AEG Global Partnerships seeks naming rights deals
AEG Global Partnerships is searching for naming rights partners for its new venue at Olympia in London.
Set to open in summer 2025, the 4,000-cap West London venue will form the centrepiece of the £1.3 billion (€1.55bn) redevelopment of the 14-acre Olympia Estate.
The venue, which will be located above the existing west exhibition hall, will be operated by AEG, which signed a ‘long-term agreement’ with owners Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International who acquired Olympia in 2017 for €330 million.
In addition, the team – the partnerships arm of AEG Europe – is also seeking a partner for the Hammersmith Apollo, with its current naming rights partnership with Eventim expiring at the end of the year.
“Since the pandemic, brands have been keen to get back in front of consumers, and build truly long-lasting relationships based on mutual benefits and trust”
“Since the pandemic, brands have been keen to get back in front of consumers, and build truly long-lasting relationships based on mutual benefits and trust,” says Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships. “Sponsored events are rated the preferred media channel among consumers, according to the 2023 Kantar Media Reactions survey, because unlike an advert that lasts just seconds, an event lasts hours, giving brands longer to engage with fans and – better still – enhance their experience.”
The new naming rights partners will join Qatar Airways, IG Group and Uber, who have all joined the ranks since the beginning of 2024.
“We’ve started working with more than 110 new partners in the past 12 months, and now we’re looking for two ambitious brands who want to take on the naming rights to two world-class venues,” adds Samuels. “In addition to the obvious perks of being a naming rights partner, wider activations can help to achieve a range of objectives, from increasing consideration and rewarding loyal customers, to meeting sustainability objectives.”
Along with naming rights partners, AEG Global Partnerships is seeking category partners who will be able to elevate the experiences of those visiting the venue.
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AEG Global Partnerships seals APAC venue link-ups
AEG Global Partnerships has secured new link-ups with IG Group, Bacardi and Volvo at its live events venues in Japan and Thailand.
IG Group has taken the naming rights for the new 17,000-seat arena currently under construction in Nagoya Japan, which will now be known as the IG Arena.
The 10-year deal between IG Group, the Aichi International Arena Company and AEG Global Partnerships is one of the largest-ever naming rights agreements in the APAC region. It comes just six months after AEG joined forces with The EM District and UOB to seal a similar deal for new Thailand live entertainment venue UOB Live, which opens this weekend.
Bacardi and Volvo have also signed deals to become the first founding partners at UOB Live, with both to have a large-scale brand presence and partnerships across the venue, with Bacardi becoming the exclusive beverage partner and Volvo becoming the exclusive automotive partner.
“We are proud to align UOB LIVE with two of the world’s most iconic, global brands – Bacardi and Volvo, each of which is best-in-class in their respective industries,” adds says Grossarth, general manager of UOB LIVE. “Their commitment to excellence matches ours and will help us amplify the world-class experiences that our guests can expect when they visit our venue.”
“Together, we will be able to enhance fans’ world-class experiences at our state-of-the-art venues, while offering opportunities for brands”
UOB LIVE launches on Sunday (11 February) with a specially tailored one-night-only concert produced and performed by Ed Sheeran. The venue, which promises to “reshape the live entertainment landscape” in the region, will be located at The Emsphere shopping mall in Bangkok and will be managed by ASM Global.
“IG Group, Bacardi and Volvo are all world leaders in their respective industries, and their commitment to excellence matches our own,” says Matthew Zweck, AEG Global Partnerships VP – Asia-Pacific. “Together, we will be able to enhance fans’ world-class experiences at our state-of-the-art venues, while offering opportunities for brands to excite, engage and reward both existing and prospective customers.”
Over the past 12 months, AEG Global Partnerships has signed new agreements across Japan, China, Thailand and Singapore worth $100 million – and growth is expected to continue throughout 2024 and into 2025. Further new AEG venues are already under construction in Osaka, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea, with AEG Global Partnerships poised to extend further naming rights and sponsorship agreements.
“The live entertainment industry in the APAC region is going from strength to strength and, as part of AEG, we can offer unrivalled naming rights and venue partnership opportunities at some of the best venues in the world,” says AEG Global Partnerships EVP Paul Samuels. “We are constantly reimagining partnerships, creating bespoke, integrated strategies designed to meet brands’ objectives, while enhancing fans’ experiences at some of the world’s leading venues.”
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AEG Global Partnerships expands into Asia Pacific
AEG Global Partnerships has announced an expansion into Asia Pacific (APAC), led by newly appointed vice president Matthew Zweck.
The industry veteran and 10-year AEG Global Partnerships executive will focus on developing strategic partnerships for the company’s portfolio of assets in Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Australia.
Based in the company’s Australian headquarters in Melbourne, Zweck and his team will be responsible for sales and servicing of brand collaborations with partners for AEG’s collection of assets in the region.
This includes recently announced projects such as Em Live, a 6,000-seat theatre that will anchor a new entertainment district in Bangkok, as well as new, state-of-the-art multi-purpose arena projects in Nagoya and Osaka, Japan, in addition to a new 20,000-seat arena in Seoul, Korea.
The new regional office will also oversee partnerships and innovative marketing programs for assets such Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena, and work with JV partner Mushroom for concert tours, festivals and other live entertainment properties produced by Frontier Touring.
Speaking on the expansion, Paul Samuels, executive VP of AEG Global Partnerships, says: “With a world-class network of more than 350 owned and affiliated venues, sports and music brands, our Global Partnerships business is unmatched in terms of our ability to offer partners access to platforms that cut through the clutter and create innovative campaigns and sponsorships that enable brands to build deeper relationships with their customers.
AEG’s Global Partnerships team is responsible for generating more than US$550 million in annual revenues
“Having worked with him for more than a decade, I’m thrilled to announce Matthew’s appointment and excited to see the growth and value he drives on the ground for not only our business, but for our future business partners across APAC.”
AEG’s Global Partnerships team is responsible for generating more than US$550 million in annual revenues and more than US$2 billion in contractually obligated income.
With a dedicated footprint and headcount based in Australia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand, the expansion of the Global Partnerships team mirrors the overall expansion of AEG’s business into Asia-Pacific.
Adam Wilkes, AEG Asia Pacific president & CEO, says: “The exponential growth of the APAC entertainment market is one I have been privileged to witness first-hand for over two decades. From first entering the market off the back off the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, our Asia Pacific business has gone from strength to strength and as we look to continue our investment footprint in this pivotal region, I am thrilled to have Matthew on hand to lead our Global Partnerships business on this new journey.”
Acting as an internal agency for AEG and AEG Presents, Global Partnerships oversees worldwide sponsorship sales and activation for over 135 properties across five continents, including venues, sports franchises, events, tours, festivals and digital content.
Notable deals include the naming rights of venues such as the O2 and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas – both the Berlin and Shanghai venues – to activations including the annual American Express presents BST Hyde Park festival, Luno presents All Points East and team sponsorship for Eisbären Ice Hockey teams.
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Firefly Festival teams with Web3 brand Autograph
AEG Presents’ Firefly Music Festival has partnered with Autograph – the Web3 brand co-founded by NFL great Tom Brady – on its first ever NFT collection.
As part of the deal, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, all wristband-holders will have the opportunity to redeem one of five NFTs, granting them a range of perks, including a dedicated entry lane and on-site experiences. Additionally, all festival-goers will have the opportunity to experience Autograph’s on-site activation.
“After very successful activations at Hangout and Electric Forest, we are thrilled to welcome Firefly Festival-goers into the Autograph community,” says Dillon Rosenblatt, CEO and co-founder of Autograph.
“In addition to providing many music fans with their first ever NFTs, we’re offering real-world benefits with each Firefly Lumina. We’re glad Autograph can play a role in deepening Firefly attendees’ festival experiences and provide fans with a digital souvenir to commemorate their weekend.”
“Offering fans new and exclusive ways to enjoy their favourite performances, while also giving them an Autograph NFT to take home, is a no-brainer”
The East Coast’s largest camping festival, the 50,000-cap Firefly Music Festival takes place from 22-25 September in Dover, Delaware with headliners Halsey, My Chemical Romance, Green Day and Dua Lipa.
“We are always looking for ways to give our Firefly attendees and avid music lovers the best experience while they are with us for four days at The Woodlands,” says Stephanie Mezzano, VP and festival director of Firefly Music Festival. “Offering fans new and exclusive ways to enjoy their favourite performances, while also giving them an Autograph NFT to take home, is a no-brainer.”
AEG announced a multi-year partnership with Autograph back in March, launching at that month’s BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans. Autograph will also work on similar activations for AEG Presents brands such as Electric Forest and Hangout Music Festival.
Earlier this year, AEG’s Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival auctioned 10 lifetime passes to the event as part of a series of NFTs, which saw 10 Coachella lifetime passes sold for a combined $1.5 million (€1.3m).
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AEG promotes Kate Sheets to newly formed position
AEG Global Partnerships has promoted Kate Sheets to the newly formed position of senior vice president, strategy and business affairs.
Sheets joins the Global Partnerships team having most recently served as VP, legal counsel for AEG. Acting as an internal agency for AEG, Global Partnerships oversees worldwide sales and activation for over 130 world-class platforms across five continents and numerous other assets, including venues, sports franchises, events, tours, festivals and digital content among other AEG holdings.
Sheets will continue to work out of AEG’s Los Angeles office and will report to Nick Baker and Russell Silvers, co-chief operating officers of AEG Global Partnerships.
AEG says that, in the new and expanded role, Sheets will lead efforts to identify, cultivate and refine key partnerships and strategic initiatives, ensuring that they contribute to the overall growth targets and key priorities of AEG Global Partnerships.
Working closely with business leaders within Global Partnerships and across the global AEG enterprise, she will be responsible for providing strategic counsel and insight into all major revenue growth initiatives for the division and she will also help set the vision and strategy for the optimisation of partner campaigns and content.
Having structured and negotiated multi-asset sponsorship agreements on a local and global scale in her previous roles at AEG, she will be integrally involved in helping grow and advance the global deal-making strategies, new business opportunities and annual revenues generated by GP.
“A gifted dealmaker and business strategist, she has been instrumental in helping us bring our strategic vision to life”
“Kate has been an invaluable asset to our company having provided strategic insight and legal counsel across virtually every facet of AEG’s global business, including having led legal negotiations on behalf of our Global Partnerships division for some of the largest revenue-generating assets within our company’s portfolio,” says Nick Baker, COO of AEG Global Partnerships.
“A gifted dealmaker and business strategist, she has been instrumental in helping us bring our strategic vision for key partnerships to life and we know that her leadership, integrity, and work ethic combined with her ability to successfully navigate our multi-faceted global business landscape will make her a priceless addition to our Global Partnerships team.”
Sheets joined AEG in 2016 as a member of the AEG Legal Department, where she started as legal counsel and was later promoted to VP, legal counsel. Over the last six years, she has been responsible for advising AEG’s executive management on key business and legal matters, as well as handling a wide range of general corporate and contractual issues, most of which were centred around supporting the day-to-day operations of one of the many stadiums, arenas and entertainment complexes or professional sports franchises that AEG owns or manages.
She has also worked extensively with the Global Partnerships team helping secure lucrative deals for AEG owned franchises (Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Galaxy), events (Nike 3on3 Basketball Tournament, All-Star Chef Classic) and arenas (Crypto.com Arena, L.A. LIVE, Dignity Health Sports Park), including multi-million-dollar founding partnerships and naming rights arrangements with major brands.
Most recently she led all legal negotiations for the record-breaking 20-year Crypto.com Arena naming rights agreement which Global Partnerships brokered on behalf of AEG. The landmark deal is worth over $700 million making it the single largest naming rights agreement in the history of the sports industry to date.
“Kate has demonstrated excellence and leadership in every project and initiative she’s overseen since joining AEG six years ago,” says Russell Silvers, COO, AEG Global Partnerships. “She has consistently applied her legal expertise and strategic insight to drive innovation as well as new business opportunities for the company and we are thrilled to have her expand both her role and impact on Global Partnerships with this new position.”
Prior to joining AEG, Sheets spent close to three years as an associate at Proskauer Rose LLP in Los Angeles. While there, she focused on large-scale mergers and acquisitions and securities matters for public and private companies. Sheets began her legal career at Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles as a member of the firm’s Transactional & Securities and Sports Industry Teams.
“AEG Global Partnerships has continually proven itself as an industry leader. I look forward to working with the rest of our team to drive growth through innovative and purposeful partnerships that both deliver value to our clients and meet their strategic goals,” says Sheets.
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All Points East partners with crypto platform Luno
On the heels of its link-up with London’s Koko venue, cryptocurrency exchange Luno has been announced as presenting partner of this year’s All Points East festival.
According to Luno, the partnership, which has been facilitated by AEG Global Partnerships, will enable it to “educate festival goers about safely harnessing the power and possibilities of cryptocurrency”.
Taking place in East London’s Victoria Park from 19-28 August, All Points East is expected to attract more than 350,000 festival goers over the course of the event. Headline acts will include Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, Kraftwerk, Tame Impala, The National, Disclosure and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
“Every day, the relationship between crypto and music grows stronger”
“We’re delighted to be the presenting partner for All Points East this year,” says Sam Kopelman, Luno’s UK country manager. “You only have to look at the line up to see that it’s a festival with real cultural relevance that attracts a forward thinking crowd. As such, it’s the perfect partner for us to develop a long term relationship with music fans, artists and the broader industry. Every day, the relationship between crypto and music grows stronger, with blockchain innovations beginning to revolutionise the industry.”
The deal also includes the creation of the ‘Luno Lounge’ on the festival site, a space which will reflect the themes of both accessibility and opportunity. Luno customers will be offered exclusive access to promotions and competitions for festival tickets via social media, as well as fast track entry and other on-site benefits such as VIP upgrades.
Luno will also have a number of crypto themed environments on the festival site and will work with artists to create unique content about the opportunities of crypto.
“We’ll be working with Luno to add value to both fans and park users across the whole festival”
Luno is becoming increasingly active in the UK’s music and entertainment space as it aims to build on the growing interest in digital and blockchain technology amongst the cultural sector and creative industries.
“All Points East has grown from strength to strength over the last four years,” says Jim King, AEG’s CEO of European Festivals. “2022 arguably has the strongest line up to date and so it’s the perfect opportunity for us to welcome Luno as the presenting partner for the festival. We will be working with Luno to add value to both fans and park users across the whole festival, especially during our midweek ‘In the Neighbourhood’ programme.”
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AEG Global Partnerships hires Ingrid Petri
AEG Global Partnerships has hired seasoned industry executive Ingrid Petri as VP, portfolio sales.
Based out of AEG’s New York office, Petri will serve as a key member of the sales team, responsible for driving innovative business solutions for new partners and growing strategic relationships with companies investing across the AEG portfolio.
She will be tasked with building multi-property deals with major brands that span all facets of AEG’s business including venues such as Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, LA LIVE, and music festivals including California’s Coachella and Stagecoach.
“Ingrid is both an outstanding and valuable addition to our Global Partnerships team as she brings a deep understanding of sports and entertainment along with a proven ability to secure world-class partnerships that deliver meaningful results for brands,” says Nick Baker, chief operating officer, AEG Global Partnerships.
“AEG’s dynamic portfolio of global properties provides truly unique opportunities for partner brands to create authentic and meaningful customer connections”
Petri brings with her more than two decades worth of experience in sales, brand development, and experiential marketing having held senior leadership roles across major sports leagues, teams, and media companies. Prior to joining AEG, she spent eight years with the National Basketball Association (NBA) as associate VP of business development and global partnerships.
“I’m thrilled with the opportunity to join AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and its best-in-class leadership team,” says Petri. “Its dynamic portfolio of global properties provides truly unique opportunities for partner brands to create authentic and meaningful consumer connections – in a fundamentally transforming world. I’m also particularly proud to join a company that’s committed to driving positive change in the world through philanthropy, sustainability, equity and inclusion.”
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Sage takes naming rights for ASM’s Gateshead arena
ASM Global has unveiled tech giant Sage as the naming partner for its Newcastle Gateshead Quays arena and conference centre development in the UK.
Opening in 2024, the 12,500-capacity arena is the centrepiece of a £260 million regeneration scheme which will include a conference and exhibition centre, restaurants, a hotel and large areas of ‘outdoor realm’ and performance space on the same site.
The development will be the North East’s largest business and entertainment district, welcoming more than one million visitors annually and providing an estimated £70m annual boost for the local economy, as well as creating 2,000 jobs.
“This ambitious and transformational development will create a genuinely unique events campus with an iconic waterfront location, so it is fantastic to be teaming up with an equally iconic North East brand in the form of Sage,” says Tom Lynch, SVP, Europe for ASM Global.
“ASM Global has enjoyed over 25 years of success in the North East and we look forward to joining forces with Sage to take live entertainment, conventions and exhibitions to new heights, and cement the region’s reputation as a sought-after business, leisure and cultural destination.”
“We had a vision to welcome a partner that not only has a strong affiliation with the region, but one that shares our values in sustainability and commitment to the local community”
Billed as a “community-focused international venue”, The Sage will sit between the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the international music centre, Sage Gateshead. ASM Global also operates the 11,000-capacity Utilita Arena in Newcastle, Gateshead’s twin city, where Sage Group is headquartered. Sage is also a patron of the existing 1,640-capacity Sage Gateshead.
“For this new entertainment and business district in the North East, we had a vision to welcome a partner that not only has a strong affiliation with the region, but one that shares our values in sustainability and commitment to the local community,” says Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships.
“The Sage has a vision that will provide new opportunities to their customers and also support businesses in the region so we are really proud to be working together with Sage on such an exciting development. As AEG Global Partnerships, we ensure we target the right brands for the right opportunities and we couldn’t have a more perfect fit with Sage.”
ASM Global’s UK portfolio also includes the AO Arena in Manchester, the First Direct Arena in Leeds and The SSE Arena, Wembley.
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Crypto.com currency ‘up 70%’ after LA arena deal
Crypto.com’s currency, CRO token, surged almost 70% in the wake of the platform’s naming rights deal for AEG’s Staples Center, according to a new report.
The 20-year deal with the Singapore-based cryptocurrency company is reportedly worth US$700 million (€622m), with all of the 20,000-cap venue’s external signage to be replaced by June 2022.
However, Forbes reports the coin’s value has risen 69.9% since last week’s announcement that the 20,000-cap Los Angeles venue is to be renamed the Crypto.com Arena from 25 December following an agreement brokered by AEG Global Partnerships. The news prompted Meltem Demirors, chief strategy officer at CoinShares International, to say the deal had already paid for itself more than a dozen times.
The deal paid for itself – 13x over
“Crypto.com put $700M into a 20 year sponsorship, and the resulting PR doubled its token price and led to a $9B run-up in market cap the deal paid for itself –13x over,” she tweeted, “difficult to untangle token distribution and who benefited, but smart token marketing strategy!”
The new relationship will result in the first name change in the venue’s 22-year history and will also see Crypto.com featured prominently across the venue with large-scale, premium branding and signage.
“We’re very excited about partnering with AEG and investing long term in this city, starting with Crypto.com Arena in the heart of downtown, and using our platform in new and creative ways so that cryptocurrency can power the future of world class sports, entertainment and technology for fans in LA and around the world,” said Crypto.com co-founder and CEO, Kris Marszalek.
Opening its doors in 1999, the downtown Los Angeles arena is home to the NBA’s LA Lakers and LA Clippers and the NHL’s LA Kings and LA Sparks and hosts over 240 major high-profile events a year, including 19 of the last 21 Grammy Awards shows. Upcoming concerts include Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Imagine Dragons and the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest series.
Earlier this year, Crypto.com became the first crypto platform to partner with an F1 team (Aston Martin), the first to partner with an NHL team (Montreal Canadiens), and the first to partner with a professional sports league (Lega Serie A).
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AEG Global Partnerships brings in Lara Fox as VP
AEG Global Partnerships has hired seasoned sales and marketing executive Lara Fox as VP.
Based in AEG’s Los Angeles HQ, Fox will be responsible for building strategic relationships and partnerships for the company’s tours, festivals, venues and other assets, as well as its subsidiaries.
Fox will also manage brand deals for AEG’s network of live music venues, with a focus on the West Coast.
“Lara’s impressive career combined with her proven ability to drive significant revenues and build innovative partnerships with some of the biggest brands in the world, makes her a perfect fit for AEG,” says Andrew Klein, MD, AEG Global Partnerships. “We have a one-of-a-kind global portfolio with some of the most coveted music and live entertainment assets in the world, and this is an incredibly exciting time to be joining our company.
“We are confident Lara will be an incredible asset to our business and our partners as we continue to shape the future of music and live entertainment.”
Live music is back and going to be bigger than ever
Fox joins AEG after more than a decade with global media and entertainment firm Complex Networks where she served as VP of brand partnerships and oversaw deals with brands such as Apple, Starz, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Netflix and EA.
Additionally, she was part of the original team that helped produce and create brand partnerships for the first ever ComplexCon, a two-day cultural Super Bowl.
Previously, Fox held roles at Condé Nast’s W Magazine followed by ViacomCBS, where she managed media, content, and event sponsorships for MTV.com while also working as a freelance writer for MTV News and MTV Clubland.
“Live music is back and going to be bigger than ever. I am thrilled to have joined such a prestigious team under extremely smart executive leadership,” says Fox. “AEG has the best music festivals, sports teams and facilities in the world. This is a dream job for me.”
Acting as an internal agency for AEG and AEG Presents, Global Partnerships oversees worldwide sponsorship sales and activation for over 135 properties across five continents, including venues, sports franchises, events, tours, festivals and digital content.
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