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1.03.2021Bayer 04

Miscellaneous: The Rundsporthalle is opened

After 19 months of construction, the Rundsporthalle (Round sports hall) opens with a three-hour long non-stop event on 14 March 1975. The 8.4 million Deutsch Mark sports hall with its 72-metre diameter is the second biggest of its type in Germany after the Olympic basketball arena in Munich.
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The Rundsporthalle was opened by the former Leverkusen mayor Wilhelm Dopatka, Dieter Kürten was the host at the opening event that included mini-football, music and dance. The singer Bata Illic, the duo Nina & Mike plus the Bayer 04 Veterans team led by goalkeeping legend Fredy Mutz provided an entertaining evening. Berti Vogts, Wolfgang Kleff and Wolfgang Fahrian were there along with Manfred Ommer, the Olympic medal winners Rita Wilden and Harald Norpoth and Olympic championr Willi Holdorf. A USA basketball team from the German Bundesliga played for ten minutes against the TuS 04 basketball side.

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Just one month later, several of the downlighters at the Rundsporthalle fail during the first competitive match for the women's basketball side. The technicians are unable to effect a repair during an eight-minute break. Despite the reduced lighting, the match is concluded.

Up to February 2009, the sports hall was officially named the Wilhelm-Dopatka-Halle after the longstanding Leverkusen mayor. It was later renamed the Smidt Arena after a new sponsor. Since the takeover of the furniture store by the Ostermann company, the hall has been called the Ostermann Arena since October  2016.

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