Arena Birmingham (known for sponsorship reasons as Utilita Arena Birmingham, previously as The Barclaycard Arena, originally as the National Indoor Arena and still commonly called The NIA) is an indoor arena and sporting venue in central Birmingham, England. It is owned by parent company the NEC Group. When it was opened in 1991, it was the largest indoor arena in the UK.[2]
The arena was officially opened, as the National Indoor Arena, on 4 October 1991 by the athlete Linford Christie.[4] When it was opened, the arena was intended to be an indoor sporting venue.[5] However, the venue began to host entertainment events shortly after opening.[6]
The arena currently hosts a variety of events including concerts, sporting events and conferences.[7] It has a capacity of up to 15,800 using both permanent seating and temporary seating configurations.[8]
The arena was renamed after it underwent an extensive renovation which was completed at the end of 2014. Michael Bublé opened the renovated arena on 2 December 2014.[9]
In 2018 the arena had ticket sales of 497,443, which was the 4th highest in the United Kingdom.[10]
Naming history
National Indoor Arena (4 October 1991 – 1 December 2014)[11]
Barclaycard Arena (2 December 2014 – 31 August 2017)[12]
Arena Birmingham (1 September 2017 – 14 April 2020)
Renovation
The arena's new glazed facade in June 2015
In 2012 plans to refurbish and renovate the NIA were approved by Birmingham City Council. The plans included creating a showpiece entrance from the canal-side, three "sky needle" light sculptures, a new glazed facade fronting the canal and new pre-show hospitality elements. The design was by the architecture firm Broadway Malyan and the building contract was awarded to Royal BAM Group in 2013 with a projected finishing date of Winter 2014.[13]
The £26 million redevelopment began in June 2013. The redeveloped arena was officially opened with a performance by singer Michael Bublé on 2 December 2014.[14] It was renamed the "Barclaycard Arena" in November 2014 after Barclaycard won the naming rights for five years,[15] but in May 2016 it was announced that the naming deal would end early,[16] and from September 2017 it would be named Arena Birmingham.[17]
On 16 January 2020, it was announced that the arena will be renamed Utilita Arena Birmingham from 15 April 2020.[18]
Notable events
Original logo
The arena has been used for several major events in the past, including counting no less than eight constituencies in the hall for the 1992 general election.[19]
Gladiators was recorded at the arena from 1992 to 1999.
Lee Evans performed here from 17 to 21 September 2014 to record his final stand-up show tour Monsters before his retirement.
Linkin Park performed here as part of the One More Light Tour on 6 July 2017. This was the band's last performance of the European leg, as the remaining show in Manchester were cancelled due to a bombing at the Manchester Arena, where the band was supposed to perform. It was also the final performance of lead singer Chester Bennington before his death on 20 July 2017.[21]
^"Our brands". NEC Group. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^ a b"2019 Worldwide Ticket Sales Top 200 Arena Venues" (PDF). Pollstar. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
^"Birmingham NIA". ActivBirmingham. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^"Birmingham celebrates 25 years of city centre arena | News |NEC Group". www.necgroup.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
^Council, Birmingham City. "Arena Birmingham". www.birmingham.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
^"About us | Arena Birmingham". www.arenabham.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
^"Venue Information". Barclaycard Arena. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
^"Michael Bublé officially launches Birmingham's 'Barclaycard Arena' | Koninklijke BAM Groep / Royal BAM Group". www.bam.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
^"2018 YEAR END Worldwide Ticket Sales TOP 200 ARENA VENUES" (PDF). Pollstar. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
^"Birmingham's revamped National Indoor Arena (NIA) to become the 'Barclaycard Arena'". PanStadia & Arena Management Magazine. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^Rawlins, Kristen (14 April 2017). "Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena to be renamed". Express & Star. MNA Media. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
^"International firm awarded £24m contract to refurbish Birmingham NIA". Birmingham Post. Birmingham. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
^Brown, Graeme (29 September 2014). "Michael Bublé to perform as NIA renamed the Barclaycard Arena". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 24 January 2015.