Raimundo Saporta Pavilion
Encyclopedia
Raimundo Saporta
Pavilion was an Indoor sports arena used particularly for basketball
matches of Real Madrid
. Until 1999 it was known as the Sports City of Real Madrid Pavilion, when it was renamed in honorary of the former president of Real Madrid basketball team, the late Raimundo Saporta.
It was demolished in 2004.
(later renamed annual Christmas
tournament), in which Ignis Varese defeated local Real Madrid, the Jarnaco Saints of Chicago
and the Brazil
ian Corinthians.
A year after its inauguration, on 1 April 1967, The arena saw the home team Real defeat Simmenthal Milano to claim its third European Champions cup
title after a 93-91 victory.
During the 21 consecutive years that Real played on the field of the old pavilion it would conquer 5 European Champions titles, 4 Intercontinental cups, 17 League Championships
, 10 Cup titles
, 1 Supercopa of Spain, 2 Matches of the Community of Madrid and 16 Matches of Christmas.
The second in three straight Intercontinental cup wins was achieved by the home team on the Pavilion floor in 1977.
The tremendous successes in that period of time made the 5,000 seat arena too small for a team of that magnitude, and in 1987 the team moved its home matches to the Palace of Sports
of the Madrid Community
located in the Goya Street of Madrid.
and reopened in 4 February 1999 and was also renamed Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in honor of the club director who had died in February 1997. The pavilion had increased seating capacity
of 5,200 seats.
The bad economic situation of the club forced club president Florentino Pérez
to sell the lands on which the Sports city was located for an estimated 188 million euro
s in November 2001.
The demolition of the arena took place in August 2004, and Real Madrid moved its home games to Palacio Vistalegre
.
, an Important business park
.
Raimundo Saporta
Raimundo Saporta Namías was a Spanish basketball administrator. He was the head of the basketball section of Real Madrid, the basketball club Real Madrid Baloncesto in 1962-1978 and 1985-1991...
Pavilion was an Indoor sports arena used particularly for basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
matches of Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
. Until 1999 it was known as the Sports City of Real Madrid Pavilion, when it was renamed in honorary of the former president of Real Madrid basketball team, the late Raimundo Saporta.
It was demolished in 2004.
Early history
The arena was inaugurated in 6 January 1966 for the annual intercontinental Philips trophyIntercontinental Cup (basketball)
The World Cup for Champion Clubs, commonly referred to as the Intercontinental Cup, was a basketball competition endorsed by FIBA to gather the best clubs from the federations affiliated to FIBA and to officially decide the best club of the world, contended mainly by the continents of higher...
(later renamed annual Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
tournament), in which Ignis Varese defeated local Real Madrid, the Jarnaco Saints of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Corinthians.
A year after its inauguration, on 1 April 1967, The arena saw the home team Real defeat Simmenthal Milano to claim its third European Champions cup
Suproleague
FIBA SuproLeague was the FIBA professional club basketball Champions' Cup for the 2000-01 season. Up until that season, there was one cup, the FIBA European Champions' Cup , though in this season of 2000-01, the leading European teams split into two competitions: the FIBA SuproLeague and the ULEB's...
title after a 93-91 victory.
During the 21 consecutive years that Real played on the field of the old pavilion it would conquer 5 European Champions titles, 4 Intercontinental cups, 17 League Championships
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
, 10 Cup titles
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
The Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
, 1 Supercopa of Spain, 2 Matches of the Community of Madrid and 16 Matches of Christmas.
The second in three straight Intercontinental cup wins was achieved by the home team on the Pavilion floor in 1977.
The tremendous successes in that period of time made the 5,000 seat arena too small for a team of that magnitude, and in 1987 the team moved its home matches to the Palace of Sports
Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid
Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid is an indoor sporting arena located in the City of Madrid, Spain. Its capacity is 15,000 people for basketball matches, 14,000 for handball matches and 18,000 for concerts .The former building, which was built in 1960, was destroyed by a fire in 2001...
of the Madrid Community
Madrid (autonomous community)
The Community of Madrid is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. It is located at the center of the country, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Castilian Central Plateau . The community is also conterminous with the province of Madrid and contains the capital of Spain, which is also...
located in the Goya Street of Madrid.
Recent years
Soon after Real decided to return and host its home matches in the arena in the start of the 1998-1999 season, the arena was renovated at a cost of roughly 350 million pesetasSpanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
and reopened in 4 February 1999 and was also renamed Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in honor of the club director who had died in February 1997. The pavilion had increased seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 5,200 seats.
The bad economic situation of the club forced club president Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
to sell the lands on which the Sports city was located for an estimated 188 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s in November 2001.
The demolition of the arena took place in August 2004, and Real Madrid moved its home games to Palacio Vistalegre
Palacio Vistalegre
Palacio Vistalegre is an Indoor arena located in Madrid, Spain. The arena opened in 2000 and can hold up to 15,000 people.It is primarily used for bullfighting and basketball and has been the home arena of Real Madrid and CB Estudiantes for several years....
.
Demolition and current development
The former site of the Sports city and the Raimundo Saporta Pavilion is now used for the Four Towers Business AreaCTBA
Cuatro Torres Business Area is a business district located in the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid , on the former Ciudad Deportiva of Real Madrid. The area contains the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid and Spain...
, an Important business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
.
External links
- PABELLÓN DE LA CIUDAD DEPORTIVA DEL REAL MADRID (1966-2004), a Real Madrid fan site homage