Audi Aréna

Audi Aréna sits in Győr. This one was drafted for both handball and basketball.

The building itself is not old, but the sponsorship that bears its name is. Audi Hungaria secured the naming rights for ten years. The arena was opened in November 2014, though the official gifting of the keys took place in June of that year. The steel structure, manufactured by Weinberg 93 Építő Kft, was assembled in the time it took the city to clear the land at Kiskút liget 4. The City of Győr paid for the frame and the seats; the sponsor provided the letters on the roof.

Inside, the capacity is 5,500. It is a number that fits the town without overwhelming it. The stands are arranged in a way that keeps the players within shouting distance of the supporters, a proximity that is more common in smaller European venues. On match days, the air grows thick with the sound of whistles and the slap of a ball against the floor. The venue does not host football matches, a fact that distinguishes it from the football stadiums built elsewhere in the country.

Outside, the parking area is vast, a flat expanse of gravel and grass that separates the arena from the rest of the city. It is a space that fills up only when the local teams play, and empties just as quickly. The website, audiarena.hu, lists the opening hours, but the door only opens when the teams need to warm up. The arena is not a destination for tourists; it is a place for the people of Győr who come to watch their team win or lose, regardless of the surface beneath the ball.