Pavilhão Fidelidade

38°45′05″N 9°11′01″W / 38.751259°N 9.183613°W / 38.751259; -9.183613Public transitAlto dos Moinhos and Colégio Militar/Luz
Lisbon Metro Blue LineOwnerS.L. BenficaCapacity2,456ConstructionBuiltMarch 2002 – February 2004Opened28 February 2004 (2004-02-28)ArchitectDamon LavelleTenantsBasketball
Futsal
Roller HockeyWebsiteslbenfica.pt

The Pavilhão da Luz Nº 1, currently known as Pavilhão Fidelidade for sponsorship reasons, is the main arena (or pavilion) of Portuguese multi-sport club S.L. Benfica. It has a full capacity of 2,400 seats and is mainly used by the basketball, futsal and roller hockey departments of the club.

Built at the same time as the new Estádio da Luz, it was designed from the start to replace the 37-year old Pavilhão da Luz, which was torn down in March 2003.^[1]^[2] Opened on 28 February 2004, during the celebrations of the club centenary, its first game opposed the basketball section against Ovarense.^[3] Its features include an NBA-style scoreboard, and other standard amenities like safety nets behind the goals, press boxes, five locker rooms, bars, medical offices and accommodation to handicapped fans.^[3]

Naming rights

Eight months after its opening, Benfica sold the arena naming rights to Açoreana Seguros for a fee rumoured to be close to €1 million.^[4] It is currently named after Fidelidade, a Portuguese insurance company.

References

^ "Seara Cardoso abre "caixinha" da nova Luz" [Seara Cardoso opens "little box" of the new Luz]. Record.pt (in Portuguese). 4 December 2002. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
^ "Últimas emoções no Pavilhão da Luz" [Last thrills in Pavilhão da Luz]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 March 2003. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
^ ^a ^b "A catedral das modalidades" [The cathedral of sports]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 February 2004. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
^ "Açoreana Seguros dá nome ao pavilhão" [Açoreana Seguros gets naming rights]. Record (in Portuguese). 7 October 2004. Retrieved 21 March 2016.