Vertu Motors Arena

The Vertu Motors Arena (formerly the Eagles Community Arena) is a multi-purpose built venue for events, meetings, sports and the community in the Elswick area of the city of Newcastle, England. The arena has a capacity for up to 3,500 spectators and is home to the Newcastle Eagles of the British Basketball League and Women's British Basketball League.

Vertu Motors Arena
Home of the Newcastle Eagles
Former namesEagles Community Arena
LocationNewcastle, England
Coordinates54.9637°N 1.6369°W / 54.9637; -1.6369
OwnerEagles Community Foundation
CapacityBasketball: 2,800
Boxing: 3,500
Entertainment: 3,300
Construction
OpenedJanuary 2019
Construction cost£6.5 million
Tenants
Newcastle Eagles (2019–present)
Website
vertumotorsarena.com

Background

It had been a stated aim of Newcastle Eagles owner Paul Blake 'for at least 10 years, probably longer' for the club and its foundation to own and control their own facility.[1] The club had previously been based at the Metro Radio Arena and Northumbria University's Sport Central.

In partnership with Newcastle City Council, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Sport England and Newcastle College, planning permission was approved and construction work on the arena began in November 2017.[2][3][4][5] The arena was officially opened in January 2019, when the Eagles hosted the Plymouth Raiders in a BBL Championship match.[6][7]

The arena was awarded three prizes in special achievement, community value and social accessibility at the 2020 Lord Mayor's Design Awards.[8][9]

International basketball matches
Date Competition Home team Result Away team Ref.
24 February 2020 FIBA EuroBasket 2021 Qualifier Great Britain  81–73  Germany [10]
25 November 2021 FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifier Great Britain  78–69  Greece
3 July 2022 FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifier Great Britain  71–85  Turkey
28 August 2022 FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifier Great Britain  80–87  Latvia
11 November 2022 FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifier Great Britain  68-74  Serbia
24 February 2023 FIBA 2023 Basketball World Cup Qualifier Great Britain  59-88  Belgium

Boxing matches

References
  1. Stuart Rayner. "New arena chance for Newcastle Eagles to keep up as British basketball ratchets up a notch". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  2. "Work Begins on Newcastle Eagles' New Facility". Hoopsfix.com. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. "Work begins on the new Eagles Community Arena – British Basketball League". bbl.org.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  4. "Newcastle Eagles Community Arena". Esh Group. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  5. Katie Dickinson. "Inside one of the West End's biggest developments – as Newcastle Eagles' stadium nears completion". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  6. "Newcastle Eagles Community Arena Prepares for Official Opening". Hoopsfix.com. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. Simon Meechan. "Basketball's Newcastle Eagles to play in front of capacity crowd at Eagles Community Arena". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  8. Coreena Ford. "Newcastle's best buildings are crowned at the Lord Mayor's Design Awards". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. "Award-winning planning consultancy targets milestone year". Bdaily Business News. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  10. "EuroBasket 2021: Great Britain beat Germany 81–73 – BBC Sport". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  11. Walker, Christopher (30 August 2023). "Idris Virgo vs. Aaron Chalmers headlines MF & DAZN: X Series 009 in Newcastle". DAZN.
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