WINTER | REVIEW
A
ttending the Nitto ATP Finals (11-18
November) is a vastly different
experience to The Wimbledon
Championships.
While the breezy ‘Pimm’s and
strawberries’ atmosphere of SW19 is iconic
in its own right, the Nitto ATP Finals take
a very different approach, accentuating the
drama with immersive sounds, atmospheric
lighting, rousing music during breaks
in play, and dramatic player entrances –
complete with dried ice, flashing lights and
high-octane visual effects. And there’s not
an all-white outfit in sight.
This modern, high production approach
to tennis is complemented by Arena Group’s
sleek and luxurious structure, designed to
create a high-end experience at the event–
where new face Alexandra Zverev defeated
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Nitto ATP Finals event director, Adam
Hogg, told Access that getting the balance
right is crucial. “It’s not entertainment with
tennis on the side. It’s tennis put on in an
entertaining way,” he commented.
Hogg’s seen two iterations of the
tournament, the second of which got under
way in 2016.
“Back in 2009, the Nitto ATP Finals
succeeded in capturing the local market,
which was always a priority, but because
of the event’s success, it’s now captured
an international audience. We had around
30-40 million viewers globally, but now we
average around 100 million.”
“When I joined the ATP, they’d just had
the 2008 Finals in Shanghai and I was on
board from early 2009 when it came to The
O2. Back then, the venue was cavernous, and
we had a lot of space to play with. Now it’s a
more bespoke solution that has to work for
everyone in a tighter footprint. From 2009 to
2015 all of the ancillary structures required
to support the tournament, whether that
be practice courts, hospitality structures
or media facilities were installed under The
O2’s tent, but now, today, only the media
centre is under there. Everything else is
located in structures outside of The O2.”
As a backdrop to this drama, Arena
installed 6,800sqm of event infrastructure
including an array of triple-deck structures
providing hospitality, practice courts and
Structured
approach
The Nitto ATP Finals is firmly established at The
O2, but that hasn’t stopped Arena’s innovation
public bars and concessions, , alongside
Spaceworks furniture and Well Dressed
Tables.
This was the 10th year that Arena’s
Dan Bluff project managed the Nitto ATP
Finals extension to the capacity of The O2,
installing a temporary I-Novation building
adjacent to the venue’s main entrance, which
flanked the players main practice court.
Bluff told Access: “We were approached
by the ATP initially to come up with some
very basic designs in 2009, which grew into
large hospitality and media spaces. These
were greatly received. 2015 saw the end of
us working inside The O2 as the venue built
new infrastructure, with cinemas, shopping
centres and restaurants, so 2016 was a new
chapter for us with the ATP and we were
well advanced on the re-think for an outside
structure even before the end of the 2015
event.
“We delivered our I-Novation structure,
but with two triple-decker structures
built within that, the structure also has
a leg height of 13 metres which provides
the space required for sponsors, players,
and hospitality guests. We designed the
reception and security area to look similar
to the I-Novation, with a flat roof system.
We also installed the infrastructure that
goes with it, including the toilets, lifts and so
forth. The new staircases were well received
and looked really smart.
Commenting on the new setup, Hogg says:
“It feels like you are in a permanent building,
with fabulous letterbox views that really
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