The Active Vilnius Arena is a 2,741-seat basketball arena in Vilnius, Lithuania, built next to Twinsbet Arena[2] that is used mostly as a home venue of Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League and Kibirkštis Vilnius of the Lithuanian Women's Basketball League.
Mini OAKA, The Hangar | |
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| Former names | Lietuvos rytas Arena (2005–18) Rytas Arena (2018–19) Jeep Arena (2019–24) |
|---|---|
| Address | Ozo g. 14A |
| Location | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Coordinates | 54°42′58″N 25°16′44″E / 54.716°N 25.2789°E |
| Owner | Vilnius City Municipality |
| Operator | Active Vilnius |
| Capacity | 2,500 |
| Record attendance | 2,741 (12 February 2020)[1] |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 28, 2005 |
| Expanded | 2014 |
| Construction cost | 2.3 million EUR |
| Tenants | |
| Rytas Vilnius Kibirkštis Vilnius Perlas Vilnius | |
History
editIn 2014, its capacity was expanded from 1,700 seats to 2,500 seats with the aim to host EuroCup games.[3]
In 2021, the arena was bought from BC Rytas by the Vilnius City Municipality for €3.56 million.[4]
After Avia Solutions Group Arena went into reconstruction in 2022, the arena became Rytas’ full-time home ground. Before the 2022-23 season, Rytas only played their home games in the Jeep Arena for Lithuanian Basketball League fixtures and used the bigger arena for Basketball Champions League home games.
Tenants
editMore important or highly anticipated matches in the LKL, as well as all home fixtures in European competitions (such as the EuroLeague or EuroCup), are played in the Twinsbet Arena. Women basketball team Kibirkštis Vilnius also plays in the arena. Past tenants include now dissolved Lithuanian and European women's basketball powerhouse TEO and Lietuvos Rytas daughter club Perlas Vilnius.
Naming rights
editUntil 2018–19 LKL season it was known as the Lietuvos rytas Arena, when naming rights were sold to the Lietuvos rytas media group, title sponsor of arena's owners. After club was overtaken by new owners, the sponsorship was terminated and on 14 August 2018 the official name of the structure was changed to the Rytas basketball Arena.[5] On 12 September 2019, the arena was renamed the Jeep Arena.[6] In 2024, some time after the arena was bought by the Vilnius City municipality, the name was changed once again to the Active Vilnius Arena.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Betsafe-LKL - LKL.LT".
- ^ "Lithuanian Basketball League" (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Basketball League. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
- ^ Pasižvalgykite po atnaujintą „Lietuvos ryto“ areną Archived 16 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jačauskas, Ignas (15 December 2021). "Vilniaus savivaldybė už beveik 3,6 mln. eurų pirks „Jeep" areną". 15min (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ ""Ryto" arena nusimetė senus klubo simbolius". 24sek.lt (in Lithuanian). 14 August 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Vilniaus "Ryto" namų arenai – "Jeep" vardas". www.rytasvilnius.lt. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Keičiasi pagrindinės „Ryto" namų arenos pavadinimas". Alfa (in Lithuanian). 23 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
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