The Orange Vélodrome: the hosting venue of the Summit 2022

On 31 May and 1 June, the Orange Vélodrome home of Olympique de Marseille will be the stage for the 8th edition of the ESSMA Summit, joining the impressive list of hosting venues. Officially opened on the 13th of June, 1937, with an audience of more than 30,000 spectators, the “Stade Vélodrome” came to life. It is a unique landmark representing hours of unforgettable sport in Marseille. At that time, the stadium also hosted cycling races (hence its name, the Vélodrome), track-and-field athletics, rugby, boxing, as well as motorcycle and automobile competitions. Initially designed to accommodate 30,000 people, the stadium underwent several extensions during the 20th century. The most notable change remains the one preceding the 1998 World Cup, as the stadium increased its capacity to 60,000 seats, spread over the four historic stands. Internationally recognized for hosting OM matches, Marseille has also hosted major events such as the World Cup Rugby (2007), the Tour de France (2019) and concerts by Luciano Pavarotti (2002), the Rolling Stones (2003, 2018) and The Police (2008).  

The history of the Vélodrome is entering a new chapter with a new reconfiguration unveiled in 2014, ahead of Euro 2016. The key elements of this renovation included the roof of the stadium, the creation of an esplanade as well as an increase in capacity to reach 67,000 seats through the four historic stands. The classification as an «Elite UEFA» stadium also induced an increase in the number of VIP seats with the development of lounges and high-end hospitality. In December 2018, Olympique de Marseille was appointed as the solemanager, the club undertook several investment projects (soundsystem, lighting, fittings, events, shows, concerts, seminars, tours, etc.) and thus increased the diversification of its activities.