Abdi İpekçi Arena

Abdi İpekçi Arena

File:Abdi İpekçi Arena.jpg
Former names	Abdi İpekçi Sports Complex
Location	10. Yıl Caddesi, Kazlıçeşme, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul
Coordinates	40°59′49″N 28°55′10″E
Owner	TBF
Capacity	Basketball: 12,500
Construction
Opened	1986 (1986)
Architect	Ragıp Buluç Ziya Tanalı Ercan Yener
Tenants
Anadolu Efes Galatasaray Odeabank Galatasaray Istanbul

Abdi İpekçi Arena, formerly known as Abdi İpekçi Sports Complex, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, Turkey, situated just outside the ancient city walls in Yedikule. Designed in 1979 and opened in 1986 after several years of interrupted construction, it is named after the renowned Turkish journalist Abdi İpekçi.

Facilities

The arena has an audience capacity of 12,500. It hosts national and international sports events such as basketball, volleyball, wrestling and weightlifting, concerts and congresses among others. The facility contains a multi-faced visual scoreboard, six online-system counters, four locker rooms, two internet rooms, a press room, two multi-purpose offices, VIP rooms, etc. Its parking lot has a capacity of 1,500 cars.

Events

The professional basketball teams of Galatasaray men's basketball team and Galatasaray women's basketball team play their Turkish League home matches since the 2009-2010 season in the Abdi İpekçi Arena. Some of the notable events, which took place in the arena are:

• 1992 European Champions Cup Final Four
• 1995 European Cup final
• 1996 FIBA EuroStars
• 1997 Girl Power! Live in Istanbul
• 2001 Depeche Mode concert Exciter Tour
• 2001 European Basketball Championship Final phase
• 2004 Eurovision Song Contest
• 2005 Phil Collins Concert
• 2007 Enrique Iglesias Concert
• 2009 European Short Course Swimming Championships
• 2009 Men's European Volleyball Championship
• 2010 FIBA World Championship
• 2011 European Judo Championships
• 2011 WWE SmackDown (November 2011)
• 2012 EuroLeague Women 2011–12 Final Eight
• 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women