The Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall (Serbian: Хала спортова Ранко Жеравица, romanized: Hala sportova Ranko Žeravica) is a multi-purpose sportsarena located in the Belgrade municipality of New Belgrade.
Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall, renamed in 2016 in honor of Serbian basketball coachRanko Žeravica, is widely known by its informal title Hala. It was built in 1968 and opened in December 1968.[1] Since 1979 it functions as part of a state-owned enterprise JP Sportski centar Novi Beograd. Nearby Sports and Recreation Center 11. April (Sportsko-rekreativni centar 11. april) is also included under its group.
Hala seats up to 5,000 people for sporting events and up to 7,000 for musical events.
In November 2010, the renovation of Hala was announced for 2011.[2] The new-look renovated venue was presented in late of August 2011.[3]
Sports
Hala sportova served as home floor for many Belgrade-based sports teams.
Pođimo u Halu na Novi Beograd da bodrimo Partizan svima nam je drag, navijačke pesme zapevajmo svi volimo Partizan jer je najbolji.
Their finest Hala hour occurred on 22 March 1989 in the second leg of the 1988-89Korać Cup final. Taking on the Italian club Pallacanestro Cantù (Wiwa Vismara), Partizan came back from the first leg with a 13-point deficit. However, a heroic performance on Hala floor saw them overturn the Italians' lead and win the Cup in high style with a splendid 19-point victory 101-82 behind Divac's 30 points with Paspalj adding 22 and Đorđević 21.[4]
Other former basketball occupants included now defunct Beobanka (during the 1990s) and occasionally even nomadic BKK Radnički, which at one time or another played its home games in just about every spot within Belgrade city limits that has two hoops and a roof.
In addition to basketball, various handball, boxing, karate, aikido, and judo teams trained and hosted matches and events in Hala.
Concerts
Along with sports, Hala has played host to many shows by a variety of musical acts. They include:
^Bogdan Trbojević (15 February 1969). "Чија је Палата спортова у Новом Београду" [To whom belongs the Palata Sportova in New Belgrade]. Politika (reprinted on 15 February 2019, page 24) (in Serbian).
