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{{Short description|Indoor multi-sport venue in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Copper Box Arena
| former_names = Handball Arena (2011–12)
| image = Copper Box Arena (geograph 3642114).jpg
| caption = The Copper Box Arena in September 2013
| location = [[Hackney Wick]], [[London]]
| coordinates = {{coord|51|32|39.84|N|0|1|12.36|W|type:landmark_region:GB-HCK|display=inline,title}}
| publictransit ={{rail-interchange|london|underground}} {{rail-interchange|london|overground}} {{rail-interchange|london|crossrail}} {{rail-interchange|london|dlr}} {{rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} {{stn|Stratford}} {{rail-interchange|london|dlr}} {{rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} {{stn|Stratford International}} {{rail-interchange|london|overground}} {{rws|Hackney Wick}}
| broke_ground = October 2009
| built = 2009–11
| opened = {{Start date|df=yes|2011|05|}}
| owner = [[Greenwich Leisure Limited]]
| operator = [[Olympic Delivery Authority]]
| cost = [[Pound sterling|£]]44 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8507111/London-2012-Olympics-Handball-Arena-to-be-unveiled.html|title=London 2012 Olympics: Handball Arena to be unveiled|date=11 May 2011 }}</ref> (£{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|44000000|2009}}}} in 2024 sterling{{inflation-fn|UK}})
| architect = [[Make Architects]], [[Populous (architects)|Populous]], [[PTW Architects]], [[Arup Group Limited|ARUP]]
| capacity = Concerts: 7,481 [[Basketball]]: 6,000<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gll_pcr_copperbox_venueguide_a4_2015_fv_web.pdf| title=Copper Box Arena: Venue Guide}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| tenants = [[London Lions (basketball)|London Lions]] {{small|([[British Basketball League|BBL]]) (2013–present)}} [[London Lions (women)|London Lions Women]] {{small|([[Women's British Basketball League|WBBL]]) (2017–present)}} [[London GD Handball Club]] {{small|([[England Handball Association|EHA]]) (2013–present)}} [[London Pulse]] {{small|([[England Netball|EN]]/[[Netball Superleague|NS]]) (2018–present)}} [[London Royal Ravens]] {{small|([[Call of Duty League|CODL]]) (2020–2023)}}
}}
The '''Copper Box Arena''' is a multi-sport venue built for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], located in the [[Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]] in [[London]], England.

Previously known as the '''Handball Arena''', it was renamed because, aside from [[Handball at the 2012 Summer Olympics|handball]], it hosted [[Modern pentathlon at the 2012 Summer Olympics|modern pentathlon]] (fencing, shooting, swimming, horse jumping and running) during the Olympics and was the [[Goalball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics|goalball]] venue for the [[2012 Summer Paralympics]].<ref name=anger/>

==History==
London's Olympic bid proposed that there would be four indoor arenas in the Olympic Park, in addition to other main venues, but the revised masterplan published in 2006 reduced this to three, with the volleyball being moved to [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/5055306.stm |title=London unveils Olympic masterplan |date=7 June 2006 |publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> The fencing arena was also cancelled, and the fencing took place at [[ExCeL]]. Construction of the building was completed on time in early 2011 and came in under budget.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8509684/London-2012-Olympics-Handball-Arena-makes-building-work-on-Olympic-Park-83-per-cent-complete.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |title=London 2012 Olympics: Handball Arena makes building work on Olympic Park '83 per cent complete' |date=12 May 2012 |first=Nick |last=Pearce}}</ref> The design incorporates [[Light tube|light pipes]] and [[Rainwater harvesting|rainwater collectors]] to reduce both energy and water use by 40%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london2012.com/venue/copper-box/ |title=Copper Box – 2012 Olympics |publisher=London 2012 |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-date=6 December 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206035115/http://www.london2012.com/venue/copper-box/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Test events were successfully hosted at the venue ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

In January 2012, the venue was renamed the Copper Box from the Handball Arena, thus reflecting the look of the building and the fact that it would not just be used for Handball.<ref>[http://www.london2012.com/news/2012/01/london-2012-marks-200-days-to-go-with-olympic-park-annou.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120205630/http://www.london2012.com/news/2012/01/london-2012-marks-200-days-to-go-with-olympic-park-annou.php|date=20 January 2012}}</ref> [[British Handball]] campaigned for the rebrand to be reversed.<ref name=anger>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/handball/16498567.stm|title=London 2012: Olympic venue name-change angers handball chief|publisher=BBC Sport|date=10 January 2012}}</ref>

==Olympics==
[[File:Copper Box interior.JPG|thumb|left|The Copper Box interior before a handball game]]
The Copper Box has 7,000 seats. It was used for [[team handball|handball]] preliminaries and [[modern pentathlon]] fencing during the Olympic Games, and for [[goalball]] during the [[2012 Paralympic Games|Paralympic Games]]. The handball men's quarter-finals, all semi-finals and both finals were held at the larger [[Basketball Arena (London)|Basketball Arena]].

The Copper Box was praised for its loud, exciting atmosphere during handball games.<ref>{{cite web|author=PAUL LOGOTHETIS (AP Sports Writer) |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/handballs-olympic-venue-box-rocks-050910708--oly.html |title=Handball's Olympic venue is the 'Box That Rocks' – Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |date=4 August 2012 |access-date=26 March 2013}}</ref> For the Paralympics goalball events the crowd in the Box were required to be quiet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/9902648.Sharkey_excited_by_silent_Copper_Box/ |title=Sharkey excited by silent Copper Box (From The Northern Echo) |publisher=Thenorthernecho.co.uk |date=30 August 2012 |access-date=26 March 2013}}</ref>

==Post-Olympics==
[[File:Copper Box, 16 April 2012.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the building in 2012]]
The venue has been adapted into a multi-sport arena for community use, athlete training and major events.

[[British Basketball League]] side [[London Lions (basketball)|London Lions]] relocated to the Copper Box for the [[2013–14 British Basketball League season|2013–14 season]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/basketball/mk-lions/revealed-lions-to-leave-milton-keynes-for-olympic-park-in-london-1-4140859 |title=REVEALED: Lions to leave Milton Keynes for Olympic Park in London – MK Lions – Milton Keynes Citizen |publisher=Miltonkeynes.co.uk |date=9 August 2012 |access-date=26 March 2013}}</ref> They played their first game there on 14 August 2013 in front of a sell-out crowd, losing 72–107 to the [[Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball|Iowa Hawkeyes]] American college basketball team in an exhibition match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london24.com/sport/other/copper_box_sell_out_promises_so_much_says_london_lions_coach_macaulay_1_2335844|title=Copper Box sell-out 'promises so much', says London Lions coach Macaulay|publisher=London24.com|access-date=16 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820013530/http://www.london24.com/sport/other/copper_box_sell_out_promises_so_much_says_london_lions_coach_macaulay_1_2335844|archive-date=20 August 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The [[London Lions (women)|Lions' women's team]], playing in the [[Women's British Basketball League|WBBL]], moved to the venue in 2017.

The venue played host to the [[2015 Netball Superleague Grand Final]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.englandnetball.co.uk/news-and-media/latest-news/copper-box-arena-to-host-nsl-finals-day_iddabfadbc-3894-441d-9476-69e74da6eaa4 |title=Copper Box Arena to host NSL Finals day |publisher=[[England Netball]] |date=20 February 2015 |access-date=26 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125014037/http://www.englandnetball.co.uk/news-and-media/latest-news/copper-box-arena-to-host-nsl-finals-day_iddabfadbc-3894-441d-9476-69e74da6eaa4 |archive-date=25 January 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> which saw the [[Surrey Storm]] win their first Netball Superleague title, defeating the [[Hertfordshire Mavericks]], 56–39. The venue is the home arena for the [[London Pulse]], who since 2018 have played in the Superleague. It has also hosted several home test matches for the [[England national netball team|England national team]].{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The Copper Box hosted the [[London Grand Prix Gold|London Grand Prix]] [[badminton]] tournament on 1–6 October 2013. The London Grand Prix forms part of the [[Badminton World Federation]]'s Grand Prix Gold series.

The [[Wheelchair Rugby]] event at the 2014 [[Invictus Games (multi-sport event)|Invictus Games]] was held at the venue in September 2014, as was the BT World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge in October 2015.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

[[London GD Handball Club]], one of the oldest handball clubs in the country, used the venue for its home matches.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/handball/23468688 BBC Sport – London GD handball club to move to Copper Box Arena]</ref>

The floor was badly damaged during a mass fitness event in January 2014, resulting in several netball internationals having to be played elsewhere at the last minute.<ref>{{cite news|title=England v NZ: Venue changed after damage to Copper Box floor|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/netball/25809560|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=20 January 2014}}</ref>

''[[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' [[DreamHack]] London 2015 took place at the Copper Box on 19–20 September.<ref>{{cite web |title=NJPW Royal Quest|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/44497?showCards=1 |website=njpw1972.com|access-date=3 September 2022|date=31 August 2019}}</ref>

On 3 February 2018, the Copper Box hosted the amateur boxing fight between [[List of YouTubers|YouTubers]] [[KSI vs. Joe Weller|KSI and Joe Weller]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/who-won-ksi-vs-joe-11964969|title = Result from KSI vs Joe Weller fight at Copper Box Arena| website=[[Daily Mirror]] |date = 4 February 2018}}</ref> It has also hosted [[International Boxing Federation|IBF]] boxing.<ref>{{Cite web|title=9th December 2017: World Championship Boxing|url=http://copperboxarena.org.uk/events/9th-december-2017-world-championship-boxing|access-date=23 March 2018|publisher=Greenwich Leisure Limited}}</ref>

From 22 to 25 February 2018, the venue played host to the [[2018 ITTF Team World Cup|ITTF Team World Cup]] table tennis competition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box that rocks to host 2018 ITTF Table Tennis Team World Cup|url=http://copperboxarena.org.uk/newsitems/box-that-rocks-to-host-2018-ittf-table-tennis-team-world-cup|website=Copper Box Arena|access-date=25 February 2018}}</ref>

The [[Rocket League Championship Series]] Season 5 World Championship, an Esports event sponsored by [[Psyonix]], the video game company who created ''[[Rocket League]]'', was hosted there on 8–10 June 2018.<ref>{{Cite web | title = THE RLCS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO EUROPE! | publisher = Psyonix | access-date = 30 April 2018 | url=https://www.rocketleague.com/news/the-rlcs-world-championship-returns-to-europe-/}}</ref> The event was notable for "The Shot", in which Justin "jstn." Morales, a player on [[NRG Esports|NRG]], scored a last-second goal that forced overtime in game 7 of the World Championship Grand Final Bracket Reset. The RLCS would return to the Copper Box for the 2021–2022 season Spring Major on 29 June–3 July 2022, with crowds only being present on the final two days. [[Moist Esports]] won that Major's Grand Final 4–3 in series 1 and 4–0 in the Bracket Reset.<ref>{{Cite web | title = RLCS SPRING SPLIT PRIMER | publisher = Psyonix | access-date = 25 April 2022 | url=https://esports.rocketleague.com/news/rlcs-spring-split-primer/}}</ref>

Great Britain played Kazakhstan at the arena in April 2019, in the tennis [[2019 Fed Cup World Group II Play-offs|Fed Cup World Group II play-offs]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Great Britain, Latvia set to enjoy homes ties in April |url=https://www.fedcup.com/en/news/302046.aspx |website=fedcup.com |access-date=22 January 2020 |date=12 February 2019}}</ref>

On 31 August 2019, the venue was used for [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]'s show in the [[United Kingdom]], [[Royal Quest (2019)|Royal Quest]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NJPW Royal Quest|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/44497?showCards=1 |website=njpw1972.com|access-date=3 September 2022|date=31 August 2019}}</ref> NJPW returned to the Copper Box for [[Royal Quest III]] on 13 October 2023.

From 14 to 16 November 2019 the venue hosted [[X (Xbox show)|X0]], an annual event presented by [[Xbox]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Xbox X019 |url=https://www.xbox.com/en-CA/x019 |website=Xbox.com |access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref>

Between January and July 2020, the Copper Box Arena was used as the home venue for the [[London Royal Ravens]], an [[eSports]] team taking part in the inaugural [[Call of Duty League]].

The [[Apex Legends Global Series]] Year 3 Split 1 finals, was hosted there on 2-5 Feb 2023.<ref>{{Cite web | title = The ALGS Year 3 Split 1 playoffs are set for February 2-5, 2023 in London, UK! | date = 21 December 2022 | publisher = Respawn | access-date = 21 December 2022 | url=https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/news/year3-split1-playoffs-london}}</ref>

The arena was one of the three venues selected to host matches in the [[2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rlwc2021.com/article/388/rlwc-coming-to-more-venues-than-ever-before |title=RLWC coming to more venues than ever before |website=Rugby League World Cup 2021|date=9 July 2022|access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>

The arena hosted the [[2023 Mid-Season Invitational|League of Legends MSI 2023 tournament]] between May 2-21, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LoL Esports |url=https://lolesports.com/article/state-of-the-game-lol-esports-in-2023/blt5d3bca31d1b39e0c |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=lolesports.com}}</ref>

[[Revolution Pro Wrestling]] (Otherwise known as RevPro) hosted their [[RevPro 11th Anniversary Show|11th]] and [[RevPro 12th Anniversary Show|12th anniversary shows]] at the venue on 26 August 2023 and 24 August 2024, each one day before [[All Elite Wrestling]]'s [[All In (2023)|All In 2023]] and [[All In (2024)|2024]] events at [[Wembley Stadium]].

In November 2023, the arena was used for the [[2023 Billie Jean King Cup]] play-offs between [[Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team|Great Britain]] and [[Sweden Billie Jean King Cup team|Sweden]], which determine which team is relegated below the qualifying rounds in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 August 2023 |title=Billie Jean King Cup to return to London's Copper Box |url=https://www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/billie-jean-king-cup/news/lexus-gb-team-to-return-to-londons-copper-box/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231112004213/https://www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/billie-jean-king-cup/news/lexus-gb-team-to-return-to-londons-copper-box/ |archive-date=12 November 2023 |access-date=12 November 2023 |website=LTA}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/the-park/venues/copper-box-arena Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park website]
*[https://copperboxarena.org.uk/ Gym and fitness centre website]
* [http://www.london2012.com/venue/copper-box/ London 2012 Olympics profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121206035115/http://www.london2012.com/venue/copper-box/ |date=6 December 2012 }}
*[https://www.makearchitects.com/projects/the-copper-box/ Make Architects website]

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{2012 Summer Olympics venues}}
{{2012 Summer Paralympics venues}}
{{Olympic venues fencing}}
{{Olympic venues handball}}
{{Olympic venues modern pentathlon}}
{{Indoor arenas UK}}
{{2021 RLWC Venues}}
}}

[[Category:2012 Summer Paralympic venues]]
[[Category:Badminton in England]]
[[Category:Badminton venues]]
[[Category:Basketball venues in England]]
[[Category:Boxing venues in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Hackney Wick]]
[[Category:Hackney, London]]
[[Category:Handball at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Handball venues in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in London]]
[[Category:Netball venues in England]]
[[Category:Olympic fencing venues]]
[[Category:Olympic handball venues]]
[[Category:Olympic modern pentathlon venues]]
[[Category:Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]]
[[Category:Venues of the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Wrestling venues in the United Kingdom]]

Copper Box Arena - Revision history

imported>CeltBrowne at 11:03, 29 November 2024