Munich's 300 million euro arena: a dream becomes reality!

Munich's 300 million euro arena: a dream becomes reality!

The SAP Garden in Munich recently opened its doors and immediately caused a sensation. On September 27, 2024, the multifunctional hall started with an ice hockey game between EHC Red Bull Munich and the NHL team Buffalo Sabres, with the Munich team losing 5-0. But the significant event was not just the loss, but also the celebration of the new venue, which was realized with great effort.

A few days later, on October 3rd, the successful basketball team from Bayern Munich made their debut, defeating Real Madrid 97:89 in their first Euro League game. This successful start promised great things for the future of the hall.

The vision behind the project

Uli Hoeneß, Honorary President of FC Bayern and a central figure in the development of the SAP Garden, recently gave insightful insights on “Servus TV”. Hoeneß originally wanted to realize the project together with the late Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz. However, this happened under more difficult circumstances when Hoeneß had to serve a prison sentence. He reported: "When I had to go to prison, the project was almost dead. My successors, without reproach, didn't want to tie this block to their feet. They actually buried the hall issue."

The project's staggering cost rose from an estimated 150 million euros to around 300 million euros. Despite the challenges, Mateschitz promised his support after Hoeneß's release from prison. In one of the first letters Hoeneß received, the Red Bull founder confirmed his willingness to work: “He said that he would still be available if I was still interested.” This commitment was a dream for Hoeneß, and he traveled to Salzburg to continue the talks two years later.

With a capacity of 11,500 spectators, the SAP Garden will not only be a home for the Bayern basketball players. The arena is used as a rental property by Bayern and could therefore welcome various events and games. The financing is provided solely by Red Bull, with the rent from the users and a sponsorship agreement with SAP contributing to the refinancing of the high-priced building.

The collaboration between Bayern Munich and Red Bull is a crucial factor in the realization of this mammoth project. Thanks to the determination of Hoeneß and Mateschitz, the vision of a modern sports facility could become reality.

The importance of the SAP Garden as a multifunctional arena for sports and events goes far beyond the initially simple setting of a venue. With a solid concept and a clear vision, the SAP Garden will help further consolidate Munich's position as a sports city. Further details about this exciting development can be found at www.bild.de.