Unibet Arena

2025-05-25T22:22:30Z

2600:100F:A021:8696:34E5:9DCA:7844:2B9C: /* History */

{{Short description|Indoor arena in Tallinn, Estonia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Unibet Arena
| nickname =
| fullname =
| image = Unibet Arena.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| location = [[Haabersti (subdistrict)|Haabersti]], [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]]
| coordinates = {{coord|59|25|34|N|24|38|51|E|type:landmark_scale:3000|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = 7 July 2000<ref name="Construction">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohtuleht.ee/97797/saku-hall-saab-13-kuuga-valmis|title=Saku hall saab 13 kuuga valmis|trans-title=Saku hall will be ready in 13 months|website=www.ohtuleht.ee|language=et|date=19 October 2000|access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref>
| opened = November 2001
| renovated =
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Marcel Vichmann
| operator = OÜ Best Idea
| surface = Versatile
| construction_cost =
| architect = Esa Viitanen (Pro Ark OY) Andres Kariste (North Project AS)
| project_manager = Lemminkäinen Eesti AS<ref name="Construction"/>
| former_names = Saku Suurhall (2001–2022)
| tenants = [[BC Kalev/Cramo]] ([[Korvpalli Meistriliiga|KML]]) (2001–present) [[Estonia men's national basketball team]] (2001–present)
| seating_capacity = [[Concert]]s: 10,000 (with standing) [[Basketball]]: 7,200 seated
| dimensions =
}}
[[File:Saku Suurhall (cropped).jpg|250px|thumb|Unibet Arena (then Saku Suurhall) in May 2017]]
'''Unibet Arena''' (named '''Saku Suurhall''' until 31 December 2022<ref name="ERR">{{Cite web|last=Voltri|first=Johannes|date=19 December 2022|title=Saku Suurhall Unibet rebranding does not infringe advertising laws|url=https://news.err.ee/1608824773/saku-suurhall-unibet-rebranding-does-not-infringe-advertising-laws|access-date=22 December 2022|website=ERR|language=en|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202211617/https://news.err.ee/1608824773/saku-suurhall-unibet-rebranding-does-not-infringe-advertising-laws|url-status=live}}</ref>) is a multi-purpose [[indoor arena]] in the [[Haabersti (subdistrict)|Haabersti]] subdistrict of the Estonian capital, [[Tallinn]]. Opened in November 2001, it is the largest multi-purpose hall in the country with around 7,200 seats but can hold up to 10,000 people.<ref name="sakusuurhall.ee, 2020" />

It generally hosts [[basketball]] games, as well as sport competitions, trade fairs, corporate events and concerts. The name sponsor for the arena is the Swedish sports betting company [[Unibet]] and the venue is owned by businessman Marcel Vichmann via his company Best Idea OÜ.<ref name="ERR"/>

==History==
[[File:Unibet Arena õhuvaade.jpg|thumb|250x250px|A view of [[Haabersti (subdistrict)|Haabersti]] in 2023. On the photo is Unibet Arena and [[Rocca al Mare Shopping Centre]].]]
Initial plans for the arena were announced in August 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/269/|title=Estonia to construct the biggest arena in the Baltics|first=Kairi|last=Kurm|website=[[baltictimes.com]]|date=12 August 1999|access-date=23 December 2022|archive-date=23 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223212929/https://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/269/|url-status=live}}</ref> Unibet Arena opened in November 2001. Since 2002, the arena is a member of the [[European Arenas Association]] (EAA).

A total of 13,220 m2 spread over four floors. Every year around 300 events take place in the hall, of which about 70 are major events. It accommodates up to 10,000 spectators, of which 7,200 are seated. The first event in the hall was the Irish dance show [[Lord of the Dance (musical)|''Lord of the Dance'']].<ref name="sakusuurhall.ee, 2020">{{cite web |title=FAKTE HALLIST - Unibet Arena |url=https://www.unibetarena.ee/kulastajale/fakte-hallist/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301172340/http://www.unibetarena.ee/kulastajale/fakte-hallist/ |archive-date=1 March 2020 |access-date=31 December 2022 |website=www.unibetarena.ee |language=et}}</ref>

In 2029, the arena is set to host the group phase matches of the [[EuroBasket 2029|FIBA EuroBasket]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://about.fiba.basketball/en/regions/europe/news/fiba-eurobasket-2029-hosts-announced|title=FIBA EuroBasket 2029 hosts announced|website=FIBA|date=22 May 2025|access-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>

==Past events==
Some of the notable events, which took place in the arena are:

===Music===
* [[Eurovision Song Contest 2002]]
* [[Pirate Station]] Future (22 November 2008) & Immortal (18 December 2009)
* [[Eesti Laul]] final (2016–2022, 2025)

===Sports===
*[[Tallinn International Horse Show]] (2002–present)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tallinnhorseshow.ee/info-2/history/|title=History – Tallinn International Horse Show|access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref>
*[[Simpel Session]] (2004–present)
*[[2002 European Karate Championships|2002]] and [[2008 European Karate Championships]]
*[[2010 European Figure Skating Championships]]
*[[2013 European Cadet Judo Championships]]
*[[2013 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship]]
*2015 Toyota Four Nations Cup
*[[2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship]] (Pool D matches)
*[[2023 Women's European Volleyball Championship]] (Pool D matches)
*[[2024 European Junior Judo Championships]]
*[[2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships]]

==Concerts==
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Alice Cooper]]
*[[Alice in Chains]]
*[[Anne Veski]]
*[[Alla Pugacheva]]
*[[Avril Lavigne]]
*[[Backstreet Boys]]
*[[Bastille (band)|Bastille]]
*[[Bob Dylan]]
*[[Bring Me the Horizon]]
*[[Bryan Adams]]
*[[Cascada]]
*[[Chase & Status]]
*[[Chris Rea]]
*[[Cirque du Soleil]]
*[[Darren Hayes]]
*[[Deep Purple]]
*[[Def Leppard]]
*[[Demis Roussos]]
*[[Depeche Mode]]
*[[Disturbed (band)|Disturbed]]
*[[Ed Sheeran]]
*[[Elton John]]
*[[Enrique Iglesias]]
*[[Flyleaf (band)|Flyleaf]]
*[[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]]
*[[Good Charlotte]]
*[[Gregorian (band)|Gregorian]]
*[[Haloo Helsinki!]]
*[[Hurts (duo)|Hurts]]
*[[Imagine Dragons]]
*[[Irina Allegrova]]
*[[Iron Maiden]]
*[[James Blunt]]
*[[Jamiroquai]]
*[[Joe Cocker]]
*[[Judas Priest]]
*[[Korn]]
*[[Kraftwerk]]
*[[Kylie Minogue]]
*[[Lenny Kravitz]]
*[[Limp Bizkit]]
*[[Lordi]]
*[[Louis Tomlinson]]
*[[Mamma Mia! (musical)|Mamma Mia!]]
*[[Mariah Carey]]
*[[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]]
*[[Mark Knopfler]]
*[[Massive Attack]]
*[[Metallica]]
*[[Michael Bublé]]
*[[Muse (band)|Muse]]
*[[Nazareth (band)|Nazareth]]
*[[Nelly]]
*[[Nero (band)|Nero]]
*[[Nightwish]]
*[[OneRepublic]]
*[[Ozzy Osbourne]]
*[[Patricia Kaas]]
*[[Paul van Dyk]]
*[[Pet Shop Boys]]
*[[Phil Collins]]
*[[Pink (singer)|P!nk]]
*[[Placebo (band)|Placebo]]
*[[Plácido Domingo]]
*[[Rammstein]]
*[[R.E.M.]]
*[[Ray Charles]]
*[[REO Speedwagon]]
*[[Rihanna]]
*[[Roxette]]
*[[Ruslana]]
*[[Sade (band)|Sade]]
*[[Sarah Brightman]]
*[[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]]
*[[Seal (musician)|Seal]]
*[[Simple Minds]]
*[[Simply Red]]
*[[Slipknot (band)]]
*[[Smokie (band)|Smokie]]
*[[Sting (musician)|Sting]]
*[[Styx (band)|Styx]]
*[[Suzi Quatro]]
*[[t.A.T.u.]]
*[[The Bravery]]
*[[The Prodigy]]
*[[The Sweet]]
*[[Thirty Seconds To Mars]]
*[[Tiësto]]
*[[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]]
*[[Toto Cutugno]]
*[[Underworld (band)|Underworld]]
*[[Vanessa-Mae]]
*[[Vanilla Ninja]]
*[[Vaya Con Dios (band)|Vaya Con Dios]]
*[[Whitesnake]]
*[[Within Temptation]]
*[[Yes (band)|Yes]]
*[[Zemfira]]
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
*[[List of indoor arenas in Estonia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|https://www.unibetarena.ee}} {{in lang|et}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
|title=[[Eurovision Song Contest]] Venue
|before=[[Parken Stadium]] [[Copenhagen]]
|after=[[Skonto Hall]] [[Riga]]
|years='''[[Eurovision Song Contest 2002|2002]]'''
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Tallinn landmarks}}
{{EAA members}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Music venues in Estonia]]
[[Category:Music venues completed in 2001]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2001]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Estonia]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Estonia]]
[[Category:Basketball venues in Estonia]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in Estonia]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Estonia]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Tallinn]]

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Unibet Arena