Arena

Arena

An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the lowest point, allowing for maximum visibility. Usually, an arena is designed to accommodate a fairly large number of spectators.

The term "arena" is sometimes used as a synonym for a very large venue such as Pasadena's Rose Bowl, but such a facility is typically called a "stadium". The use of one term over the other has mostly to do with the type of event. Football is typically played in a stadium while basketball and hockey are typically played in an arena, although many of the larger arenas hold more spectators than do the stadiums of smaller colleges or high schools. And there are exceptions. The home of the Duke University basketball team would qualify as an arena, but the facility is called Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The term "arena" is also used loosely to refer to any event or type of event which either literally or metaphorically takes place in such a location — often with the specific intent of comparing an idea to a sporting event, such as "the arena of war" or "the arena of love" or "the political arena". In many fighting games, the stage that opponents are fought in is also called an arena.

In the United States, the term "arena" generally refers specifically to indoor stadiums or NHL, NBA, AFL or indoor MLB, NFL.

The Latin word "arena" means "sand", which was useful as the primary surface where gladiators battled, to absorb the blood. In Spanish, the word carries both meanings. A bullfight is held in an "arena" (or "plaza de toros", literally "circus/square of bulls") and its floor is also covered with "arena".

ee also

* Amphitheatre
* Circus (building)
* Colosseum
* Hippodrome
* List of indoor arenas


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  • Arena — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Para otros usos de este término, véase Arena (desambiguación). Dunas de arena. La arena es un conjunto de partículas de rocas disgregadas. En …   Wikipedia Español

  • arena — (Del lat. arēna). 1. f. Conjunto de partículas desagregadas de las rocas, sobre todo si son silíceas, y acumuladas, ya en las orillas del mar o de los ríos, ya en capas de los terrenos de acarreo. 2. Metal o mineral reducido por la naturaleza o… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Arena 92 — Généralités Adresse Rue des Sorins Nanterre La Défense Coordonnées …   Wikipédia en Français

  • arenă — ARÉNĂ, arene, s.f. 1. Spaţiu aşternut cu nisip, rumeguş etc. din mijlocul unui amfiteatru antic, unde se desfăşurau reprezentaţiile. 2. Teren de sport, împrejmuit cu tribune pentru spectatori. 3. fig. Sferă, domeniu, loc de desfăşurare a unei… …   Dicționar Român

  • Arena — von Verona Innenraum der Arena von Verona …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • arena — sustantivo femenino 1. (no contable) Conjunto de partículas desprendidas de las rocas que recubren el suelo: la arena de la playa. reloj* de arena. 2. (no contable) Metal o mineral que ha sido dividido en partes muy pequeñas por medios naturales… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • Arena — Выступление группы на фестивале Baltic Progressive Festival в 2007 году Годы с 1995 Страна …   Википедия

  • Arena — Sf Kampfplatz (im Amphitheater) erw. fach. (16. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus it. arena und l. arēna, einer Nebenform von l. harēna Sand, Sandplatz . Der Platz für die Kämpfe war mit Sand bestreut.    Ebenso nndl. arena, ne. arena, nfrz. arène,… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • arena — [ə rē′nə] n. [L arena, harena, sand, sandy place, arena] 1. the central part of an ancient Roman amphitheater, where gladiatorial contests and shows took place 2. a) a central area used for entertainment or sports events and usually surrounded by …   English World dictionary

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