New naming rights deal for ASM Global’s Hull venue
ASM Global’s Bonus Arena in Hull, UK has been renamed Connexin Live as part of a new five-year partnership with a local technology company.
The 3,500-cap opened its doors in 2018 with sold out performance by Van Morrison, and has gone on to host the likes of Bob Dylan, Stereophonics, Sean Paul, Tom Grennan, Blondie, Bryan Adams and Paloma Faith, welcoming 200,000 visitors in 2022 alone.
Since 2018, over half a million tickets have been purchased, with 327 hosted ticketed events since opening. In 2022, the venue was ranked 51st busiest arena in Europe in Pollstar‘s rankings.
“We are delighted to form this new partnership with a hugely successful, and ambitious, company in Connexin,” says Connexin Live GM Sam Ryder. “The venue has proved to be an incredible success over the last five years, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to Hull and East Yorkshire to see iconic, world class artists. I am looking forward to working alongside Connexin over the next few years and making many more memories at Connexin Live.”
“Both Connexin and the venue have a real shared resonance with Hull, and passion for the city, making this new naming rights partnership a fantastic fit”
Hull-based Connexin offers ultrafast broadband, Smart Places and IoT solutions, and digital skills training. Connexin Live signage is being added to the arena this week, ahead of Sean Paul’s show on Tuesday 8 August. Other upcoming gigs include Noel Gallagher and Bowling For Soup.
“We have an incredible portfolio of venues here in the UK, located in thriving parts of the country,” says ASM Global Europe president Chris Bray. “Both Connexin and the venue have a real shared resonance with Hull, and passion for the city, making this new naming rights partnership a fantastic fit.
“We have bold and exciting plans for Connexin Live so it’s our pleasure to have the Connexin team joining us on this journey, innovating and elevating the live entertainment experience for all.”
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ASM appoints Sam Ryder as Bonus Arena Hull GM
ASM Global has named Sam Ryder as the new general manager of Hull’s Bonus Arena.
Ryder returns to the 3,500-cap venue, where he served as head of operations prior to joining ASM’s York Barbican as GM last year.
Upcoming acts at the arena include Sean Paul (8 August), Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (30 August), Deacon Blue (7 October), The Reytons (3 November) and Donny Osmond (28 November).
“Sam is a fantastic general manager, and building on the foundations of York Barbican, with agility and creativity, he has evolved the venue into York’s most exciting live entertainment and conference and exhibition space,” says Marie Lindqvist, ASM’s SVP operations Europe. “We’re delighted that Sam remains part of the ASM Global family and are excited to see what he’ll bring to the Bonus Arena in Hull in his new role as it looks ahead to the future.”
“My focus will be on bringing high quality original content to the venue, and making it a fixture on both the arena and academy sized touring routes”
Ryder will also retain his post as general manager of York Barbican, with the venue appointing Rebecca Stevenson as deputy GM. Stevenson joined the 1,900-cap Barbican, progressing to operations and security manager within the venue’s senior leadership team.
“‘I am incredibly excited by the opportunity at Hull,” says Ryder. “As a part of the initial opening team in the venue, and a proud resident of the city, there is so much room to grow on the success of the venue. My focus will be on bringing high quality original content to the venue, and making it a fixture on both the arena and academy sized touring routes.
“I’m excited to continue my work in York whilst also taking on the new challenge of Hull, and adding Rebecca Stevenson as deputy general manager in York will really secure the work we have started there.”
Ryder succeeds Darren Moore at Bonus Arena following the latter’s switch to NEC Group’s Bradford Live, which is scheduled to open in spring/summer 2024.
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