“The Arena Was Built for Major Events Like This”

From 2026 to 2028 the NBA will host six regular season games in arenas in Europe. The four involved venues boast a mix of newcomers, established partners and returning venues. Looking towards the ongoing discussions around a potential NBA Europe league, this might very well be a dress rehearsal for potential involvement is such a venture. stadiaworld asked the four venues what they expect from the games and how they see their role. For Uber Arena in Berlin: Ole Hertel, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, AEG Operations GmbH – Uber Arena.

Ole Hertel
Ole Hertel Image: Uber Arena / Pedro Becerra, STAGEVIEW.de
stadiaworld: In 2026, the Uber Arena will host an NBA regular season game in Germany for the first time. What makes your venue so attractive to the league? How did you convince the NBA to choose the Uber Arena?
Hertel: The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has enjoyed a successful partnership with the NBA for decades and the league has hosted several regular season games at The O2 in London. NBA teams have also played three pre-season games here. In addition, the Uber Arena is a fixture in international basketball. We have hosted the Euroleague Final Four three times and the FIBA has held two European Championships here. Our track record speaks for itself. Last but not least, the first NHL regular season game in Germany took place here in 2011.