The O2 Arena

{{Short description|Indoor arena in London, England}} {{About|the indoor arena located in London||O2 Arena (disambiguation){{!}}O2 Arena}} {{Use British English|date=May 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox venue | name = The O2 Arena | nickname = | logo_image = 180px | image = 250px | caption = Entrance to the arena in 2020 | fullname = The O2 Arena | location = Greenwich, London, SE10 | coordinates = {{coord|51.5029|N|0.0032|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = United Kingdom London Greenwich | broke_ground = | built = 2003–2007 | opened = 24 June 2007 | renovated = | expanded = | owner = Homes England | operator = Ansco Arena Limited (AEG Live) Europe | capacity = 20,000<ref name="telegraph2008" /> | surface = Versatile | former_names = North Greenwich Arena (during the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics) | architect = HOK Sport (now Populous) <ref name="architect">{{cite web|title=Transforming a tent into the World's favourite venue|url=https://populous.com/project/the-o2-london/|website=Populous|access-date=13 February 2018}}</ref> | structural_engineer = Buro Happold | services_engineer = M-E Engineers Ltd.<ref>[http://www.me-engineers.com/arenas.htm# O2 Arena – ME Engineers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124040655/http://www.me-engineers.com/arenas.htm |date=24 November 2017 }}</ref> | general_contractor = Sir Robert McAlpine | project_manager = | main_contractors = | tenants = {{ubl|2012 Summer Olympics (2012)|2012 Summer Paralympics (2012)|ATP Finals (2009–2020)}} | dimensions = | website = {{URL|theo2.co.uk}} | public_transit = {{rint|london|underground}} {{lus|North Greenwich}} }} '''The O2 Arena''', locally referred to as '''the O2''', is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of The O2 entertainment district on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London, England. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the third-highest seating capacity of any indoor venue in the United Kingdom, behind Co-op Live and Manchester Arena, and in 2008 was the world's busiest music arena.<ref name="telegraph2008">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/2788214/The-lemon-Dome-that-was-transformed-into-O2s-concert-crown.html |title=The Lemon Dome That Was Transformed into O2's Concert Crown |last=White |first=Dominic |date=15 April 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=7 May 2011}}</ref>

The arena and broader complex were built within the former Millennium Dome, a large dome-shaped building intended for an exhibition celebrating the turn of the third millennium. As of 2022, it is the ninth-largest building in the world by volume with a diameter of 365 metres (399 yards) and a height of 52 metres (57 yards). It is named after its primary sponsor, the telecommunications company O2, a subsidiary of Virgin Media O2. The nearest tube station is North Greenwich on the Jubilee line.

==History== Following the closure of the Millennium Experience at the end of 2000, the Millennium Dome was leased to Meridian Delta Ltd. in December 2001, for redevelopment as an entertainment complex. This included plans for an indoor arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1717280.stm|title=New life for Millennium Dome|publisher=BBC News|date=18 December 2001|access-date=10 October 2017}}</ref>

Construction of the arena started in 2003, and finished in 2007. In December 2004, after the interior of the dome had been largely cleared and before building work inside began, the dome was used as the main venue for the annual Crisis Open Christmas organised by the London-based homelessness charity Crisis.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4129855.stm | publisher = BBC News | title=Dome sleeps 700 over festive week | date=28 December 2004 | access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref>

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.<ref name="architect" /> 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 arena building itself takes up 40% of the total dome structure.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The O2 Turns 15: 'A Living, Breathing Music Machine' |first=Gideon |last=Gottfried |date=6 July 2022 |magazine=Pollstar |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2022/07/06/the-o2-turns-15-a-living-breathing-music-machine/ |access-date=18 February 2023 |quote=''[includes]'' A cutaway render of the arena, courtesy of Populous architects.}}</ref>

The seating arrangement throughout the whole arena can be modified, similar to the AO Arena in Manchester.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.audiencesystems.net/admin/presscentre/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=15 |title=wins contract at O2 Arena |publisher=Audience Systems |access-date=7 May 2011 |archive-date=27 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227032001/http://www.audiencesystems.net/admin/presscentre/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=15 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 designed to reduce echoing, a problem common among older arenas used for concerts.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6225452.stm | publisher = BBC News | title=Dome's hi-tech refit for The O2 | date=21 June 2007 | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Damage to The O2 Arena's tent caused by Storm Eunice.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Damage to the O2's tent, above the roof of the O2 Arena, caused by Storm Eunice (2022)]] On 18 February 2022 during Storm Eunice, large sections of the arena's fabric roof were shredded, causing the evacuation of 1,000 people, and the venue to close.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Halliday |first1=Josh |last2=Morris |first2=Steven |last3=Rodrigues |first3=Jason |last4=Greenfield |first4=Patrick |title=Storm Eunice live: winds of up to 122mph as millions urged to stay inside after Met Office red weather warning |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2022/feb/18/storm-eunice-london-added-to-red-weather-warning-as-met-office-urges-millions-to-stay-indoors-live-news-updates |access-date=18 February 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=18 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Hubbard |first=Ben |author-link= |user=BJFHubbard |number=1494660067848773632|date=18 February 2022 |title=Dome update - six panels shredded and counting ! |access-date=18 February 2022}} (includes video footage)</ref> It was later announced that repair works would take place and that the arena was likely to reopen on 25 February 2022, for a UB40 concert.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60462291 |title=Storm Eunice: O2 arena remains closed due to damaged roof |date=21 February 2022 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=21 February 2022}}</ref> The repairs took place as planned, with the O2 Arena reopened as scheduled.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60514858 |title=Storm Eunice: O2 Arena reopens after Storm damage |date=25 February 2022 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>

==Events== {{Main|List of events at the O2 Arena}} [[File:The O2 Arena, Prince.jpg|left|thumb|Prince's stage for his sold-out 21-night residency The Earth Tour, 2007]]

The O2 Arena has hosted a variety of events, including but not limited to: sports events, concerts, music festivals, comedy shows, conferences, and the Olympics.

Beginning in July 2009, American singer Michael Jackson was scheduled to hold a 50-show residency at the arena, titled This Is It.<ref name="Rolling Stone 50 dates, 1 million tickets">{{cite magazine |first=Daniel|last=Kreps |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010-80233/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313050408/http://www.rollingstone.com//rockdaily//index.php//2009//03//12//michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010// |archive-date=13 March 2009 |title=Michael Jackson's 'This Is It!' Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=7 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7941221.stm|title=Michael Jackson tickets sell out |work=BBC News |date=13 March 2009 |access-date=18 August 2019 |language=en-GB}}</ref> However, he died on 25 June, eighteen days before the first scheduled show.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sherwin |first=Adam |title=O2 arena counts cost as curtain closes on the greatest show of all |url= https://www.thetimes.com/article/o2-arena-counts-cost-as-curtain-closes-on-the-greatest-show-of-all-fhfn8vnmgr3 |newspaper=The Times |date=26 June 2009 |access-date=7 December 2021}}</ref>

During the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the venue was referred as the '''North Greenwich Arena''' due to Olympics regulations regarding corporate sponsorship of event sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/O2-Arena-forced-Olympic-rebrand-following-sponsor-clash/941349|title=O2 Arena forced into Olympic rebrand following sponsor clash |last=Quilter |first=James |date=7 December 2021 |work=Campaign}}</ref>

The arena hosted the ATP World Tour Finals between 2009 and 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/48036923 |title=ATP Finals moving from London to Turin from 2021 to 2025 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=16 February 2022 }}</ref>

[[File:ATP World Tour Final Tennis at The 02 Arena London.jpg|thumb|O2 Arena hosting a tennis match at the ATP World Tour Finals]]

Since March 2013, the arena has hosted C2C: Country to Country, Europe's largest country music festival, which annually attracts over 20,000 fans. UK and Irish acts, as well as up-and-coming American acts, perform sets several times across various pop-up stages in and around the arena, with the main stage accessible only to ticket-holders. The seventh C2C was held on 8–10 March 2019.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gage |first=Jeff |date=28 January 2019 |title=Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban to Headline 2019 C2C Festival |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/c2c-festival-lineup-chris-stapleton-keith-urban-785513/ |access-date=25 May 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 15 October 2022, the O2 hosted a boxing match between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall that was the first time two female boxers headlined at a major venue in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Claressa Shields beats Savannah Marshall by unanimous decision in undisputed middleweight title fight |url=https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/12720944/shields-reigns-supreme-over-marshall-in-epic-undisputed-clash |first1= Cameron |last1=Hogwood |date=16 October 2022 |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=Sky Sports |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019214300/https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/12720944/shields-reigns-supreme-over-marshall-in-epic-undisputed-clash |archive-date= 19 October 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall: American produces career-best performance in historic fight |first1=Coral |last1=Barry |date=15 October 2022 |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/63273495 |access-date=16 October 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016013244/https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/63273495 |archive-date=16 October 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/oct/14/claressa-shields-and-savannah-marshall-lead-historic-night-of-uk-womens-boxing|title=Shields and Marshall lead historic night of UK women's boxing|date=14 October 2022|website=The Guardian |first1=Donald |last1=McRae |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127143903/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/oct/14/claressa-shields-and-savannah-marshall-lead-historic-night-of-uk-womens-boxing |archive-date= 27 November 2022 }}</ref> Shields won, and the fight headlined the first all-female boxing card in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2022-10-15/savannah-marshall-loses-grudge-match-against-claressa-shields-in-close-battle|title=Savannah Marshall loses grudge match Claressa Shields in first ever all-female UK boxing card |date=16 October 2022|website=ITV News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111045834/https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2022-10-15/savannah-marshall-loses-grudge-match-against-claressa-shields-in-close-battle |archive-date= 11 November 2022 }}</ref>

On 1 July 2023, the O2 Arena hosted WWE Money In The Bank,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Money in the Bank headed to The O2 in London on Saturday, July 1 |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/moneyinthebank/article/money-in-the-bank-headed-to-the-o2-in-london-july-01-2023 |date=5 January 2023 |access-date=7 January 2023 |website=WWE |language=en}}</ref> as well as the 30 June 2023 go-home episode of ''Friday Night SmackDown'' beforehand, which was the first time the show aired live on BT Sport (Now known as TNT Sports).<ref>{{cite news |title=Friday Night Smackdown® Headed to the O2 in London the Night Before Money in the Bank |url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2023/02-09-2023 |access-date=19 November 2023 |work=WWE.com (Corporate) |date=9 February 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223141522/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2023/02-09-2023 |archive-date= 23 February 2023 }}</ref>

On 2 November 2024, the O2 Arena hosted the finals of the 2024 League of Legends World Championship.<ref>{{cite web |title=2024 World Final Set for The O2 in London |url=https://lolesports.com/article/2024-world-final-set-for-the-o2-in-london/blt2a2304e7afac378b |website=LoL Esports |access-date=19 November 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231214212056/https://lolesports.com/article/2024-world-final-set-for-the-o2-in-london/blt2a2304e7afac378b |archive-date= 14 December 2023 }}</ref> T1 of the League of Legends Champions Korea claimed their fifth title against Bilibili Gaming of China's League of Legends Pro League.

On 30 May 2025, heavy metal band Babymetal became the first Japanese artist to headline, and sell out, a show at the O2 Arena.<ref>{{cite web |title=日本人アーティスト史上初！約2万人を動員するロンドン・O2アリーナ単独公演をSOLD OUTで完遂！ロサンゼルス・INTUIT DOMEでの単独公演も発表！ |publisher=Universal Music Japan |date=2 June 2025 |url=https://www.universal-music.co.jp/babymetal/news/2025-06-02/ |access-date=8 June 2025}}</ref>

On 26 August 2024 at All In, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced that the 2025 Forbidden Door will take place at The O2 Arena on 24 August 2025. The event broke the arena's record attendance for a professional wrestling event with 18,992 fans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/aew-njpw-fordbidden-door-attendance-record/|title=Tony Khan Announces AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Breaks O2 Arena Wrestling Attendance Record, Martha Hart And Oje Hart Appear|website=Fightful|date=24 August 2025|access-date=24 August 2025}}</ref>

On 18 February 2025, the O2 Arena hosted F1 75 Live, the first ever collective season launch in Formula 1 history. Hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall, the event commemorated the sport's 75th anniversary year, featuring presentations from all 10 competing teams alongside musical performances by artists such as MGK, Kane Brown, Brian Tyler, and Take That.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/host-and-global-music-line-up-announced-for-f1-75-live-launch-event.379GLDE4X07k7476mz39aM |title=F1 LAUNCH 2025: Host and global music line-up announced for F1 75 Live launch event at The O2 {{!}} Formula 1® |date=17 February 2025 |access-date=9 March 2026}}</ref>

==Ticket sales records== [[File:Basket Ball at the O2 Arena.jpg|thumb|right|New Jersey Nets v Miami Heat, an NBA game in the O2 Arena]] Despite being open for only 200 days per year (the equivalent of seven months), 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 Manchester Arena (1.25 million) and Madison Square Garden in New York City (1.23 million).

As of 2023, the O2 Arena was the third busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales.<ref>{{cite web |title=pollstar twitter account data |url=https://x.com/Pollstar/status/1734335239227404509/photo/1}}</ref> {| class="wikitable collapsible" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="3" scope="col" |World's Busiest Arenas – 2023<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 December 2023 |title=TOP 200 ARENA VENUES 2023, pollstar twitter account |url=https://x.com/Pollstar/status/1734335239227404509/photo/1}}</ref> |- !Venue !Ticket sales |- |Madison Square Garden, New York City, US |1,985,832 |- |Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile |1,451,098 |- |'''The O2 Arena''', London, UK |1,264,882 |- |WiZink Center, Madrid, Spain |1,191,860 |- |Accor Arena, Paris, France |1,134,237 |- |Kia Forum, Inglewood, US |1,100,855 |- |Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, US |1,015,253 |- |OVO Hydro, Glasgow, UK |1,012,333 |- |Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany |1,004,777 |- |3Arena, Dublin, Ireland |975,640 |}

==Prizes and awards== *2016 Pollstar International Venue of the Year *2016 Billboard Touring Awards: Top Arena *2016 The London Venue Awards: Best Music Venue *2016 The Drum UK Event Awards: Large Venue of the Year *2017 Pollstar International Venue of the Year

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|The O2 Arena}} * {{Official website}} * [https://archive.today/20121209051745/http://www.london2012.com/venue/north-greenwich-arena/ London 2012 Olympics profile] (archived 9 December 2012)

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