O2 arena nominated as the best international arena in 2017

november 22, 2017

The Prague O2 arena was nominated as the best international arena in 2017 for the prestigious Pollstar Awards, organized by the American concert tour industry magazine Pollstar. The O2 arena has been selected among the five best international venues outside the United States (‘International Venue of the Year’ category). So in 2017, it ranked among the London's famous Royal Albert Hall and The O2, the arena in Manchester, and the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.

“The nomination for the best arena in the world is a phenomenal success for us,” commented Robert Schaffer, the director and chairman of Bestsport, a.s. which owns and operates the O2 arena. “The nominations are voted by hundreds of professionals from the American and international show business and the promotion industry. Being among the top five arenas around the world, from the point of view of highly regarded showbiz experts, is a huge compliment on the work of our employees, ” said Robert Schaffer, adding: ” The nomination also reflects the unprecedented Laver Cup tennis tournament to which 400 journalists from around the world have been accredited, and the long-term successful collaboration of the O2 arena with large international promoters of the show business headed by Live Nation that brings here stars and events of which organization is the most challenging.”

There are approximately 200 arenas in the world with a capacity of over 15,000 spectators. The O2 arena, which currently has a capacity of around 18,000 seats, carries out the project of completing the multifunctional center which will be integrated with the existing building and will increase the capacity to a total of 30,000 visitors. “We appreciate the nomination but we definitely do not want to stagnate, so we have started building a new multifunctional center which directly links to the existing O2 arena. Our aim is to offer the promoters and other partners something extraordinary,” said Robert Schaffer, and elaborated further: “In the second quarter of 2019 the project should be completed, and will serve not only for concerts and various indoor sports but also for congresses demanding great space. We can host concerts for hundreds of people in these smaller halls but if we open the right door to the existing arena, we connect the two buildings with space for up to 30,000 visitors.”

Pollstar has been organizing this competition since 1984. The highest prize nominees are arenas that receive the most votes from several hundred voters selected by Pollstar magazine among the most respected American and foreign entertainment experts. Learn more at https://awards.pollstar.live

The construction of a new multifunctional center is in progress:

Bestsport, a.s., is part of PPF Group which invests into multiple market segments such as banking and financial services, telecommunications, biotechnology, insurance, real estate, and agriculture. PPF’s reach spans from Europe to Russia, the USA and across Asia. PPF Group owns assets of almost EUR 35 billion (as at 30 June 2017).