,fit(1200:))
Two decades of hockey history in eastern Slovakia came to a close as the Košice arena known since 2006 as the Steel Aréna officially adopted a new commercial identity, Šport.sk reported.
State-owned lottery firm Tipos secured a four-year naming rights deal through October 31, 2030, paying 1,377,600 euros including VAT for the property, according to records cited by Kosicak.sk. The venue on Nerudova Street will now trade commercially as TIPOSBET ARENA, though its historical designation as the Zimný štadión Ladislava Trojáka remains.
The transition marks the end of an era tied to the venue’s original sponsor, U.S. Steel Košice, whose local steelworks were renamed Nippon Steel Slovakia after being taken over by Nippon Steel Corporation in October 2026, Sportky.zoznam.sk reported. The facility’s commercial name change follows similar agreements struck by Tipos across the Slovak Extraliga in Bratislava, Nitra, Michalovce, Spišská Nová Ves, and Zvolen.
Behind the commercial rebranding lies a mandatory infrastructural overhaul to meet international standards ahead of the 2029 IIHF World Championships, which Košice will co-host with the national capital in May 2029. Arena management narrowed the playing surface to a modern 60 by 28-meter format during the summer of 2025 to create space for upcoming seating expansions.
New Tribunes Will Increase Arena Capacity to 10,024
Construction crews will build new tribunes across the newly cleared floor space through 2027 and 2028. The installation of approximately 1,600 additional seats will push the arena’s total capacity to 10,024 spectators, addressing capacity requirements for major international tournaments.
The venue previously hosted top-tier international play during the 2011 and 2019 World Championships. Despite the heavy investment from the state lottery, the sponsor will lose its visual branding during the 2029 tournament under strict International Ice Hockey Federation regulations requiring local sponsorship covers.
The Arena Hosted Championship Wins Since Opening in 2006
The arena opened in 2006, hosting its inaugural Extraliga match on March 3, 2006, when HC Košice fell 3–4 to HKM Zvolen before a sold-out crowd. Since that debut, the club captured seven championship titles, including a golden hat-trick between 2009 and 2011.
Upcoming Extraliga Fixture
HC Košice will play their next home fixture under the newly established arena name against MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš.
Keep reading
