pre-season games before the 2008–09 season. Just like the previous NBA exhibition game, Tickets for the game sold out three months beforehand.
The Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz played an exhibition match on 30 October 1994 in London as part of NBA Europe Live. The Chicago Bulls won the match 102–101 in front of a crowd of 18,689.
On 4 October 2010, The Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves won the game 111–92 in front of a crowd of 18,689.
The New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
defeated the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
on 4 March 2011, by a score of 116–103. The teams met again on 5 March 2011, with a New Jersey Nets victory in 3 overtimes, 137–136.
The Great Britain National Basketball Team have also played several games there, with an attendance of 7,244 for the win over the Czech Republic qualification match for EuroBasket 2009. It is expected this will soon become a home arena for the National Side.
Gymnastics
It was used for the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 41st World Artistic Gymnastics Championships was held at The O2 arena in London, United Kingdom, on 12 October to 18 October 2009. Similar to the World Championships in 2005, there were no team competitions...
.
Boxing
The first sporting event to take place was the Commonwealth Boxing Lightweight title fight featuring Amir KhanAmir Khan (boxer)
Amir Iqbal Khan , is a British Pakistani professional boxer who is currently the unified WBA & IBF light welterweight champion....
on 14 July 2007.
In March 2008, the arena hosted a match between 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...
and Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli
Enzo Maccarinelli is a Welsh professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. He is a former World Boxing Organization cruiserweight title holder and also held the European title at that weight limit...
, and in November 2008 Haye fought Monte Barrett
Monte Barrett
Monte Barrett is an American professional heavyweight boxer. He was regarded by many as a tough gatekeeper and was a former WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Champion and current WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight and WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion...
.
Mixed Martial Arts
The arena has hosted four mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
events promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
, including UFC 75
UFC 75
UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.The event was held September 8, 2007 at The O2 in London, England. The event was on Setanta Sports 1 in the United Kingdom, TV4 Sport in Sweden, PPV1 in Ireland, and offered on tape delay on...
on 8 September 2007, UFC 85
UFC 85
UFC 85: Bedlam was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , on June 7, 2008 at The O2 arena in London, England.-Background:...
on 7 June 2008, UFC 95
UFC 95
UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 21, 2009 at The O2 Arena in London, England. It was broadcast live for viewers in Europe and Canada and later tape delayed for U.S. viewers on Spike...
on 21 February 2009 and UFC 120
UFC 120
UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 16, 2010 at the O2 Arena in London, England. The first ever UK UFC Fan Expo coincided with this event. This event aired on the same day, via tape delay, on Spike TV in the U.S. and Canada...
in October 2010.
UFC 120 featuring Michael Bisping and Yoshirio Akiyama had an attendance of 17,133 breaking the European attendance and gate receipts record which was set by the MEN at UFC 105. It was also the biggest box office sporting event in O2 Arena history.
Professional wrestling
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, SmackDown, and ECW. This included the taping of Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and an episode of the now defunct Heat, broadcast on 14 April 2008, with SmackDown and ECW being taped the following night.
The WWE brought their TV tapings back to the O2 Arena in April 2009, following a WWE Friday Night SmackDown house show at the arena the previous November. WWE Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
was slated to be taped 20 April 2009, with SmackDown and ECW the following night. The main events included Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
vs Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
for the Raw taping, and Triple H vs Randy Orton in the first WWE Championship steel cage match in London for the SmackDown taping.
WWE returned to the O2 Arena on 11 November 2009 for the DX Invasion Tour, featuring John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
defending his WWE title against Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. Before that match, Jericho had glowsticks chucked at him from the live crowd, to which he reacted angrily until Cena's entrance.
In April 2010, the WWE returned once again to film episodes of WWE Raw (12 April) and WWE SmackDown and WWE NXT and an exclusive Matt Hardy vs Carlito WWE Superstars match (13 April).
WWE was back again in November 2010 with the Raw World Tour. Higlights of the night included a one-off special appearance by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, a tag team match between Randy Orton, John Morrison, Wade Barrett and Sheamus, and a titanic main event between John Cena and The Miz.
WWE returned to the O2 Arena on 18–19 April 2011, when they host a televised Raw and SmackDown event.
WWE will again be at the O2 Arena on 11th November 2011, with the stars of Raw such as John Cena, The Miz, R-Truth and Triple H scheduled to appear.
Darts
On 11 February 2010 the O2 Arena hosted the opening night of the Whyte and Mackay Premier League Darts, Britain's biggest indoor sporting event. Fans travelled from all over the UK to see the likes of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock and James Wade in action. Over 8,000 fans attended the event.Olympics and Paralympics
During the 2012 Summer Olympics2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
it is scheduled to be the venue for gymnastics
Gymnastics at the 2012 Summer Olympics
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, three different gymnastics disciplines will be contested: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline. The artistic gymnastics events will be held at the North Greenwich Arena on July 28–August 7. The rhythmic gymnastics events will be held at the Wembley...
, for which it will have a spectator capacity of 16,500, and for basketball
Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- External links :**...
finals, for which it will have a capacity of 20,000. During the 2012 Summer Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
it is scheduled to be the venue for wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Paralympic Games will be held from 30 August to 8 September. Competitions will be held at the newly built Basketball Arena, which will seat 10,000 spectators, and the The O2 in London...
finals, for which it will have a capacity of 18,000. Due to IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
sponsorship regulations, it will officially be known as North Greenwich Arena during the games. The rest of the basketball and wheelchair basketball competitions will take place at an arena
Basketball Arena (2012 Olympics)
The Basketball Arena for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom will be located in the Olympic Park in Poplar, London...
in the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
, a 6,000 seat temporary venue called North Greenwich Arena 2 was to be built nearby to stage the Olympic badminton and rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
events, but these will now take place in the Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
.
Comedy
In May 2008 Chris RockChris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
became the first comedian to play the arena, breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest audience for a comedy show, though this was never an official record and has since been broken by German comedian Mario Barth. Lee Evans
Lee Evans (comedian)
Lee Evans is an English comedian, writer, actor and musician.-Personal life:Lee Evans was born in Avonmouth, Bristol, England to an Irish mother and a Welsh father, Dave Evans, a nightclub performer. He left Bristol at the age of 13 and then went to The Billericay School in Billericay, Essex...
, Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
and Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran is an Irish stand-up comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his sardonic observational comedy, the UK television sitcom Black Books , and his work with Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run...
all appeared at the arena in 2008, followed by Canadian stand-up Russell Peters
Russell Peters
Russell Dominic Peters is an Indo-Canadian comedian, actor and disc jockey. He began performing in Toronto in 1989 and has been nominated for four Gemini Awards.-Early life :...
in February 2009. High profile stand-ups Al Murray
Al Murray
Alastair James Hay "Al" Murray , is a British comedian best known for his stand-up persona, The Pub Landlord, a stereotypical xenophobic public house licensee. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy...
, Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard
Edward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
and Tim Vine
Tim Vine
Timothy "Tim" Mark Vine is an English actor, writer and comedian. He has released a number of DVDs of his stand-up comedy, as well as starring in the successful series Not Going Out with Lee Mack on the BBC...
have all performed in 2009. Michael Mcintyre
Michael McIntyre
Michael Hazen James McIntyre is an English stand-up comedian. He is well known for appearing at many British stand-up comedy events and for several roles on television stand-up programmes such as Live at the Apollo and his own show, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow...
performed four nights at the O2 Arena. Russell Brand
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
performed at the O2 Arena in April 2009; as well as performing stand up comedy, he recorded several scenes for his new movie Get Him to the Greek
Get Him to the Greek
Get Him to the Greek is a 2010 American comedy film written, produced, and directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. The film was released on June 4, 2010. Get Him to the Greek is a spin-off sequel of Stoller's 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, reuniting director...
, using the audience for his stand-up as a live crowd for a rock concert.
On 30 March 2010, the O2 Arena hosted Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala is a British stand-up comedy benefit show organised Channel 4 in aid of the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The gig is filmed live at the O2 Arena in London, and then broadcast later by Channel 4...
, a stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
benefit show in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
, in front of 14,000. With over 25 comedians appearing, organiser Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
billed it as "the biggest live stand up show in United Kingdom history".
Some of the UK's most successful comedians are now performing at the O2 Arena during their stand-up tours such as Russell Howard
Russell Howard
Russell Joseph Howard is an English comedian best known for his TV show Russell Howard's Good News and his appearances on the topical panel TV show Mock The Week...
who performed there in his 2011 tour "Right Here, Right Now". John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
performed a one off performance of his "The Alimony Tour" there in early 2011. Alan Carr
Alan Carr
Alan Carr is an English comedian and television personality. Born in Weymouth, he was raised in Northampton before moving to Manchester during his early 20's....
will perform there in his new tour "Spexy Beast" in late 2011.
Film
The arena has hosted The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, High School Musical 2 and Live Free or Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard , is a 2007 American action film, and the fourth installment in the Die Hard series. The film was directed by Len Wiseman and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane. The name was adapted from the state motto of New Hampshire, "Live Free or Die"...
premières, and also an advance screening of Alien Autopsy.
Reality television
From June 2008 to July 2011, the London auditions for the television series, The X FactorThe X Factor (UK series 5)
The fifth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in 2008. The series started on 16 August and was won by Alexandra Burke on 13 December, with new judge Cheryl Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April/May, with callbacks in front of the judges...
have been filmed at the arena, as well as the Bootcamp segments at the indigO2 for the 2008 series.
Theatrical and ice shows
The arena has hosted performances of Ben Hur LiveBen Hur Live
BEN HUR LIVE is a 2009 stage adaptation of Lew Wallace's novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Produced by Franz Abraham with music and narration by Stewart Copeland, it premièred on 17 September 2009 at the O2 Arena in London, the first date of its European tour....
and Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs is a six-part documentary television miniseries that was produced by BBC, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, and first aired in the United Kingdom, in 1999. The series was subsequently aired in North America on the Discovery Channel in 2000, with Branagh's voice replaced with that...
The Arena Spectacular. Other such events include Viva La Diva, Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
live tour.
Ice show
Ice show
An ice show refers to an entertainment production which is primarily performed by ice skaters. Such shows may primarily be skating exhibitions, or may be musical and/or dramatic in nature, using skating as a medium in order to accompany a musical work or to present a story. The term ice show...
s have included Disney On Ice
Disney on Ice
Disney On Ice is a touring ice show produced by Feld Entertainment under agreement with The Walt Disney Company. Aimed primarily at children, the shows feature figure skaters dressed as Disney cartoon characters in performances that each derive their music and plot from elements collected from...
and High School Musical On Ice.
In October 2010, the arena was host to the 25th Anniversary concert of the musical Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
Christmas and New Year celebrations
December 2009 saw a Christmas spectacular in association with Raymond GubbayRaymond Gubbay
Raymond Gubbay is a classical music promoter and impresario based in London. The programme to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his starting out as a promoter says that, after arranging small scale concerts around the UK, he began gradually to promote in London...
, introduced by Mylene Klass, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
, the Royal Choral Society
Royal Choral Society
The Royal Choral Society is an amateur choir, based in London. Formed soon after the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, the choir gave its first performance as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society on 8 May 1872 – the choir's first conductor Charles Gounod included the Hallelujah Chorus from...
, tenor Jon Christos
Jon Christos
Jon Christos is an English singer and local radio presenter.A classically trained tenor, he is best known for an album of operatically-styled crossover music.-Early years and education :...
and soprano's Alison Jiear
Alison Jiear
Alison Jiear is a popular cabaret artist on the London cabaret circuit. Alison was trained at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Australia....
and Stephanie Corley.
Church events
In September 2009, Hillsong Church London's 10-year anniversary church service was hosted at the O2 Arena. The venue was filled to capacity, causing over 4,000 attendees to be turned away at the doors.On 20 August 2010 there was a Christ Embassy Night Of Bliss with Pastor Chris
Chris Oyakhilome
Christian Oyakhilome is a Nigerian televangelist, faith healer and founding president of Believers' LoveWorld Incorporated also known as "Christ Embassy", a Pentecostal Christian ministry headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. The pastor's television programs feature his faith healing and been targeted...
Service held at the O2 Arena.
In 2010, Hillsong Conference Europe was held in the O2 Arena. Guests for the 2010 Hillsong Conference Europe include, Joel and Victoria Osteen, Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff and Lakewood Team, Judah Smith and Jentezen Franklin. More than 5,000 delegates attended the 2010 Hillsong Conference Europe at the O2 Arena. Special guests Joel and Victoria Osteen were invited to the 2010 conference, a sold out turn out of more than 13,000 people turned for the A Night of Hope in London (part of the conference that year). Hillsong London held their annual Hillsong Conference Europe 2011 once again at the O2 Arena. They moved the date from their usual October date to July during the summer break to accommodate more people and to encourage more people to attend the Conference. Guests included Priscilla Shirer
Priscilla Shirer
Priscilla Shirer, a speaker and author, has spent more than a decade addressing major corporations, organizations, and Christian audiences across the United States and around the world. Most recently Priscilla has focused on teaching the Bible to women through an expository teaching style.The...
, Joseph Prince
Joseph Prince
Joseph Prince is the senior pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore, one of Asia's biggest churches. He was one of the young pioneers who founded the church in 1983.-Background:...
, TD Jakes and Israel & New Breed
Israel Houghton
-Other recordings :* "Champions for Christ" - Hi5 * "Where Are the Fathers?" from He-Motions * "Send Me to the Nations" from A Wing & A Prayer...
. Due to the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
Hillsong London will be hosting Conference in Norway and Stockholm, Sweden in 2012. Conference will return to the O2 Arena on its usual date in October 2013.
In 2011, a combined event for the celebration of Pentecost was held at the O2 Arena as a joint effort between churches Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB Churches), Hillsong Church London and Jesus House. They had an attendance of over 16,000 delegates, they will return in 2012.
Other events
The O2 Arena held the Scout event Live 07 in 2007 to celebration of the centenary of the ScoutScouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
movement.
The O2 Arena hosted Andrew Reynolds Entrepreneurs Bootcamp – the largest conference event held to date at the venue. Andrew Reynolds Bootcamp broke a UK record with its innovative High Definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
projection screen – not only the largest ever used at the O2 Arena – but the largest indoor screen in the UK. Measuring around 34.5 metres by 12 metres, the huge screen formed the central part of a huge stage set for the Entrepreneurs event which was provided by smyle.co.uk.