Every city boasts a stadium or sports arena that hosts a variety of competitions, festivals, and events, and Liverpool is certainly no exception. The city is home to numerous impressive sports complexes. Today, we’re diving into the Liverpool Arena, a versatile indoor venue right in the heart of the city, forming a key part of the ACC Liverpool campus. For more details, you can always check out iliverpool.info.
A Look Back at Its Origins
The Liverpool Arena first opened its doors in January 2008, though it was initially known as the Echo Arena Liverpool. Its grand opening was quite the spectacle, featuring “Liverpool the Musical,” a show that involved an incredible 700 performers and took a whopping 15,000 hours to bring to life.
That moment marked the beginning of this multi-purpose indoor arena’s remarkable journey. In just over a decade, it has welcomed more than seven million visitors and staged some 3,800 events, injecting a staggering over £1.5 billion into the local economy.
Ten years after its debut, in 2018, it was announced that the Echo Arena Liverpool would be rebranded. This change came as part of a sponsorship deal with M&S Bank, and in January 2019, the new name – Liverpool Arena – officially took effect, accompanied by an internal refresh of the venue itself.
Striking Design and Architecture
The Liverpool Arena was designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and Sport Concepts, and it truly is an impressive feat of engineering. The arena features 7,513 permanent seats arranged around three sides of the central floor, which is typically used for sporting events. For concerts, the capacity expands to over 10,500 seats.
Additionally, it boasts corporate boxes situated along the sides, six changing rooms, dedicated team changing rooms, and two promoter offices, ensuring it’s fully equipped for any event.
The arena frequently hosts a wide array of sporting competitions and various events. For instance, from 2008 to 2010, the Liverpool Arena was home to the Mersey Tigers basketball team. It also regularly stages the Liverpool International Horse Show, the Premier League Darts, and much more.
In 2021, the arena was set to host the final of the Rugby League Wheelchair World Cup. Unfortunately, the event had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notable Events at Liverpool Arena
In October 2023, the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced that the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 would be held in Liverpool. This decision came about because the winning country, Ukraine, was unable to host due to the ongoing conflict, leading to Liverpool being chosen as the host city, with the Liverpool Arena as the venue.
The contest comprised two semi-finals, and interestingly, Eurovision 2023 marked a record for the UK, as it was the ninth time the song contest had been held on British soil.
It’s worth remembering that the BBC organised Eurovision in close collaboration with Ukraine’s Public Broadcasting Company and Ukrainian artists. Liverpool embraced its role as host, with Ukrainian language posters and large nightingale figures symbolising different regions of Ukraine displayed throughout the city. Notably, three thousand tickets for the contest were given to Ukrainian refugees living in Europe.
However, Eurovision isn’t the only major musical event to grace the Liverpool Arena. It has also hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008 and concerts by global superstars like Justin Bieber, Little Mix, Paul McCartney, and Beyoncé.
While the Liverpool Arena is a relatively recent addition to our city, it has already hosted a wealth of sporting, entertainment, and cultural events. We hope this piece has been informative and helped you discover even more about our beloved Liverpool!