Hallam FM Arena
Encyclopedia
Motorpoint Arena Sheffield (originally Sheffield Arena and formerly Hallam FM Arena) is an arena
in Sheffield
, England. It is situated near Rotherham
, Sheffield
City Centre, Attercliffe
, Meadowhall
and the Centertainment
and is the premier concert venue for Yorkshire
.
The arena opened as Sheffield Arena and was renamed Hallam FM Arena, but returned to its original name as of 1 November 2007. On 9 August 2010, Sheffield Arena was officially renamed Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, after the Derby based car sales company invested £1 million to rename the venue.
It is well known for hosting big name concerts and sporting events.
34 million, it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II
on 30 May 1991.
The first concert took place that evening, Paul Simon
playing as part of his "Born At The Right Time" tour. The Arena then took on the role of Gymnastics Hall for the 1991 World Student Games which were held in the city and which prompted the investment in, and development of, both the arena and nearby Don Valley Stadium
.
Around 7 million people have attended events at the arena since it opened. It has a maximum capacity of 13,500.
, Avril Lavigne, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Beyonce, Elton John, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Depeche Mode, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Tina Turner, Cher, Bon Jovi, Pink, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Tom Jones, Sting, Prince and Kylie Minogue. Britney Spears
will perform at the arena on November 5th 2011 as part of her Femme Fatale Tour
. Also some of the worlds biggest bands/groups have played the arena including Def Leppard, Westlife, Take That, Spice Girls, The Killers, Duran Duran, Pussycat Dolls, Aerosmith, Scissor Sisters, Wet Wet Wet, AC/DC, Backstreet Boys, Oasis, Artic Monkeys, KISS, Queen + Paul Rodgers, Journey, Coldplay, Muse, Green Day, Paramore, JLS, Iron Maiden, Elbow. The Saturdays will make their arena debut in October 2011 and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Will Make theirs in February 2012.
Tina Turner
concluded her 50th Anniversary Tour here on 5 May 2009. Selling out show, Tina called the audience 'terrific' because the public go crazy. At present this is Tina Turner's last ever concert.
which is held every year over November/December. TV shows such as The X Factor, Britains Got Talent Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing On Ice visit the arena every year as part of their tours.
The arena is a regular venue for some of the worlds best known Comedians such as Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr, Al Murray, Russel Howard and Peter Kay who in 2011 played the arena for 5 nights running with all shows selling out within hours of going on sale.
The arena has hosted major special high profile events, including The International Indian Film Academy Awards
, which took place on Saturday, 9 June 2007 and was broadcast live around the world. This included a season hosted by the city of Sheffield
and nearby Leeds
. Also, in 2009, the arena hosted the annual BBC 1xtra concert and the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
. The arena was also the location of the Labour Party
's infamous 1992 Sheffield Rally
. Attended by over 10,000 party members and the entire shadow cabinet, the rally was held just days before the general election, which Labour were widely expected to win. Modelled on American-style political conventions, the event was seen as a success to those within the hall but was less favourably received outside, with many voters viewing it as triumphalist in nature. The Sheffield Rally is often cited as a key factor in John Major
's victory in the 1992 election.
The Sheffield arena is used regular for sporting events and is the home to the citys Elite League Ice Hockey team the Sheffield Steelers
The arena has hosted major boxing events such as when Joe Calzaghe
first won his WBO world title here on 11 October 1997 against former world champion Chris Eubank
. On the same bill Sheffield born Naseem Hamed
defended his WBO title against Jose Badillo. On 26 November 2005 Ricky Hatton
extended his unbeaten record to 40–0, defending his IBF
and Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight world titles and winning the WBA
belt by 9th round knockout against Carlos Maussa
. Sheffield
fighter Clinton Woods
also defended his IBF light-heavyweight title against Mexican Julio Cesar Gonzalez
on two occasions, winning on points both times.
WWE visit the arena up to twice a year and have also used the arena for broadcasting their weekliy TV shows RAW
and Smackdown as well as the Rebellion 2000 live PPV..
Premier League darts also appear at the arena every April.
ice hockey
team who play in the Elite Ice Hockey League
and are the Elite League Champions and are one of the countries top ice hockey teams.
, an independent charity
, and managed under contract by the US media giant Live Nation UK
.
entertainment complex there is also another tram stop.
will construct its own arena
of comparable size which will directly compete with Sheffield Arena. The arena's construction has caused controversy because it is funded partly by the government through Yorkshire Forward
, a regional development agency, whereas the Sheffield Arena attracted all funding independently with no help from the government. The owners of Sheffield Arena as well as Clive Betts
, the MP for Sheffield Attercliffe, have expressed opposition over Yorkshire Forward's funding of Leeds Arena which they see will cause considerable economic damage to Sheffield Arena, East Sheffield and Sheffield/South Yorkshire
itself, Yorkshire Forward have dismissed these claims and state that the arena will bring economic growth not only to Leeds and West Yorkshire
but to the entire region. Even if the construction of Leeds Arena does not lead to a significant reduction in concerts at Sheffield, the arena may suffer from a fewer customers as residents of Leeds will no longer have to travel to Sheffield to attend concerts. Sheffield is accusing Yorkshire Forward of favouring Leeds when the agency is supposed to represent Yorkshire as a whole and not invest in one city to the detriment of another. In response to outrage from Sheffield, the government has put plans to fund the arena on hold while they conduct an economic risk assessment.
Despite objections, funding has been secured for Leeds Arena, planning approval granted and site preparation/initial construction has in fact commenced according to BBC Yorkshire on 18 February 2011. Construction is due to be completed by 2012.
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...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England. It is situated near Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
City Centre, Attercliffe
Attercliffe
Attercliffe is an industrial suburb of northeast Sheffield, England on the south bank of the River Don.-History:The name Attercliffe can be traced back as far as an entry in the Domesday book -Ateclive- meaning at the cliffe, a small escarpment that lay alongside the River Don...
, Meadowhall
Meadowhall
Meadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies three miles north east of Sheffield city centre and four miles from Rotherham town centre....
and the Centertainment
Valley Centertainment
Valley Centertainment is a leisure and entertainment complex in the Don Valley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built on land previously occupied by steel mills near what is now Meadowhall and the Sheffield Arena...
and is the premier concert venue for Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
The arena opened as Sheffield Arena and was renamed Hallam FM Arena, but returned to its original name as of 1 November 2007. On 9 August 2010, Sheffield Arena was officially renamed Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, after the Derby based car sales company invested £1 million to rename the venue.
It is well known for hosting big name concerts and sporting events.
Construction and opening
Constructed at a cost of £Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
34 million, it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
on 30 May 1991.
The first concert took place that evening, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
playing as part of his "Born At The Right Time" tour. The Arena then took on the role of Gymnastics Hall for the 1991 World Student Games which were held in the city and which prompted the investment in, and development of, both the arena and nearby Don Valley Stadium
Don Valley Stadium
The Don Valley Stadium is a stadium in Sheffield, England and is the home of Rotherham United F.C.. The stadium is an athletics stadium which has hosted major UK Athletic events and the 1991 World Student Games. Sheffield Eagles RLFC and Parramore Sports FC also use the stadium. It was designed by...
.
Around 7 million people have attended events at the arena since it opened. It has a maximum capacity of 13,500.
Events
Music
The arena has played host over the years to the biggest music artists in the world including a-haA-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
, Avril Lavigne, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Beyonce, Elton John, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Depeche Mode, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Tina Turner, Cher, Bon Jovi, Pink, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Tom Jones, Sting, Prince and Kylie Minogue. Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
will perform at the arena on November 5th 2011 as part of her Femme Fatale Tour
Femme Fatale Tour
The Femme Fatale Tour is the seventh concert tour by American singer Britney Spears, in support of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. It was officially announced in March 2011, with dates for North American venues revealed. The tour was initially planned as a co-headlining tour with Enrique...
. Also some of the worlds biggest bands/groups have played the arena including Def Leppard, Westlife, Take That, Spice Girls, The Killers, Duran Duran, Pussycat Dolls, Aerosmith, Scissor Sisters, Wet Wet Wet, AC/DC, Backstreet Boys, Oasis, Artic Monkeys, KISS, Queen + Paul Rodgers, Journey, Coldplay, Muse, Green Day, Paramore, JLS, Iron Maiden, Elbow. The Saturdays will make their arena debut in October 2011 and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Will Make theirs in February 2012.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
concluded her 50th Anniversary Tour here on 5 May 2009. Selling out show, Tina called the audience 'terrific' because the public go crazy. At present this is Tina Turner's last ever concert.
Other Events
The arena also hosts annual events including Disney On IceDisney 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...
which is held every year over November/December. TV shows such as The X Factor, Britains Got Talent Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing On Ice visit the arena every year as part of their tours.
The arena is a regular venue for some of the worlds best known Comedians such as Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr, Al Murray, Russel Howard and Peter Kay who in 2011 played the arena for 5 nights running with all shows selling out within hours of going on sale.
The arena has hosted major special high profile events, including The International Indian Film Academy Awards
International Indian Film Academy Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, also known as the IIFA Awards are presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in...
, which took place on Saturday, 9 June 2007 and was broadcast live around the world. This included a season hosted by the city of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and nearby Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. Also, in 2009, the arena hosted the annual BBC 1xtra concert and the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
. The arena was also the location of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's infamous 1992 Sheffield Rally
Sheffield Rally
The Sheffield Rally was a political meeting held by the Labour Party on Wednesday 1 April 1992, a week ahead of the 1992 UK general election.The event was held at the Sheffield Arena, an indoor sports venue in Sheffield, England. It was attended by 10,000 Labour Party members, including the entire...
. Attended by over 10,000 party members and the entire shadow cabinet, the rally was held just days before the general election, which Labour were widely expected to win. Modelled on American-style political conventions, the event was seen as a success to those within the hall but was less favourably received outside, with many voters viewing it as triumphalist in nature. The Sheffield Rally is often cited as a key factor in John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
's victory in the 1992 election.
The Sheffield arena is used regular for sporting events and is the home to the citys Elite League Ice Hockey team the Sheffield Steelers
The arena has hosted major boxing events such as when Joe Calzaghe
Joe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
first won his WBO world title here on 11 October 1997 against former world champion Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
. On the same bill Sheffield born Naseem Hamed
Naseem Hamed
Naseem Hamed is an English former professional boxer.He is the former WBO, WBC, IBF, & Lineal featherweight champion, and European bantamweight champion....
defended his WBO title against Jose Badillo. On 26 November 2005 Ricky Hatton
Ricky Hatton
Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
extended his unbeaten record to 40–0, defending his IBF
IBF
IBF may refer to:*International Boxing Federation is one of several boxing organisations* International Bandy Federation former name of Federation of International Bandy , an international governing body for bandy...
and Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight world titles and winning the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
belt by 9th round knockout against Carlos Maussa
Carlos Maussa
Carlos "El Apóstol" Maussa is a former professional boxer and light welterweight titleholder. Turning pro in 2000, at the age of 29, Maussa won two titles and fought in several significant fights until his retirement at age 38.Maussa was raised in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Montería, a city...
. Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
fighter Clinton Woods
Clinton Woods
Clinton Woods , is a retired professional boxer from Sheffield, England. He is the former IBF, European, British, & Commonwealth light heavyweight champion....
also defended his IBF light-heavyweight title against Mexican Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Julio Cesar Gonzalez
Julio César González Ibarra is a Mexican boxer and the former Lineal & WBO light heavyweight champion.Gonzalez was born in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, and still claims Mexico as his native country although he has lived in the United States for several years...
on two occasions, winning on points both times.
WWE visit the arena up to twice a year and have also used the arena for broadcasting their weekliy TV shows 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 Smackdown as well as the Rebellion 2000 live PPV..
Premier League darts also appear at the arena every April.
Sheffield Steelers
The arena's resident sport team is the Sheffield SteelersSheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team who play in the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...
and are the Elite League Champions and are one of the countries top ice hockey teams.
Management
The arena is owned by Sheffield City TrustSheffield City Trust
Sheffield City Trust is a registered charity in the United Kingdom that owns and/or manages twelve entertainment and sports venues in Sheffield, England.-Charitable objectives:The Trust was established in 1988 with three charitable objects:...
, an independent charity
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
, and managed under contract by the US media giant Live Nation UK
Live Nation UK
Live Nation UK is the United Kingdom subsidiary of Live Nation, formerly the entertainment division of Clear Channel, a major US media conglomerate but now a separate and independent corporation worldwide...
.
- Security: In House
- Catering: In House
- Stewarding: ShowsecShowsecShowsec is a United Kingdom based supplier of crowd management and security services. It is part of the International Crowd Management and Security Group, with its sister organisation, The Security Company, being based in the Netherlands.-Company profile:...
- Merchandising: PantheonPantheon-Mythology:* Pantheon , the set of gods belonging to a particular mythology* Pantheon * Pantheon, Rome, now a Catholic church, once a temple to the gods of ancient Rome* Any temple dedicated to an entire pantheon-Other buildings:...
Franchise Ltd - Medical: In House (Red Cross trained staff)
Car
The arena has carparking available for around 2000 cars and the arena is located near the M1 motorway.Tram
The arena is connected to the Sheffield Supertram with a stop next to the arena. The main stop is 'arena don valley stadium'. Across the road at the Valley CentertainmentValley Centertainment
Valley Centertainment is a leisure and entertainment complex in the Don Valley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built on land previously occupied by steel mills near what is now Meadowhall and the Sheffield Arena...
entertainment complex there is also another tram stop.
Future competition with Leeds Arena
For nearly two decades Sheffield Arena has been the only major concert and sporting venue in the Yorkshire region, this however will now change as the city of LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
will construct its own arena
Leeds Arena
Leeds Arena is the name of an under-construction arena in the city centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The Leeds Arena will be a 13,500 capacity entertainment focussed arena, and will be the first in the United Kingdom to have a fan-shaped orientation....
of comparable size which will directly compete with Sheffield Arena. The arena's construction has caused controversy because it is funded partly by the government through Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency for the Yorkshire and the Humber region of the United Kingdom. It supports the development of business in the region by encouraging public and private investment in education, skills, environment and infrastructure...
, a regional development agency, whereas the Sheffield Arena attracted all funding independently with no help from the government. The owners of Sheffield Arena as well as Clive Betts
Clive Betts
Clive James Charles Betts is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Attercliffe from 1992 to 2010, when he became Member of Parliament for Sheffield South East.- Early life :...
, the MP for Sheffield Attercliffe, have expressed opposition over Yorkshire Forward's funding of Leeds Arena which they see will cause considerable economic damage to Sheffield Arena, East Sheffield and Sheffield/South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
itself, Yorkshire Forward have dismissed these claims and state that the arena will bring economic growth not only to Leeds and West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
but to the entire region. Even if the construction of Leeds Arena does not lead to a significant reduction in concerts at Sheffield, the arena may suffer from a fewer customers as residents of Leeds will no longer have to travel to Sheffield to attend concerts. Sheffield is accusing Yorkshire Forward of favouring Leeds when the agency is supposed to represent Yorkshire as a whole and not invest in one city to the detriment of another. In response to outrage from Sheffield, the government has put plans to fund the arena on hold while they conduct an economic risk assessment.
Despite objections, funding has been secured for Leeds Arena, planning approval granted and site preparation/initial construction has in fact commenced according to BBC Yorkshire on 18 February 2011. Construction is due to be completed by 2012.