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OVO Hydro

Multi-purpose indoor arena in Glasgow, Scotland

Field	Value
name	The OVO Hydro
nickname	The Hydro
logo_image	OVO_Hydro_logo.svg
logo_size	250px
image	The SSE Hydro (geograph 5420681).jpg
image_size	250px
image_caption	The OVO Hydro, then the SSE Hydro, in 2017
address	Exhibition Way
Stobcross Road
location	Glasgow, Scotland
coordinates
former_names	Scotland's National Arena (planning)
Scottish Hydro Arena (construction)
The SSE Hydro (September 30, 2013 – October 2021)
broke_ground
built	2011–2013
opened
owner	Scottish Event Campus Limited
operator	AEG Live / ASM Global
cost	£125 million
architect	Foster + Partners
project_manager	Turner & Townsend
structural_engineer	Arup
general_contractor	Lendlease
capacity	12,306 (all seated)
14,500 (with standing)
website
public_transit	Exhibition Centre railway station

Stobcross Road Scottish Hydro Arena (construction) The SSE Hydro (September 30, 2013 – October 2021) 14,500 (with standing)

The OVO Hydro is a multi-purpose indoor arena located within the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland.

The arena was initially named The Scottish Hydro Arena after its main sponsor Scottish Hydro Electric. During construction, Scottish Hydro Electric was rebranded as SSE and the arena was known as The SSE Hydro when it opened until October 2021, when it was announced that the name was to change to "OVO Hydro", after its new sponsor OVO Energy, with a focus on making the venue more sustainable. The arena was officially opened on 30 September 2013, with a concert by Rod Stewart.

The OVO Hydro arena is located adjacent to the SEC Centre and the SEC Armadillo and hosts international musical stars, global entertainment and sporting events; with a maximum capacity of 14,300 and aims to attract one million visitors each year. The arena was the largest entertainment venue in Scotland, before the opening of Aberdeen's P&J Live in 2019, and the fifth largest in the UK.

History

Development and planning

Translucent cushions being installed, July 2013.

Planning for The Hydro began some time in 2001 as the second redevelopment of the Queens Dock in Glasgow. In May 2003, a plan had been unveiled for an entertainment arena, holding 12,300 seated audience members and an extra 2,000 standing.

London-based architects Foster + Partners were appointed as the design team for the Hydro in May 2004, with Glasgow-based Elphinstone additionally appointed as the preferred developer for the site. The design of the arena was finally released to the press in October 2005, and the SECC gained full planning consent for the arena by 2006.

Construction

Construction for the arena began in February 2011 by construction company Lend Lease. By November 2011, building work for the roof of the arena had begun, which was completed by April 2013. The arena's signature translucent outer cushions were installed in May 2013, along with the seating inside of the arena, marking construction of the arena completed, taking two years to complete.

2013 roof fire

At approximately 15:20 on Sunday 8 June 2013,{{cite web |access-date = 8 June 2013 |archive-date = 28 September 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130928010602/http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/scottish-news/2013/06/08/fire-hits-city-s-125m-hydro-venue-87085-33447262/ |url-status = live |access-date = 8 June 2013 |archive-date = 9 June 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130609014539/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22828292 |url-status = live |access-date = 8 June 2013 |archive-date = 18 January 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150118085310/http://news.stv.tv/scotland/228630-firefighters-tackle-blaze-at-hydro-concert-venue-on-the-river-clyde/ |url-status = live |access-date = 18 June 2013 |archive-date = 18 June 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618051724/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/welders-torch-blamed-starting-huge-1941218 |url-status = live |access-date = 18 June 2013 |archive-date = 18 June 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618034649/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-22840462 |url-status = live |access-date = 18 June 2013 |archive-date = 20 June 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130620191848/http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/glasgow-hydro-venue-construction-remains-on-target-despite-fire-1.103943 |url-status = live

Events

SEC Armadillo (left) and OVO Hydro lit green for the [[2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference

Sports

On 14 December 2014, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony was held at the venue.{{cite news |access-date = 14 December 2014 |archive-date = 7 December 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141207164950/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/30158881 |url-status = live | access-date = 2016-02-10 | archive-date = 19 August 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160819232713/http://www.glasgow2014.com/media-centre/press-releases/sse-hydro-confirmed-host-venue-games-netball-final | url-status = usurped | access-date = 2016-02-10 | archive-date = 14 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160314054729/http://uk.ufc.com/event/ufc-fight-night-glasgow-2015 | url-status = live | access-date = 2016-02-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129060149/https://www.2015worldgymnastics.com/the-championships/the-sse-hydro-arena.aspx | archive-date = 29 November 2014 | url-status = dead

In 2016, the venue hosted a heavyweight boxing fight between Dillian Whyte and Ian Lewison. Later, it has hosted four boxing fights headlined by Scottish light welterweight boxer Josh Taylor. It also hosted two rounds of the 2018–19 World Boxing Super Series.

Professional wrestling

On 20 November 2016, Scottish wrestling promotion Insane Championship Wrestling ran ICW Fear & Loathing IX at the Hydro in front of 6,193 fans and was described as the most attended independent UK and European wrestling event in 35 years. They returned the next year for ICW Fear & Loathing X.

On 15 June 2024, WWE hosted its premium live event Clash at the Castle: Scotland at OVO Hydro, marking the company's first event in the country since 2002 and its first ever major, televised PPV event held in Scotland. As a prelude, WWE broadcast an episode of SmackDown from the arena on 14 June.

In April 2025, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced that they would make their Scotland debut with a dual taping of AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision from the Hydro on 20 August 2025, the go-home show before Forbidden Door: London.

Filming location

The OVO Hydro was used for exterior shots of the venue for the fictional 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in the 2020 film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

For the television show Running Point, the outside of the (fictional) Los Angeles Waves basketball arena is the OVO Hydro

Politics

The OVO Hydro was host to the largest televised debate seen in Scotland's history, Scotland Decides: The Big, Big Debate, held on the evening of Thursday 11 September 2014; towards the end of the Scottish independence referendum campaign. The Mentorn/BBC Scotland organised debate, in which every secondary school in Scotland was invited to take part, involved around 7,500 first time voters and was broadcast on BBC One during the evening of 11 September 2014{{cite news |access-date = 14 September 2014 |archive-date = 14 September 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140914023442/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-29153784 |url-status = live | access-date = 23 June 2014 | archive-date = 23 June 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140623134929/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27966132 | url-status = live

Ticket sales records

In 2016, the arena handled 751,487 ticket sales, making it the eighth-busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales. It also hosted the UFC's first event in Scotland.

In 2019, the Hydro was the second busiest venue in the world behind Madison Square Garden in New York City. The venue attracts over 1 million visitors per year, making it a regular feature in the top ten arenas globally.

World's Busiest Arenas – 2023	Venue	Ticket sales
Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA	1,985,832
Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile	1,451,098
The O2 Arena, London, England	1,264,882
WiZink Center, Madrid, Spain	1,191,860
Accor Arena, Paris, France	1,134,237
Kia Forum, Inglewood, USA	1,100,855
Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, USA	1,015,253
OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland	1,012,333
Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany	1,004,777
3Arena, Dublin, Ireland	975,640

References

OVO Hydro. (14 October 2021). "ABOUT OVO HYDRO".
(14 June 2011). "Scottish Hydro Arena – new name for SECC National Arena, Glasgow".
OVO Hydro. (14 October 2021). "THE OVO HYDRO IS THE NEW NAME FOR SCOTLAND'S HOME OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT".
"Timeline".
(26 May 2003). "Plan for (pounds) 50m arena in SECC car park Banqueting centre could attract events such as Baftas".
(5 May 2004). "Foster and Partners appointed to design Scotlands National Arena | Foster + Partners".
(29 April 2004). "Armadillo creators to design riverside arena (pounds) 50m plan for 12,500-seat centre".
(25 September 2010). "SECC Urban Village - QD2 Housing, Elphinstone -".
(27 October 2005). "SECC unveils new £62m arena plan".
(11 July 2006). "Arena approval helps games lobby".
"Timeline".
Orr, James. (30 March 2016). "ICW: Drew Galloway takes title as Glasgow-based wrestling company bowl over London crowd before biggest show".
Gifford, Derek. (November 3, 2016). "Everything We Know for ICW: Fear & Loathing IX".
(November 22, 2016). "ICW Fear & Loathing IX Review: "We're just getting started"".
Live, Glasgow. (November 13, 2016). "5 reasons why you should buy a ticket for ICW's Fear & Loathing IX in Glasgow".
Cundle, Tim. (March 18, 2016). "INSANE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TO HOST UK\’S BIGGEST WRESTLING SHOW IN 35 YEARS!".
(February 17, 2023). "ICW Fear and Loathing IX Review".
Murray, Andy H.. (December 21, 2016). "10 Wrestlers Fans Most Want To See In WWE's UK Tournament".
"Throwback Thoughts: ICW Fear & Loathing IX - Rope Break Podcast".
Hines, Martin. (November 8, 2016). "The wrestling company that went from 30 people to the ‘European Wrestlemania'".
(20 November 2017). "ICW Fear & Loathing X results: ICW’s biggest show of the year". [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]].
(14 March 2019). "WWF Glasgow Scotland 2002?".
Rose, Bryan. (2 April 2024). "WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland PLE set for June in Glasgow". [[Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]].
Jack, Lauren. (15 April 2025). "All Elite Wrestling to make Scottish debut - here's how to get tickets for AEW Dynamite & Collision in Glasgow". [[The Scotsman]].
(17 June 2022). "Eurovision Song Contest: Which UK cities could host 2023 show?". BBC News.
(March 5, 2025). "Kate Hudson's Netflix show Running Point features Glasgow landmark despite LA setting".
"Pollstar 2016 top 200 arena ticket sales".
(19 December 2019). "Glasgow's SSE Hydro named world's second busiest arena venue".
Hydro, O. V. O.. "About | OVO Hydro".
(12 December 2023). "TOP 200 ARENA VENUES 2023, pollstar twitter account".

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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