Palais des sports de Marseille, Indoor sports arena in Marseille, France.
Palais des Sports de Marseille is a multi-purpose arena on rue Raymond-Teisseire in Marseille's 9th arrondissement, near the Stade Vélodrome. The concrete building has a tall rectangular opening in its front, with yellow steel scaffolding visible inside and above, a ramp at the base, and a broad staircase with a metal handrail leading to a raised platform. Seating capacity ranges from 4,200 to 7,200 depending on the event.
The Palais des Sports de Marseille was inaugurated on 20 December 1988 with a France–Austria handball match. It hosted three matches of the 2001 Men's World Handball Championship and the 2003 World Junior and Cadet Karate Championships. In 2002 and 2018 it staged WBA light-heavyweight world title fights, won by Jean-Marc Mormeck and Arsen Goulamirian respectively.
The arena's name is shortened locally to "le Palais des Sports". Its programme has long mixed sport and music: Barbara, IAM and Noir Désir have played here, and in 2002 Jean-Marie Le Pen held his between-rounds rally for the presidential election in the hall.
The venue is accessible by public transportation, particularly via Metro Line 2, and parking is available on nearby streets. Visitors should arrive with enough time to navigate the venue and locate their seating.
The facility can be rapidly transformed from a tennis court to an ice rink to a boxing ring depending on the event schedule. This flexibility allows it to host a constantly changing lineup of major tournaments and shows throughout the year.
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