P.A.O.K. Sports Arena

P.A.O.K. Sports Arena (Greek: Κλειστό γήπεδο ΠΑΟΚ) is an indoor arena that is located in Pylaia, Thessaloniki, Greece, and it hosts the P.A.O.K. B.C., P.A.O.K. V.C., and P.A.O.K. H.C. departments of the multi-sports club P.A.O.K. It was opened in 2000, and in the same year, it hosted the EuroLeague and Greek Cup final-fours. It is built on land donated by Ioannis Dedeoglou, for which P.A.O.K. B.C. holds an annual tournament in his honor. It has 8,500^[1] seats for fans and guests, and has 502 parking spots. The capacity for basketball and volleyball games with standing room, and for concerts is 10,200.

The P.A.O.K. volleyball department, P.A.O.K. V.C., had to wait until 2002, to begin using the stadium. The arena also includes a training facility, club offices, shops, and a museum dedicated to PAOK basketball club. The arena was renovated in 2016.^[2]

Directions to the stadium

The arena is located in southeast Thessaloniki, Greece, in the Pylea borough, 7 km from the city centre, and around 1 km from Thessaloniki's International Airport. The arena lies 300 meters off the junction, on a small hill. Bus lines #69, #72, and #76 provide public transport to the arena.

Construction of PAOK Sports Arena

PAOK B.C. had to wait 10 years from the laying of the arena's foundations (on March 18, 1990), and 12 years from the time Ioannis Dedeoglou donated the land (June 17, 1988), until the sports arena was complete.

Ioannis and his brother, Thanasis Dedeoglou, first began to think about a new major European sports arena in Thessaloniki in 1991, by donating land to PAOK. A proposal to host the 2000 FIBA EuroLeague Final Four in the new arena, increased the motivation to complete the stadium. FIBA Europe accepted the offer, and the construction was finished in time. The stadium also hosted, earlier that year, the 2000 Greek Cup Final Four, as its first major event.

Tournaments held

First Ioannis Dedeoglou Tournament

The first tournament took place in 2004, and four teams competed. They were Hemofarm, Panathinaikos, PAOK, and Ülker. The first games took place on September 24, 2004, in which Panathinaikos won against Hemofarm, by a score of 83-79, while PAOK beat Ülker, by a score of 77-57. The very next day, Hemofarm vs. Ulker and PAOK vs. Panathinaikos took place, to decide who would earn the final positions. Hemofarm beat Ulker by a score of 84-74, for its third-place finish, and PAOK beat Panathinaikos in a close game, by a score of 79-76, for first place.

Second Ioannis Dedeoglou Tournament

The second tournament was held in September 2005. The teams that participated were AEK, FC Barcelona, Red Star Belgrade, and PAOK. On the first day of the tournament, fans got to see a Greek derby between PAOK and AEK, which PAOK won by a score of 77-72. The next game of the day took place between Barcelona and Red Star, in which Barcelona won 77-67. The following day, AEK was pitted against Red Star, and lost 54-75. The final was a real feast for the eyes, as it finished with both teams tied at 87 points; it was a great game, in which Barcelona ended up beating PAOK, in overtime, by a score of 102-101.

EuroLeague 2000 Final Four

2000 Thessaloniki EuroLeague Final Four Logo.

PAOK Sports Arena hosted the 2000 FIBA EuroLeague Final Four.

Concerts

A number of concerts also take place in the arena. Artists that have performed at the arena include the Pet Shop Boys and Sakis Rouvas. On the 18 September 2010, The Prodigy performed at the arena, with an attendance of 10,000 people.

Breakdown of Matches

Final

• Panathinaikos Athens (Greece) - Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) 73-67

Third place

FC Barcelona (Spain) - Efes Pilsen 69-75 (Turkey)

Semi-Finals

• Panathinikos Athens (GRE) - Efes Pilsen (TUR) 81-71
• Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) - FC Barcelona (ESP) 65-51

Facts

• The arena's inaugural game was the 2000 Greek Cup semifinal between AEK Athens and Maroussi. AEK won the game, and subsequently went on to win the Greek Cup title.
• The arena's first game featuring PAOK, took place on March 17, 2000, against Panathinaikos.
• Maroussi player, Anatoly Zourpenko, scored the first points that were scored inside PAOK Sports Arena.
• PAOK Sports Arena is the largest privately owned arena in Greece, that has been regularly used to host basketball games at one time or another. The Olympic Indoor Hall and the Peace and Friendship Stadium (the long-time home arenas of Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, respectively) are larger, yet they are the property of the Greek state. Helliniko Olympic Arena is also larger, when it's in full capacity configuration, but it is also owned by the Greek state.

References

External links

• Info on the arena at stadia.gr