The Premier League team Manchester City F.C. held a ticketed event for the fans at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England (UK) before their home match held recently.
‘ManchesterEveningNews’ stated that in a first since the £365m arena in which the City’s Owners (the Abu Dhabi-based Abu Dhabi United Group) are 50 percent shareholders, opened in May, it opened its doors to ‘The Blues’ fans before the September 14th Premier League clash with the Brentford F.C. in which Manchester City beat Brentford 2-1.
The Manchester City Football Club is a professional football club based in Manchester, England (UK). The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The 53,600-capacity Etihad Stadium serves as their home venue.
The Co-op Live is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, United Kingdom, sited in the Etihad Campus next to the Etihad Stadium. Opened on May 14th, 2024, it has the largest maximum capacity of any indoor arena in Europe with 23,500 seats surpassing the 21,000-capacity Manchester Arena in Manchester.
The Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment is a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based private equity company. It is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family and Vice-President of UAE.
‘ManchesterEveningNews’ further stated that in what is described as a trial, the “pre-match experience” took place in ‘The Street’ – the area at the heart of the venue next door to the City’s ground that has a 22 meters long bar as well as numerous other food and drink vendors. It is said to be able to hold over 4,000 people on its own.
The club said it provided an opportunity for “come together in a relaxed atmosphere”.
A live DJ performance was held, guest speakers and “a range of exclusive competitions”. However, no activities were held inside the arena’s main bowl.
The home fans of all ages were allowed in but entry was by ticket only.
The venue, which did not hold a concert or event on September 14th, did not open after the game. The tickets went on sale to the ticketholders for the Brentford game on the City’s website on September 9th and were sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
The club informed that “details of any future trial events will be announced on Man City channels”. The City’s usual pre-match entertainment center – the City Square – is closed this season as redevelopment work on the North Stand of the Etihad Stadium and a new fan zone, club store and hotel behind it, continues.
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