On the day of the inauguration of the Arena, January 7, 2023, the former prefect of Loiret, Régine Engström, declared that he saw, through CO’Met, a means of “competing with Paris-Bercy”. Words which could then seem too ambitious for the Johannine city. However, since that day, several major sporting and musical events have taken place at the Arena.
Great sporting shows…
In terms of sport, if Orléans Loiret Basket, the resident club of the main hall, alone manages to attract thousands of spectators, CO’Met has also had the pleasure of welcoming certain national teams. The French men’s volleyball team, which also returned to the Arena in 2024, had played several matches there in a stage of the Nations League in 2023. The men’s and women’s handball teams, the men’s team futsal, or even the stars of the French men’s Basketball team, in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in particular, have all come to play in Orléans since the Arena was opened. Basketball players will also be back in Loiret in February 2025, even if this time, it will be without NBA players.
Beyond team sports, the Orléans Open, which has taken place at CO’Met since 2023, brought together almost 5,000 spectators for the finals of the last two editions. A gauge that could never have been reached in the old version, at the sports center. Finally, the King of Fighters, an important event in the world of MMA, brought together nearly 4,500 spectators on November 15, 2024.
… as well as musical
Regarding music, several renowned singers have performed at the Arena over the past two years. From Michel Polnareff to Sting, including Ninho, Soprano, Gims, Slimane, Christophe Maé and even Patrick Bruel.
